Driven Motor Oil

[JMT]

Anyone using Driven motor oil in their DD or any other performance oil with high zinc levels?

[Soybeanrice]

At this point in the game, oil is oil. I dont recommend, especially if youre still stock. Some extra ZDDP isnt gonna make some magical difference in your engine performance. If anything it will mess with your cats and the CEL will put you on a retarded timing or a/f table (someone verify). Just keep using w/e youve been using

Edit: https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/201...-test-ranking/

Its a couple years old... but I'm sure the current oil youre using is fine.

[Russell James]

Top quality stuff. Top Shelf, but damn expensive. Just make sure to match your equipment. If you have O2's and cats...make sure the oil is compatible. They have an LS30. I like Amsoil Signature series. I've used it for years in LS motors, and won't break your bank like driven.

More zinc and phos is a good thing. You're on the right track. Just don't over do it and don't use a strictly racing oil on the street. Pure racing oils don't have detergents needed for street use. The Signature Series is a nice do everything oil.

[Badfinger]

Yes, I run it in mine!

Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil 02907 LS30 5W-30 Synthetic Oil $131 for a 12 pack (delivered) on Amazon.

[Trob85]

Originally Posted by Soybeanrice

At this point in the game, oil is oil. I dont recommend, especially if youre still stock. Some extra ZDDP isnt gonna make some magical difference in your engine performance. If anything it will mess with your cats and the CEL will put you on a retarded timing or a/f table (someone verify). Just keep using w/e youve been using

Edit: https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/201...-test-ranking/

Its a couple years old... but I'm sure the current oil youre using is fine.

Wrong..........driven was specifically designed for LS engines and you always want to buy a quality brand engine oil why would you put cheap crap in your expensive investment? If that's what your into cool but don't cry when something fails because you used cheap oil.

[2010reddevil]

Well I just don't see the point of an expensive oil unless the engine builder calls for it. GM recommends Mobil 1 in the Corvette, so what's the point of running a high dollar specialty oil if the engine doesn't need it? ZDDP additives were necessary back in the flat tappet Era. Everything nowadays is rollerized. Countless millions of LSx engines on the road running just fine with probably the cheapest oil people can buy in it. Mobil 1 and Valvoline full synthetic is more than sufficient for 99% of modern engines on the road today.

[jshaf]

Originally Posted by 2010reddevil

Well I just don't see the point of an expensive oil unless the engine builder calls for it. GM recommends Mobil 1 in the Corvette, so what's the point of running a high dollar specialty oil if the engine doesn't need it? ZDDP additives were necessary back in the flat tappet Era. Everything nowadays is rollerized. Countless millions of LSx engines on the road running just fine with probably the cheapest oil people can buy in it. Mob1 and Valvoline full synthetic is more than sufficient for 99% of modern engines on the road today.

[christianchevell]

I Drive with Driven LS 30 and did a double break in with br30 on this and my last engine.
If stock I would most likely use the stock crap and pray dexos makes the grade...

You see we are high lift for a cam stock with performance mods and increased spring pressure our high lift cams do need good oil. Some say : oh its a roller cam, yes: and breaking in a "roller" cam was why BR30 was developed for Joe Gibbs racing by Driven racing oils. The 400% difference in if a cam survived on initial break in on a engine dyno was with roller cams I read about back when I started really reading up years ago and using ls30.

A stock engine should be OK with stock Dexos standard blended oil. But even then some stock cams have had defects too and trashed themselves.... The deal is a roller takes a lot longer to fail than a flat tappet like way way longer..... when a flat tappet goes bad its pretty much: you could go to break it in and five minutes later have to shut it down.....

Ands ZDDP additives do not always blend well with just any oil and I have heard of people throwing some in and then going to break in a engine and flat tappets eating a cam, so mixing it right matters. Heck I don't know it all I do under stand sheer having to be right so roller will turn not just slide..as in slide a cams lobe to death eventually along with flattening the roller out..I have seen that. I have learned what MPAO is and how every oil is changing it formulations again....in 2017 with the CAFE crap .......

I get my oil from a Baxter auto supply they carry it. And People you better believe in 2017 you better be getting the right oil..... there will be even less ZDDP in one formulation which is needed for every bearing surface, the piston rings, the everything that needs to not wear...and yes there is a small amount of ZDDP in even mobile one, the deal also is under stressful conditions you wear out the ZDDP faster and neeed to change the oil more often, this is what racers do. SO if you do build it, invest in a real good oil is my advice, I use one made for a built LS engine. And driven does not just make oil for one kind of engine.

[DriftinSSRS]

This is all you need:

[christianchevell]

And exactly wrong a warranty void.... The engines are made specifically for 5-w30 no other weight of oil............ the heavier the oil the longer it takes to lubricate the top end...and it better have good Zddp levels long enough to last between oil changes or your going to wear parts out/trash the engine........

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/


The New GF-6 Standard


Tailoring Engine Lubricants Is Critical To Performance Output

With broad changes coming to vehicle emissions and fuel consumption standards in 2017, including an average annual efficiency improvement of five percent per year scheduled until 2025, the design of every part of a vehicle is soon to be challenged. By 2025 EPA/NHTSA standards will require passenger cars to achieve 54.5 mpg, while for trucks the ideal target is in the high 30s.These changes will test fluids and oils as well as hard parts, and the lubricant industry is working to achieve the necessary gains with a proposed move to what is known as the GF-6 standard.

Developed by the International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC), the GF-6 standard anticipates that tomorrow’s lubricant demands will be entirely different from what’s commonplace today. The engines of the future will be downsized, turbocharged and much more highly stressed. The GF-6 specification is intended to increase fuel economy, enhance oil robustness, expand overall fuel efficiency, improve protection and reduce motor oil aeration in these power plants.

To meet the goals of GF-6, many car manufacturers have been experimenting with lower viscosity grade motor oils, as lower engine oil viscosity significantly reduces engine friction. A lower viscosity oil equals less resistance and thus improves fuel economy. Friction reduction through improved oil technology will have the greatest impact on these areas of the engine: the crankshaft bearings, the piston ring area, the cam-valve interface and the cam drive itself. Within these components, the crucial oil performance aspect is the film-forming ability in the sliding areas.

Deposit control will also be important element of GF-6, along with protection against low-speed pre-ignition and cam chain wear.

Another key component of the GF-6 specification is the provision for two separate ratings. GF-6A is backward compatible, while GF-6B will not be backward compatible for older applications and will feature an entirely new formulation. In addition to GF-6B’s lower viscosity, a unique balance of additives, viscosity modifiers and base oils will work with new and unique engine designs to maximize fuel economy.

Driven-sm-iconKey tests are being conducted within the industry to help determine the final specification of all GF-6 formulas. These tests include: high temperature/high load, valve operating system, low temperature deterioration and fuel economy performance. Current testing has shown no noticeable differences in wear between a reference SAE OW-20 and an experimental SAE OW-16. Results have proven that that the lower viscosity oil will demonstrate equivalent or superior engine protection in engine and bench tests, yet also return improved fuel economy. Even lower grades –such as 12, 8 and 4—are being investigated around the lubricant industry as well.

However, performance enthusiasts need to be aware of these GF-6 formulas and the demands on them in the future. While these oil upgrades are good for the most current production engines in stock trim, this does not make them an upgrade for older or highly modified production engines. The more the GF-6 oils are tailored to the needs of fuel efficient and lower emission passenger car engines, the less appropriate they will be for older and high performance ones.

The reason is that all oils are application-specific. To get better performance from a lubricant, it must be tailored to the specific application it is being used for. In turn, that lubricant is less appropriate for other applications. In general, the days of “one-size-fits-all” motor oils and lubricants are ending as new standards like GF-6 become the norm. Motor oils today are more application-specific than they were 20 years ago, and will only get more specific over the next 20 years. The result is that GF-6 oils will be designed for late model vehicles, but older hot rods and muscle cars, which will not need to adhere to the new standards, run the risk of being left behind. In addition, flat tappet engines will no longer be used in any GF-6 testing.
Advanced lubricants that are the result of GF-6 will be essential in paving the way for the next generation engines that will come out of the ambitious emissions requirements for 2017-2025 model years. However, these lubricants will be more costly and formulated differently than the motor oils we know today. Yet by eliminating the backward compatibility requirement, GF-6B will also be able to offer advanced lubrication solutions for tomorrow’s sophisticated engines.

At the same time, GF-6 will not affect Driven Racing Oil products as the company does not believe that API and ILSAC testing in modern engines provide representative performance for older or high performance racing engines. As a result, Driven will continue to produce its own application-specific-formula lubricants for performance engines, classic vehicles and race cars.

The GF-6 upgrade is aimed for 2017 model year vehicles, which is the point where the fuel efficiency curve begins to rise most steeply.


SO YES WATCH YOUR BACK............



GM LS Hydraulic Roller Cam Bulletin


Attn: GM LS Engine Owners

Re: Hydraulic Roller Cam & Lifter Failures Due To Improper Lubrication

As the marketplace stretches the power levels of the popular GM LS platform (especially in power adder applications), a marked increase is being seen in hydraulic roller cam lobe deterioration, along with lifter wheel and needle bearing failures. The root issue of this problem is a general lack of understanding about the lubrication needs of this engine platform.

Customers often do not consider the need for either a break-in oil or application specific formula due to the fact that their application utilizes a hydraulic roller cam. Since these LS engines are primarily for street/strip use, a typical customer may use a conventional 20W-50 “Racing Oil” or a similar off-the-shelf lubricant. The engines are thus not broken in with specialized break-in oil, meaning that the proper foundation for valve train durability is never established.

As street applications featuring the LS engine are not typically warmed up before driving, the heavy weight oil (such as 20W-50) is slower in flowing to the hydraulic roller lifters. The result is a lack of adequate lubrication. The LS platform pump and oiling system is designed for 5W-30 viscosity grade oil, so using heavier weight oil actually reduces lubrication and often leads to rapid valve train failure.

Driven Racing Oil™ recommends using BR30 Break-In Oil and LS30 Synthetic Street Performance Oil as a two-part solution to this growing problem.

By utilizing the BR30 Break-In Oil, the proper additive foundation will be introduced into the engine. This is accomplished first by breaking in the LS engine for 30 minutes to one hour much like a customer with a flat tappet valve train would. The customer should then drain the oil and change the filter, install a fresh fill of BR30 and continue to break-in the engine for the next 500 miles.

Due to the use of hydraulic lifters in these engines, it is critical that the oil be changed after break-in to remove the metal particulate created during the process. If these small particles are allowed to stay in the oil system for thousands of miles serious damage will occur.

After the break-in steps are complete, it is time to install the LS30 Synthetic Street Performance Oil, which is a properly formulated 5W-30 motor oil designed specifically for GM LS-based engines. The LS30 oil features mPAO synthetic base oil technology that increases High Temperature High Shear (HTHS) bearing oil film thickness, so the oil flows like a 5W-30 but protects like a 15W-40.

This innovative technology enables LS30 to provide the required viscosity for the LS oiling system and deliver the added protection required for higher lift cams and hydraulic roller lifters.

This two-step lubrication process provides the proper viscosity and additive chemistry for the unique requirements of modified GM LS engines with hydraulic roller valve trains. Properly completing this sequence of steps utilizing both the Driven BR30 Break-In Oil and LS30 Synthetic Street Performance Oil will establish the proper anti-wear film in the engine, remove harmful break-in particles and provide excellent ring sealing.

SO maybe I helped someone read up and make a wise choice, Amsoil is pretty good too but they recommend changes for oil at ten thousand miles very unrealistic for a performance engine and not specifically formulated for a LS engine just made for the grade, yet better than most of the competition. There is a comparison they had a independent lab make of 5w-30s you will not see driven racing oil on there as its not a major brand its a specialty brand targeted specifically for engines by usage and type
https://www.amsoil.com/lit/g3115.pdf

Anyway.... remember this is not old school tech we have its new school, so you build it and pray.... the usage does not wear out the oils zddp, the sheer is right , the foaming is right, the etc etc is right..... so smart money goes where smart people invest it and its sure not just...hey so my cam fails 30k down the road and the engines bearings are trashed as it had not enough this or that and the rollers on the lifters made it last that long....versus what I am used too:

Old school flat tappets they no longer make the oil for unless you specifically look for it:
Install cam: use crap oil from local guickee mart, start engine, 5 minutes later stop engine chattering by tearing it down, replace cam and all bearings, break it in right with good zddp oil made for it and never run the engine without it again.....

A version of this I saw on TV: yes the miracle of television!!!!!! GAS MONKEY GARAGE,
on FAST and LOUD, break in engine in a like 67 Shelby Cobra, used regular oil from scrote store and add some ZDDP additive which did not blend well..... basically install engine, trash cam in five minutes doing break in, pull engine...rebuild engine, reinstall engine...use Driven racing break in oil, engine fine.... Oh you have to look for the bottles of their oil its not a add, and the two part on the mustang was a Hertz rental I think..... SO if you could ever see that or other shows you might think twice..................

[Travis104]

I have purchased driven for mine, but waiting for spring until I change it. I also got driven fluid for the rear diff to give it a try.

[Russell James]

Yup. There are a ton of variables in oil.

New oil doesn't work in old cars, old oil doesn't work in new cars, race oil doesn't work on the street, and street oil won't work in a race car.... all very different oils.

Just ask Dollar General if oil is oil, as they are finding out the hard way.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/gma-investi...ry?id=36876976

My personal preferences:

Street performance cars... Amsoil Signature Series or Driven or Redline

Race cars...Brad Penn or LAT both top notch, which ever I can get a little sponsor break on the price. Want to try Driven racing oil sometime, but need huge volumes and don't feel like mortgaging the house for oil that I can't swing a sponsor break on.

Daily drivers bone stock... Check the owner's manual and AutoZone sales.

Lawn mowers... Same, I check the manual and sales.

I've experimented for a ton of years with trial and error in racing. Lately have landed on mostly using Brad Penn. LAT is the cream of the crop, but can be very costly if not able to find a racers discount. I have several friends that run blown alcohol Hemi motors. They now swear by Brad Penn and buy it by the drum.

[Soybeanrice]

Originally Posted by Trob85

Wrong..........driven was specifically designed for LS engines and you always want to buy a quality brand engine oil why would you put cheap crap in your expensive investment? If that's what your into cool but don't cry when something fails because you used cheap oil.

Dont tell me youre also one of those people on here that knock on mobil 1 for its "detergents". The oil works fine.

Endless threads on here spreading BS its unreal. There are many more engine catastrophes from improper installation than something like oil (assuming 5w30 is used).

I laugh at you people who change every 3k miles on full synthetic. Do you enjoy wasting oil and money?

[Trob85]

Originally Posted by Soybeanrice

Dont tell me youre also one of those people on here that knock on mobil 1 for its "detergents". The oil works fine.

Endless threads on here spreading BS its unreal. There are many more engine catastrophes from improper installation than something like oil (assuming 5w30 is used).

I laugh at you people who change every 3k miles on full synthetic. Do you enjoy wasting oil and money?

I have no problem with mobile 1 ran it in a lot of my cars but for what I have invested in my engine I'm going to spend a bit more on a good oil that I know is specifically designed for it. to each his own you want to go buy Autozone oil that's on you but you can't try to bunch oils without the same characteristics into the same category.