This is more curiosity then anything, when I'm in stop and go traffic my engine/oil temps seem rise really quickly...109c...111c I've had it go as high as 117c. At 117c the car starts to idle really though and get a little "jerky". I get that it will rise in traffic but to me it seems excessive. Is this normal? at what temp should I start to worry?

 

It shouldn't be too hot up in WA even in the summer so that seems a bit hot considering those kind of ambient temps. I have sat in some stop and go traffic here in AZ with ambient temps around 110 and I only usually see 105-110. That being said, I was up in northern AZ going up a hill doing about 10-20mph and my temps got all the way up to 120. I was able to get out of the town and get back up to speed and it dropped back down so I didn't worry too much. I'd say anything higher than 130 you really really need to worry as that's 270F and close to boiling for most synthetics.

I'd check your cooler for any debris and if it's clear maybe have a shop look at it for possible clogs in the lines or cooler itself.

 

The one time It by up to 117c was in E.WA in 104 degree heat.. But it'll start to jump no matter the outside temp if I am in stop and go... At 117c my car started to act funny so that what made me curious. Service is due here in about 1500miles so I'll have them look at it then. If it was a issue with the cooler or the lines would the car also get hot under normal driving conditions?

 

That seems pretty warm. It was pretty hot here in GA a couple weeks ago. Ambient temps at 100F, engine temps were 200-210F (93-99C) driving around downtown in stop and go traffic.

 

Normal driving regardless of ambient temp it's usually between 99c-103c.. It's just in prolonged stop and go that things get crazy.. This Sunday I'll be in 104+ ambient temps so I'll pay more attention and see how it goes.

 

I just noticed you had a 63! I should note my car is a 55.

 

Yea, eastern Washington can get pretty hot!! If the cooler/lines were clogged it wouldn't necessarily run hot all the time just make it run extremely hot when there is little to no air flow. Even at say, 50% circulation you're still going to have air flow over the cooler, the engine and the oil pan so it will still run normal, but when you are stopped or going under 20 there is little to no air flow and the fans can't pull enough air to cool off the oil quick enough to keep the temps down at a diminished flow rate.

I'd also check to make sure you have enough oil in the car too just to eliminate that as a possibility. My bet is that there is debris in the cooler though.