Dan H.

I've been doing a lot of reading and can't figure out if its ok to run my car with Hoosiers. There are many posts saying the stock LS6 doesn't have the oil pressure/starvation issues of the other LS motors.

I'm an HPDE guy with a stock LS6. Car has delrin bushings, drm shocks, and stock brakes. I'm intermediate and going into my third year of HPDE. My last instructor said I was ready for Advanced run group and slicks. I picked up some A6 scrubs to try out for this summer. After a bunch of searching, I can't tell if running these on a mostly stock car is a bad idea or not.

I run at Watkins Glen, Summit Point Main & Jefferson, Pocono, and planning VIR for the first time this summer. Thinking through these tracks, they don't have long left handers. But not sure if I'm trying to talk myself into it.

I'd appreciate your thoughts
Thank you

redtopz

Yes, should be fine. You will eventually need an upgraded radiator and oil cooler though.

Dan H.

Agreed, a RD radiator with an EOC is the next item on the list. I hit 280 on the oil in every 20 minute session. I usually have to short shift a lap to lap and a half later in the session to get the oil back into the 270's. Then I can run hard again. I run 15w-50 along with the extra qt.

My bushings had squeezed out of the control arms a good amount. With a one year old at home I only had time to take on one big project this winter. I figured oil temp i can control with driving style. If a control arm moved enough to hit the cradle, that would sideline me. That was my decision making process.

Thank you for your perspective. I can see how Hoosiers will only make my temperature issue worse...

klodkrawler05

FWIW I starved my LS6 of oil and spun a bearing at Gingerman raceway this summer on 275/35/18 Bridgestone RE71's (a 200tw tire) my car also was shocks/sway bars and stock brakes.

I was running the factory specified 5w30 which after doing more research and having an oil sample tested I believe was the true cause.

I'd highly recommend if you have no upgraded cooling or accusump etc at the very least invest in good oil, I don't want to get into brands etc but I've also gone thicker and run 10w50 on the track now.

Bill Dearborn

You should be fine. I ran an 03Z and a 97 LS1 at The Glen and Pocono for several thousand miles each without starving the bearings. The big issue is high G long left hand turns and the only one I can think of is T1 at Pocono running in the CCW direction. That turn is banked quite a bit so I am not sure it counts. Run the extra quart install the RD radiator, keep the car in a higher gear in the turn so oil doesn't get pumped up into the engine as easily.

Bill

brkntrxn

I have over 10k racing miles on my stock LS6. Run an extra quart of oil and pay attention to your gauges.

UstaB-GS549

My 02 Z06 gets an annual oil change with Mobil 1 10W30. It's usually around 4 to 5,000 miles of street and track driving.

I have been running on R compound tires, T1 bars & AP calipers in advanced groups at Road America, Grattan, Gingerman, Autobahn & Blackhawk since 2004. No issues.

Your mileage may vary.

ZedO6

What he said and also, at least until you get an oil cooler, I'd suggest 10W-40. Running w/o an oil cooler you are likely to get into the 280F and higher temp range, the thicker oil will improve film strength at those temps..

Soloontario

Any experience with 0W-40 in these situations?

Concerned that the thicker racing oils could cause an issue with street driving when cold that would lead to a lot of issues with a dual purpose car.

BTW, I run a oil cooler which drops my Temps about 20 to 25 degrees, if you can trust the OE gauge.

StreetSpeed

This thread makes me jealous of all of you with reliable LS6s!

FASTFATBOY

I run Mobil 1 0-40 Euro in my Z06 with R comps and ran the same in my 99 Z28 with R comps with no issues.


I run in the winter months in the southeast. I change oil every 4 days on track(2 weekends).

In my Z06 oil temps sit right around 285* with no oil cooler.

Scooter70

Same here. My motor is a heads & cam LS6 (stock shortblock) with a Ron Davis radiator/oil cooler. I overheat the trans before engine oil temps get above 280.

Ludeaem

Diddo on the overheat trans before getting oil 'hot'. I ran on a 90 degree day with the Ron Davis radiator with EOC and the hottest the oil got was 268. That is with Mobil 0-40. Dan, I would think with your 15-50 even hitting the 300 mark is ok with that kind of viscosity. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

Gas Junkie

Have you considered R6 or 7's instead the Autocross tires? I would imagine A6 or 7's would get pretty hot pretty quick doing HPDE runs.

FASTFATBOY

My Z28 didn't even have an oil temp gauge on it, I ran the crap out of it for 4 years with various 40 weight oils, never a 50 weight. No oil cooler either.

Again, I run in the winter months in the southeast.

300* oil temps are ok, you just need to change the oil more often. 300* sustained for 15 minutes might concern me. On a C5 with a clean radiator and the center deflector tie-wrapped where it can't fold under the car at speed should move enough air to be ok.

Primaris

So with the LS3 oiling issue is the the heads or the block that is the problem? What is the fix?

ZedO6

Maybe start a new thread...the OP was specifically talking LS6 on Hoosiers.

Primaris

True. I was thinking the answer would be related. I have LS6 heads on an LS3 block so maybe the connection is just me

Dan H.

I have found the thicker oils to not be very convenient for the street. I let my car warm up for at least 10 minutes before driving it with the 15W-50. I let the oil get to 180F before I crank the motor up past 2500 rpm's. This is based on consulting this forum in the past and also some corvette knowledgeable instructors I've had.

While not convenient for the street it does help with oil temperature control on the track. My first event I was hitting 290F easily with 5W-30.

Dan H.

Thank you for the advice guys, I'm going to run the Hoosiers at Pocono in May with the Audi club for my first time on these.

IMSA layout clockwise