Oil Usage / Consumption

I'm told by several companies that you do not have to dump the oil after each pass. They have said to let the tank cool and the Alky will float to the top. ( I know about that part) Do you drain the tank, then dispose of the Alky part or do you pump/skim the top layer off and just fill in the missing oil? Does anyone drain the entire system and deal with it later, like away from the track? Some of the oil "experts" have told me that you can just send in some oil samples and they will tell us how many runs the oil will be good for. It seems that they all agree that the Alky motors are the hardest on the oil. Some claim that the products are made to improve with each run as the Akly blends with the additives in the oil. Don't want to save a few hundred and launch an engine! Thanks......Brownman

 

The oil is the cheapest part of running a funnycar about $40 a run. Change it and look for stuff in it. Any metal in the oil will act like sand paper. Oil is cheaper than Rods,Block, Refilling the fire bottels, and the lose of points

 

I think nitro is worse than alky isn't it.
Dean

 

Alky is very thin. It easily slips through the rings and dilutes the oil. Change it every run. You will be wondering "what if", if you don't.

 

Will,
I strongly agree with your opinion on Valvoline. I have switched a few time iver the years, trying 3 other brands, and am back to using Valvoline again. In my opinion, it's the best.
BTW. We run our oil (wet sump) 2 or 3 runs, depending on how poorly I'm tuning that day.
I'm ready for warm weather. PLEASE!

 

One other tip. We strain our oil, to catch any sparklies (usually babbit pieces) after every run, and put the oil aside to cool. Keep 3 5-gallon cans of oil, tracking how many runs are on each batch.
Good luck.

 

Is anyone using Royal Purple Oil? Synthetic stuff. WE are talking with Kendall.Amsoil and Purple. Thew Lucas rep said that even the Nitro gangs use the oil for a complete race before dumping it? We want the best products for the engine. We have been told to use 60WT and yes we do have a dry sump with front tank. This is Tate's D4 championship car now powered by Austin KB 15 Hemi. Don't want to put the spares on too soon! Thanks for all your help. Brownman

 

Sadly- we had a bad experience with synthetic- apparently the alky stays seperate from the oil as opposed to mixing with normal race oils- you are less likely to have a bad experience with a dry sump cause you shouldn't get a gulp of alk during the run as you may with the wet system. doesn't take long to wipe brgs! Good luck!

 

Thanks...gonna by pass the Purple stuff and look at the big "V" and keep my hand in the Kendall deal. Haven't even fired the car and feel like I need a stacker already! Thank you / Brownman

 

We feel that the cost of oil is too expensive and NHRA should provide this and fuel to all the alky cars. But since it comes out of our budget, we use what ever is on sale at the time. We have tried running the oil on more than one pass, but we find it extremely difficult to get all the rice hull ash out of the oil. NHRA hasn't been too accommodating in letting us get it off the track before they sweep it up. I must say that the diaper does catch a good three or four quarts which after straining out the aluminum and steel shavings, is quite reusable. I also have for sale several used 3/4 cranks and 3/4 rods. That's not the stroke, just fractional pieces.

Pardon the humor, but with all the bad stuff we're hearing I thought some levity might be in order. Just kidding about the NHRA buying our consumables too. Ha.

 

Yes, I would say nitro is harder on the oil than alcohol. I think you get a lot more nitro in the oil because your burning so much of it. I don't know any A-fuel teams that re-use their oil. After 1 run it looks very milky and burns your eyes with nitro fumes.

 

The oil industry people told me that Alky is thinner and harder on the oil than Nitro. I found it hard to believe that the Nitro guys don't need to change the oil after every pass. The rep from Lucas says....Not at all! He told me that Dixion and the boys don't cahnge after every lap except to top off. I skope to him in person at the motorsports expo in Pa. Figure that? Brownman (FNG)

 

Sir,
I would suggest that you NOT reuse the oil after a run!!!! I being the one on the team that changes the oil after a run from the dry sump and pan, each run has had something "DIFFERENT" happen to it...Weather it was a full pass or you had to lift after 330', too many things happen on a run..I have always told the boss what i have found...It has been from nothing to 1 very small like needle bearing to the same stuff thats in the puke tank!!!! I'd maybe use it in a lawnmower if its not nasty or to burn stumps at home if it is bad, if you can get it back home!!! Oil is not cheap, but qualifing and not making the 1st round due to a blown up engine is more of a heart break and maybe the end of the season for the team...
Just my thoughts and findings!!!!

 

Brownman, your lucas rep is full of crap.

Will, Valvoline must be a good supporting or paying sponsor to the teams you help


Dean

 

Hello Guys
Just to throw this in to the mix alcohol mixed with oil will displace the oil and the alcohol is actually dry with no lubrication properties whatsoever. I learned this on a website dedicated to running alcohol in south america. Any contamination of oil with alcohol inherantly compromises the lubrication properties of the oil so make sure you are comfortable with the condition of the oil before each run.
Just for information, JDD