I looked back through any archived post and found no info so asking here. I run a 406 sbc roller motor and have always used 20 w 50 Schaeffers with excellent results no bearing damage of any kind. I am about to put in my spare 406 identical almost except its 6 inch rod and the one taken out is a 5.7.Thinking of going to 15 W 40 to see if it will pick up just a little ET to run 6.00 index car runs consistent 6.04 to 6.08 on gas pending track and temps. Thanks for your input

I run 10-30 or 10-40 the brand doesn’t really matter now days as most all racing oils are very good. I would be surprised if you can measure much difference in ET between those two oils. That brand is good oil though.

Thanks Curtis I greatly appreciate your input and time.

408 sbc, alcohol

https://rotella.shell.com/prod...nd-blend-oil/t5.html

quote:

Originally posted by SR6223 Monza:
I looked back through any archived post and found no info so asking here. I run a 406 sbc roller motor and have always used 20 w 50 Schaeffers with excellent results no bearing damage of any kind. I am about to put in my spare 406 identical almost except its 6 inch rod and the one taken out is a 5.7.Thinking of going to 15 W 40 to see if it will pick up just a little ET to run 6.00 index car runs consistent 6.04 to 6.08 on gas pending track and temps. Thanks for your input

I am faster on schaeffers 20w50 micron molly then I am on 15w40 rotella.

Have you considered alcohol? I know that is a pretty big expense over just changing oil but it would get you below the index. .04-.08 puts you at a huge disadvantage from the get go.

Or can you lose some weight? Not you personally but hey, whatever works. LOL

I was looking again at Schaeffer's oils and you might look at their 10-30 Supreme 7000 as maybe picking up just a bit if you are using the Micron Molly oil. There is a pretty good difference in 40°C viscosity rating.

It won't be much though and many times guys who have always ran 20-50 are a little sketchy with the pressure loss you will see when hot lapping.

Curtis

I use the RP XPR 20w50.

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
Have you considered alcohol? I know that is a pretty big expense over just changing oil but it would get you below the index. .04-.08 puts you at a huge disadvantage from the get go.

Or can you lose some weight? Not you personally but hey, whatever works. LOL

I was looking again at Schaeffer's oils and you might look at their 10-30 Supreme 7000 as maybe picking up just a bit if you are using the Micron Molly oil. There is a pretty good difference in 40°C viscosity rating.

It won't be much though and many times guys who have always ran 20-50 are a little sketchy with the pressure loss you will see when hot lapping.

Curtis

I just went from 20-50 to 10-30 valvoline racing oil and yes the pressure drop has me a little sketchy, thinking of draining a couple quarts and adding 20-50.

Does a roller motor really need racing oil?

The weight of the oil should be based on clearances. Not because you have a roller cam.

quote:

Originally posted by green1:
I just went from 20-50 to 10-30 valvoline racing oil and yes the pressure drop has me a little sketchy, thinking of draining a couple quarts and adding 20-50.

I run a 388 small block making about 565-580hp ( haven't had it on a dyno). When I am making passes every 15-20 minutes at our 2 race days in the middle of summer I will have roughly 20lbs at idle and 40 going down the track using 10-30 Driven and zero problems. .0027-.0028 rods and .0028-.0029 mains NA on alcohol. The only time I have had a problem was when I had too much lifter clearance. Then I had more issues controlling the oil pressures when the oil was at or over 180°. Most of the time I have trouble getting my oil that hot.

With the thinner oil you get more flow to keep things cooler. If I'm reaching the bypass spring pressure the thicker oil isn't doing me any good it's just returning to the pan.

If you are running real large clearances and or power adders then things have to change. It all depends on your set up and like all things it's a balance.

Heck with today's technology in a roller motor just about any oil will work until there is a problem. Then the better additive package of a racing oil will pay dividends.

Sorry to the OP for the tangent, oil is just something I have put some time into trying different weights, brands and blends.

Curtis

Hey guys thanks for all of your input on the oil ? . I have read until my eyes hurt MSDS on a lot of the top brand and grades of oils , talked with a lot of my racing friends and everyone has likes and dislikes which Im sure is the norm. Curtis I have thought about the alky route but have so much tied up in Gas carbs ETC and to be honest Im comfy tuning gas and don't know a lot about alky but the guys who run it in my circle love it.
At this time I have decided to stay with what Im using as I cant argue with the results I have had with it. Again I thank all of you who have taken the time to comment and your suggestions Race safe and hope the win lights in your lane !

Over the years this conversation has repeated itself many times on DRR and to date there has never been a clear “winner”.

My take and my decision on what brand to use and as importantly what weight of oil to use has always been based on the way the engine was built, and it’s effect when taking into consideration the issue of bearing clearances. That decision also includes the clearances found in roller lifters and roller or bushed rocker arms. It seems to me that lifter and rocker arms fail more frequently, so in part my oil selection (brand, content and weight) includes protecting those items as well as the crankshaft. The loads we are imposing on these items has substantially increased over the years which might explain why they fail so frequently. Most of the racing or performance brands of oil offer great protection and I hear and read (at times in glowing terms) about why this or that oil is all you should ever use. Over the years I have used Kendall, Quaker State, Mobile One, Royal Purple and Lucas, in each case they all worked.

With regard to weight I vary it based on the season (summer vs winter) but always with consideration as to the effects of windage in the oil pan. Controlling windage has always been important to me, reducing windage has no down side, increasing it does. I have spent a ridiculous amount of time in the oiling system and the construction of the oil pan, all of it was well worth the time. I have never “just bolted an oil pan to the bottom of the engine” each one has undergone some degree of modifications.

Bob

Here is my two cents for what it is worth. I have read several different things on oil and talked to several different engine builders.
Several builders told me most any oil EXCEPT Mobil 1 that most of the damage they have seen was when using Mobil 1. I use Mobil 1 in my daily driver but not in my race car.
From what I have read the oils have different additive packages and some are better at one area and not as good in another. What do I use?
I actually mix Valvoline VR1 racing oil 20-50, Valvoline Max life 10-40 and Brad Penn 20-50.

The weight oil you use should for most part be based on the clearances in your motor and if you can use the lighter oil you should.
If I use a straight 20-50 oil then when I hit the brakes hard at finish line the oil pressure drops bad.
Same motor, same day if I run the 10-30 oil it will pick up about .05 in the 1/8 mile and when I hit the brakes hard it does not lose oil pressure. I think it is because the lighter oil drains back into the pan much faster. In this Texas heat I do not feel comfortable running a 10-30 oil all the time so I run a heavier mixture.

I have been running Mobil 1 10W/30 in both of my race cars for a very long time. I had discussed this with my engine builder, he said it would be fine.

The faster car was abused with nitrous for many years, up to 400hp worth, the coated bearings always came out looking like new. Maybe 500 passes between freshening (1/4 mile).

Never a lifter issue, both solid roller cams, never a bearing issue.

One turns 7000, the other 8200.

So, I don't buy it that Mobil 1 is no good for race engines.

And yeah, the faster car has a diaper and is always raced in two classes, so many times the passes are within 10 minutes of each other.

I won't bother trying to run a different oil until something bad happens. It gets changed at roughly 75 passes.

Years ago I ran Pennzoil 25-50 racing oil. Man that stuff was thick. Do they still sell it?

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Beck:
the coated bearings always came out looking like new. Maybe 500 passes between freshening (1/4 mile).

Mike, Do you use the Clevite H with Tri Armor Coating?

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Beck:
the coated bearings always came out looking like new. Maybe 500 passes between freshening (1/4 mile).

Mike, Do you use the Clevite H with Tri Armor Coating?

I wish I could remember! We have used Clevite and King over the years. I don't think my engine builder had a preference of one over the other. We always joke about putting them right back in because they are still perfect. I just can't do it and buy new bearings each time.

I don't have a roller cam, but I use Mobil 1. They have Mobil 1 race oil in 15w-50 with higher zinc but I've been using 10w-30.

Valvoline Max life 10-30 is what I use in my little 355.

Check my System 1 filter every other race for metal. (thanks Bender)

35-40 at idle and 70 at the finish line.