The following info was gained from someone with a background in motorsport and I thought it may be interesting. Now I know that we are not talsking performance cars here but the info is relevant to the life and performance of our engines.
http://www.rpmotorsportdevelopments.com.au
Usually engine oil temp should be about 100-110 degrees, & about 20-30 degrees hotter than water temp.
Running the engine at too hot an oil temperature will also cause friction to increase due to oil breakdown & loss of power is the result.
Heat activated friction modifiers leave a residue on metal surfaces that resists oil shear much better than engine oil alone. Some oils have these added but if the oil you are using doesn't then you can add them with products such as Nulon's E20 Performance treatment.
Something else I noticed when I put a bodylift in my old lwb Vit was the temps started to climb more than normal on hot days. This turned out to be some of the airflow now being able to go over the top of the radiator instead of being directed through it. The remedy was to fill the gap with some closed cell foam. The other problem was I was also restricting the original amount of airflow to the radiator with bullbar, stone guard, winch and spotlights. Each item on their own was ok but combined they severely restricted the flow and the bodylift finished it off. Just have a think about the load the cooling system has to deal with when we are crawling around off road on a hot summers day particularly if you have mud in your radiator. This also goes for Winter when the radiator is full of snow much to some peoples surprise.
Having a good shroud for the fan is important. So is ensuring that what airflow you have is getting to the radiator and not going around it.
Redline Water Wetter has been getting some pretty good raps too. Anti-freeze is not as good a coolant as water so don't run more than the required % for the season.
I know sometime ago I was talking to a radiator guy about upgrading the radiator in the Vit and he said not to waste my money and try adding an oil cooler first before looking at upgrading the radiator.
Also for those with autos, if you haven't already fitted an auto trans cooler then do so and take the opportunity to upgrade to synthetic trans fluid. The cost is a lot less than rebuilding the auto.
Adding an electric water pump (Bosch of course
) as a booster may also be something to consider. There are Factory vehicles that do this.Hopefully others can add, clarify or expand on this with their thoughts and experiences as I have only scratched the surface.