Which oil for 600 hp daily driver?

[Jonathan Erwin]

I just found this site so please bear with me...

I am building a weekend/show/drag car that will be used mostly on the weekends but will be totally reliable for every day and cross country driving. I will take it to the track about once a month and it will be pushed hard both there and on the street on the weekends. The setup will have:

-351W (nice large bearings)
-8.5 CR
-full roller valvetrain
-Autorotor supercharger (15 psi @ 2000 rpm)
- -Occasional small shot of nitrous

I havent consulted my engine builder yet but this motor will probably be on the loose side. Im not concerned much with the drain interval, this car will probably only see 500-600 miles per month. Im mostly concerned about wear control which will be an issue at this power level, and I fully expect it to make around 600+ flywheel hp.

So with all that in mind, what oil do you guys reccomend for me for both break in and after.

thanks,
Jon

 

[Steve S]

The tighter the motor can be built the better study up on how nascar type motors are clearanced if it is not to late .the motor will run better and last longer. Any heavy duty or premium synthitic will do.

 

[Quick_lude]

Well in my humble opinion, since you live in Florida you should probably use a 20w50 oil. Synthetic preferrably due to the high stress application of your engine.

 

[Ferrari]

I'd recommend Amsoil Series 2000 20W-50. That's a badass oil.

 

[unDummy]

Breakin--any dino/mineral oil! Can't go wrong with Castrol/QuackerState/Pennzoil......

How'd you set up the engine clearances? If the engine is tight, stick with any of the 30-40 weight synths.

With the autorotor torque producing supercharger, I don't understand why the builder would build it loose. Engines that operate at higher rpm's tended to be built loose and needed 40-60 weight synth oils. I hope you got a second opinion on your engine parts/clearances chosen.

Get a high quality oil pressure gauge and use an oil weight that gives an acceptable hot oil pressure reading in the rpm range you plan on running the engine.

 

[Patman]

I would suggest going with Redline 10w40. It should provide just as much film strength as a 20w50, but without the horsepower loss. And it can definitely handle the stress of the supercharger and will not shear back. Sounds like one fun ride! Will you run it down the quarter mile at all? What kind of times are you looking to run with it?

 

[MolaKule]

I am really curious as to the engine clearances.

See if the builder can provide you with the machined clearances.

A friend of mine just put a 525 Hp engine in his Chevelle and the journal-to-bearing dimeteral clearances were on the order of 0.0025" so we went with Chevron Supreme 10W40 for run-in and will be going with a synthetic 10W40 or 15W40 initially, later switching to a synthetic 20W50.

 

[Jonathan Erwin]

Thanks for all the replies.

The reason I said that the clearances would probably be on the loose side is that most of the other engines he has build were higher rpm nitrous motors that he usually sets a little loose, and I was looking at buying one of his old shortblocks that was already assembeled (and is a little loose).

But if you guys think I should shy away from that and build a motor thats tighter, then thats what Ill do.

Patman,
We only have 1/8 mile tracks around here and that what we run. I expect it to easily run in the high 6's on blower, and maybe a little faster on nitrous.

 

[mebanditws6]

As long as you put an appropriate viscosity oil in, looser engines should last just as long. One expert builder/master machinist over in the 454ss.com forums has found that building looser motors and running 50wt over tigher motors that would need 40wt has given him better results in terms of durability. I too would probably only run Redline after it's broken in. Sure it's expensive, but building a 600hp small block is too and that much power out of a 351 is gonna be pretty hard on oil. 10w40 Redline would be pretty good but Redline oils are also on the thin side as far as I know so 20w50 might be a better choice.

Jason

 

[Steve S]

Jonathan, I'm not saying that in any way Iam the expert motor builder but read up on motor building ,the how to hotrod series available at speed shops are a good way to learn.I use them as a reference when building a motor, there are nitrous,supercharger,how to pick camshafts etc. Buy them and study think of the books as part of the engine cost.loose engines will never last as long as tighter engines the more distance the parts travel the more energy is involved in the contact pressure .

 

[sprintman]

Can somebody confirm that Redline oils are on the thin side as posted above?

 

[satterfi]

They are pretty close to the middle of the range.

quote:

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Originally posted by sprintman:
Can somebody confirm that Redline oils are on the thin side as posted above?

---

 

[Norm Olt]

What will the weight of this car be when it is ready to run?

Is it a Mustang? Other FoMoCo?

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by sprintman:
Can somebody confirm that Redline oils are on the thin side as posted above?

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I don't think they are on the thin side at all. Here are the 100c viscosities of their oils:

5w20-9.1 (very thick 20wt)
5w30-10.9 (middle 30wt)
10w30-10.7 (middle 30wt)
5w40-15.1 (thicker 40wt)
10w40-14.6 (middle 40wt)

 

[Jonathan Erwin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Norm Olt:
What will the weight of this car be when it is ready to run?

Is it a Mustang? Other FoMoCo?

---

Norm,
It is an 89 Mustang Lx with an AOD so it should weigh aroung 33-3400 lbs with me in it. Which is pretty light considering how much lowend torque it will have. I have seen setups milder than mine that make as much as 550 lbs of torque at 2500 rpm.

 

[Norm Olt]

COOL! Very cool

What kind (& size) of rear tires will handle that load on the strip & as a daily driver?

 

[Jonathan Erwin]

For the street I think Im going to use a 275 BFG drag radial and for the track 28x10.5 M/T slicks.