Engine Oil

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by KEVIN T

Rock, Thanks for your comments.

OK, the consensus is to stay with oil that has a zinc compound in it. I switched over to Lucas oil this year as well. I agree that the cost of sythetic does not make it practical for my class. I stayed with the 20/50 grade and the oil pressure would vary from 40-50 psi pre race and 20 psi or so post race. Second question is would a thinner grade oil help. I have expierenced lifter failure twice recently, (80 runs between failures) both on the right bank. 2 & 4 cylinders. It made a mess of a lot of parts. Don't want to go through that again.

Thanks,
Kevin Tiedemann
S/ST145T

Have to agree with Hitter.
Geometry or running wimpy valve springs and bouncing the valve train will beat a lifter to a premature death.
I ran175 passes on mine this year with a cam with .880" lift and seat pressure of 380#and well over 1000# over the nose.@7600 rpm......did not break any springs or even have to touch the adjustment more than 2 or 3 times. ..[ stud rockers and girdle too]
Anybody who knows me will attest to the fact that I am not shy about the burn out. ...but I am careful.
Read the Reher / Morrison article in the last Nat Dragster , some good reading there.