Track days and Oil Changes
 

Last year I did a couple track days and had a plethora of Nissan Ester Oil that I had ordered on hand. Since I wanted to get on to Redline synthetic, I changed the oil before and after the track days.

This year, I'd prefer not to become a large percentage of Redline's profits by changing the oil before AND after every track day.

What do you guys do with regard to the oil changes?

Seeing that I'm coming onto about 5k mi on the current oil and it's a bit sludgy looking, I'm definitely changing the oil before my first track day on April 3. Hopefully I can run that fill for 3k mi or so after the track day?

1000 track miles or 3750 street miles is what I go by. After the track day just check if it needs toping off and you should be able to go another 2500 or so. I wouldn't change directly after the event unless it was particularly hardcore, e.g. 2 days of continuous open track, but I would shorten the change interval accordingly.

I have always changed oil before every track day. I never run 2 track days on the same oil. If I hit 3k miles before the next track event, I change it then.

No science behind my logic, but here is what I do....

Recommended change (3 month or 3750) or 2 track events. So the summer meant ~4-5 changes and the winter was 1 change.

I go 2-3 track events between changes.

All sound reasonable along a spectrum. I figure I'll get the winter fill out before the first event, see how the mileage piles up over the summer and probably do a second change mid-summer, then definitely change prior to Road America in October. That fill should survive the winter again.

We change our oil after every track weekend, but this is simply out of habit. Our engines and transmissions look like brand new after hundreds of hours of race use, and part of that is the very frequent fluid changes we prescribe.

On street cars, I change my oil every 5000 miles. Our diesel truck...every 10,000 miles. :) We use Motul, for what it's worth. :)

Quick note: Don't go by the "sludgy-looking" thing on engine oil; fresh oil becomes dark in there real quick 'cause it's doing its job. Go by miles and/or a time frame, old buddy.

On our track and street driven car (05 Legacy GT Turbo) we change it about every 7500miles for street miles. When we throw in track days in the summer we reduce it down to 3500-5000 miles. We run Amsoil Full Synthetic and Amsoil Extended Life Oil Filters.

-mike

On another note. Swapped tranny and diff oil for redline today. 6500 miles, at least 2500 on track and the diff oil had a lot of muddy like metallic sludge on the drain plug

Yeah this is prone to happen with the Z. 2500 track miles is a lot to ask of one diff fluid change. It's only 2 liters of fluid and it takes a pounding all the time. We usually change out our diff fluids after two track weekends.

The rear diff fluid is so easy to change, I'm going to make it an annual spring event.

It will probably be either every or every other track event from now on. I will go two and see how it looks.

I'm changing synthetic at 5k anyways. With a track weekend every quarter at the most I'm sure it won't effect much

What fluid are you using, and weight?

Redline 75w90 now, it was stock.

For the heavy track use guys, you might try using a 75/140 weight synthetic gear oil. It holds up better to shearing and extreme heat as would be experienced inside that diff.

How would 75/140 do in a daily driver situation with some cold temps though?

I run the Amsoil Full Synthetic 5w30 w/Amsoil Extended Life EA Oil Filters. On both the Caddy and the LGT both of which see track time.

-mike

It would be just fine, as it would still act as a 75 weight when cold, so nothing really changes on that end of the spectrum. If someone is driving the car primarily on the street, and just an occasional fun track event, I would probably recommend the 75/90 weight.

Do you think these finned differential covers do anything for the cooling aspect if you can create a little baffle to direct air over it?
NISMO DIFFERENTIAL COOLING COVER FOR NISSAN 350Z

Obviously not as good as an active differential cooler but maybe useful for the occasional tracker?

In our transes and diffy we run 80-90 Amsoil Full Synthetic. The 140 may do ok in there but my Armada towing 11,500lbs doesn't even call for 140 in the rear diffy, although I know the rears on the Frontiers do.

-mike

I'll probably hit you up for some next time, in a couple months.

I'd planned to do exactly this...a couple custom air guides and the finned cover. Then I plan to go with some Redline higher-temp diff fluid.

Does the 370z burn oil like the high rev 3.5?

Hi guys, sorry to bring this thread back from the dead. I was wondering for track days, what is a good weight oil to run? I'm also running a GTM Stage II S/C. Hitting Laguna Seca in a month (December, Monterey CA temps). Sam at GTM said they put in Motul 15w50 in the car, but he suggested Mobil1 0w40. That's for the normal driving, but I'm wondering on a track day, what is a good weight to run?

I'm not sure how it would relate to oil temps and how hard you work on the engine, whether a 0w40 would be better, or something like 15w50? Thanks again!

Unless you are hitting the track a lot and hitting it hard the 0w40 is going to be your best bet. The 15w50 is better for a full time track car that sees elevated oil temperatures.

Thanks, I definitely appreciate it!

I think 15-50 is a bit thick, unless you are in extremely hot climates.

I would use 5-40 motul. I run that in my 2011 sti on the streets and for track days.

Mike

It also depends on how hard the car is being driven. A car that gets absolutely hammered on all weekend is going to need more frequent oil changes and general maintenance than a car that does 1 day of HPDE driving.

For most people, going to the next best fluid above OEM is going to do the job generally, and changing oil and diff fluid every 2-3 events is fine. As far as what weight for the diff, 15W50 is good for places like AZ, where we are. Otherwise stick to 0W40 or 5W40.

I don't think you meant to type that for diff numbers : )
Dont put that in your diff heh.