I just invested "mucho dinero" in a new dry-sumped Type 4 engine(2056 cc) and want to protect it with the best oil. Any suggestions from my experienced racing friends?

royal purple HPS

they make a street oil without zinc that you don't want
the HPS has zinc...

they also make a racing oil with zinc that is a lot more money
but I've had great luck with the HPS

I would probably go redline otherwise.... although I get a much better price on the royal purple. I'm using redline in the tranny now though

oil changes every event are a must...

my system is 19qts, although I don't get the coolers emptied every oil change. I'm doing tranny filter flushes every event and tranny oil every 3-4 events.

brant

We had a meeting with Joe Gibbs at SEMA. The D40 and D50 products are specially formulated for our air cooled rockets.

I did a bit of research on it and came out thinking the Brad Penn stuff is more hype than anything. The Gibbs stuff showed me what I needed to see, the right additives (as Brant points out... zinc) and a higher temp level before breakdown. Anyone who's had seat time behind any aircooled motor knows that heat kills.

http://www.pmbperformance.com/gibbs/GibbsDT50.html

amzoil ZROD 30-wt. my dry sump type 4 hold 12 qts.

Thanks Eric... doesn't it just figure.....glad I didn't switch from the Kendell oil, specified by my engine builder, when all the "hype" about Brad Penn was flying around.

Still have a full case of the Brad Penn sitting on the shelf...

thats exactly right. RESEARCH is the key. you have to read the white papers and not the hype. the information is there. and if it isnt, move on to the next one. you need to arm yourself and know what to look for. also keeping up on the information is important. oil manufacturers change formulations. so what you used last year may be different than what is in the same bottle today. IMO.

Thanks guys. I agree that research is the key ... DT50 has been ordered!

Kendall GT-1 Racing Oil - has the Zinc we need

personal opinion only...
but I think brad penn is fine for street use

its not a real and full synthetic though...
the synthetics really help with high heat like track work.

the base stock is a big difference and worth researching when choosing an oil.

I couldn't find the zinc content on that webpage that Eric provided. Wonder what it is?

Randal, dig into the Gibbs site. You should be able to find all of that there.

To echo what Brant said, synthetic is one of the key points that sold me on it. It won't break down as much as straight dino at high temps. Add to that the zinc and you're off to a great start.

Was given this years ago ..change oil / brake fluid after every event. I change tranny fluid after 4-5 events. Then my events are more driver eds too.
I like the old Penn oil saying..pay now or pay later..
Oh I just use 20-50 Val along with two pints of Swepco Oil Improver..
No issues ....oil improver, I even use it in all my Daily Drivers too.
Ps. The car that really help quite down ( use Mobil 0-40) is my Audi V8 S/4
Well, thats it.

There is also the opinion that Synthetic Oils are a crock of shit and a marketing ploy to get peeps to spend more $$. The start with a Dino Stock & have synthetic hydro-carbons which don't break down as quickly. In an air-cooled motor I'm not going to go long periods without doing Oil Changes & heck, whatever Oil you use will be on your garage floor soon anyway.

TC. You have a point regarding the air cool type. But with the new technology - ie vario cam...these new water cool needs a very thin oil to work properly... I also have 996 with 6459 total miles. ..ya I need to drive it more as I spec order it in 2002 for 2003 delivery...my high school Master Porsche tech friend...made the suggestion on keeping Mobil 0-40 along with the Swepco...I change oil in that once a year no matter the miles driven for the year...if your wondering type of 996.. It was the 2nd allocation for that release in 2003. Ya I tend to believe my high school Porsche Master Tech buddy.
Enjoy your holidays

OT... sorry this is a rant from a different thread
but..

I only change brake fluid once a year
NEVER have to bleed at races
(even when we ran in july this year with 2 drivers back to back, 250oil, and it was 130+ on the track. Plus I set my personal best that day and we always run hoosiers which will out grip most tires)

its only ATE fluid... nothing magical...

the best part is: I HAVE NON VENTED REAR ROTORS
and still don't over heat the brakes
thus I do not believe that vented rear rotors are necessary for race cars.... (of our hp)

I honestly believe that unless your over 300hp you're braking too much if your EVER over heating your brakes

I went 5 years & probably 5 DEs a year and never changed my Brake Pads (Pagid Orange). There was still a lot of Pad left.

But I have been accused of having a "European" Driving Style