Navigating the world of motor oil can be tricky. If you need help choosing an oil for your racing engine, this post can help you make an informed decision.

The Differences Between Racing Oil and Standard Street Oil

Two stroke oil, four stroke oil, European car oil, break-in oil, synthetic oil, and conventional oil are just some examples of the different types of motor oils that exist. Each oil earns its label through its refinement process, the needs it covers, and a few other factors. While it's useful to have these labels, it can also make choosing the right oil for an engine seem like an impossible task. The good news is that it doesn't have to be that hard. This post can help make choosing the right motor oil for your racing engine a bit easier with some basic but useful information.

Why Are Different Oils Needed?

Just like you wouldn't put motorcycle oil in your car, you can't used a standard street oil in your racing engine and vice versa. While this may be less obvious than when comparing a motorcycle engine to a car engine, there are significant differences that make using a racing oil in your racing engine imperative. It's no secret that subjecting your engine to the conditions on the race track is quite different to driving to work everyday. Although your daily driver may be used more frequently, it won't be pushed to perform in the extreme conditions a racing engine is exposed to. Whether you participate in a short drag race or a race that requires you to complete multiple laps around a track, your engine will still be forced to give its maximum effort throughout. This added strain on your engine and the elevated temperatures under the hood are part of the reason you need to invest in a proper racing oil. The needs of your engine are different under distinct circumstances and you need the proper oil to keep your engine well protected. Contact ALF Marketing in Hagerstown at (301) 416-0575 to find the perfect synthetic racing oil for your car. You can also check out their online shop for a full selection of the best AMSOIL Oil products.

Why Use Racing Oil on the Track?

Although motor oil may seem like it's universal, the differences between street oils and racing oils can be the difference between a healthy engine and a damaged engine.

Where Does Your Oil Come From?

Motor oil is divided into different categories known as grades. The way an oil is made, purified, and refined will help determine what grade it is grouped with. Generally speaking, conventional racing oils will be in the lower grades while synthetic racing oils will be in the higher grades. Just like with standard street oil, synthetic racing oil is also known to perform better and provide better protection for the engine because of its more thorough purification and refinement processes. Because of the processes it goes through, synthetic racing oil is able to offer your engine superior cleaning properties, better resistance to oxidation, and better overall protection. Although these sound like the characteristics of any synthetic oil, it is not recommended that use a street oil on the track. Racing oils are specially designed to perform at elevated temperatures at which a standard street oil may break down.

The Right Racing Additives

No matter what type of engine oil you're buying, it is sure to include some additives in its formula. While this is standard, racing oil is made with the right additives to keep your engine protected during a race. Although some of the additives may sound the same as those included in standard street oils, the quantities in which they are present may be different. Instead of assuming your choice of standard street oil will do a great job with your racing engine, be sure to pick up an oil designed with your engine's racing needs in mind.

Oil Viscosity

Your oil's viscosity is a very important factor that helps keep your engine properly protected and performing well. While slight changes in viscosity may not seem to make a difference in performance, they can lead to premature wear, especially in some smaller engines. When choosing the right viscosity oil for your racing engine, decide what type of racing you'll be doing. Shorter races, like drag races, may not cause your engine to heat up as much because of the minimal distance covered. In these cases, a thinner oil with a lower viscosity may be better. A higher viscosity oil will be ideal for longer races that require endurance, like road races. The longer you have your engine running at its maximum, the more your oil will heat up, making a higher viscosity oil ideal. Other factors that can affect the viscosity needed include outdoor conditions, temperatures, and the load being carried. Before choosing a synthetic racing oil for the job, be sure you understand the importance of choosing the right oil.

Get a Synthetic Oil Change in Hagerstown

Before taking your car out on the track, be sure to fill up on a synthetic racing oil in Hagerstown. Contact ALF Marketing at (301) 416-0575 to find the best synthetic racing oil options, like AMSOIL's DOMINATOR® 5W-20 Racing Oil. Don't forget that you can also browse their selection of products and read customer reviews in their online shop.