OIL??

[Budnicks]

All My N/A race engines used
Torco TR-1R 20-50 {hot} or 10/40 {cold} $9.95 a qt.,
I never skimp on oil, especially in a race engine, it's the life's blood of you engine,
it works for me, I stick with what I know works...

disclaimer;
Please don't take what I say as an insult, not my intention
1 oil & viscosity doesn't fit all, it never has never will...
I rarely do what someone on the Internet recommends,
I do what the engine builder {reputable} & my experience tells me,
I know what works for me & I stick with it !!
Unless something proves me wrong or "the experts"
tells/proves to me otherwise...

Both my Daily Driver 99 Dakota SLT 4x4
Stock OE 5 qt. pan
Harlen Sharp 1.7:1 rollers, AEM air box & TB spacer,
Edelbrock headers, Hypoertech tuner, 3" cat back Flowmasters etc.
a bunch of Bolt-on performance stuff

& my street/strip car 479ci/6bbl full roller has
all gridded up all flash/excess, not too extravagant
& especially all returns/drains inside the block,
I have screen epoxied to the area over the camshaft,
redirect the oil away from dripping down on the crankshaft,
thru the camshaft holes, hammering the crank @ rpm, killing HP
{40 year ol' engine builders tip, hasn't failed me yet}
the car has a 7qt Milodon low profile pan & pick up, with windage tray
& baffles in the bottom of the pan both for deceleration & hard cornering

Royal Purple 10-40/20-50 respectively
Synthetic, both are full hydr. rollers...
great bang for the buck, for an off the shelf reasonably priced
mass produced synthetic...
I'm in an area that doesn't get overly cold
or I don't drive "my car" when it's too cold, I drive my truck}
& is hot 100*+ sometimes in the summertime
BUT;
I'll probably go back to Torco in my RR,
when I drive it more regularly...
Old habits die hard,
I am a brand loyal ol' cuss, when it works...

so far so good

I use to use Redline for years, ol' sponsorship,
but started using Torco, because of problems,
latter they {Torco} gave me oil
{Vic Hubbards sponsor, oil, fuel, plugs, filters}
it's not cheap, but never had any oil related failures "ever"...
Stick with what works, in extreme heat maybe a thicker oil
extreme cold maybe a thinner oil, multi blends
have kind of the best of both worlds...

There are far many more factors to weigh,
when it comes to oil viscosity & what additives it has even...
Do some research/due diligence...
IMO don't just go by price, brand or what someone else runs,
what they have, may be completely different, require thicker or thinner
or an additive you don't want or need, than what you will actually need...

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I also have a buddy that does destructive & engine testing
@ Chevron Research & development, he's tested all my oils,
prior to running & after running it's cycles,
anything from Methanol to Race Gas, pump gas with Ethanol etc.
all looks great or I'd have changed them long time ago...
I trust his expert opinions, far more than, just some dude on the internet...

disclaimer;
Please don't take it the wrong way,
Not that "some here" don't know what they are talking about
or that they're probably 100% correct either,
"for their specific combo" etc.

Now when I ran Methanol especially, Blown &/or Mech. FI
I ran 70 wt Torco racing oil &
changed it every race, sometimes before a race was over if need be,
Methanol has a tendency to get by the rings, no matter what
IF you run enough fuel to make real HP, run enough fuel thru it,
it turns the oil to baby **** yellow, even with zero gap top rings...

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IMO there's a lot of misinformation out there,
just do what your combo requires, not what some guy
probably in a totally different state & climate runs & does,
unless your builds are near identical & have alike clearances etc.
or they are an expert...

good luck

 

[mmissile]

That all sounds pretty spot-on.

 

[66Satellite47]

I'll go with the Brad Penn 20-50W to start with, but I'll give the accumulator more thought.

 

[dvw]

The more I've learned about oil has led me to several conclusions. Also I've had no oil related failures. These are the suggestions of my engine builder (me) #1 You can't beat a quality synthetic. #2 Unless you you're running blown with BIG boost no need to run something that's the consistency of rear end dope. Necessary viscosity is based on oil temperatures. Correct viscosity for the running oil temp will provide the protection needed. #3 High oil pressure is just resistance to flow. #4 oil must serve 2 basic funtions. Provide a hydrodynamic wedge to prevent metal to metal contact. Remove heat from the parts being cooled to prevent expansion causing metal to metal contact. Before learning about how oil functioned I was a 20w50 guy, no more. Maybe if it was endurance or road racing, again oil temp/running pressure is your guide. Think about this. An engine has 50 weight with 90lbs of oil pressure. The same engine at the same temperature has 60lbs with 30weight. All the clearances are the same, (same engine). Which has greater oil flow? Flow takes away heat. Viscosity does not equate to load capacity, It is a measure of flow through a given orifice at a given temp.
Doug

 

[mopar 3 B]

That is why increasing volume is more important than increasing pressure. Absolutely no sense in mass amounts of pressure threw a squirt gun when a fire hose is required.

 

[dvw]

That is why increasing volume is more important than increasing pressure. Absolutely no sense in mass amounts of pressure threw a squirt gun when a fire hose is required.

For those who think you need tight clearances and thick oil to achieve a desired pressure number this is a good point to think about. More volume is proportional to pressure through a given orifice (internal clearances). If your clearances are large and you flow more oil, the pressure will still be a reasonable number. You can overboard with volume as well. If the pump flows in excess of what is needed the bypass in the pump will be open constantly wasting power. In my experimentation it is my feeling that the taller rotor Melling pump moves a little more oil than necessary (its what I use). However it will achieve 65 idle/85@7000 using 5w30 with loose bearing and lifter bore clearance (.003" rod, .004" main, .0025" lifter). Cutting the relief spring brings the pressure down to 55/75. However now that unused oil is being bypassed in the pump. I've run as low as 15idle/60-65@7000 with no ill effects. Tighter clearance and less pressure would surely work, BUT. And this is a big BUT are your components up to the task? Power means flex. Most of us, me include don't run high dollar billet cranks and blocks. Those tight NASCAR and Pro Stock clearances are a recipe for disaster if parts flex and cause metal to metal contact. A wise man said; If your engine has wide clearance you will know, If it's tight everyone will know. As your knowledge base of engines increases you will see that every part of the combo is interlinked for best performance and longevity.
Doug

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

When that filter goes into by-pass mode,the engine is filtering about 10% of the oil as 90% is by-passed.This is why I use a double oil filter set up to hande the volume of my oil pump and the Moroso oil filters have NO by-pass.

 

[biomedtechguy]

VR1 Racing Oil...but 20-50.

X2 my hydraulic Comp Cams flat-tappet lifters love it! Oil pressure is good and appropriate at all temps/rpms/conditions.
In south Louisiana it doesn't get or stay cold very long..
Amsoil Z-Rod tells a good story, I may try some.
My wife's 421 Pontiac TriPower 4 bolt main motor was just rebuilt with some nice go fast goodies like H-beam rods, double roller billet steel timing set, HYDRAULIC ROLLER lifters and Comp Cams Xtreme Energy cam. I am ready to change out the break in oil, don't really need high zinc anymore with the roller lifters, it has the same roller tip rockers...
After this conventional petroleum-based oil change I am going full synthetic. Any suggestions for this oil change and then future synthetic oil? I have to experiment with the viscosity as the newly rebuilt motor has pretty high oil pressure.

 

[Budnicks]

I think the engine temp. & more so
the oil temps is very important aspects...
Often overlooked

Like said above it's not just pressure & volume
albeit there's a correct ratio for every type of build for that stuff too...

anyway
I liked my stuff usually around 170*-180*,
Ambient temps sometime dictated what oil viscosity was needed,
Mine ran best that way & that temp too, break down of the oils,
especially in the destructive test I saw too...
On an Iron Block I tried to keep it about 160*-170* max
chose my oils a lot based on that...
Always between 160*-180* never lower or higher, operating oil temp.'s...

The size & volume/capacity/size or even style of your oil pan can
& will effect the oil temps too, just as much as pressure & viscosity...
Even the style of oil pump, vane or rotor etc.

More oil in the pan, the cooler generally, especially on a drag car...

There's a ton of theory about it, good info to know too...

ask 10 people & 10 "so called" experts,
you get probably 10 different answers

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

VR1 Valvoline is a better oil, than Brad Penn.
I have 10 cases of Brad Penn I'm using up FAST and then going back to the Valvoline VR1.
The Valvoline have much better racing properties than the Brad Penn.
A very reputable engine builder was having problems burning up pushrod tips and rockers with the Brad Penn, once switched back to the VR1 problems went away.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

5W-30 in the spring and fall
20W-50 in the Summer