Quote:
Originally Posted by Scufty
K ..I have a question for all of you? Have you ever heard of a " oil related breakdown" and I don't mean "I lost a lobe during my Cam break in and I think it was the oil I was using" (because I don't believe that either )  I mean a TRUE oil related breakdown? I just have to think that everyone has this oil thing blown way out of proportion? If you use a good oil and change it often enough I don't see any reason to run anything but? Most of these engines we are running are 40 years old and they ran just fine with the oil that was available at that time? OIL RELATED BREAKDOWN? enlighten me please? thanks |
I'm in general agreement with your overall statement. With this small exception-Most of us are stressing the engines with power output slightly beyond the 40+ year ago motors.
Maybe the GT40s, large and small were the maximum stress for those engines. For the Cobras -Sebring, Riverside, Nassau or Daytona. Endurance racing, even at a lower state of tune will do that. But at that-Shell, Kendall or Castrol dino oil was the product of the time-no synthetics in those days. Don't know if any DNFs were due to 'oil breakdown'.
What I notice now and find amusing is the number of guys who say 'I need the best' like RP, Penn,
Amsoil or a host of other big cost oils. They use it because 'it costs less than my $25K motor' and there's a perception that the car is so 'special' that it requires said expensive stuff. Not because they buzz to 8500 or WOT for hours on end.
They have no problem buying the highest costs and using it in copious amounts-11 quarts belong in a dry-sump tank-not in a pan. But that adds to the bad-ass factor and 'seriousness' of the car. They're using it because they can afford it, have read enough testing and heard enough opinions about what 'the best' is but not because
they stress it enough to find out.
IMO any of today's quality oils, selected for temperature weight, changed annually and filtered correctly will lead to years of hard use without noticeable wear (provided clearances were correctly machined and assembled). I'm not talking the solid lifter debate which has been yacked to death. Broken in correctly with a
zinc additive, on outer springs only and the cam will live happily on a quality oil-irrespective of
zinc content. Ask how I know.