oil changes, how often?

[warriorautotech]

hi all, I am running a 91 civic hatchback in fwd class at the local track, 1/8 mile. My engine is a dohc 1.6 honda, all stock, about 30k miles. I have been running valvoline 20w50 vr1 oil in it and changing it every 4 to 6 races.running in second, turning about 7200 rpms at the end of the straights.
My question is , am i changing oil often enough and is the above oil good for what i am racing? I dont want to wear my engine out early but I dont want to spend a fortune on oil changes if it is not necessary. thanks.

[car62]

you will get alot of different answers on this question,all you can do is listen and then make your own decision.

i run Schaeffer's Supreme 7000 20W50 full synthetic in my Ford 2300,along with a quality 51515R or 185515 filter,turning it around 7600-7800...as long as it doesnt get hot,i will run it 6-8 races...our races are 25-35 laps on 1/4 mile paved oval.

[boportt]

on dirt aftr every race or once a year or sumware betwn them

[Dan32]

on dirt aftr every race or once a year or sumware betwn them

boport u just like for someone to check ur oil??right?with a fat long dip stick!!right?

[Egoracing]

hi all, I am running a 91 civic hatchback in fwd class at the local track, 1/8 mile. My engine is a dohc 1.6 honda, all stock, about 30k miles. I have been running valvoline 20w50 vr1 oil in it and changing it every 4 to 6 races.running in second, turning about 7200 rpms at the end of the straights.
My question is , am i changing oil often enough and is the above oil good for what i am racing? I dont want to wear my engine out early but I dont want to spend a fortune on oil changes if it is not necessary. thanks.

Street oils do not have good lubricating or wear preventors anymore due to the EPA regs. Use a racing oil and figure to change it about every 4-500 miles. Replace the filter and the oil needed to refill it about every 4-5 weeks and the high $ racing oil will be MUCH cheaper than the over shelf stuff you are using now.

[4bangerhotrod]

we run reg pennzoil 20-50 in our 800hp LM engines we crank between 8000-8400 rpm and change about every 300 laps and have the engines freshened after 1500 laps. we've never had a oil related problem and the bearing always look new an the cly dont have excessive wear when we freshen them up. so im not goin to fix something that aint broke, if we start having oil issues then we will change but untill then im stickin to my trusty pennzoil.

[Egoracing]

we run reg pennzoil 20-50 in our 800hp LM engines we crank between 8000-8400 rpm and change about every 300 laps and have the engines freshened after 1500 laps. we've never had a oil related problem and the bearing always look new an the cly dont have excessive wear when we freshen them up. so im not goin to fix something that aint broke, if we start having oil issues then we will change but untill then im stickin to my trusty pennzoil.

I have not seen a single engine builder yet that reccomends running OTC oils in a racing engine. You do realize that the oil you buy today is not the same as it was 4-5 years ago. The new oils are JUNK!! I won't even run OTC (over the counter) oils in my daily drivers, tractor or lawnmower!

[warriorautotech]

I have not seen a single engine builder yet that reccomends running OTC oils in a racing engine. You do realize that the oil you buy today is not the same as it was 4-5 years ago. The new oils are JUNK!! I won't even run OTC (over the counter) oils in my daily drivers, tractor or lawnmower!

Ego, what oil would you recommend for my other vehicles that wont void my warranty? I have a 2000 villager and a 2010 titan.I have always used castrol gtx.
I talked to a technical guy at redline oils and he told me I could run redline racing 40 wt and change it often ( every 2 or 3 races)due to the lack of detergents, or I could run redline 10w40 street oil with a quality filter and change it once a season and it would protect my engine just as well if I wanted extended drain intervals.
Any thoughts on this?

[Doug_Guilds]

I have been running Rotella 10-40 with either a Napa or K&N filter and changing them every 6-8 races.

[4bangerhotrod]

most people will not believe this but i have 180,000 miles on a car and the oil has been changed 3 times in it with the first oil change at 5,000 miles, and my buddy has a tahoe with a 350 he bought new with 240,000 on it and the oil has just been changed for the 4th time. we both run pennzoil 10-40 in our street engines. i believe all this oil changin is bs. my last work car was a 92 corsica and i put over 120,000 miles on it and never checked the oil let alone change it except for the pennzoil oil change the day i bought it, and i ended up scrappin it cause the tranny went out with over 300,000 miles on the car.

[4bangerhotrod]

ego you have never met our LM engine builder, he recommends any oil and thats what we run. he says if the engine is built right there should never be any stress on any bearing so no need to worry about running the greatest friction reducing oil, no friction no problem. 13 yrs running his engines and never had a single engine related prob. but it does take him close to a yr to build a new engine getting everything perfect to suit him. and takes usually 4-6 months to freshin a engine up. but when there done u know there right.

[Egoracing]

ego you have never met our LM engine builder, he recommends any oil and thats what we run. he says if the engine is built right there should never be any stress on any bearing so no need to worry about running the greatest friction reducing oil, no friction no problem. 13 yrs running his engines and never had a single engine related prob. but it does take him close to a yr to build a new engine getting everything perfect to suit him. and takes usually 4-6 months to freshin a engine up. but when there done u know there right.

Friction in the bearings is when the bearing is loaded due to firing of the cylinder and the reverse loading when the piston changes direction, then you have the cylinder walls where thers is constantly friction, the lifter bores, the cam bearings are CONSTANTLy loaded by the valve springs. Sorry but everything from $1,000,000 F1 engines to lawnmower engine load the bearings, if they did not there would be no need for the bearings at all.
Look at it like this: are you running the exact same engine parts and build specs that you were 10 years ago? How about 5? probably not and still be competitive. As racers we are always looking for more power, so why give away what is there already? Ever have your engine on a Dyno? How about a chassis dyno? Next time it is try a change to synthetics and see how much more HP the engine puts out. In most engines synthetic oil is the cheapest HP you can get.
A friend works for a company that has it's own semi trucks. There is a company that has a 3 step filter/pump setup that they are trying on 3 of their trucks. Synthetic oil and their filter/pump and they are at 300,000 miles on a semi and not ONE oil change, only a filter and top off of the oil in the filter and they send the filters in to be washed.
I have a 2000 F350 4X4 7.3 liter. I cange the oil once a year with synthetic. I have synthetic trans fluid, transfer case and front and rearend. I get 20 miles per gallon on the highway and around 15 in the city. With Rotella and FOMOCO lubes I got 15MPG on the highway and the oil looked like mud after about 3 months. The engine also runs cooler and I had to block part of the radiator even in the winter.

[rubbinsracin]

we run OTC pennz 20-50 in our limited lm motor with 1 bottle of lucas additive to compliment it. we run 6 races and change it. oil still looks good enough to turn around and put in a street car.

[longhornracer]

in a FWD you can run any oil and with Lucas Oil stabilizer it will prob last you all season if you check and top it off..