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Track crew, how often are you changing your fluids?

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Old 03-17-2009, 02:22 PM
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Default Track crew, how often are you changing your fluids?

My 90 is about to get the **** beaten out of it for the next year or so. Driving to the track, on the track and from the track. Averaging 3-500 miles per track event. It wont be seeing very many street miles nor will it be driven out of boost very much.

So, how often are you guys changing:

Oil, also what weight are you using?

Tranny/diff fluid?

Brake fuild? What kind and what wet/dry temps are you guys using?

Coolant/water? What kind of mixture are you using? With out without water wetter? With or without a coolant re route? What radiator?


I think we should also include what temps our cars are driven at, TX guys probably in 100+ where us CA guys see 100 only a few times a year.

Last edited by thesnowboarder; 03-17-2009 at 02:49 PM.
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Old 03-17-2009, 02:34 PM
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Old 03-17-2009, 02:45 PM
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Oil, also what weight are you using? I only have a few days on mine.. so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I'll be changing my oil ever 2 events though. I'm currently use Mobil Delvac 15w-40 I think? (I'll have to confirm that though).

Tranny/diff fluid? Have been using Redline, going to toss some Pennzoil syncromesh in next trans change and see if the gate for 3rd gear stops being annoying. Diff is redline 75w90 I think? Again... i have to check

Brake fluid? ATE Superblue. I'll at least bleed ever 2 days, or at the end of a day if brakes feel soft. If I cook the brakes... I'll do a flush. I tend to do this as the car feels like it needs it. I keep a fresh supply at the track, as I can flush the car between sessions if moving fast enough. I've also use Motul RBF600 with good results, its more expensive though and my cheap source went away.

Coolant/water? I vary on this also... Distilled water, redline water wetter and sometimes coolant... sometimes not. Usually without coolant. My cooling system is gigantically oversized compared to most though... so take it as you will.

Average temps so far were in the 80s.
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Old 03-17-2009, 02:47 PM
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Engine oil needs to be determined by a UOA. "Dave" the engineer from Redline suggested I run their 10w30 and run it all year (monthly track events) including street driving. I will probably do this, but back it up with a UOA because I'm worried about fuel contamination.

Gear oil should get a UOA, or just be cool like me and run10-events on it and put new Group 4 Motul 300 in it.

Ugly brake fluid (RBF 600)is bled out after each track day, then topped off.

I will run water w/wetter for the summer, then do some anti-freeze for the winter. I need all the cooling I can get out there.

Its hot as hell in TX, and I don't have any real world experience to discuss this further.
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Old 03-17-2009, 02:55 PM
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TX guy here and I track from March through October really, so i hit all the heat.

Oil: Depending on if i am the only driver in the event and how close the events are to each other, normally 2 Track weekends. May only be one if it was really hot or if i have someone else driving in another run group driving my car. I use just synthetic 10W-30.

Trans/Diff fluid: I change this out every winter if it has been a busy year. Normally even if it hasn't, I still do it.

Brake Fluid: I flush in the winter and I bleed it out pretty well when I change pads. No idea at all about the temps.

Coolant: I use 30/70 mix of coolant and use Water Wetter in the dead of summer, but thats about it and only if I have to. Really that is only on days where we have two drivers in one car and i want some extra insurance. I have a 55mm radiator and I have a BEGi coolant reroute.
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Old 03-17-2009, 02:58 PM
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Oil, also what weight are you using? I have been using Mobil 1 10w-30 for ages, and will continue to for now. I used to change every 3k miles or 2 track events, whichever came first. I also have an oil cooler in front of my passenger side wheel.

Tranny/diff fluid? I run 75w90 royal purple in the diff, MT 90 in the tranny, change every 8k miles or so.

Brake fluid? This is an ever changing thing, i used to run ATE super blue, but currently have Motul in it and have one track day on it. I generally change fuild every 4 track events.

Coolant/water? This is a changing thing for me as well. If i have more than 50% water i dont overheat at all. (vented hood+ re route) I have a koyo 55mm + begi re route.

I have since done the fan mod,so i have two fans drawing air out and will be going to 75% water + water wetter for the summer unless i have any more coolant issues.
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Old 03-17-2009, 03:37 PM
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Oil, also what weight are you using? Was using Redline, but have switched to Royal Purple because of availability. 10w-30 for me


Tranny/diff fluid? Redline 75w90


Brake fluid? Another user of the Superblue. However, I don't bleed mine as much since i'll do 6 or so track days and 12 auto-x'es this year. I might bleed it 1 or 2 times throughout the year. So far so good though..i'l lbe keeping an eye on it.

Coolant/water? I'm using a PWR 37mm rad. with distilled water w/water wetter and a hint of coolant (maybe 2 cups?). The GV bumper I have has about a 80% increase in airflow over a stock bumper which helps with cooling quite a bit. Only had heating issues with the stock bumper on and 70*F+ temps. Though i'm considering the upgrade to a 55mm KOYO.
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Old 03-17-2009, 07:40 PM
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Oil, also what weight are you using? Mobil One 10W-30, changed every 2ish events (with a slower, cold, rainy event I might wait three) with a generic NAPA filter.

Tranny/diff fluid? whatever synthetic oil can henry's put in the tranny, redline 75w-90 in the diff.

Brake fluid? whatever FM sells, once it works I leave it, I need to bleed it more often though.

Coolant/water? 75% water, %25 coolant, no water wetter. Mishi radiator, no reroute. I should probably run distilled water, 95%, with 5% coolant and some water wetter. but I don't.
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Old 03-17-2009, 10:12 PM
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Oil, also what weight are you using? Have been using Amsoil 15w-40, changing after a track weekend. Now I have Shell-Rotella 5w-40 Full Synthetic Diesel Oil in it, will probably change after one track day.

Tranny/diff fluid? Tranny=MT90, Diff=Redline 75w-90, changed both after 2 track days and a few thousand street miles

Brake fluid? ATE Superblue, bleed before every track day. Full flush every few track weekends.

Coolant/water? Distilled water + water wetter + 5% coolant (or so), changed after 2 track days and a few thousand street miles
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Old 03-18-2009, 07:23 PM
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Uh oh... just changed the oil on my spec miata.
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Old 03-18-2009, 09:47 PM
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why can't you ******* retards say "gear oil" and "transmission" or "trans"?
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Old 03-19-2009, 10:40 AM
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I never change fluids, I just add more when it's low.
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Old 03-19-2009, 11:05 AM
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Motul products for transmission and diff (I'll have to look up the numbers) and most any synthetic is overkill for the motor ( note: not saying don't use synthetic, maybe more than sufficient should have been better? ). I just pulled the transmission last week and after 4 events, the fluid looked like new. I wish I had saved it...

Oh, and Motul RBF600 for brakes...

Last edited by rlogan; 03-19-2009 at 05:09 PM.
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Old 03-19-2009, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by rlogan
most any synthetic is overkill for the motor.
I'd love to see the unicorn / oil analysis which backs up this statement.
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Old 03-19-2009, 11:34 AM
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I think you are missing my point...use synthetic and change at a responsible interval...and you will be fine....

I don't even use synthetic in my race motor...makes it hard for rings to seat and you get high crankcase pressures....ask many people in the know and they will tell you there are pros and cons to using synthetic.
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Old 03-19-2009, 03:58 PM
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Somehow I doubt synthetic is overkill at the oil temperatures I see....
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Old 03-19-2009, 05:05 PM
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Fine keep it going...I already explained my point...I'm done (almost). I will throw in a note about oil weight...you should use whatever weight gives you ideal oil pressure at operating temp. It's likely going to be differnent in Texas than New England and even by season. I'm out...feel free to comment however you want on the overkill comment....(unsubscribed to thread)
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