Using 'racing oils' in the past...better choice?

[addyguy]

When high performance cars really started hitting their stride in the 1960's, most oil companies came out with 'racing oils' - higher quality, higher additized oils to provide better protection to high-HP engines (musclecars, mainly).

But, these oils were also marketed as just better choices for everyday drivers...so even if someone owned an 'averge' car, they might use them to protect their engine better, especially in the days before synthetics came out.

In recent years, with enviro concerns about oil additive levels, street 'racing' oils have become a lot more scarce than they used to be.

Did anyone here, who drove back then, or even today, use 'racing' oils as a way of getting a better quality oil into their rides?

 

[Audi Junkie]

Well.

I fall into the "user" category, I just picked some Valvoline SynPower Racing 10w30 and 20w-50 to mix in my new VW 2.0T.

The engine really does benefit from higher zink, I'm not sure how long this oil holds up for, but I'm doing short drains and that's the ticket for now.

API SL.

Valvoline also has an unrated "Not Street Legal" oil.

 

[jazeo]

Excellent question, but No. It seems strange now thinking back, but I don't remember using anything but off the shelf oil. Some of the cars where pretty radical for the time too, 64 Impala 409, 67 GTO, 68 GTO, 69 Camaro. It seems only now do I find myself confused and not knowing what oil to choose.

Ah! the carefree days..lol I think this forum has contributed to my confusion, it was easier not knowing. Just walk into a store and pick any oil/filter without thinking about it!

I'll also add nothing ever grenaded back then either!

 

[lipadj46]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Well.

I fall into the "user" category, I just picked some Valvoline SynPower Racing 10w30 and 20w-50 to mix in my new VW 2.0T.

The engine really does benefit from higher zink, I'm not sure how long this oil holds up for, but I'm doing short drains and that's the ticket for now.

API SL.

Valvoline also has an unrated "Not Street Legal" oil.


What is Zink?

 

[Audi Junkie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_dithiophosphate

The main use of ZDDP is in anti-wear additives to lubricants such as greases, gear oils, and motor oils, which contain about 1%. For applications in oils for gasoline engines, zinc and phosphorus emissions could damage catalytic converters and have had their quantity reduced in standard formulations.[3] Aftermarket additives are available. The same compounds serve also as corrosion inhibitors and antioxidants.

Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (often referred to as ZDDP) are a family of coordination compounds that feature zinc bound to the anion of dithiophosphoric acid. These uncharged compounds are not salts. They are soluble in nonpolar solvents, and the longer chain derivatives easily dissolve in mineral and synthetic oils used as lubricants. They come under CAS number [68649-42-3]. In aftermarket oil additives, the percentage of ZDDP ranges approximately between 2-15%.[1]

The alkyl groups can be branched and linear alkanes between 1-14 carbons length, 2-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, heptyl, octyl, isooctyl (2-ethylhexyl), 6-methylheptyl, 1-methylpropyl, dodecylphenyl, and others. A mix of zinc dialkyl(C3-C6)dithiophosphates come under CAS number [84605-29-8]. List of other examples with their CAS numbers is here.

 

[hardcore302]

My dad told me that the "thing at the time was a well known "shelf oil" plus a bottle of STP.

 

[Shannow]

80s and 90s, it was Castrol GTX, or Valvoline XLD 20W-50, and a tin of STP, OR BP Corse 50, 25W-50.

Then the 60s and 70s (oil grades) hit Oz, and I can't for the life of me understand why.

 

[Summerwind]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
My dad told me that the "thing at the time was a well known "shelf oil" plus a bottle of STP.


Yep, I knew guys that swore by QS with a can of STP..one guy I knew put STP in his rear diffs too....

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: lipadj46
What is Zink?



They used to manufacture SCCA Formula Vees, and I think Formula Fords as well.

Don't know if they are still in business though.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I`m using Pennzoil GT racing oil right now.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I`ll just use this as a mid-summer oil though. It`s a 25W50,and I`ll be going back to Valvoline 10W40 this fall.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Would love to run Valvoline 4T or Castrol 4T motocycle conventional oils (a cheap way to get "race oil" for <4 bucks a qt) but the toyota wont like 10w-40wt. Back in the 70's its was all about the viscosity and retention so we ran QS SAE 60 or SAE 50 with the crossed checkerd flags on the can. The regular oil of the day already had the highest % of ZDDP that would work before causing trouble (1500-1800 PPM) this was the primary detergent also. This oil was in garage sponsered circle track " dirt" SS cars, no transmission just in-out box and making about 375 HP on a cheater 2 bbl small block.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I wonder how different Valvoline 10w30 conventional is from their VR1 10W30?

 

[Audi Junkie]

AA has Castrol RS Synthetic in the gold bottle, 10w-40 and 20w-50.

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I wonder how different Valvoline 10w30 conventional is from their VR1 10W30?


Quite a bit - VR-1 is much thicker, and has much more Zn/Ph.

VR-1 and Maxlife 10w30 look very similar on paper, at least viscosity-wise.