Race Engine Forum UK

Guy Croft wrote:I'm OK with the oil discussion until someone starts recommending anything other than RACE OIL for competition engines.

GC

An interesting comment. My favourite is Shell Ultra Helix 15W-50. You won't buy it in 5L however. Only in 20L drums.

It's my job here to advise. My point is this:

If you're going to run your motor in competition contact a race engine oil manufacturer. They will have an oil suitable for you that has been tested exhaustively. Who - among those who claim to have oils suitable for motorsport - will speak to you is another issue altogether. I know Millers, Redline, Amsoil to be accessible enough. Well, Millers especially so as they are a British family-owned firm.

Some oils speak for themselves. The oil says 'racing' on the tin. You don't get to be a race oil manufacturer unless people are racing and winning on it.

There are others. Some oil manufacturers won't go as far as to say, yes, that oil is suitable for 'racing', and won't overtly state 'race oil' on the tin, but will lay claim (indirectly) to racing provenance for their oil by 'association'. I think this is a bit cheeky. I am not naming names here, but an internet search will find little by way of direct reference to racing for some big-name oils. There is a good deal of rather vague talk on some websites about 'oils for high performance engines'. Try, for example, a particular motorsport website, you'll find more about mobile phone downloads than you will about which oil Ferrari F1 actually put in their engine.

If you have used a particular oil in your engine for some time without lubrication related failure, it's true up to a point - to say you can probably vouch for that oil. However I know form experience that many who swear by 'oil brand X' and who suffer bearing or other failure never actually stop to consider that the oil any be to blame. And simply because the oil is OK with that engine in that state of tune is not the same thing as saying it's 'good for all'.

So for the newcomer, there are only 3 choices. Buy an oil designed for the job, take advice from a proven expert, or take a chance and see what happens. Choice 1 & 2, you're as safe as you can be. Choice 3, you're on your own.



GC

I don't want to stir this argument up any more than necessary but from a club level racer's perspective it is very hard to trust anyone or any company on this matter.

As Guy states there is a lot of conjecture about different brands but even if they have found a good product there is no guarantee that it will be right for your car!

I've personally learned to trust a couple of different brands for different purposes but it took a long time (and a lot of money). Part of the problem is that you are investing a fair chunk of hard earned cash into something that might or might not cost you even more money down the line. Worse still for a while we were provided with oil and were expected to use it. It was actually better to sell the (expensive) oil we were given and stick with what you trusted. As long as we had the right stickers on the car and the right cans on display the contents didn't really matter. It was all very silly...

There aren't actually all that many companies you can turn to when sourcing a proper oil for racing though so the choice isn't too wide as soon as you discard the kind of oils you can buy over the counter at your local filling station/spares shop.

How many miles are we expected to get out of a Race oil like Selenia 10/60 in racing conditions?

Andy.

On a very well calibrated engine, I'd do maybe 6 circuit races/rallies and practice sessions before changing, or else change mid season latest.

I know it's vague.


GC

Guy Croft wrote:On a very well calibrated engine, I'd do maybe 6 circuit races/rallies and practice sessions before changing, or else change mid season latest.

I know it's vague.


GC

It's even more vague when you get to street use. How to know who drives hard, who likes revs only from 5.000 rpm upwards, etc?

On the other hand, as you pointed out, and I agree completely, oil is no patch-it-up-doc thing, it's an equal component, or partner, in the complexity called engine. Get it right and it will facilitate things, get it wrong, and you'll never get the best out those pots.

By trial and error, I have settled on Castrol for Bandit 1. Best overall results, least overall wear and tear when it comes to changing. For the Daewoo, I don't think much, I use what the manufacturer says I should, which is Shell Helix.

Having just installed a new engine, I'm back to square one. I have no experience with that engine, so I'll start with Castrol, but will have to try out Selenia as well, since Fiat recommends it. We'll see.

But, as a rule of thumb, though I don't mistreat the engine, oil is changed every 5K miles (7,500 km) - just to be on the safe side.

thank you,
DVV

I thought this back to back test of oils was very good, no, excellent.

I shall try and see if I can get hold of similar done in Britain, not by magazines though.

http://www.performanceoilnews.com/oils_ ... oils.shtml

GC

Just to let you all know that, in the last two months, Fiat/Alpha dealers have started selling Selenia Racing oil in 5 litre plastic containers. It's a bit cheaper than buying the required amount in the 2 litre metal ones.

Geoff

It would be a good idea to publish the part number for the 5 liter containers of Selenia Race Oil if you know it Geoff,

GC

The code written on the 5L container is: 11195015

Geoff

Hi People,

I was just browsing the net when I found some more info on the oil change intervals as advised by FL Selenia:

5,000 km for competition use.
Up to 20,000 km on aspirated cars and up to 10,000 km on cars with turbo-charged engines.

http://www.flitalia.it/en/fl/component/ ... temid,254/

Geoff W

This thread is widely read and that's good.

But - respected members - kindly avoid reference to price here and on the site as a whole. I have weeded out all references on this topic re: price/cheap/an internet auction site/$/‚£ etc.

Nothing to stop you talking off line about price if you want to, but don't do it here.

Thank you for your continued respect of forum rules.

GC

I would say try the mobil m1 5w50 oil.
The 10W60 is an old oil mixture and the W60 is too high for a turbo, the oil pump has there some work more than with W50 oil.
A german oil expert said the 5W50 is better than every 10W60 oil because its newer.

The normal selenia 10W60 you can buy at your Fiat dealer and honda dealer.
The race oil is only for race use. Every 2000km you have to change it. Maybe its very good when you drive a Alfa v6 with high revs or something like this you know?!