Rally oil change interval...

Curious as to what everyone does?

Obviously, it really wouldn't hurt to do it every rally, but the cheapass in my says that with modern day synthetics, it really shouldn't be necessary. We drive our cars flat out for typically less than 20 minutes at a time, I'd think a day of time attack would be just as hard on a car and lord knows I sure didn't change my STi's oil that often (went with the severe service interval, which is like 3k miles or 5k kms on synthetic).

I was thinking about going with an "every second rally" interval. Seem reasonable? Should I change the filter and just top up a bit?

What you need is an engine that leaks oil... 2 QTs per service, never need to change it.

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czwalga
What you need is an engine that leaks oil... 2 QTs per service, never need to change it.

Yes, get a Ford. no worries about remembering miles.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I figure 2 or 3 rallies at 80-130 mile per rally is good. 250 miles running at 5000-7000 RPM seems about right. I too am cheap bastard.

I do it about every other rally - mostly to check to see if there's anything unusual happening internally.

I had a main bearing go bad years ago and only caught it because of the flecks of brass in the oil. Saved myself a chunka change by catching it before the whole motor seized. Since then I've been a little paranoid about it.

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Self-righteous douche canoe

I usually go for once every 3rd rally which in my case has been once a year. But short blocks are cheap for the newer ford motors.

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hoche
I do it about every other rally - mostly to check to see if there's anything unusual happening internally.

I had a main bearing go bad years ago and only caught it because of the flecks of brass in the oil. Saved myself a chunka change by catching it before the whole motor seized. Since then I've been a little paranoid about it.

For the Subaru, every event.

Not because the oil is worn out, but it's a gauge of the engine's health. And it's a minor expense compared to the overall cost of an event.

For the SAAB, duh, there is no crankcase oil. The oil goes in the gas tank.

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Jason McDaniel

You guys should hear airplane owners go on and on about oil.

As I understand it the main reason to change synthetic oil is not because it gets worn out but rather water, fuel, combustion chemicals, dirt etc make their way into the oil and have a corrosive effect on the metal parts in the motor. The Oil (mostly additives to the oil) does its best to protect the metal bits from these but at some point its effectiveness declines.

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In the long run reality always wins.

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derek
You guys should hear airplane owners go on and on about oil.

As I understand it the main reason to change synthetic oil is not because it gets worn out but rather water, fuel, combustion chemicals, dirt etc make their way into the oil and have a corrosive effect on the metal parts in the motor. The Oil (mostly additives to the oil) does its best to protect the metal bits from these but at some point its effectiveness declines.

On that note, the three to six months sitting around between events is probably worse for the oil than a single rally.

What oil are you using?

Are you using $35/5 liter Rotella? Or are you using $25 / liter Motul?

For the cheap stuff, without a doubt i'd change it every rally.

If you are running $$$ stuff, i'd probably stretch it out to 2 rallies...

Do you have any idea what oil temps you are running, so we have an idea of how hard you are pushing the oil?

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Chris

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Do It Sidewayz
What oil are you using?

Are you using $35/5 liter Rotella? Or are you using $25 / liter Motul?

For the cheap stuff, without a doubt i'd change it every rally.

If you are running $$$ stuff, i'd probably stretch it out to 2 rallies...

Do you have any idea what oil temps you are running, so we have an idea of how hard you are pushing the oil?

Yeah the cheap stuff that coast to coast truckers use in their turbo diesels running hard (and sustained going up them Rockies) day in and day out in their motors that cost 80-90,000 bucks...
Love that cheap stuff.

And Plus Juan on the Oil Temp....Just having a"discussion" on some Mare-kooooooor forum about turbo timers and "I let my engine idle for a minute till the oil temp goes down"...
So far, nobody has oil temp gauge, but they know everything else...


Oi.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
Do It Sidewayz
What oil are you using?

Are you using $35/5 liter Rotella? Or are you using $25 / liter Motul?

For the cheap stuff, without a doubt i'd change it every rally.

If you are running $$$ stuff, i'd probably stretch it out to 2 rallies...

Funny thing is, one of the differences between $$$ racing oil and regular oil is that the $$$ oil has fewer/no additives to deal with the usual oil contaminants like moisture (from sitting and from combustion) and the like. It's assumed that the racing oils are in racing engines that are on a much more frequent service interval than street car "i change the oil once a year whether it needs it or not" style maintenance.

So if you're using the $25/liter Motul, I wouldn't leave it in the engine for very long, while the Rotella should be just fine with ignoring it a while.

Different oils have different priorities, you know?

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

Derek: I use AeroShell, change it every 25 hours, and send it off to Blackstone. And whine a lot about it using a quart every ten hours.

Most GA engines are between 25 and 45 years old and are virtually unchanged from the original designs in the 50s.

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Self-righteous douche canoe

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Pete

Funny thing is, one of the differences between $$$ racing oil and regular oil is that the $$$ oil has fewer/no additives to deal with the usual oil contaminants like moisture (from sitting and from combustion) and the like. It's assumed that the racing oils are in racing engines that are on a much more frequent service interval than street car "i change the oil once a year whether it needs it or not" style maintenance.

So if you're using the $25/liter Motul, I wouldn't leave it in the engine for very long, while the Rotella should be just fine with ignoring it a while.

Different oils have different priorities, you know?

I do agree, but at the same time, i feel that $$$ racing oils will hold up better to higher temperatures and not break down as quick.

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Chris

True, and that's where it boils down to how the oil is degrading. If it's breaking down from heat, use better oil, or at $25/liter put a better oil cooler in the thing (ex-NASCAR oil coolers the size of a small mattress for $100-200 on eBay, for example...) since bearing materials generally start to come apart at around 300f no matter what kind of oil you're running.

If it's just getting dirty, put a better air filter and/or crank breather setup on it.

Or if you have a rotary, change the oil when it gets a quart or two overfull from the fuel wash, so use whatever 20W50 or straight 40 you feel like using, because it'll be only a few hours before it's as thin as the crap in your parts washer...

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2012 05:11PM by Pete.