Custom Mix of Redline 5W-20 and 10W race

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Mix is 80% 5W-20 Redline street oil and 20% 10W Redline race oil. Being used in a plain Jane 2.0 liter Ford Focus. Any comment welcome.

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It's light, and has a low starting TBN.

What are you hoping to achieve using this oil over a jug of Mobil 1 AFE?
 
Reason for running the mix is that Redline 5W-20 VOAs previously noted viscosities closer to a 30W than a 20W.

I estimated the viscosities at 40C and 100C using the Redline supplied data and came up with 40C viscosity of 46 and a 100C viscosity of 8.0 using the Widman calculator.

Even at these low viscosities this Redline mix should have a NOACK of less than 9.

Nothing against M-1, I'm just a Redline fan. My other choice would have been P Ultra but the NOACK is too high for my tastes. My jury is still out regarding the FoMoCo full synthetic 0W-20.

From previous experience in my cars with Redline, I expect to easily achieve 10k mile oil change intervals in the Focus. If not, I'll look to something else.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Isn't the Redline 10w oil a 20 grade oil? I thought I read that on another thread of a guy running a 10w in a vw diesel?


That's not a surprise as Redline oils seem to test out at higher viscosity grades than advertised.
 
Yes, the viscosity and HTHS will work out so that it is still a 20-weight oil, but since their race oils have low TBN, it probably would be a good idea to cut the OCI by 20%. TBN of 6.7 seems pretty low to go 10k miles.
 
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I used to run a 50/50 mix of Redline 10W-40 street and 40W race for 7500 miles in my 450 HP BMW that regularly saw 220 degree oil temperatures. I'll take my chances with this 20 percent mix. I also drive almost exclusively highway, so I tend to get longer OCIs than most.

I think we have to keep in mind that the TBN numbers aren't a hard and fast rule with Redline oils. I thought I read somewhere that the ester base had something to do with skewing the interpretation of TBN and TAN with Redline oils. That's why I included the TAN with this batch. Hopefully, someone smarter than me can chime in with a better explanation.
 
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Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Yes, the viscosity and HTHS will work out so that it is still a 20-weight oil, but since their race oils have low TBN, it probably would be a good idea to cut the OCI by 20%. TBN of 6.7 seems pretty low to go 10k miles.

I agree. I'm a Red Line fan too, but I don't see much ROI in average vehicles, especially since you can't extend the OCIs.

In your Focus, I don't imagine it'll be any benefit at all. You could probably use a $20 jug of QSUD and achieve the same results for one-third the cost. I like RL in my bike, but it's air-cooled and can get hot. Even in that, I'd be using M1 15w-50 if I hadn't picked up the RL so cheap.

Still, it's your money. Use it as you see fit.
 
Originally Posted By: Radiation_Joe
I used to run a 50/50 mix of Redline 10W-40 street and 40W race for 7500 miles in my 450 HP BMW that regularly saw 220 degree oil temperatures. I'll take my chances with this 20 percent mix. I also drive almost exclusively highway, so I tend to get longer OCIs than most.

I think we have to keep in mind that the TBN numbers aren't a hard and fast rule with Redline oils. I thought I read somewhere that the ester base had something to do with skewing the interpretation of TBN and TAN with Redline oils. That's why I included the TAN with this batch. Hopefully, someone smarter than me can chime in with a better explanation.


I've had Oxidation readings taken on RL 5w30 when I ran it in my Camaro and Corvette, and it starts out very high at ~100. So if you take a UOA and see high oxidation, don't freak out. The oxidation reading is stable, though. After 8000-mile OCI's, in the Camaro (including track days) it was still basically the same as virgin.

I've always thought that since esters are the products of reactions between acids and alcohols, the virgin TAN would be high. But 3.8 isn't bad.
 
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I am here experimenting with oil as a hobby. Realistically, this is a new Focus, that I'll probably pass on to one of the kids to destroy in a year or two. It's pretty hard to hurt a modern engine with any motor oil if the car is operated and maintained properly and you maintain awareness of any idiosyncrasies the oil/engine combination may have.

I agree that I could run any oil that meets Ford's specifications and never worry about a thing. But what's the fun in that?

Previous experiments:
Redline mix in an e90 M3
Low SAPS Pennsoil Ultra Euro in a 6.7L Ford diesel
 
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I'd use it, with that much Moly 900ppm it's got to be one slick oil. With that much Moly the wear rate should be low, very low. I'd really like to see a UOA after you have put some miles on it.


Thanks' for the VOA,
ROD
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
What is the mix supposed to do over a regular off the shelf Redline oil?


In this case, I'm trying to get the viscosity down a little. The 5W-20 street oil Vis @ 40°C cSt is 53. The mix theoretically brings this value down into the mid 40s.
 
I'm currently into 3K of running a blend of 4 quarts of GC 0w-30 and 2 quarts of RedLine racing 5wt, (0w20), with a Fram Ultra oversized filter.

My vehicle is a V-6, 1997 Toyota 4runner SR5, 4wd with 280K on the odometer.

I had to keep an eye on the oil level since the "RedLine" seemed to flash off faster than expected since it is a racing oil. I have added about 3/4 of 1 quart of GC 0w30 as make up oil. My driving has been a mix of 80/20 Highway/city. I really like this blend for my winter runs since the engine starts/turns over immediately with no engine chatter.
 
Race oils make a good oil additive. Don't usually need to run more than 5-10%. Stout additive package in that blend.

Redline also has a 0w20 if the 5w20 is too thick.
 
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