Kart Racing engine oils?

[racin4ds]

Hi fellas, I'm slowly tip-toeing back into the world of Kart racing now that my son is 9 and really avid to try it... I raced for over 10 years back in my younger days, Everything from dirt and asphalt ovals to road course stuff on occasion.

Anyway, Now days they don't run the Briggs & stratton flathead much at all anymore, it has all transitioned to the engine of choice- a Chinese Honda OHV 6.5hp clone. It seems to have made the sport much more affordable for entry level folks.

So on to my question about oil... many use to say and still do, that automobile oils do not work well in these splash lubed systems because of the foaming that occurs and extreme RPM/heat. Their are several karting specific oils (quite expensive!) made of course all claim to be the best there is. Most all average around a light 20WT and from what I'm seeing there are many of them that are PAG based, with some having heavy PAO base.

Do you guys think the foaming thing is myth and not an issue for PCMO's? I'd of course go with a quality syn like PP/PUP 0W20 or 5W20 flavors. Do PCMO's contain enough anti-foam agents to survive in this little engine turning 6500-7000rpm lap after lap? We dump and put fresh in after every race night so on average about 40-50 laps per race night only.

Suggestions? Comments?

Just don't tell me to use any Mobil 1!! lol

 

[pilottravis]

Welcome back to karting, be prepared to feed the addiction. I haven't raced in a bit, but traveled extensively racing enduro back in the day, both 2 and 4 stroke. Always ran proper racing oil, preferred was either Cool Power or Redline. Figured if I'm spending a few grand on a decent race motor and always looking for that extra tenth, what's another buck or two at each oil change. Experienced quite a few lifter failures on the flatheads due to the cams we ran for the large tracks. Guess they didn't like the valves floating at 6500 RPM for 20-30 min at a time. I'm sure off the shelf oil is better than it was 20 years ago, but I'd invest in the race oil.

 

[AndyB]

If you run methanol, be sure the oil is compatible. In the gas engines, used to run Amsoil 0-40 with good success. Been out of it for a few years now but heard Amsoil is making a 4 cycle specific kart oil now. Have fun, my two boys still talk about how much fun it was kart racing.

 

[tig1]

A friend's son Kart races and uses M1 0-20 as does others that he knows. Works well for him.

 

[Serge]

Tig always has to stick in his Mobil 1 garbage everywhere. Get it over it bud. Mobil 1 is over priced for what it is.

Anyways...

Here is what you want for Kart racing.

https://www.redlineoil.com/4-stroke-kart-oil-5w20

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Thread end

 

[andyd]

Yah but a gallon of Red Line is 1/2 the price of a brand new Predator.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: Serge
Tig always has to stick in his Mobil 1 garbage everywhere. Get it over it bud. Mobil 1 is over priced for what it is.



Interestingly, many "boutique" oils are M1 base stock. Just where do you think they get their "fantastic" uber-amazing oil from anyway? Their own micro-refinery? M1, 10W-40 MX4t and Motul 10W-40, were for a time, and may still be, the same exact product.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Serge
Tig always has to stick in his Mobil 1 garbage everywhere. Get it over it bud. Mobil 1 is over priced for what it is.

Anyways...

Here is what you want for Kart racing.

https://www.redlineoil.com/4-stroke-kart-oil-5w20

....
Thread end


Get use to it son or move on. You never see me criticize someone else's product. I only report my own experience, or those I personally know.

 

[racin4ds]

Can always count on Tig1 to suggest Mobil! I think he moonlights as a sales rep for them...

lol in all seriousness I've been talking to a few good engine builders and they prefer the new Amsoil but state the syn PCMO's work just fine since these are ran on regular 87 gasoline.

I learned the hard way about methanol and incompatible oils many years ago, stuff would look like a milkshake when you drained it!

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: racin4ds
Can always count on Tig1 to suggest Mobil! I think he moonlights as a sales rep for them...

lol in all seriousness I've been talking to a few good engine builders and they prefer the new Amsoil but state the syn PCMO's work just fine since these are ran on regular 87 gasoline.

I learned the hard way about methanol and incompatible oils many years ago, stuff would look like a milkshake when you drained it!


M1 oils are the only oil I have experience with the last 40 years. I won't comment on an oil I have never used.