Red Line 10W-30, 1992 Acura NSX, 3 months

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This comes out of my 1992 Acura NSX. Motor has about 110K miles on it and doesn't use a bit of oil.

This oil has about three months on it and about seven track days. The engine got hot a few times: one day on track a coolant line blew, I drove it about half a lap, slowly, before I figured out what happened; the next attempt to get on track, the radiator failed, it took about a lap to figure out what was going on, also light load. Motor seems fine despite the incidents.

Oxidation looks bad. I will dump the oil and refill. I'm also going to send Polaris some virgin oil at their request.

OJpaWzZ.png
 
Originally Posted By: dblshock
look like a good oil, probably saved the engine from worse after the two incidents.


I've been wondering the same thing, honestly.

Also, I found a VOA of Red Line and the oxidation number was like 105, so I think that's just an artifact of the ester oil.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
Also, I found a VOA of Red Line and the oxidation number was like 105, so I think that's just an artifact of the ester oil.

+1
I wouldn't be concerned about oxdn number in this case.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
This comes out of my 1992 Acura NSX. Motor has about 110K miles on it and doesn't use a bit of oil.

This oil has about three months on it and about seven track days. The engine got hot a few times: one day on track a coolant line blew, I drove it about half a lap, slowly, before I figured out what happened; the next attempt to get on track, the radiator failed, it took about a lap to figure out what was going on, also light load. Motor seems fine despite the incidents.

Oxidation looks bad. I will dump the oil and refill. I'm also going to send Polaris some virgin oil at their request.

OJpaWzZ.png



You'll always get such an oxidation result from Ester based oil. Even fresh oil will show that.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: dblshock
look like a good oil, probably saved the engine from worse after the two incidents.


I've been wondering the same thing, honestly.

Also, I found a VOA of Red Line and the oxidation number was like 105, so I think that's just an artifact of the ester oil.


I should have read on before replying...
 
FWIW, I'm not so sure I'm dumping and refilling at this point. Unclear how to really make that determination.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
FWIW, I'm not so sure I'm dumping and refilling at this point. Unclear how to really make that determination.


With 7 track days I would say its time. Sure you could keep it in there longer, but oil is cheap, bearing replacements aren't.
 
Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46

With 7 track days I would say its time. Sure you could keep it in there longer, but oil is cheap, bearing replacements aren't.


What part of the UOA leads you to this conclusion? Or is this an emotional rather than data driven comment? I'm not saying you're wrong or that it'd hurt, in fact that is kind of my gut reaction, well.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
What part of the UOA leads you to this conclusion? Or is this an emotional rather than data driven comment? I'm not saying you're wrong or that it'd hurt, in fact that is kind of my gut reaction, well.


Nothing in the report. Just personal preference. I'm sure the oil is oxidized after running so hot for 7 days. Does the NSX have an oil cooler?
 
Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46

Nothing in the report. Just personal preference. I'm sure the oil is oxidized after running so hot for 7 days. Does the NSX have an oil cooler?


Fair enough. My thought process is that this is the first run of Red Line, so I'd like to get a "clean" run going as soon as possible. Also, the engine did see some strange events (two coolant losses) and probably got abnormally warm because of it. I need to send in a virgin sample so that we can see oxidation levels.

The stock NSX oil cooler is a typical water-oil cooler. Temps on track on a hot day are around 270F, nothing crazy.
 
Last edited:
Well if oxidation is indeed a result of the ester based oil then nothing looks out of whack. Plenty of tbn left.
 
Originally Posted By: KL31
Well if oxidation is indeed a result of the ester based oil then nothing looks out of whack. Plenty of tbn left.


Here's a VOA from Polaris labs with oxidation at 109: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2635056

And another: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3072806

And Polaris' own notes for "Oxidation" say; "Ester-based lubricants will show high oxidation values."

I'll send my oil in for a VOA just for grins, but yeah, I think it is normal.
 
Looks like the oxidation is nothing to worry about then. Magnesium must have come from the M1?
 
Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Looks like the oxidation is nothing to worry about then. Magnesium must have come from the M1?


Yeah, and the boost of boron. Overall, seems like it is in great shape.
 
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