I've been using 5w30 valvoline synpower for over 2 years and 20k+ miles now without an issue but wondering if a more robust oil is needed.
The engine is a bone stock bottom end 2.0 liter 6-bolt 4g63 with an oil cooled turbo(hx35 from a '00 dodge ram). Bearing clearances are factory(~.001 IIRC) and balance shafts are removed. Oil squirters are still there. Still on the water cooled oil filter housing and not planning on a larger air cooled setup.
Runs on e85 with ~2000 mile OCI since I'm leery about fuel contamination. Plenty of crankcase ventilation and air fuel ratios are in the 15:1 range cruising and idle and 11.5-12:1 at WOT on the gas scale so it shouldn't necessarily wash the oil with fuel but there is a noticeable smell of e85 when you open the oil cap or drain the oil.
The car is driven to work daily less than 5 miles away- just getting up to coolant temp(~200*F) halfway there. Many road trips and all sorts of weather. 0* to 100* ambient through the seasons. Sees the drag strip often and the occasional small time autocross. The most heat it sees is either hot lapping at the track or multiple 3rd gear pulls while dialing the car in.
A possible "problem" is that it creates a lot of torque(relatively) very soon in the rpm band. ~470 ft lbs @30psi with it coming in before 3k rpm in higher gears. The stock rods and pistons are somewhat heavy too, so 8k rpm probably isn't nice to the rod bearings. It will most likely be revving to around 8500 through the traps since it's now on an auto trans.
I don't have an oil temp or even a pressure gauge so I know it's somewhat of a guess on oil weight and maximum oil temps. It will be addressed but most likely not for a while yet.
I guess it seems like more of a racing oil thread but the car sees way more daily duties than track. I would prefer something that I can get at a local Advance Auto that won't break the bank. Maybe run x oil for a weekend of racing and x oil for commuting? I would think stepping up to a xw-40 would be the minimum change. Mobil 1 5w-40 diesel truck? RT6?
Thank you for your time!
-Matt
The engine is a bone stock bottom end 2.0 liter 6-bolt 4g63 with an oil cooled turbo(hx35 from a '00 dodge ram). Bearing clearances are factory(~.001 IIRC) and balance shafts are removed. Oil squirters are still there. Still on the water cooled oil filter housing and not planning on a larger air cooled setup.
Runs on e85 with ~2000 mile OCI since I'm leery about fuel contamination. Plenty of crankcase ventilation and air fuel ratios are in the 15:1 range cruising and idle and 11.5-12:1 at WOT on the gas scale so it shouldn't necessarily wash the oil with fuel but there is a noticeable smell of e85 when you open the oil cap or drain the oil.
The car is driven to work daily less than 5 miles away- just getting up to coolant temp(~200*F) halfway there. Many road trips and all sorts of weather. 0* to 100* ambient through the seasons. Sees the drag strip often and the occasional small time autocross. The most heat it sees is either hot lapping at the track or multiple 3rd gear pulls while dialing the car in.
A possible "problem" is that it creates a lot of torque(relatively) very soon in the rpm band. ~470 ft lbs @30psi with it coming in before 3k rpm in higher gears. The stock rods and pistons are somewhat heavy too, so 8k rpm probably isn't nice to the rod bearings. It will most likely be revving to around 8500 through the traps since it's now on an auto trans.
I don't have an oil temp or even a pressure gauge so I know it's somewhat of a guess on oil weight and maximum oil temps. It will be addressed but most likely not for a while yet.
I guess it seems like more of a racing oil thread but the car sees way more daily duties than track. I would prefer something that I can get at a local Advance Auto that won't break the bank. Maybe run x oil for a weekend of racing and x oil for commuting? I would think stepping up to a xw-40 would be the minimum change. Mobil 1 5w-40 diesel truck? RT6?
Thank you for your time!
-Matt
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I swear I've doubled my oil knowledge since then and my awareness of what I don't know is tenfold...
