Hello everyone, my car has a built motor and upgraded turbos and the shop that built the motor says to use motul 15w50 and wix racing filter. Here in nyc it’s starting to get cold, would I be ok using 5w50 instead. People on other forums for my car said I would blow out the seals for the vvt with 15w50 in the cold. What would happen if I don’t use the wix racing filter, not a fan that it only filters to 60 microns
Vr38 built motor
- Thread starter Gtr_nyc
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- Aug 15, 2024
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Use whatever the manual states. If you’re really this scared, send in an oil sample to be tested. Why do you think you’re stuck with using a wind racing filter?
Need more info......what year GTR you driving? How much power? Turbos etc......I have alot of experience with that engine. What shop built it? So 15w50 300v? What are your outdoor temps and is the car garaged? If Garaged it does not matter. Parked outdoors depends....
Really depends on how much HP its pushing......over 1000hp stick with the 15w50 no matter what.........Id say under 1000hp the 5w50 is fine. Garaged 15w50.......you running E50?
Im out here in AZ, and GTRs over 1000hp run pretty much the same oil 15w50 year round........I got a guy in my club making 1500whp, and he runs 15w50......
Stick with the shops recommendation of the filter......its the one most used on modified GTRs.....WIX 51060R racing filter correct?
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Cicio built it. Car has the gateway turbos from them also. Makes low 700 hp on 93. I don’t use e85 often since it’s hard to find around here. So car runs on 93, 95% of the time. The car is also garaged but it’s not heated so it’s basically outside temps in the garage. In winter it gets to about 0 degrees but I don’t drive it when it’s that cold. I would like to drive it when it’s 32-50 degrees tho. And the filter is indeed the 51060R, I just don’t like that is doesn’t filter that good it’s only 60 microns. I would like to use the wix 57202 since it’s a street filter and filters better than the racing filter. You think I’ll be ok using that filter instead of the racing filter with motul 300v 15w50 in summer and 5w50 in winter. Or maybe mix them and do 10w50 year round.
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Food for thougth: The 15w in the 15w-50 is still thinner than what winter oil used to be (which was straight 20 back before multivis oils).
Also even an unheated garage is IMO still warmer than the outside, do you have a thermometer in there?
And at 32F a 15w-50 will still be pumpable just fine.
I am loathe to double guess what the builder said, but 5w-50 could be a solution to your concern, IF the HTHS is close to the 15w-50 he mentions.
And of course if all other things are equal a 5w-50 will always be less stable than a 15w-50 so I would change the oil as soon as it gets warmer. If you want to change to that just for the winter.
So it should be ok to switch to 5w-50 for the winter only, but based on your description of your use case, it is likely not neccessary
Also even an unheated garage is IMO still warmer than the outside, do you have a thermometer in there?
And at 32F a 15w-50 will still be pumpable just fine.
I am loathe to double guess what the builder said, but 5w-50 could be a solution to your concern, IF the HTHS is close to the 15w-50 he mentions.
And of course if all other things are equal a 5w-50 will always be less stable than a 15w-50 so I would change the oil as soon as it gets warmer. If you want to change to that just for the winter.
So it should be ok to switch to 5w-50 for the winter only, but based on your description of your use case, it is likely not neccessary
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I would use 5W-50 without hesitation and I would use a Fram Racing HP4.
Same filter as gen 1 small block Chevy. Why not 51060XP or 51060? I take it you want anti drain back. I just removed HP4. See attached.
The HTHS for the 5w50 is 5.0 mPa.s and 5.3 for the 15w50. What’s your thoughts on doing 50/50 of both to run a 10w50 year round?
The shop that built the engine is saying use the 51060R filter
They are both the same brand. Motul 300v oil
That’s not really how viscosity works.
You’re not getting a 10W-50, you’re getting a 15W-50 with slightly reduced HTHS over the unadulterated 15W-50.
Either one will be fine if you’re starting and driving this at 32F or warmer. If you’re going to drive it at 0F, choose the 5W-50.
Sounds good! I think I’ll put the 5w50 in for the for the 3-4 months it’s cold out then switch to the 15w50 for spring-fall
I would rather not mix in this case.
While the mixing fears of yore are almost cerainly overblown with modern oils, and i have done it before, but .. as as the viscosity spreads from the W to the warmed up rating are so far apart, in both oils each, in this particular case I would not.
The behaviour of the VIIs in this case is difficult to predict.
Source: Am a Chemist
PS: Former New Yorker and also a Nissan Fan.
Please post us some pics of the beast so we can live vicariously thru you and dont forget to exercise it out of the City sometime
You say not a fan of micron rating on 51060R. Me too. Engine Masters did an episode on oil filters. If I remember correctly HP4 came out favorably for flow and efficiency. Maybe you can find it on YouTube or Motor Trend channel if you have it. I don’t need a racing filter for mild SBC. I bought a couple for a good price and used them. As you can see by the pics, removing the last one was no picnic. I have sworn them off and will start using my stash of PF35L filters. That may be another one to consider. If your shop recommends a racing filter, I’m sure they have good reason.
I would rather not mix in this case.
While the mixing fears of yore are almost cerainly overblown with modern oils, and i have done it before, but .. as as the viscosity spreads from the W to the warmed up rating are so far apart, in both oils each, in this particular case I would not.
The behaviour of the VIIs in this case is difficult to predict.
Source: Am a Chemist
PS: and also a Nissan Fan.
Please post us some pics of the beast
Yeah the 61 micron rating is horrible. I’ll look up the HP4. I’ve so read about people using the racing filter on mercury racing boat engines. They didnt like the way the bearings looked when they had the motor refreshed.
Warranty was 12 months which passed already. Another guy on a forum for my car with a built motor said he uses the 15w50 down to only 50f. He said if the oil pressure gauge is pegged at 120 psi during cold start I should use the 15w and use something lighter into outside temp warms up.
He told me I would blow the seals in the vvt with 15w in the cold. And that was coming for a guy with 1500whp. I’m no where near there tho hahaha
Last winter I didn’t drive the car, I left it in storage.