Rotella T4 15w40 + Lucas in a 93 Corvette Autocross Race Car

[Brian123]

He does not need a dry sump... I could maybe see a baffled oil pan if he's running HPDEs with some really long sweepers, but c'mon. You're overestimating the "racing" thing here, big time.

I can understand the Baffled Oil Pan, do they make 1 for his LT1 Engine? I think this LT1 engine was only around for a few years, then the LT4 was around for a few years, and then the LS1.

If he does not need a Dry Sump, then he needs an Oil Accumulator.

 

[Vermess]

Have you thought about running an Oil Accumulator, instead of overfilling your oil. I think they come in 2 or 3 quart capacities. So basically you would have 6.5 or 7.5 quarts of oil on hand. This adds oil when you need it, and when you do not need it, then it goes back in the Oil Accumulator.

4.5 quarts might be ok if old Joe, is going to a car show and driving below the speed limit.

That's not how any of this works.

He can get an oil accumulator all he wants, if his oiling system is working and he's not sucking air through the pickup, that oil accumulator is just added weight.

If he was running a flat 4, Ala Subaru, I'd totally agree.

Hell, the Evo 10 oil system was tested to 3.5 gs....stock.

Chevy has pretty good oiling and drain back(as a ford fan, this stings a bit), at the most he'd need a baffled pan.

 

[Vermess]

The car has a Dewitt 4-row Al radiator w big cooling fans and a 160° thermostat. Even while waiting in the queue with the AC on a hot day it’s not going much over 180 and during race runs I don’t think it is even getting to 200. LT1s commonly run 220+ in conditions like this, the prior owner wanted it to easiily run cooler than that. There is not a lot of time between race runs - so not much cooling occurs. My oldest son and I will co-drive this car too, which means twice as many race runs and very little time between runs.

Race car with AC. Man after my own heart.

Careful with the 160 Stat. Always ran 180* in any car that I modified. Just because the water temp said 200 does not mean heat transfer is occurring and the engine is cooler.

Personally I saw lower oil Temps moving from 160* to 180* stats. But my experience is with ford and imports.

Make sure your son has great safety gear. You get some mediocre safety equipment as im sure them old bones are used to some impacts.

 

[RDY4WAR]

Thicker oils reduce wear when the engine is running high enough oil temperatures to lower MOFT to detrimentally thin levels. Think of it like added headroom. I know you've already said you'll report back with temps after your first event, which is cool, but you aren't going to see high enough temps during autocross to see a wear difference between a 30 and a 50 weight oil. They will be effectively the same level of protection. Run whatever, I'm not disuading you from running anything you like, I'm just saying it is not going to matter.

Agreed. Any halfway decent 5W-30 would do just fine protection wise. I have essentially the same engine in my drag car with 0W-12, respective of it's operating oil temp. Anything more than a 30 grade is just robbing power. Even if the oil was reaching 260-280°F, a 40 or 50 grade would still just be robbing power though not as much. Autocrossing isn't going to tax that engine terribly hard. I won't knock the M1 15W-50 though. That's a respectable choice, especially compared to dumpsterfire cocktail of awful that it replaced.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

I can understand the Baffled Oil Pan, do they make 1 for his LT1 Engine? I think this LT1 engine was only around for a few years, then the LT4 was around for a few years, and then the LS1.

If he does not need a Dry Sump, then he needs an Oil Accumulator.

For what?

 

[skippermatt]

I would throw a larger baffled pan on if it were my car, but I also love looking under my car and seeing a big pan hanging down May be unnecessary tho as said earlier the sbc/lt1 have great oiling from the factory.

 

[RDY4WAR]

I have a Moroso 7qt pan on my LT1 with a baffle, windage screen, and scraper. It's for any SBC with a 1-pc rear main, not LT1 specific, but it does the job and clears my K-member.

 

[twX]

Do they really work ok though? Everybody I know that has run Rotella in motorcycles isn't actually the type to do any internal engine work. They think Rotella automatically equals high quality and just assume it's a great choice. Rotella is nothing special. It's oil made to a price-point to appease truck fleets with a cult following due to advertising.

After 40k km using nothing by Rotella T4 or Mobil Delvac 15W-40 on my sportbike, the top end is extremely clean and there's no visible cam wear at all. It's not a high mileage engine and the OCIs have been fairly short, but I'm still impressed.

 

[dumkid]

Rotallas not a bad oil. It starts out thick and has some vitamins in it. It might not be as good as some other oils, but it gets the job done

 

[AmBeRnEcTaR]

Threads like these are why I joined this site, best thread I've read in months.
People's explanations I can actually understand, as opposed to the overly verbose science labs that have me punching myself in the crotch for relief lol.

 

[Robvette]

Thicker oils reduce wear when the engine is running high enough oil temperatures to lower MOFT to detrimentally thin levels. Think of it like added headroom. I know you've already said you'll report back with temps after your first event, which is cool, but you aren't going to see high enough temps during autocross to see a wear difference between a 30 and a 50 weight oil. They will be effectively the same level of protection. Run whatever, I'm not disuading you from running anything you like, I'm just saying it is not going to matter.

Folks are assuming that 30 is the baseline optimal oil weight and provides the best protection in all conditions for SBCs (small block chevy’s).

I personally believe that, when new, 40 is the best SBC daily driver viscosity. And, that 50 has additional benefits in SBCs - especially when temps are hot and / or track days. If you live someplace very cold 5w50 would be preferable to 15w50.

Also, I definitely subscribe to the approach of moving up one viscosity level when an engine becomes high mileage - especially if old and high mileage.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Folks are assuming that 30 is the baseline optimal oil weight and provides the best protection in all conditions for SBCs (small block chevy’s).

I personally believe that, when new, 40 is the best SBC daily driver viscosity. And, that 50 has additional benefits in SBCs - especially when temps are hot and / or track days. If you live someplace very cold 5w50 would be preferable to 15w50.

Also, I definitely subscribe to the approach of moving up one viscosity level when an engine becomes high mileage - especially if old and high mileage.

View attachment 173905

You're preaching to the choir here. In both of my (older) cars I run one level thicker. As far 30 being the baseline, if anything it's really that 20 is the literal baseline to where lower MOFT than what a 20 provides becomes questionable. 16s are used via advances in anti-wear ad packs.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Folks are assuming that 30 is the baseline optimal oil weight and provides the best protection in all conditions for SBCs (small block chevy’s).

I personally believe that, when new, 40 is the best SBC daily driver viscosity. And, that 50 has additional benefits in SBCs - especially when temps are hot and / or track days. If you live someplace very cold 5w50 would be preferable to 15w50.

Also, I definitely subscribe to the approach of moving up one viscosity level when an engine becomes high mileage - especially if old and high mileage.

View attachment 173905

I remember Cameron Evans discussion about that at Redline when people do weekend races. I would in the case of this Corvette contact Amsoil, Redline and High Performance Lubricants and tell tech support what they are running and find a product that meets what type of operation. I would definitely look for a higher hths as well as try to gauge where the oil temperature is going to probably be. You might have to run a oil change prior to get some of that elephant snot out of the engine. Don't flush it.

 

[Robvette]

You're preaching to the choir here. In both of my (older) cars I run one level thicker. As far 30 being the baseline, if anything it's really that 20 is the literal baseline to here lower MOFT than what a 20 provides becomes questionable. 16s are used via advances in anti-wear ad packs.

20 and 16 are new modern engine viscosities. Tolerances and engines are better now.

In my wife’s 05 Prius with 270k if I use the prescribed 5w30 oil consumption is very significant. Bumping it to 10w40 literally solves the issue. 2005 was before 20 weight was commonplace.

 

[Robvette]

I remember Cameron Evans discussion about that at Redline when people do weekend races. I would in the case of this Corvette contact Amsoil, Redline and High Performance Lubricants and tell tech support what they are running and find a product that meets what type of operation. I would definitely look for a higher hths as well as try to gauge where the oil temperature is going to probably be. You might have to run a oil change prior to get some of that elephant snot out of the engine. Don't flush it.

I just posted a UOA for this car in the UOA forum. This car runs perfectly and the old oil was clean. The T4 / Lucas combo landed the V@100c at just over 18.

It has M1 15w50 in it now and a Fram Titanium filter. The M1 15w50 has a V@100c of just over 18 (no thickening additive like Lucas needed).

 

[cheesepuffs2]

20 and 16 are new modern engine viscosities. Tolerances and engines are better now.

In my wife’s 05 Prius with 270k if I use the prescribed 5w30 oil consumption is very significant. Bumping it to 10w40 literally solves the issue. 2005 was before 20 weight was commonplace.

I don't understand what your Prius example has to do with certain oil weights being modern or not. Yes, thicker oil often reduces consumption. Does the Vette consume oil?

 

[CleverUserName]

You are obsessed with the cSt viscosity. That doesn’t matter really because of oil VI and density. It’s all about the HTHS in cP that you should be considering as the primary factor.

Theoretically a 0w20 and 15w50 with the same HTHS will have basically the same oil pressure and oil film thickness.

I just posted a UOA for this car in the UOA forum. This car runs perfectly and the old oil was clean. The T4 / Lucas combo landed the V@100c at just over 18.

It has M1 15w50 in it now and a Fram Titanium filter. The M1 15w50 has a V@100c of just over 18 (no thickening additive like Lucas needed).

 

[ZeeOSix]

16s are used via advances in anti-wear ad packs.

And unique designs incorporated in the engine (such as wider journal bearings and special anti-wear materials and coatings) to better tolerate a xW-16 or lower viscosity.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Theoretically a 0w20 and 15w50 with the same HTHS will have basically the same oil pressure and oil film thickness.

An example that could never exist, but yes the point is that the HTHS (and even beyond that, the HTFS) is what ultimately matters.

 

[Robvette]

I don't understand what your Prius example has to do with certain oil weights being modern or not. Yes, thicker oil often reduces consumption. Does the Vette consume oil?

It doesn’t seem to consume 50 weight oil. I’ve only owned this car for 6 days tho.

The Prius example wasn’t necessary. It just illustrates that 30 was the still the baseline 17 years ago and bumping up a viscosity grade has no negative effects and it reduces oil consumption. It also reduces engine wear.