Which oil is best for track use

[marc69]

I am about to do an oil change on my 1.4NV which I sometimes use on the track.

The car does use some oil and when pushed hard the oil thins too much giving noisey tappets and low pressure. It also leaks a little oil.

I was going to use 20/40 but today when i went to buy it the guy said I should use 5/50 fully synthetic, he said that although it is thin compared to mineral oil, it won't go as thin as the mineral oil when over heated. Right enough, the oil can said t is used for track cars and rally cars.

What are the views/experiences here for this type of oil in an old engine?

[chrisd1986]

I couple of my old cars had this problem so i used castrol gtx 15/40 part synthetic and they used to get alot of stick on long motorway runs awsell and it kept it at bay for a little while longer.

[marc69]

Anyone else got experience/advice re using synthetic rather than mineral oil in old engines?

[peester]

Synthetic oil should cope better than mineral at both low and high temperatures. So surely sticking to the same rating, but in semi/part synthetic or fully sythetic wouldnt cause problems.
Get yourself an oil temp (and pressure?) sender, run the wire and a nice gauge. End of the day be tricky for anyone to want to comment; no one knows how your engine will cope, it is an old engine now, are you lapping trackdays at full tilt all day?.. etc.

[marc69]

Thanks for that, I'll try this synthetic stuff this time as long as there are no known reasons for not using it.

I have fitted the GSi oil pressure gauge, the car came with an oil temp gauge but it didn't work so I just removed it. I checked the oil today and it is knackered, no body left.

All being well I may manage to fit a baffled sump too so should hopefully help keep the pressure up.

What happens on track days is by the end of some sessions (warm weather so you can push the car harder) the tappets are noisey at the end and a few times the oil light has flickered on hard cornering. By the time the next session is on (30 mins or so) it seems fine again. Even though it's only a 1400 it is good fun and I need it to get me home after each day!

[ASH GSI]

I use the 5/50 from halfords (not in a 1.4nv) its valveoline oil that is re-branded its good stuff! id give it a try as it will offer good protection, just keep your eye on it to make sure it does not burn it if its a high milage engine.
if it does burn quite a lot then go for a thicker grade of oil.

[Novasport]

Contact the oil man at Opie oils, he will give you a good recommendation. He recommended a Gulf 10W-40 Racing oil to me as the Castrol TWS(Formerly RS) that has been used in mine is too thick IMO.

[mowgli]

wasn't 15w50 the factory oil??

buy budget oil & then change it after each track day. it will be cheaper in the long run than wasting a synthetic on your engine.

now, if your engine was fully rebuilt and some crazy spec, then maybe synth would be preferrable

[marc69]

The synthetic 5 50 was only £25 for 5 litres, the normal mineral stuff is £18.

The engine is not a crazy spec and is definately not rebuilt!...although I have a 1.3 block that I was given a few months ago from a guy I know who started racing his genuine sport. He decided a 1.4 would suit him best so removed the 1.3 (I don't know if it is the original sport engine or an SR engine) and gave it to me. It is in reserve for when then my 1400 gives up. I'll probably be looking for more advice again once I get this block on my work top and open it.

[meritlover]

i go faster when i dont put oil on the track. but as Santa in the green jacket suggests, change your oil often and do not fall for the misgivings of synthetic oil companies who want your gold bars. The nova has ample bearing surface even at standard pressures that would make an oil with greater shear strength and stability at high temperatures un necessary.