dfinke23

Talked to some friends last week that said their oil temps dropped after switching to synthetic, has anyone else experienced this?
I am running 20W50 mineral oil (non-synthetic) in a Darton sleeved 468 CI LS7, and am looking to lower temps on the track. A custom oil cooler and vented hood are on the list.

varkwso

the oil does not run cooler - all of its polymers are exactly the same length so friction may be reduced a very small fraction - and sludge/vapor comparted to dino oil is reduced significantly. It can take higher temps.

Zenak

Depends. Synthetic breaks down slower. So yes this can be true. If you run the same oil event after event without changing, as the oil gets older it will run hotter with the viscosity break down and carbon build up. Syntethic will do this slower. Fresh oil change first event, close to the same. No change for 3 events, the synthetic will be a bit cooler. My advice is you change your oil atleast after every 10 track hours. Some I know do it sooner as cheap insurance for engine wear.

VetteDrmr

I doubt if there's any measureable difference. Full synthetics will handle much more heat than dino oil before it breaks down.

The cooler and vented hood will do much more to lower temps.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

SouthernSon

When some of the OEM's went to synthetic they dropped oil coolers on some of their vehicles.

If you see a test of oils on the point at which the oil starts to coke-out you have to remember that the real damage occurs in the parts of the engine that are significantly higher than the temp of the oil.

Therefore, I run synthetics and have additional coolers. That is simply the best one can do.

waddisme

I never noticed a difference when I went from break in dino oil to synthentics. Both ran 290*+ until I put cooler on.

NIGHTSTALKER

I wondered the same thing Dan. I've been fighting higher oil temps since my motor was build.....Don't get me wrong, I'm only talking about a 225 degree cruise average on 85+ degree days, and 230-240 degree temps after WOT bursts, but I was hoping that swapping to synthetic would help a little because my last motor wouldn't go above 225 after multiple WOT pulls, track use, etc....... Not the case ...... I was using Castrol 5w30 for the first 600 miles (3 oil Changes). After that I swapped to Mobil 1. The temps stayed the same under the same conditions.

l8_apexer

I switched to Redline race oil, pure synthetic, straight 40 weight-- my temps dropped about 20 degrees compared to "street" Mobil 1. I ran a lapping day all day friday at Mid Ohio under severe conditions (ambient temps were 92-94 degrees) and never saw an oil temp over 275 degrees-- with some sessions 30-40 minutes long.

Previously, my temps would hover in the mid 280's, and towards the end of a 25 minute session would cross into the 300 territory, with ambient temps in the mid 70's.

Redline is expensive, but I appreciate the piece of mind on the motor.

Car is an 08 C6 Z51 package, with LG coilovers.

I then change the oil after the event back to street Mobil 1 for street use.

Learned a long time ago (the hard way) while racing Porsches that the true race oils are better for track use.

AU N EGL

Put an oil cooler and keep your oil temps down below 260, move like 240.

The oil can take the heat, but the bearings may not.