I'm several weeks into breaking in a 2056 rebuild I did last winter. Basic specs:

1. 8.6 CR
2. 9950 Raby Cam
3. Len Hoffman built AA 2.0 heads
4. D-Jet
5. 123 Disitributor

I am surprised how challenging it has been to "dial this in" to optimal. I had to dial back the timing to about 26 to eliminate some pre-ignition (even with 89 octane and cooler range spark plugs), but now the engine itself is a blast. At one point I couldn't figure out why my head temps were running above 350 and oil temps hit 270 ( ) until I finally found the paper towel that got wedged underneath the impeller, upsetting the air flow ( ).

After fixing that fubar, I'm running amazingly cool head temps (e.g., 270 cruising at 60 in 4th gear), but my oil still wants to creep up higher than I'd like. As an example, today I did 20 minutes of spirited driving with ambient temps around 60 and oil was 210+. I am running without the engine lid right now, so I don't know if that's impacting both head and oil temps. I'm also pretty sure cooling flaps are working right, and I hope nothing else is fouling the air flow/cooling.

SO, to my original question: how many of you 2056-'ers are running external oil temps (and what oil temp were you running prior)? I'm going to buy a Setrab oil cooler in any event, as I have a 2.3 waiting for install later this year, but I'm trying to determine if something else is going on with my timing/tuning/oil cooling or if it's not completely unusual for 2056 to need one.

Thanks for any input

I'd first verify that your gauge is accurate by immersing the sender in water
and bringing it up to boiling.

I may do that next oil change (soon).

I do have an IR thermometer, and pointing it at the deep sump with the sender after a run seems to show it is roughly accurate with the gauge. Interesting, pointing it at the case near the pickup strainer location shows significantly cooler temp.

Hi Rob:

Glad the 2056 is treating you well so far.

I don't run an external cooler on my 2056. It's one of the reasons I decided not to go with a bigger build.

Spirited driving on a very hot day, I'll reach 240. Stuck in stop & go traffic on a very hot day, I've hit 260.

Normal 70ish weather, I top out around 200-210 or so with spirited driving.

This is as registered with a VDO cockpit gauge only. Running Brad Penn 20-50, stock disty & points, factory timing, rear deck lid on with rain tray.

Hope this info helps.

I'm running one but really only because my Grandpa put it on as the car was built to be a track car. I'm at 9.7 CR according to McMark, WEB can and heads rebuilt by Adrian it head flowmasters with bigger valves. I'm running about 210 oil temp (according to the gauge) A bit higher on real hot days.

I was thinking 210 didn't sound too bad, but I never had oil temp gauges on my Corvairs or my 914. (That is being fixed soon.)
I have been reading that the original oil temp red zone was almost 300 deg. Educate me!

I have a 2258, it would regularly get to 240 just driving around here in southern california.
That made me a bit uncomfortable.
so I decided it needed a cooler, hottest ive seen it get since i put a cooler (with fan) was about 205.
Car runs much more consistently now.

“2056 Stroker” ran hot 240 on a cool 65 - 70 day not sure what it would have been in hot weather.
I’ve installed a GT style cooler up front and now 185 - 210 at 90 degrees outside. I’m still going to install a fan for spirited driving and heavy stop and go traffic just to be on the safe side.

Hey Bob!

Yeah, I was under the impression that a pretty standard 2056 build shouldn't really NEED additional oil cooling. But I'm sort of running out of other ideas in terms of timing / tuning / air flow that may explain my temps. Just wanted to see if other 2056 owners found they needed a cooler.


210 is not bad, but ambient temps were pretty cool today. 75 degrees and up and I'm probably more at 240, which is really too hot.

240F isn't a short term concern for the oil inclusive of dino oil. Air cooled motorcycles are well know to run at 260 all day long but they are often on roller bearing cranks rather than plain bearings. The point being 240F isn't going to be a problem for the oil. On a fresh rebuild with tight bearing clearances 240F shouldn't be causing you to drop oil pressure. If you feel uncomfortable with 240 oil and are concerned about premature oxidation, just change oil earlier.

If you're really concerned, start sending your oil out for analysis now when the engine is fresh and get a good baseline. Later on if you're getting premature wear begining to start as show by bearing material in oil, you can react before it gets out of hand.

Synthetics will easily tolerate up to 300F without hurting the oil but obviously we wouldn't want the case that hot!

Looking at this also and plan on adding and external cooler probably this winter.

My build is very similar to yours.

2056 w/ 9590 cam and d-jet
HAM RS+ heads 8.6 cr
123 Ign timing at 28 btdc
Fuel pressure at 29-30

On a hot day it will get oil temp to 240 and above.

When I gear down to cool the head temps, the oil temp goes up.

I have 6500 miles on this engine now, so It should be broken in.

DO it!
I have a 1.7, I know don't worship the HP now...but the PO lived in Reno and actually mounted a canoe rack on it....DAPO.

He do however have the foresight to add in an external oil cooler for those drives up to Tahoe. So far even when running hard 210 is as bad as it gets.

Additional cooling capacity will not hurt, extra oil. The only drawback is a new potential for a leak, but the advantages speak for themselves. Also did I mention that it was in the back.

My 2056 ran 9.4:1 compression. 40 Webers. Track car, so I ran front mount cooler with GT shroud. Only removed the body plugs and lowered valance a bit vs a GT bumper with a more appropriate cooling aperature. Car ran warm in hot weather (90 degree air temp) at the track (220ish oil temp) but never more. Street was always fine.. 180ish.

I appreciate everyone's input. It sounds like Tom and I are in a similar situation. For now I'll keep and monitor the situation (and change oil frequently, which I really do anyway). Maybe some of the tolerances, like the reconditioned crank, are slightly tighter, and maybe 240 isn't a big deal.

As mentioned, I am going to eventually install a rear mounted Setrab in the near future, so by that time the actual oil temp issue should be OBE. As for the tuning, I'm "giving the engine what it wants," as Jake says, and it's a lot of fun to drive

Thought I'd chime in.
I'm adding a Setrab to my car this winter. Yet to be determined which one.
I saw some pretty high temps at WCR in Mammoth. I wont mention what I see on my wiggly road going home from the shop.

I have a cooler under the rear trunk on my 2056. Works great, but I don't know that I need it any more. I added it before the car was using EFI and the oil temps ran 240-250, and my head temps were always hot too.

Now that I'm on EFI my head temps are great, and its possible I no longer need the oil cooler. But I'm not interested in undoing all the plumbing to find out.

With the cooler my oil temps stay between 190 and 215.

Zach

Hello Zach, do you mind showing some pics of your cooler set up?
thanks!