Fluid Change Intervals Before and After Events

[Jet One]

Sorry if this is a redundant post but, I’d like to know what pre and post routines you all are performing as well as interval. I drive my car about 2.5-3000 miles a year and will probably attend 2-3 HPDE events per season. Are you changing oil before and after track weekends or just prior? Any info is appreciated.

 

[JAJ]

The GT350 owner's supplement doesn't say to change engine oil after a track event, so don't bother. The "stress" of track use will cause the oil life monitor to count down a bit faster, but that's about it. And, because you're driving yours so little, the OLM will count down based on elapsed time much faster than from use, so it'll still tell you to change the oil once a year, even with a few thousand miles and three track days. The oil's nowhere near worn out with just that.

What is worth doing though is changing the diff and trans oils once a year. The diff in particular runs hot and takes a lot of stress, so it's worth the trouble.

If you're only driving the car 2 - 3k miles a year, it should have new (ish) oil in it when it's just sitting, so plan your oil changes (all three) at the end of the driving season so it's got new oil in while it's resting.

 

[Jet One]

Thanks. I plan on running fresh oil prior to every track weekend....only thing it can hurt is my wallet. Just cheap insurance and some piece of mind. I guess I’ll most likely swap diff, trans and freshen up brake fluid over the winter months.

 

[barspen]

I flush the brake fluid before every event (2-3 per year)...Probably overkill, but I have seen people boil fluid and I don't want to be in the position. Flushing a few times a year with speed bleeders or a Motive pump is cheap insurance.

 

[Apex Wheels]

Oil changes every 3-4 track days, quick brake fluid bleed before every event, and trans/diff every offseason has been my strategy since starting to track my car. Using Amsoil for everything except brakes, which gets Wilwood EXP600. All of the fluids look great when coming out.

- Cory

 

[JDee]

This is a copy/paste of Page 12 from the '16 GT owner's manual.

Using your vehicle on a dedicated road
course may result in degraded function
and failure of major systems such as the
engine, transmission and rear axle due to
the overheating of these systems. If you
intend to use your vehicle on a dedicated
road course, we suggest that you equip
your vehicle with racing-type coolers to
protect these three systems.
In addition, if the vehicle is subjected to
dedicated road course use, we recommend
the following vehicle durability
maintenance:
• Change your axle lubricant and friction
modifier after the initial (first) hour of
high-speed operation; thereafter
change the axle lubricant and friction
modifier every 12 hours (under these
conditions).
• Change your transmission oil after each
event where your vehicle is subjected
to individual on-track sessions
exceeding 15 minutes.
• Change your engine oil and filter after
each event.
Additionally, perform a multi-point
inspection on items specified in the
scheduled maintenance section of this
owner guide before and after dedicated
road course use. See General
Maintenance Information (page 344).
See the vehicle service manual for removal
and installation procedures. Replace with
Genuine Ford and Motorcraft™ service
parts as needed.
These actions may not necessarily protect
your powertrain from damage in dedicated
road course use. Subjecting your vehicle
to dedicated road course use even with
these proposed precautions may render
repairs non-reimbursable under the
warranty.

 

[JDee]

I find it kind of odd that Ford says 12 hours for the diff lube, yet in my experience if anything is going to overheat it's going to be the diff.

It's also funny that they say you should equip your vehicle with "racing type coolers", but they didn't even think it important enough to offer those as options. Meanwhile, over at GM we all know what they did with the SS Camaros. Hypocrite much there Ford?

I just figure that when something goes wrong they're going to deny me warranty so I won't be disappointed when that happens. I keep a log of track hours and my maintenance but I doubt it would make any difference.

 

[JAJ]

The Mustang GT instructions are for a different car, though, so while they're interesting, they're not applicable to the OP's GT350R. The GT350R has a different engine, a different transmission and the diff may be different as well, plus it has coolers on everything. Presumably, that's why it has its own set of instructions for track use.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Only input on liquids would be Castrol SRF for the brakes, in the long run it's far cheaper then cheap brake fluids that need to be changed all the time.... SRF will last at least 12 events with no signs it degrading its performance. At best a brake bleed now and then..... I only change it once a year for peace of mind,,, not because of any apparent need....

 

[JDee]

The Mustang GT instructions are for a different car, though, so while they're interesting, they're not applicable to the OP's GT350R. The GT350R has a different engine, a different transmission and the diff may be different as well, plus it has coolers on everything. Presumably, that's why it has its own set of instructions for track use.

Yeah, I know. The owners manual supplement for the GT350 on page 51 says oil changes at 3 to 5 thousand miles for "extreme use" and they elaborate that includes track use. I've always changed my oil after every track event, it was everyone's standard practice back when I raced and I see no reason to not do that now.

Given that Ford doesn't have to warranty anything that happens to a GT with track use (they put that disclaimer in the manual right under their track use fluid change recommendations) I think its just cheap insurance to do it regardless of what car it is and what the manufacturer says.

 

[honeybadger]

Can't recommend SRF enough. I had a brake duct disconnect during an event COTA and needless to say, the brakes got very toasty. No fade and when I bled after the event just to be safe, was still clear.



Regarding the other stuff, I change my engine oil after every track weekend (typically 2 days on track or 5-7 hours) and diff/trans every 4-5 days depending on temps. I've changed it sooner than that if I know I got it super hot.

The big thing that kills oil's ability to work is heat. If you have any track days where engine oil is north of 280, trans north of 250, or rear diff north of 275, change it. Even if it was one day.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

My program has been to change fluid after every 2 track weekends, and have done this for years, except brake fluid which I normally do after each weekend. It seems the fluids begin to change color and it is cheap insurance. Surprisingly the recommendations for the fluid changes on my Boss 302S pretty much mirror this based on the hours of track time , so I will continue to follow my time honored habit. Look forward to BS1 and his thoughts, since with his years of experience, with top flight organizations, he can give us a professional point of view.

 

[JDee]

Does anyone do oil analysis? Is there any value in it for people doing what we do? Even the companies doing this say it's more useful for fleets than anything else.

 

[JAJ]

Does anyone do oil analysis? Is there any value in it for people doing what we do? Even the companies doing this say it's more useful for fleets than anything else.

I did it for years and stopped. The thing is, it's about the condition of the oil, not the engine. As you've heard, it's most valuable with lots of vehicles in a fleet, where exceptions stand out from the crowd and can be acted on, but for a single engine tested once or twice a year, you really don't have any way to know if what you're seeing is normal or not. And if you switch from one oil to another, then you're really starting over.

I learned a lot about oil in the process, but it didn't help me much with anything else - all the cars I'd tested were running well and in good shape when I sold them, but that was because I maintained them, not because I did oil analysis.

 

[DocB]

Oil (or any fluid for that matter) analysis can help one learn how to best maintain their vehicle for their type of driving and use. Which fluids are best and change intervals. Once you get into a pattern, an analysis may not be need at every fluid change. Mechanical longevity and efficient use of resources can thus be maximized. Time and money is what it is all about. Just sayin'.

There is only one exception to the above rule that I follow religiously: RACE CAR BRAKE FLUID. This gets bled before each and every race or race weekend, regardless. Period.

P.S. No brakes in turn one, and you won't have to worry about time or money.