garry viohl Gary I do 98% track racing and autocross. I use 15W-40 blue bottle of diesel
oil in the motor with 1 bottle of lucas
oil suppliment and 1 bottle of EOS from GM.
Oil pressure cold, 138. hot and racing 35 at idle and 75-80 at speed. HVHP oil pump with a 100# spring in the pump.
record for motor 452 no failures of block, 2 broken rocker shafts in 8 years.
record on motor 482, same block justed stroked 7 years no failures. I run the whole season with it and change at the end of the year about 20 runs on the road course and about 30 runs on the autocross. Also running a 3 quart accusump for insurance on high "G" turns to keep good oil pressure in the motor. Also works as a pre luber before starting the motor. 30 psi and fire it up, no dry starts.
If you are mostly going for street driving and cruising, you don't need this overkill I have done.
A good 10-30 or 10-40 oil will work fine. Over fill the motor 1 quart, if it's and FE motor. They have slow returns from the heads to the oil pan. If not done add oil limiters to both heads with a min of .080" - .100" in size. This will still give the top end plenty of oil and keep more pressure and amount in the bottom end. Warming up the motor BEFORE flying down the road is the most important thing. Same thing for getting home, let motor idle for 15 seconds at 1,100 rpms before shut down, this gives good oil spray, splash to all the internals of the motor. I do and use lucas oil suppliments in all my cars and trucks, its a clinging oil for startups. I have had no motor failures to date with some having over 100K. I change oil once a year or when the oil pressure drops a little on the track. I can't see using
synthetic because of the $3.00 per quart more.
I think you will find that most engine failures are due to abuse like , hitting rev limiters, over revving motors, missed shifts, poor maintainance, not having a motor built for what you intend to do with the car. A street motor going to spend 80% of it's time on the track, bad idea. Motor is only as good as the machinist who assemblied it, the mechanic who works on it, the driver who doesn't OVER abuse it. Oil is the life of the motor, as long as you have a min of 30 psi a FE motor will run fine. IMO I don't beleive that an FE motor at idle with less that 30 psi is safe because of the oil pressure loss in the bottom end of the motor. This doesn't apply to the SO motor but still not safe with 10-15 psi readings and I have seen them. I have also seen the same motors window the blocks at the next race, again about abuse too. Rick L.