I thank “FootbrakeJim” for providing us with the question for this article. We have saved all of the questions that were asked. Remember, I will be writing this article quarterly, so you have other chances to get your questions answered. We will also be posting other answers on the FAQ section on our website. Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

“FootbrakeJim” asked me about what oil I recommend for bracket racing purposes. As he wrote, this is an “often-discussed topic.” There are variety of opinions and myths about oiling systems for racing engines. Oil is critical because it keeps your engine alive. There are many pitfalls to selecting an oil.

 

First of all, you must consider what your engine is being used for. I am concentrating on Sportsman engines for this answer. Longevity and durability are the priorities for Sportsman racing, and oil is critical to that. A bracket racing engine is used round after round, race after race under very stressful conditions. Passenger car engines are not under the load that race engines are. Therefore, the oil used for passenger cars is not sufficient for racing engines. While horsepower and ET are still important to Sportsman racers, Sportsman racers do not need to spend the money or effort in chasing thousandths of a second like Pro Stock racers. They need their engine to be reliable.

 

Because your engine is not a Pro Stock engine and is not intended to be used as one, you should avoid using the oil that leads to performance gains in those engines. Pro stock oil is practically the same viscosity as water. Yes, thinner oil does make more power, causes less parasitic drag, is easier for crankshaft, is “squeegeed” off the cylinders more easily, and is easier to pump. However, to make this oil work Pro Stock racers change the oil every 2 to 4 runs and use a lot of DLC coatings. They’ll do anything for a thousandth of a second, but you don’t need to. Sportsman racers should avoid super thin oils and exotic synthetics. Thicker oil provides more of a cushion and is easier on push rods and rocker arms.

 

I suggest a 10-W30 or 10-W40 racing oil (Pennzoil, Valvoline, etc.) or a synthetic racing oil. It must be an off road oil because off road oils still contain zinc. Zinc has been removed from many oils, but it is important for sliding surfaces. Thicker oil with zinc adheres better to metal and does not just all “fall off” between rounds. This is helpful for what you expect out of your engine. You expect it to go round after round and be durable.

 

While I’m writing about oil, I would like to answer questions I often get about what oil pans to use. In addition to oil, oil pans are also critical to the longevity of your engine. The important questions when assessing an oil pan are: How well does it control oil? How steady is the oil pressure? How does it do in shutdown? The negative g’s in shutdown can lead to a drop in oil pressure that can cause a lot of damage. Avoid pans without a defined sump. They make more power, but can fail to provide consistent oil pressure from launch through shut down. It is important to have good oil return to the pan, and it should not pump too much oil to top end and starve lower end. Lifter galleys should be restricted so that oil goes to the crankshaft, instead of too much going to the top end.

 

While I’m on the topic of oil pans, I have to mention how impressed I am by Moroso’s new BBC oil pan (#21049). This pan features a shielded pickup screen. It has deliver remarkably rock solid oil pressure on our dyno. You can see the dyno results for yourself on our website: www.rehermorsion.com. I am not wanting to turn this article into a product endorsement, but I am sure that this pan will help Sportsman engines have more longevity.

 

I hope this answers your question. Remember, this is my opinion based on my experience. I am not a scientist or chemical engineer. Thank you for reading. I look forward to answering more questions. Keep an eye out for my next Q&A discussion in the coming months. Please protect your investment in your engine and don’t try to run too thin of an oil or the wrong pan. Good luck with your racing.