Switching to SAE 50 Which brand?

[CBattaglia]

There are to many straight 50 weight oils out there. What do you use and why?

[Bob In Ct]

Be sure to add a can or two of STP. If it pours, it's too thin.

Bob

[turnpike boy]

Why on earth would you be looking to use 50wt in the car?

Is the motor so worn out that it can't hold pressure with 10wt? Or put together with clearances so big that it can't hold pressure? Is it a blower motor, intentionally put together with lots of clearance?

Apart from reasons like these, there's just no way you should be looking to run such a heavy oil.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by turnpike boy

Why on earth would you be looking to use 50wt in the car?

Is the motor so worn out that it can't hold pressure with 10wt? Or put together with clearances so big that it can't hold pressure? Is it a blower motor, intentionally put together with lots of clearance?

Apart from reasons like these, there's just no way you should be looking to run such a heavy oil.

X2! You will lose HP and anything less than a 70 degree day in NY state where you live, it's like dragging the rings through glue. On cold startup you risk blowing the filter off (depending on brand and pressure).
Call Eric at PE who built your engine for his advice. Don't think he'd approve. I doubt that you're endurance racing or at the 3HP/cubic inch level.
If you persist with this bad idea, you'd better have a HD oil pump drive shaft.

[Jerry Clayton]

Pick any racing oil---Valvoline, Penz, Quaker, etc---from an oil company vs the oils from gasoline companies like Shell, Amoco,etc

[Rickd]

Take a look at Schaeffer synthetic

[StreetSnake]

I have an engine built by Eric at PE. He recommended joe gibbs XP4. I have since gone to royal purple. If you want I have 16 quarts of the XP4 i'll sell you for $90. One case is $90. What a bargain.

[CBattaglia]

Eric recommended 20w-50. That answers that. If it aint broke, dont fix it

[StreetSnake]

Let me know if you want that XP4. I see you have a 460, I have a 427W so Eric may want something different in that application. Good luck. I tried to do some research on oil. There is a ton of info on this site. I'm running an oil cooler as well and had a problem of getting the oil up to temp, so I just installed a canton oil thermostat. Did the trick.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by CBattaglia

Eric recommended 20w-50. That answers that. If it aint broke, dont fix it

20w-50 is NOT "straight 50" as your first post asks. There is a difference.
Did you ask him what bearing clearances he used to warrant that?

Maybe "it ain't broke" - yet.

[Ronbo]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

20w-50 is NOT "straight 50" as your first post asks. There is a difference.
Did you ask him what bearing clearances he used to warrant that?

Maybe "it ain't broke" - yet.

Straight 50 has about the same viscosity change as 20w. 0w50 is almost no change.

Since your in NY, a 5w30 would be fine. That 50 will be playing hell on your oil pump. I'm suprised it was recommended.

Two things about oil, film strength (which has nothing to do with weight), and cooling (which that gravy chugging through the system won't do very well). Try running 100% coolant to see how that works.

Keep in mind your oil clearance is 2~3 thousands of an inch, when you see your oil pressure skyrocket that means it's having a tough time going where it needs to go and your oil pump has to try to force more oil into this high pressure chamber. The end result is snapped distributor pins, ground off gears, and sheared pump drive shafts. (also lots of towing bills)

[zrayr]

Originally Posted by Ronbo

...................................Keep in mind your oil clearance is 2~3 thousands of an inch, when you see your oil pressure skyrocket that means it's having a tough time going where it needs to go and your oil pump has to try to force more oil into this high pressure chamber. The end result is snapped distributor pins, ground off gears, and sheared pump drive shafts. (also lots of towing bills)

although these horrible things can happen, they aren't LIKELY to happen if your motor is a good condition, and top quality parts, such as HD oil pump shafts, are used. I'm using a high volume pump & a HD oil pump shaft. I've been using Mobil 1 15w-50 for 24,000 miles at the following (high) pressures:

cold engine:

pressure @ idle: 82 psi

hot engine:

idle (800 rpm) .... 35 psi
1500 rpm ..............70 psi
2000 rpm ..............72 psi
2500 rpm ..............75 psi
3000 rpm ............. 80 psi
3500 rpm ............. 82 psi
4000 rpm ............ 85 psi
5000 rpm ............ 85 psi
6000 rpm ............ 85 psi
6500 rpm ............ 85 psi

I know Texas & New York have little in common weather-wise, but If the use of your engine is moderate to severe, then heavy oil might be indicated if you're not concerned with some horsepower loss.

Z. Ray

[Bill Bess]

Gee Fellas, I've been running all kinds of HP motors for many years in cool to hot climent and haven't had one problem with oil messing up the engine. My problem is my heavy right foot and lack of judgement when to back off the gas pedal.
20-50 Valvolene Racing Oil and a can of STP......works great!

Bill

[CBattaglia]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

20w-50 is NOT "straight 50" as your first post asks. There is a difference.
Did you ask him what bearing clearances he used to warrant that?

Maybe "it ain't broke" - yet.

I was considering changing from 20-50 to straight 50. I have now reconsidered and decided to stick with the 20-50. The guy who built the motor told me what oil to use. I am guessing that if he doesnt know that much I have much bigger problems. So far she runs like a raped ape.

At 2500 RPM cold im at 70psi
at 2500 RPM 100c im at 57psi

With 20w50

[Bobcat]

This is one of those subjects that makes the popcorn concession rich ... however , here`s my $.02 worth . Some years ago , Smokey Yunick used the rule of thumb that you needed 10 psi of oil pressure for each 1,000 rpm at operating temperature . Any more and it was a heat generator and absorbed hp ( that old pesky pressure drop across an orifice ... there are formulas to calculate the heat generated if interested ??? ) I checked with a friend of mine who used to be a NASCAR engine builder and that is still a valid rule . However , keep in mind that the NASCAR boys are after every single pony they can find .
Will "too much " oil pressure cause a problem ?? Probably not , as there are many engines out there running well with far more than the "optimal" oil pressure . BTW , my engine maxes out at about 65 to 70 psi at 6200 rpm at 180 degrees oil temp .... 10w40 0il .
Listen to what your engine builder says as it is/was his engine and he has the experience . Just my opinion .

Bob

[lovehamr]

Originally Posted by Bob In Ct

Be sure to add a can or two of STP. If it pours, it's too thin.

Bob

BaaaaaaaaaHaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sparks]

What is your pressure at idle cold?
What is your pressure at idle hot ?
What is your pressure at 2500rpm cold ?
What is your pressure at 2500 hot?
These are key questions to answer bebore you choose your oil.

[WildBill3]

We run 50wt Royal purpal never had a problem with it or breaking anything,But we do a long warmup before an event,if driving on the street its take it easy till the engine gets up to operating temp.