[DeTomaso] Installing Oil Temp Gauge ...

[mikeldrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/3/10 18 23 16, dgordon100 at cox.net writes:


> Does it make any difference on how much power the engine is putting out
> whether or not a ZF needs cooled?  I plan on putting 600+ rear wheel
> horsepower thru mine using a Ford GT motor.
> 
> 
It's not how much power the engine is *capable* of putting out that is the 
issue.   Rather, it's how much power the engine is *actually* putting out.   
If you drive a 600 hp Pantera down the freeway at 70 mph, you're probably 
only using 40-50 hp or so, and the gearbox temps reflect that.

The only time oil temps (both engine and gearbox) come into play is when 
the car is consisently being driven hard, i.e. on a racetrack or open road 
race, and even then, it has to be done for a fair amount of time.   Sustained 
triple-digit speeds and/or heavy loading (running hard up and down the gears) 
will assuredly result in elevated gearbox oil temperatures, but your engine 
oil temperature will spike long before the gearbox does.

If you don't plan on running your car at least 130 mph for 30 minutes at a 
time on a racetrack, or 140-150 mph for 30 minutes in an open road race, 
you're probably just fine.

Mike