Rotella T4 15w40 + Lucas in a 93 Corvette Autocross Race Car

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mahanddeem said:
"..Says loads of racers use this same oil combination with great results.."
😁
To give credit when due, they did not specify which results they were after, maybe less bloat and farting at night was their great result.
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UOA for the oil is in the UOA section.

Si was high likely due to the K&N filter and slight deformation of the air filter mounting surface on the airbox.

Wear metals we’re still really low, likely because the good 20 micron oil filtration and oil film thickness.
www.machinerylubrication.com

Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear

Conventional wisdom states that engine oils that increase fuel economy allow less friction and prolong engine life. The purpose of this article is to challenge conventional wisdom, particula…
www.machinerylubrication.com www.machinerylubrication.com
 
Robvette said:
fwiw - I'm not asking for advice on what to run ;)
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Great, so you know what this really should have been? A quick post in the "latest oil change" thread with a photo of the car.

You may not be asking for advice but you're getting defensive about anybody who challenges your choice. Again, who cares? Why do you even care what the rest of us think about this? So what if other people would run 30 weight oil in this engine, I'm sure we have somebody here that would run a "0W-8" qualifying oil if you surveyed enough people. It doesn't matter though. Realistcally any choice from a 0W-30 to a 15W-50 will do fine, and it doesn't seem like you'll be measuring your cam lobes before and after the season to actually evaluate wear anyway, so you'll never even know the difference.
 
ZeeOSix said:
You're going in circles down a spiral rabbit hole.
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Fwiw - I haven’t posed a question. I’m not doing a search.
cheesepuffs2 said:
Why do you even care what the rest of us think about this?
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I don’t - the 5w30 army is just alarming. I get the anti-Lucas army.

[I will say that if anyone had compelling application specific data that proved Corvette, Lingenfelter, Callaway and Mobil wrong I would absolutely consider it.]
 
Robvette said:
maybe check out the original post ;)
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I did, when you first posted it. You said, "I'm thinking I'll just go with Mobil 1 15w50 and no additive". That's not a rock-solidly confident sounding statement, so of course on a discussion forum you're going to open up a discussion.
 
Robvette said:
When we know with 100% certainty that the 30 weight was only prescribed to meet a CAFE target - yes.
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Prescribed to both meet a CAFE and ensure adequate protection. You're looking at this whole thing far too black and white. The reality is that the vast majority of car owners, Corvette or otherwise, have run their vehicles solely on the weight marked on the fill cap. There was never a series of publicized LT1 lubrication related failures. Common sense tells us, the 30 weight proved to be fine. Since you're so allegedly data-driven, show us how 30 weight oils have sabotaged the longevity of LT1s. You can't.
 
So let it be written....so let it be done.

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cheesepuffs2 said:
Prescribed to both meet a CAFE and ensure adequate protection. You're looking at this whole thing far too black and white. The reality is that the vast majority of car owners, Corvette or otherwise, have run their vehicles solely on the weight marked on the fill cap. There was never a series of publicized LT1 lubrication related failures. Common sense tells us, the 30 weight proved to be fine. Since you're so allegedly data-driven, show us how 30 weight oils have sabotaged the longevity of LT1s. You can't.
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That part here in this whole thing that is so crazy is a 30 grade oil today could be considered thick and many performance vehicles run 30 grade on track. Here, I realize this is an older vehicle but that V8 shouldn't need anything more but I get him wanting to run a 40 or 50 which of course is just fine. But this isn't CAFE thing 8/16/20 here.....that V8 will happily run a modern synthetic 30.
 
Robvette said:
Fwiw - I haven’t posed a question. I’m not doing a search.
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Well, you seem to be struggling to find the "best" oil viscosity to use ... so it is somewhat of a "search" for input from the BITOG community.

Robvette said:
I don’t - the 5w30 army is just alarming. I get the anti-Lucas army.

[I will say that if anyone had compelling application specific data that proved Corvette, Lingenfelter, Callaway and Mobil wrong I would absolutely consider it.]
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There have been caveats put on the 5W-30 use in this Vette ... that is, if it was just spiritedly driven on the street and only use in Auto-X, then a stout 5W-30 would work fine. Auto-X is not going to get the oil very hot, especially when the oil is probably not even at full operating temperature when you start the 60 sec (or less) run through the Auto-X course. If you are going to do 20-30 min track sessions, then for sure go with a good xW-40 or xW-50 if the 50 makes you feel better. If you ever plan on doing a track day, then just run the 40 or 50 from the get-go so you don't have to bother changing oil for a track session.
 
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TiGeo said:
That part here in this whole thing that is so crazy is a 30 grade oil today could be considered thick and many performance vehicles run 30 grade on track. Here, I realize this is an older vehicle but that V8 shouldn't need anything more but I get him wanting to run a 40 or 50 which of course is just fine. But this isn't CAFE thing 8/16/20 here.....that V8 will happily run a modern synthetic 30.
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TiGeo, has been woken up since dumkid posted what he posted. LOL

But TiGeo brings up something interesting about todays 30 grade oils and Overkill did make some comments which were great.

The LT1 is a different engine since it has Reverse Cooling, as well as the LT4, as compared to the Small Block Chevy that has normal cooling. More than likely a thicker oil in these engines will cause the oil to run hotter. The days of thicker is better is over 2 a certain extent.

10W-30 is all that is needed in this LT1 Engine, the OP has a stock oil pan on there that only holds 4.5 quarts of oil, its not like he has an 8 quart oil pan on there. The OP could put an oil temperature gauge on this engine and I will bet that it would run cooler on Mobil 1 10W-30, or even 1 of the HPL 10W-30 oils as opposed to a thicker oil like 15W-40 or 15W-50

Years ago with a small block chevy that had a temperature gauge on it, I thought, lets put in some Castrol GTX 20W-50 during the summer, now back then I did not have an infrared gun or an oil temperature gauge, but the coolant temp was pegged at 220

The next summer I went to Mobil 1 10W-30 and the Coolant gauge was at about 195

I am a thicker today, meaning 0W-30, 5W-30, or 10W-30, but anything over that would make me a Super Thick, which I am not.

If the OP does not want to put an Oil Temp gauge on, then he can use his thick oil and after a run take an infrared shot at the oil pan and take a temp reading. In due time he can put in a good 10W-30 oil from HPL, Mobil 1 or Amsoil and do his thing and then take a temp reading.
 
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