What Race Oil do you trust?

[RPM5595]

Originally Posted by SSDiv6

There are many great oils out there that provide lots of performance such as Schaefer, Mobil 1, Maxima, HPL and others.

At the same time, I have seen many use the Comp Cams, Total Seal and Driven Break-In oils for normal racing use. By the way, the Comp Cams and Total Seal Break-In oil are made by Driven.

When I was helping a friend of mine with his Comp Eliminator car, one the dry sump hoses was leaking. I loosened up the hose to retighten the hose and had a rag to collect and clean the excess oil. When I looked at the rag, I noticed lots of Copper and other shiny metallic material and asked the owner what oil he was using because the engine was only on its 7 run. He told me he was using one of the brands of break in oil and that his engine builder, a well know engine shop, had told him to only run break in oil. So, at the next race, the engine let go a few rods through the pan and after I took it apart, all the bearings were gone.

I had a chat with Lake Speed Jr. and Nick Ferri about the use of break in oil for normal use on a race engine. Lake Speed Jr, who is a licensed Oil Tribologist and engineer, explained to me that break in oils are just that, a break in oil to be used to breaking in the engine on the dyno or for a limited use on street engine. Nick Ferri shared that he only uses the break in oil on the dyno and then switches to the specific engine oil for the application.

For break in oil, I use Total Seal that still contains the formulation from Lubrizol that was created for breaking in NASCAR engines. For racing use, not in an order of preference, Amsoil, HPL and Maxima. For rear ends, Amsoil synthetic. For manual transmissions, either Amsoil or Type-F trans fluid. For Automatics, tractor hydraulic fluid or Amsoil.

So what is it about break in oil that is bad to use full time? What was the cause for the bearings going away? If the break in oil is better for initial run in how can it be worse for normal operation? This makes no sense to me.

[Dave Gantz]

Originally Posted by RPM5595

So what is it about break in oil that is bad to use full time? What was the cause for the bearings going away? If the break in oil is better for initial run in how can it be worse for normal operation? This makes no sense to me.

I think your answers are in this link that SSDiv6 posted.
https://s19529.pcdn.co/wp-content/up...Engine-Oil.jpg

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by RPM5595

So what is it about break in oil that is bad to use full time? What was the cause for the bearings going away? If the break in oil is better for initial run in how can it be worse for normal operation? This makes no sense to me.

Seen 3 engines damaged due to extended use of break-in oil. One Comp Eliminator engine, 1 Super Stock engine and 1 bracket racing turbo engine.

The formulations are completely different with a specific intent. One of my friends who ran a NASCAR shop, was a neighbor to Joe Gibbs when he developed his line of break in and racing oils. He witnessed the development of the different oils and each oil has an intended expected outcome. As a matter of fact, those oils were a special formulation created for Joe Gibbs by Lubrizol.

These two articles go more in depth of the differences and the reason for break in, street and racing oils.

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/201...s%20of%20ZDDP.

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/202...t-vs-race-oil/

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by RPM5595

So what is it about break in oil that is bad to use full time? What was the cause for the bearings going away? If the break in oil is better for initial run in how can it be worse for normal operation? This makes no sense to me.

In the REAL world, there are NUMEROUS superstock cars in the D3 area that run COMP CAMS 10-30 break in oil......FULL TIME. I am going to wait till after the HOLIDAYS to inform them that they are all just begging for trouble....LOL !!!!!

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

In the REAL world, there are NUMEROUS superstock cars in the D3 area that run COMP CAMS 10-30 break in oil......FULL TIME. I am going to wait till after the HOLIDAYS to inform them that they are all just begging for trouble....LOL !!!!!

Well...like everything, it is a choice.

First, break in oil was designed to increase the friction of the piston rings to help them wear-in and seal in the cylinder and includes a high amount of Zinc and Moly to assist with breaking in the camshaft and lifters.

Break in oils are mineral and not synthetic and do not have modifiers to reduce the friction. After the engine seals, there is no need for it and its continued use, keeps doing what the break in oil was designed to do, a controlled wear.

On the other hand, racing oils, both mineral and synthetic, contain friction modifiers to reduce friction and reduce wear. As I said earlier, it up to the engine builder or racer on what they want to use.