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Race engine oil viscosity

To: List Land Speed <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: Race engine oil viscosity
From: Bryan Savage <basavage@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 14:35:44 -0800
List,

The reason for this note is, I have seen engine damage from thick cold 
oil but I have never
seen or heard of damage caused by oil that had a viscosity that was too low.
(I'm excluding drag racing on purpose, but include circle track, road 
course,
offshore boats and of course LSR )

What got me thinking about this is the '60's 255 CID Ford Indy motor (NA).
The Ford manual for the motor specified Ford Rotunda 20W-40 oil. They also
specified minimum temperatures before starting which think were 160 - water
and 180 - oil.
Sooo - if that motor could go 500 miles with 1966 technology 20W-40 
petroleum oil,
why should anyone use 2004 technology 20W50 petroleum oil to go 6 miles?
Wouldn't today's real synthetics (Group IV base), in 5W-30 viscosity, 
offer more
protection to that 255 Ford than 1966 technology 20W-40?

I used Mobil 1, 15W-50, in my turbo Kawasaki and I think it was heavier 
than needed.
Today I would use their MX4T 10W-40 or their 0W-40. I  would like to try 
their
0W-30 someday if I could work up the courage. Am I crazy?

Bryan      (long on questions & short on answers)






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