Track/Racing Oil ratio
 

I have been doing more track days and wondering if I should switch to a different oil ratio.

Do you guys have any suggestions for motor oil ratios to use. Should I be using a fully synthetic oil that is more viscous than the original Mobil1 0W-40?

I run fully synthetic 15/50 or 20/50.

I figure the slight degradation in power is more than made up for in additional oil weight and viscosity.

ymmv,

Mike

It probably depends on the temps you are seeing at the track. I ran Castrol 5w40 for most of my 986 ownership to good effect with the original motor going 112k miles and 100+ track days at sale. I did tend to avoid racetracks in the summer and ran short sessions if things got hot mid-afternoon.

I agree, it depends on the temps that you see at the track. Here in SoCal, I run 10W-40 and understand why Mike runs 20W-50 out in Texas.

I also do fewer track events in the heat of the summer or go north where it is often a bit cooler. I feel that 10W-40 is fine for Laguna Seca in August.

I don't want to create another thread, so I ask here:

What do you feel about going on track with my base 2.7L 986 with 111777miles on it?
I'm running 20w50 and the cars runs great... but I'm afraid of breaking something... probably red too many thing on boxster's failures ...

Brake fluid is one year old, I have no mods except the exhaust.

I want to take it on track in may and june, and after that I probably won't anymore until I get another car.

Thanks!
Ben

track prep
 

At the minimum, you will need to change your brake fluid. Check your tires (tread depth, pressures, and age) as well as brake pads (thickness) - a day at the track can go through brake pads in a hurry.

Most likely the group that you go to the track with will have a tech sheet with a full checklist of items to inspect and check. Then come track day, you will have tech inspection where your car is gone over (all be it quickly but checked none the less)

Enjoy the track day - it really shows what these cars can do!

If these will be your first track days the car will be fine in stock configuration with fresh brake fluid and oem pads, greater than 50%, and good summer tires. Even all seasons could possibly be ok, my son did a track day in some all seasons, but they got a lot of wear that weekend ;)

Tires and brakes are good, I'm not really an "aggressive" driver!
OEM pads, discs, and Continental extremContact tires.

I'll check the brake fluid! I have a month to do it ;)

It will be my first track day (night actually), three 20minutes sessions, should be a lot of fun!


Thanks guys!

Are you going to PBIR? Track Night in America?

In a typical racing weekend, I accelerate at wide open throttle and shift near/at redline around 400 times (every upshift). Probably 10 of those upshifts hit the rev limiter when I need every rpm out of the engine.

Then I do this 15 weekends a year; so 6,000 shifts at redline per year.

And I do this on the original IMS bearing with 94,000 miles.

These engines are actually pretty tough. A few track days a year shouldn't be a big worry.

Yep, exactly, May 24th! Are you going ??


Thanks Thstone! I feel better about it... You read so many bad stories online that you can become paranoid!