trapp

I run high temps at the track 280's....I'm working on that currently

I ran 5w40 but I hear alot of you guys run

15w50 or 20w50......

What is the best option for high temp track car....

Tom

2011 GS with procharger....will be adding Finspeed oil cooler.....

ErnieN85

I use redline 10-40 with a Z06cooler
20-50 is good but doesn't flow as well when cold (startup)

rayk

I run M1 15W-50 for HPDE's. Is that Finspeed oil cooler to replace the Z06 oil cooler? I was considering putting a centri poweradder on mine, but concerned about temps on the track.

trapp

Yes....I will be replacing my Z06 oil cooler with the Finspeed cooler in hope to drop the temps alittle bit..

VatorMan

M1 15W-50 as well here. It has really gotten pricey. Anyone wanna go in with me for a 55 gallon drum ?

sebdavid

What do you guys think about Castrol Syntec/Edge 5-50? I've tried 5-40 and it helped my oil pressure (previously used Mobil 1 5-30, oil pressure was on the low side). I need the low weight for startup as I often run in close to freezing temperatures at the beginning and end of the season.

Bills Z06

I've been using Amsoil Racing Oil 15W-50 for about 3 years now. Down here in the Houston area we don't have to worry to much about cold weather oil viscosity.

JDIllon

I run Mobil 1 15-50W my car see's mainly track use! and by the way it is available again at Walmart in the 5 Qt. jug for $26.48 !!! JD Note: This is a track built motor and the engine builder recommends 15-50W

DOUG @ ECS

Oil viscosity needed depends greatly what piston ring is being used. An aftermarket engine will generally require higher viscosity as oil as stronger rings are generally used, a stock engine will require lower viscosity as they come with low tension ductile rings. (for emission purposes)

many other variables too though.

rfn026

I'm working on an oil article right now. I've been talking to Royal Purple and Joe Gibbs racing. There is a sweet spot for oil temps. You want to run between 220 and 240. Higher viscosity oils generally create more friction and more heat. Lower the viscosity and you'll probably run cooler.

Gibbs makes a good point when they say that too many people running track events think they own a race car. That's a lot different from actually owning a real race car. They suggest that unless you know exactly what your bearing clearances are you should use the oil that the owners manual suggests.

Now if you own a real race car get the clearances from your engine builder and they can help you select the appropriate oil viscosity.

btw - I just posted a new column on wheel bearings. If you race a C3 you should probably read it. The rest of us just get to replace those sealed units.

Richard Newton
Newton's Laws

Kubs

100% I use 30 wt oil in my C4. My engine is built for tighter clearances (like the factory engine was) and I do not have any heat issues with a cooler.

frank dupuy

I have been using Castrol 5-50 in my track car this year and have been happy with it.

spdislife

Amsoil 10w30

Painrace

Katech says 15W50 in their engines on the track. That is what I use.

Jim

yakisoba

I have run stock oil for a C5Z (5w30) and now run Amsoil 10w40. I found that in summer at similar ambient temps (100-104) the heavier oil stayed cooler longer and reached a top temp around 25 degrees cooler than the lighter oil. I max out at 265 degrees now, and was at around 290. My engine has a set of headers and an aftermarket intake but no other mods. I run on pump fuel and have an oil cooler installed. In cooler weather, I don't have a problem that I'm aware of. The engine has 82K miles on, and seven years of road course driving, averaging 10 weekends a year.

ScaryFast

I just found this today and bought it for the LS2. I like how it says "specially formulated for classic cars".

Must be the sloppy tolerances.

rayk

Well, I saw really low oil pressure at 240 F using Mobil 1 5w-30.
So I started looking at different oil weights. There was a post about a Mobil 1 tech saying 5w-30 doesn't provide enough shear protection for track use and to use a 50w oil. Then when I was Spring Mountain, I found out SM uses Mobil 15w-50 in the track cars. Is it the best oil for track use, I don't know, but my oil pressure is way better at high temps.

Bedouin

Thanks for this post rfn026.

I was really leaning toward RayK's helpful advice on running 15-50W like they're using at Spring Mtn, but I'll likely not do another track day until next year, so I think I should stay with M1 5-30W? My '12 GS, mn6, w/ 2,500 miles has a bone stock LS3.

At Laguna last weekend (@ 70deg ambient temps) the oil temp max'd @ 230+ degrees, but oil pressure dropped @ 33-36 psi, which seems too low, or is this normal & should I keep using 5-30W?

Any advice is much appreciated as I'll be doing the first oil change this weekend.

rfn026

Here's what the folks at Joe Gibbs told me.

The ideal oil temperature is between 220 and 240
You want about 60 lbs of oil pressure at wide open throttle (for a race car)

They say their most popular oil is the XP3 10W-30 synthetic.

Your oil pressure sound a little low.

Now - on the other hand keep in mind that you really don't have a race car. You have a high-performance street car that goes to the track once in a while. The Gibbs people say you need to go to your owner's manual and use whatever GM says you should be using. I kind of like that advice.

Richard Newton

crease-guard

Use the same thing up here in the the DFW area. On "cold" days, I just start the car and let it warm for 15 minutes before taking it out on the track.

Jay