Change oil every Trackday?

[miataman]

I just changed my oil last week before our track day and now am debating on wether or not to change the oil again before our autocross this weekend. Redline oil is getting to be so expensive I am having a hard time dumping it on back to back weekends. How many of you feel changing your oil after everytrack day is required?

[Dean]

No, especially something as good as Redline. Still good for at least 3K IMHO. Brake fluid before track (not autocross) days is mandatory though.

[tom1977]

I change my oil before every track event. Racing creates excessive heat and tortures the oil regardless of conventional, synthetic, full synthetic, etc. My full synthetic has changed significant color after one track event. Then again, if you want to be cheap, save the sixty dollars and see what can happen to your bearings...For me, frequent oil changes are worth it.

[Kevin M]

Redline can handle more than one track day, even at the higher temps Ed's car runs at. I personally would have no problem using Redline for multiple track days- and have in the past, repeatedly.

[sperry]

Yeah, no need to change oil that often. In fact, best thing to do is replace just the filter after the track day and top off the oil. Full synthetic oil is actually best for the motor when it's 1000 miles old or so, and it will last 15,000 miles easily on the street if you're keeping up with filter changes.

I don't even bleed the brakes every event. If I didn't boil the fluid at the track, why in the world would I want to swap it out just a month later? As long as you have a quality fluid with a decent wet boiling point, change it out based on time, not number of events, unless you know you boiled it and experienced fluid fade.

[Dean]

I don't even bleed the brakes every event. If I didn't boil the fluid at the track, why in the world would I want to swap it out just a month later? As long as you have a quality fluid with a decent wet boiling point, change it out based on time, not number of events, unless you know you boiled it and experienced fluid fade.Bleed the stuff out of the calipers is a good idea even if you didn't boil IMHO. Doing it at the track is too much of a PITA and is easy to avoid when you swap tires or whatever. You should get in there an inspect the inner pad thickness anyway. Purge every few bleeds depending on use.

[miataman]

You are all making me feel like I am big dealing my oil changes. The highest oil temps I saw last week were 255*. That's in the sump before the cooler running Redlines 40w race oil. I know these temps will surprise some, but I have never had temps that low before, and is a bit of a triumph for me. I am thinking to leave the oil alone for a few autocross sessions untill the next track event. Instead of Miles for street cars, is there a general # of hours for Track cars? After your responses, I am thinking 4 hours or so?

[Kevin M]

4 hours is what, 3 track days? I think that might be a good time to do a full change.

[Dean]

You are all making me feel like I am big dealing my oil changes. The highest oil temps I saw last week were 255*. That's in the sump before the cooler running Redlines 40w race oil. I know these temps will surprise some, but I have never had temps that low before, and is a bit of a triumph for me. I am thinking to leave the oil alone for a few autocross sessions untill the next track event. Instead of Miles for street cars, is there a general # of hours for Track cars? After your responses, I am thinking 4 hours or so?Full Synth Redline or Royal Purple combined with a top of the line filter like the Purolator Pure-One should be able to handle 250+ for days unless you have excessive blow by. Good filter is probably as if not more important than the oil itself. If you are really concerned about it, spend the $25 and get your oil analyzed.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/whatisoilanalysis.htm

[Dean]

You are all making me feel like I am big dealing my oil changes. The highest oil temps I saw last week were 255*. That's in the sump before the cooler running Redlines 40w race oil. I know these temps will surprise some, but I have never had temps that low before, and is a bit of a triumph for me. I am thinking to leave the oil alone for a few autocross sessions untill the next track event. Instead of Miles for street cars, is there a general # of hours for Track cars? After your responses, I am thinking 4 hours or so?Full Synth Redline or Royal Purple combined with a top of the line filter like the Purolator PureOne should be able to handle 250+ for days unless you have excessive blow by. Good filter is probably as if not more important than the oil itself. People will pay $50 for oil and gripe about $5-6 for a quality filter and buy a $2-3 POS.

My full synthetic has changed significant color after one track event.Tom, color change is not really a good indicator of oil quality.

If you are really want to know what is up with your oil, spend the $25 and get your oil analyzed. It can identify an engine issue before it becomes very costly!

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/whatisoilanalysis.htm

[miataman]

Agreed, oil color has nothing to do with its lubricating properties.

[tom1977]

Agreed, oil color has nothing to do with its lubricating properties.
actually, color change can show an impact on the oil. You guys are forgetting that oils typically run a detergent to pick up small dirt/particulates that are able to sneak by the oil filter. Darker can mean that the detergent is clinging to dirt, indicating time to change the oil. (remember, crank case ventilation does transfer the air quality around into the engine oil) Granted, you can run oil in your engine as long as you want, it is your engine. Good luck!

[Dean]

actually, color change can show an impact on the oil. You guys are forgetting that oils typically run a detergent to pick up small dirt/particulates that are able to sneak by the oil filter. Darker can mean that the detergent is clinging to dirt, indicating time to change the oil. (remember, crank case ventilation does transfer the air quality around into the engine oil) Granted, you can run oil in your engine as long as you want, it is your engine. Good luck!Brand new oil has a bunch of dissolved solids in it which contribute to the color. Some of those discolor when heated. Color change does not directly correlate to viscosity, base number, oxidation or dilution which in a well filtered system are probably most important. Color may indirectly relate to dissolved solids, but without testing to know what those solids are, it is not a very useful indicator.

A good filter will ensure the particles are incredibly small, so unless they are actually harmful and affecting the lubrication properties, the color just says the oil is doing its job.

Rather than changing it, for the cost of 1 of those 100 mile 1 day changes, send a bit off for testing and see what condition it is actually in.

[tom1977]

true, the color does say that the oil is doing its' job. Very well put. I guess I am on the wasteful side, and you are on the conservative side! Good discussion...and good to see ya today, Dean!

[BillH]

Change your oil at whatever interval makes you feel good. Necessary? No.

I build my own motors so I see the bearings and everything else inside the motor once a year. Plus, the oil capacity on the Ford is 3 1/2 quarts (dry sump).
The motor doesn't go below 5,400 rpm on the track and redlines at 7k.

Filter change - every race weekend (1 1/2 hours) oil at 3 hours.

I ran Redline one season and saw zero difference in engine wear vs Mobil 1 (my motors are blueprinted on every build).

If I had a street car on the track I wouldn't change oil that often.

I change out M1 at 4k on the Corvette and 5k on the Silverado since it pulls the racetrailer a lot (the p/u has 140k miles on it and uses zero oil inbetween changes).

Color changes on motor oil don't indicate much.
255 is a great oil temp, a lot of guys would kill for a temp that low.

Color changes on brake fluid is another matter.
Calipers should be bled every event unril you see the color change back to new. Besides, that's a 15 minute job in you have the right (and inexpensive) equipment.

[miataman]

Thanks for all the input. You all probably saved me hundreds of dollars over the next few years. I did not change my oil and feel good about it.

[Kevin M]

At your next change, I would still send off a sample to Blackstone for analysis. If it is still in great shape, you'll save even more.