A racing car and your average street car, both require engine oil to operate. Interestingly, even with different grades of oil, the difference in the application and needs is what sets the racing oil apart from the regular oil. Let’s take a look at the key differences to understand if racing oil can be used in a streetcar.
Racing Oil vs Regular Oil
The regular oil must meet certain criteria and parameters to be allowed for road cars. Such regulations are why we have standard grades for regular oil in the market. However, when it comes to race cars, such criteria don’t apply. The unregulated racing oil allows the modification of additives and engineered formulas for specific sports.
The key difference between racing oil and regular oil depends on the following factors.
- Engine design
- Drain intervals
- Oil viscosity
- Oil additives
- ZDDP (Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate)
Engine Design
Racing cars have larger engine designs that can go up to 10,000 RPMs. These engines are built to maximise power without breaking down. Unfortunately, under such high-stress conditions, these engines do not last long. On average, a rally race car can last up to 2500 km or around three races before requiring service. Since racing engines are all about power and acceleration, it requires engine oil meant for rigorous operating conditions.
Road cars have downsized engines with sophisticated mechanisms, designed for durability. Such cars are relatively driven for short distances and don’t operate at full throttle. The engine life is one of the main requirements and regular oil is enough to get the job done.
Oil Change Interval
Racing cars have short oil change intervals as they may require an oil change or a top-up after every 1000 km. Such a scenario is unimaginable for road cars. Just consider if you have to change the oil after every 1000 km or 500 miles.
Unlike race cars, regular car engines can operate for months with minor maintenance. The frequency of oil change varies from 5000 km to 10,000 km. Since road cars are not driven on race tracks, the oil can last for one to two years.
Oil Viscosity
The race car operates on full throttle around 90 to 95 percent of the truck, which means it is almost on full throttle all the time. This keeps the engine under significant pressure, stress and heat for the duration of the race.
You might expect thicker oil to perform better in a race car. However, interestingly such is not the case. The goal of racing cars is to achieve maximum speed and thinner oil helps gain more speed by reducing frictional losses.
In contrast to road cars, horsepower is secondary to engine longevity and efficiency. Hence, thicker oil works better in keeping the contact wear at a minimum.
Oil Additives
Racing oil uses similar additives including detergents, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors and antifoam agents used in regular oil.
The presence of poor point depressants promotes the oil flow in a low-temperature environment. Since races are not usually organized below freezing temperature, racing oil does not require the additive as compared to regular oil
ZDDP
Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate or in other words zinc content is a debatable topic among professionals. Many suggest higher ZDDP is better for the engine. However, there is a reason why regular oil has a lesser percentage of ZDDP as compared to race oil.
ZDDP refers to a family of compounds made of zinc and phosphorous. When ZDDP is exposed to high heat and pressure it creates a layer of coating around the components. The sacrificial layer acts as a barrier between the metal contacts. As the layer is used up due to wear, it is continuously formed again.
ZDDP is usually present in small quantities in regular oil and has a higher concentration in the racing oil. This raises the question as to why ZDDP is not used in regular oils when it can reduce wear damage. The answer lies in what other side effects ZDDP brings to the table.
During the combustion cycle, a small amount of ZDDP can enter the chamber and exit through the exhaust. The phosphorous content in the ZDDP can create a layer around the catalytic converter, making it useless as the gases can’t come in contact with the catalyst.
Since race cars don’t use catalytic converters, high ZDDP concentration is common in racing oils. However, when it comes to regular oil, due to the negative impact of exhaust emissions, the concentration of ZDDP has continuously declined to increase the effectiveness of catalytic converters.
When we talk about racing oil vs regular oil, one is not better than the other. The purpose and application of both oils are different. Where racing oil maximises engine power to give a competitive edge at cost of durability, regular oil can increase engine life by sacrificing some power. Hence, it’s best to stick with regular car oil for on-road purposes.
Learning about the use of the right oil is important for car maintenance. If your car gives you frequent repair issues, explore affordable used cars for sale in the UAE to get a good deal.
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