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If I had one of these that recommended 15W50 for racing,I'd use it year round.
Oil for 2013 Camaro ZL1 road course application
- Thread starter BaylorCamaro
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Looking at your oil analysis, I see that the viscosity of the oil is still solidly in the 30 range, so shearing is not a problem. The Iron and Aluminum readings aren't bad.
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
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Originally Posted By: BaylorCamaro
Yes I agree. I've never had this issue until two events ago. Granted that is by far the hardest the car has been pushed and it just so happened that it was probably the hottest weather it was pushed in too.
That's what happens when you turn your car over to an instructor. I had to tell mine to slow up. He was putting the old vette about 6" from a concrete wall. I told him I trusted him but not the car. Later that year he had a suspension failure and put his new stang into that wall at N.H. speedway.
If the different coolant doesn't help enough try running distilled water with water wetter.
Yes I agree. I've never had this issue until two events ago. Granted that is by far the hardest the car has been pushed and it just so happened that it was probably the hottest weather it was pushed in too.
That's what happens when you turn your car over to an instructor. I had to tell mine to slow up. He was putting the old vette about 6" from a concrete wall. I told him I trusted him but not the car. Later that year he had a suspension failure and put his new stang into that wall at N.H. speedway.
If the different coolant doesn't help enough try running distilled water with water wetter.
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
Oh I agree about fuel economy, I definitely don't care about that. Whatever is in the best interest of the car in regards to how I use it (track with some weekend cruising) is what I'm interested in. I just didn't know if going to a thicker oil when not tracking could have adverse effects on the engine (aside from fuel economy). This just comes from my lack of knowledge on the subject, which is why I'm here.
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
Oh I agree about fuel economy, I definitely don't care about that. Whatever is in the best interest of the car in regards to how I use it (track with some weekend cruising) is what I'm interested in. I just didn't know if going to a thicker oil when not tracking could have adverse effects on the engine (aside from fuel economy). This just comes from my lack of knowledge on the subject, which is why I'm here.
Just to clarify a misconception, the ZL1 LSA like the CTS-V LSA does not come factory filled with Mobil 1 from the factory. It comes factory filled with AC Delco 5W30 synthetic blend engine oil.
The standard C7 doesn't come with Mobil 1 from the factory either. Only Z51 equipped C7s come factory filled with Mobil 1 along with the C7/Z06.
Most GM vehicles come with the AC Delco oil from the factory and dealers use that when they do oil changes.
The standard C7 doesn't come with Mobil 1 from the factory either. Only Z51 equipped C7s come factory filled with Mobil 1 along with the C7/Z06.
Most GM vehicles come with the AC Delco oil from the factory and dealers use that when they do oil changes.
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
Solid advice. Based on the relative specific heats of 30% vs. standard 50% mixtures, going to a 30% anti-freeze mixture would allow about 8% more cooling, might make the difference here! (Running pure water gets you a 15% increase in cooling, but a little anti-freeze should be in there for water pump lube, other reasons, etc.) I assume the "wetter" product lubes the water pump a little, and indeed Redline's wetter claims to do this, so good to add. Running straight water sounds like a boilover situation since the anti-freeze raises the boiling point. 30% anti-freeze sounds best since the boiling point is still relatively higher, and also the freezing point for TX winters is down to about 5 degF.
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
Solid advice. Based on the relative specific heats of 30% vs. standard 50% mixtures, going to a 30% anti-freeze mixture would allow about 8% more cooling, might make the difference here! (Running pure water gets you a 15% increase in cooling, but a little anti-freeze should be in there for water pump lube, other reasons, etc.) I assume the "wetter" product lubes the water pump a little, and indeed Redline's wetter claims to do this, so good to add. Running straight water sounds like a boilover situation since the anti-freeze raises the boiling point. 30% anti-freeze sounds best since the boiling point is still relatively higher, and also the freezing point for TX winters is down to about 5 degF.
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Keep in mind that its all where you draw the line. I don't think a heavy 50 weight oil is called for here, since factory spec is 5w-30 and track conditions are only incrementally worse than what that can handle. A decent 0w-40 of your choice is plenty. A 50 would just create more oil viscous friction heat to dissipate anyway. There is a reason Porsche GT3's can run 0w-40 all day.
A euro spec 0w-40. Done.
Look for A40. That's the Porsche spec.
Look for A40. That's the Porsche spec.
Done??
Wouldn't a typical 0W40 have a lighter base oil viscosity
than a 5W30?
Wouldn't a typical 0W40 have a lighter base oil viscosity
than a 5W30?
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Originally Posted By: used_0il
Done??
Wouldn't a typical 0W40 have a lighter base oil viscosity
than a 5W30?
Some might, others might not. Are we talking Euro 5w-30 or your typical 3-3.1 HTHS NA 5w-30?
Done??
Wouldn't a typical 0W40 have a lighter base oil viscosity
than a 5W30?
Some might, others might not. Are we talking Euro 5w-30 or your typical 3-3.1 HTHS NA 5w-30?
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
My biggest concern with what you posted is that you got into a coolant over-temp situation. That's indicative of just flat-out not enough cooling capacity. The best oil in the world won't help that- so you need to make sure the coolers (oil, coolant) can shed enough heat to keep everything in the green for a whole session.
As for oil, I agree with those who suggest a 0w40, like Mobil 1. It has a great reputation in hard usage, and its close enough to the factory specified 5w30 that its not going to cause any issues. I saw your concern about it being a 0wXX- don't worry about that. I always tell people that to really understand a multi-grade oil they need to think exactly backwards from what is intuitive. Think of the oil's thickness AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE (say 230-250F), and that's what the number after the "w" is talking about. At full engine temp, M1 0w40 is a 40-weight oil, just like a 10w40 or a 15w40 would be. Now think what happens as the engine cools down- that's what the number before the "w" tells you. A 15w40 and a 0w40 are the same thickness when hot, but the 0w40 doesn't thicken as much when it cools down, so it flows better and is a better lubricant when you first start the engine up. Its already more like it will be when its hot.
The nice thing about modern synthetic multi-grades is that they can get that wide rating spread and more nearly constant thickness without a lot of additives like older oils use.
Given how hard you obviously use this car, it might also be worth looking at some of the more expensive "boutique" oils that tolerate high temperatures well in the 30- and 40-weight range. Redline comes to mind because of their more heavily ester-based base oil, but quite honestly Mobil 1 is comparable to most of the other boutique blends in 0w40. I wouldn't necessarily make the same claim about Mobil 1 10w30 and 5w30, or Pennzoil Ultra 10w30 and 5w30, though. M1 0w40 seems to be a real standout in the "off the shelf" product range. Pennzoil's closest (IMO) would be their Euro 5w40. I'm ambivalent about their 0w40 (even though it was designed specifically for one of my vehicles) because it is a bit lower on some of the old-school classic anti-wear additives than M1.
PS- its also possible that 10w30 is a really bad choice here, but its hard to say since most big oil suppliers won't go into a lot of detail about their chemistry. Reading the tea leaves (oil analyses and MSDS's) does hint that some makers actually use lower quality base stock oils in 10w30 since they don't need the high inherent viscosity index, and can hit the 10w30 spec with a poorer base stock and a modest dose of VI improvers (non-lubricating polymers that coil and uncoil with temperature changes to regulate the thickness of the fluid). That approach results in an oil that is more prone to viscosity breakdown under high stress than an oil with a higher quality base stock and fewer VI improvers. I'm not sure that's the case with PP 10w30, but I have just developed a general skepticism toward 10wXX grades anymore. Much more R&D is has been poured into 0wXX and 5wXX oils over the past 20 years, and 10w30 in particular is sorta along for the ride since no manufacturers spec it anymore.
I agree with 440Magnum. I'd run some Mobil 1 0w40 in it.
Also you mentioned a larger oil cooler available, I'd be doing that right now.
My biggest concern with what you posted is that you got into a coolant over-temp situation. That's indicative of just flat-out not enough cooling capacity. The best oil in the world won't help that- so you need to make sure the coolers (oil, coolant) can shed enough heat to keep everything in the green for a whole session.
As for oil, I agree with those who suggest a 0w40, like Mobil 1. It has a great reputation in hard usage, and its close enough to the factory specified 5w30 that its not going to cause any issues. I saw your concern about it being a 0wXX- don't worry about that. I always tell people that to really understand a multi-grade oil they need to think exactly backwards from what is intuitive. Think of the oil's thickness AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE (say 230-250F), and that's what the number after the "w" is talking about. At full engine temp, M1 0w40 is a 40-weight oil, just like a 10w40 or a 15w40 would be. Now think what happens as the engine cools down- that's what the number before the "w" tells you. A 15w40 and a 0w40 are the same thickness when hot, but the 0w40 doesn't thicken as much when it cools down, so it flows better and is a better lubricant when you first start the engine up. Its already more like it will be when its hot.
The nice thing about modern synthetic multi-grades is that they can get that wide rating spread and more nearly constant thickness without a lot of additives like older oils use.
Given how hard you obviously use this car, it might also be worth looking at some of the more expensive "boutique" oils that tolerate high temperatures well in the 30- and 40-weight range. Redline comes to mind because of their more heavily ester-based base oil, but quite honestly Mobil 1 is comparable to most of the other boutique blends in 0w40. I wouldn't necessarily make the same claim about Mobil 1 10w30 and 5w30, or Pennzoil Ultra 10w30 and 5w30, though. M1 0w40 seems to be a real standout in the "off the shelf" product range. Pennzoil's closest (IMO) would be their Euro 5w40. I'm ambivalent about their 0w40 (even though it was designed specifically for one of my vehicles) because it is a bit lower on some of the old-school classic anti-wear additives than M1.
PS- its also possible that 10w30 is a really bad choice here, but its hard to say since most big oil suppliers won't go into a lot of detail about their chemistry. Reading the tea leaves (oil analyses and MSDS's) does hint that some makers actually use lower quality base stock oils in 10w30 since they don't need the high inherent viscosity index, and can hit the 10w30 spec with a poorer base stock and a modest dose of VI improvers (non-lubricating polymers that coil and uncoil with temperature changes to regulate the thickness of the fluid). That approach results in an oil that is more prone to viscosity breakdown under high stress than an oil with a higher quality base stock and fewer VI improvers. I'm not sure that's the case with PP 10w30, but I have just developed a general skepticism toward 10wXX grades anymore. Much more R&D is has been poured into 0wXX and 5wXX oils over the past 20 years, and 10w30 in particular is sorta along for the ride since no manufacturers spec it anymore.
I agree with 440Magnum. I'd run some Mobil 1 0w40 in it.
Also you mentioned a larger oil cooler available, I'd be doing that right now.
In 440magnum's post, he stated that at full engine temperature
0W40 is the same (viscosity) as 5W40 or 15W40.
"Full engine temperature" is 150C and where HTHS is measured.
The 15W40 conventional and 10W40 synthetic engine oils
typically list HTHS at 4.2-4.5
0W40s, not so much.
0W40 is the same (viscosity) as 5W40 or 15W40.
"Full engine temperature" is 150C and where HTHS is measured.
The 15W40 conventional and 10W40 synthetic engine oils
typically list HTHS at 4.2-4.5
0W40s, not so much.
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Originally Posted By: used_0il
In 440magnum's post, he stated that at full engine temperature
0W40 is the same (viscosity) as 5W40 or 15W40.
"Full engine temperature" is 150C and where HTHS is measured.
The 15W40 conventional and 10W40 synthetic engine oils
typically list HTHS at 4.2-4.5
0W40s, not so much.
10w-40's don't typically list HTHS at all if you check. 15w-40 are certainly heavier, they are HDEO's and not Euro oils, so they fall into a different category. This is similar to the large discrepancy in HTHS between Euro 5w-40's and HDEO 5w-40's.
In 440magnum's post, he stated that at full engine temperature
0W40 is the same (viscosity) as 5W40 or 15W40.
"Full engine temperature" is 150C and where HTHS is measured.
The 15W40 conventional and 10W40 synthetic engine oils
typically list HTHS at 4.2-4.5
0W40s, not so much.
10w-40's don't typically list HTHS at all if you check. 15w-40 are certainly heavier, they are HDEO's and not Euro oils, so they fall into a different category. This is similar to the large discrepancy in HTHS between Euro 5w-40's and HDEO 5w-40's.
Your oil is not the main problem by all accounts.
You need to address the cooling issues as a matter of priority, which you have already started to play with. I would suggest you either go easier on the machine or get right on top of the cooling issues.
The elevated engine temps have directly contributed to the increased wear metals.
It always does regardless of the oil type, grade, etc, etc being used.
Having said that, IMO a thicker oil wouldn't go astray in your application.
There have been some excellent suggestions put forward.
Any top quality Xw-40 or 15w-50 would be an advantage over the 30 grade.
Seeing as the latest recommendations from GM regarding track usage for Corvettes is for a thicker oil, that is your guide right there as to what you ought to be looking at.
The mustangs with the track pack have a thicker oil.
Ferrari recommends a 10w-60 over the normal 5w-40 for track days.
So there you have it.
But the oil is not your top priority by any means from what I can see.
Oil is certainly the easiest change, but you need to get serious about controlling engine coolant temps and preventing the thermal runaway at the extremes of operation.
As Turtlevete has stated, you may have already done some serious damage to your machine.
Good luck, and enjoy your baby.
You need to address the cooling issues as a matter of priority, which you have already started to play with. I would suggest you either go easier on the machine or get right on top of the cooling issues.
The elevated engine temps have directly contributed to the increased wear metals.
It always does regardless of the oil type, grade, etc, etc being used.
Having said that, IMO a thicker oil wouldn't go astray in your application.
There have been some excellent suggestions put forward.
Any top quality Xw-40 or 15w-50 would be an advantage over the 30 grade.
Seeing as the latest recommendations from GM regarding track usage for Corvettes is for a thicker oil, that is your guide right there as to what you ought to be looking at.
The mustangs with the track pack have a thicker oil.
Ferrari recommends a 10w-60 over the normal 5w-40 for track days.
So there you have it.
But the oil is not your top priority by any means from what I can see.
Oil is certainly the easiest change, but you need to get serious about controlling engine coolant temps and preventing the thermal runaway at the extremes of operation.
As Turtlevete has stated, you may have already done some serious damage to your machine.
Good luck, and enjoy your baby.
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The 15W40s in North America are HDMOs, are thicker than HDMO
5W40s, which are thicker than typical 5W40 auto Euro blends.
The 5W40 Euro blends are thicker than the Euro 0W40 blends.
A 5w30, 10W30, 15W30 and SAE 30 that all have a HTHS of 3.6
will all have a BOV thicker than most Euro 0W40s which list
in the 3.7-3.9 HTHS range.
I've seen M1 15W50 mentioned in the same breath as Corvette,
without instigating the same response as 10W40 or 5W40 CJ-4/SN
low ash North American formulas bring.
Everyone sold on 0W40 Euro blends want to end the discussion there
without bringing the 5W40 Euro or NA blends to the table.
More annoying, we get the "Me too" posts, one after another,
as if we are taking a vote at a beauty contest.
5W40s, which are thicker than typical 5W40 auto Euro blends.
The 5W40 Euro blends are thicker than the Euro 0W40 blends.
A 5w30, 10W30, 15W30 and SAE 30 that all have a HTHS of 3.6
will all have a BOV thicker than most Euro 0W40s which list
in the 3.7-3.9 HTHS range.
I've seen M1 15W50 mentioned in the same breath as Corvette,
without instigating the same response as 10W40 or 5W40 CJ-4/SN
low ash North American formulas bring.
Everyone sold on 0W40 Euro blends want to end the discussion there
without bringing the 5W40 Euro or NA blends to the table.
More annoying, we get the "Me too" posts, one after another,
as if we are taking a vote at a beauty contest.
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Problem is with coolant not oil. Sounds like lack of air flow to cool. Bigger Flow radiator as well as better water pump for racing. The oil numbers look good but if you did more racing or harder racing then a different oil possibly racing oil. If you pegged the gauge on temp motor should be ok on light driving but not on track as engine could blow. If he was was turning hard when it overheated then you might have to look into a dry sump. All depends on how hard you want to push car.
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Originally Posted By: used_0il
The 15W40s in North America are HDMOs, are thicker than HDMO
5W40s, which are thicker than typical 5W40 auto Euro blends.
Yes, I already pointed out that the 15w-40's were thicker than the Euro oils. And not surprisingly the 5w-40 HDEO's, despite being a bit thinner in the HTHS department, meet all the same performance specs as the 15w-40's do.
Originally Posted By: used_0il
The 5W40 Euro blends are thicker than the Euro 0W40 blends.
A 5w30, 10W30, 15W30 and SAE 30 that all have a HTHS of 3.6
will all have a BOV thicker than most Euro 0W40s which list
in the 3.7-3.9 HTHS range.
Of the few Euro 5w-40 and 0w-40 oils we have on our shelves here PPE 5w-40 has an HTHS of 3.68cP, M1 0w-40 has an HTHS of 3.8. The only 5w-30's that you are going to see with an HTHS of 3.5+ are Euro ones. GC 0w-30 has a higher HTHS than basically any 5w-30 you are likely to find. Even Shell's HDEO 10w-30 has an HTHS of 3.5cP.
Yes, you'll find higher HTHS if we head into the land of straight grades but that fails to make any sense given that most of them carry next to zero manufacturer approvals.
Originally Posted By: used_0il
I've seen M1 15W50 mentioned in the same breath as Corvette,
without instigating the same response as 10W40 or 5W40 CJ-4/SN
low ash North American formulas bring.
Everyone sold on 0W40 Euro blends want to end the discussion there
without bringing the 5W40 Euro or NA blends to the table.
More annoying, we get the "Me too" posts, one after another,
as if we are taking a vote at a beauty contest.
It's because they work and are factory spec'd for very similar applications. And the 5w-40 Euro oils meet the same specs as the 0w-40 Euro oils. Not sure why you've got your hate stick out for the 0w-40 grade but it is somewhat disturbing.
The 15W40s in North America are HDMOs, are thicker than HDMO
5W40s, which are thicker than typical 5W40 auto Euro blends.
Yes, I already pointed out that the 15w-40's were thicker than the Euro oils. And not surprisingly the 5w-40 HDEO's, despite being a bit thinner in the HTHS department, meet all the same performance specs as the 15w-40's do.
Originally Posted By: used_0il
The 5W40 Euro blends are thicker than the Euro 0W40 blends.
A 5w30, 10W30, 15W30 and SAE 30 that all have a HTHS of 3.6
will all have a BOV thicker than most Euro 0W40s which list
in the 3.7-3.9 HTHS range.
Of the few Euro 5w-40 and 0w-40 oils we have on our shelves here PPE 5w-40 has an HTHS of 3.68cP, M1 0w-40 has an HTHS of 3.8. The only 5w-30's that you are going to see with an HTHS of 3.5+ are Euro ones. GC 0w-30 has a higher HTHS than basically any 5w-30 you are likely to find. Even Shell's HDEO 10w-30 has an HTHS of 3.5cP.
Yes, you'll find higher HTHS if we head into the land of straight grades but that fails to make any sense given that most of them carry next to zero manufacturer approvals.
Originally Posted By: used_0il
I've seen M1 15W50 mentioned in the same breath as Corvette,
without instigating the same response as 10W40 or 5W40 CJ-4/SN
low ash North American formulas bring.
Everyone sold on 0W40 Euro blends want to end the discussion there
without bringing the 5W40 Euro or NA blends to the table.
More annoying, we get the "Me too" posts, one after another,
as if we are taking a vote at a beauty contest.
It's because they work and are factory spec'd for very similar applications. And the 5w-40 Euro oils meet the same specs as the 0w-40 Euro oils. Not sure why you've got your hate stick out for the 0w-40 grade but it is somewhat disturbing.
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Looking at your oil analysis, I see that the viscosity of the oil is still solidly in the 30 range, so shearing is not a problem. The Iron and Aluminum readings aren't bad.
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
^ I agree. By reading your post it seems that you were overheating because of a lack of cooling capacity/flow. That is more critical than oil viscosity here. The oil did a decent job here considering the usage.
Your UOA isn't presenting any issue IMO. Remember those numbers are in PPM. 18PPM of aluminum in 5k miles with heavy track use and a run with a pro driver at the wheel during one run isn't high wear. Sure it is above average, however one must remember that this isn't average use either.
looking at the specs on the oil, it seems like it held up fine considering the usage and the overheating. Im not convinced you NEED anything thicker than a shear stable 10w30 like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum. If you do move up to a thicker oil then i will jump on the band wagon and say try M1 0w40.
Looking at your oil analysis, I see that the viscosity of the oil is still solidly in the 30 range, so shearing is not a problem. The Iron and Aluminum readings aren't bad.
But something a little thicker wouldn't hurt. M1 0w40 or PUE 5w40 are good. And GM has started recommending M1 15w50 for Corvette's that are tracked. Going more upscale, oils such as AMSoil AMO 10w40 and Redline 10w40 would give about the same level of protection as M1 15w50 (HTHS and anti-wear), but have lower startup/warmup viscosity for street use.
But having said that, I think you need to select your oil based on the most extreme usage and not worry about having something that's a little thicker on the street. You didn't buy a ZL1 for fuel economy.
It wouldn't hurt to run lean 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture in your engine with Purple Ice or Water Wetter.
It would probably be an even better idea to run straight water plus Purple Ice/Water Wetter in the intercooler loop. Keeping the intake manifold temperature down is important in these supercharged engines to keep detonation at bay and maybe free up some horsepower. My choice would be to put air-air intercooling on these engines, but nobody asked me.
^ I agree. By reading your post it seems that you were overheating because of a lack of cooling capacity/flow. That is more critical than oil viscosity here. The oil did a decent job here considering the usage.
Your UOA isn't presenting any issue IMO. Remember those numbers are in PPM. 18PPM of aluminum in 5k miles with heavy track use and a run with a pro driver at the wheel during one run isn't high wear. Sure it is above average, however one must remember that this isn't average use either.
looking at the specs on the oil, it seems like it held up fine considering the usage and the overheating. Im not convinced you NEED anything thicker than a shear stable 10w30 like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum. If you do move up to a thicker oil then i will jump on the band wagon and say try M1 0w40.
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I hope he's not running the A/C
Thta uoa looks alot better than the Silverado 5.3 on xw20 that all the thinner guys are drooling over in the uoa section.
If it were mine I would start at 15w50 and a reduced concentration of anti freeze. I don't like straight water. If it is still hitting 300f+ then you must get a bigger rad and an oil to air cooler.
If you get the oil temps to 250ish then think about a xw40. I bet the oil temps in the Nueremburg scene Doug posted about (thanks Doug!) Are not 300f.
If it were mine I would start at 15w50 and a reduced concentration of anti freeze. I don't like straight water. If it is still hitting 300f+ then you must get a bigger rad and an oil to air cooler.
If you get the oil temps to 250ish then think about a xw40. I bet the oil temps in the Nueremburg scene Doug posted about (thanks Doug!) Are not 300f.
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