MolaKule
Staff member
I am summarizing an article I saw in TLT magazine by Dr. Ed Becker regarding NASCAR.
Engines are 358 cu. in. and cost between $45,000 and $80,000.
Engine displacement, combustion chamber shape, and valve train arrangement have to adhered to by NASCAR rules.
Some parts, such as cylinder blocks and heads, have to be purchased from approved suppliers.
Since the racing oil is only used for one race and doesn't require a long life, it need not contain components used in a daily-driver oil. The Oil used has to have an anti-friction component and large amounts AW chemistry such as ZDDP or organic AW components. Low and stable viscosity must allow minimal shear losses but high enough to maintain hydrodynamic films. No dispersant or detergent is used. Each racing team purchases it's own specially blended oil and each formula is top secret.
Originally Posted By: Dr. Ed Becker
Creative tribology is used for surface treatments. The piston assembly has no less than five surface coatings and is machined to exceptionally high tolerances to precisely fit the bore.
The piston pin has a Diamond Like Coating (DLC) applied. The piston bore has an electrolysis nickel coating for compatibility with the DLC treatment. The piston skirts have a molybdenum sulfide coating. The top ring has a titanium nitride coating to reduce friction and wear, and the top ring groove has a plasma-sprayed aluminum oxide coating to prevent top ring pound-out.
Remember, all of the above surfaces are coated with solid metallic or DLC coatings and not part of the oil additive package.
As for reliability, the engine only has to last long enough to finish the race.
Engines are 358 cu. in. and cost between $45,000 and $80,000.
Engine displacement, combustion chamber shape, and valve train arrangement have to adhered to by NASCAR rules.
Some parts, such as cylinder blocks and heads, have to be purchased from approved suppliers.
Since the racing oil is only used for one race and doesn't require a long life, it need not contain components used in a daily-driver oil. The Oil used has to have an anti-friction component and large amounts AW chemistry such as ZDDP or organic AW components. Low and stable viscosity must allow minimal shear losses but high enough to maintain hydrodynamic films. No dispersant or detergent is used. Each racing team purchases it's own specially blended oil and each formula is top secret.
Originally Posted By: Dr. Ed Becker
Creative tribology is used for surface treatments. The piston assembly has no less than five surface coatings and is machined to exceptionally high tolerances to precisely fit the bore.
The piston pin has a Diamond Like Coating (DLC) applied. The piston bore has an electrolysis nickel coating for compatibility with the DLC treatment. The piston skirts have a molybdenum sulfide coating. The top ring has a titanium nitride coating to reduce friction and wear, and the top ring groove has a plasma-sprayed aluminum oxide coating to prevent top ring pound-out.
Remember, all of the above surfaces are coated with solid metallic or DLC coatings and not part of the oil additive package.
As for reliability, the engine only has to last long enough to finish the race.
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