[Blossme233]

Hi guys. New to the forum. I will get my 6speed zle very soon for this track season. I read some posts that say zle has to use 15w-50 on track but needs to be changed quickly(4 hours driving according to GM). I am wondering if I only drive the car from home to track and about 3-4 sessions run(1-1.5hrs track driving), do I need to change the oil after every track event? Can I just change the oil after every 1000-1500 or 2000 miles? Changing the oil too often seems a disaster for me.
I have another daily car, so I will only drive zle for track days or cruise to chill.
Need your help!

[N Camarolina]

Even if you can justify keeping the oil in driving to and from, I'm thinking that the change interval, similar to 0W-40 in the SS would be something like 15 track hours max, which probably equates to about 1000 track miles.

I think the concern about the 15W-50 is the relatively high viscosity/reduced flow rate on cold starts (wear and tear) and possibly the additive package not being good for the cats.

But..... if you don't live far from the track (low miles for the cats) and you don't let the oil cool down too much once you get there, then technically you aren't really increasing the number of cold starts very much vs what you'd be doing if you changed the oil the day before heading out to the track or trailering the car to the track. I think GM just doesn't want ZLE owners to daily the car with 15-50 in it because they don't want to spend the money or time to keep changing the oil back and forth.

[Blossme233]

Originally Posted by N Camarolina

Even if you can justify keeping the oil in driving to and from, I'm thinking that the change interval, similar to 0W-40 in the SS would be something like 15 track hours max, which probably equates to about 1000 track miles.

I think the concern about the 15W-50 is the relatively high viscosity/reduced flow rate on cold starts (wear and tear) and possibly the additive package not being good for the cats.

But..... if you don't live far from the track (low miles for the cats) and you don't let the oil cool down too much once you get there, then technically you aren't really increasing the number of cold starts very much vs what you'd be doing if you changed the oil the day before heading out to the track or trailering the car to the track. I think GM just doesn't want ZLE owners to daily the car with 15-50 in it because they don't want to spend the money or time to keep changing the oil back and forth.

I will keep the car running even if I got the track, so will only shut the car for gas stations. So maybe 0w-50 is a better choice for zle? I think changing the oil per 1500 miles is reasonable.

[Boost Creep]

I would run the 15w50 versus 0w50 only because the base oil is a 15 weight trying to be a 50 weight when hot, not a 0 weight oil trying to do the job of a 50 weight.




....but I'm old, so there that.

Otherwise GM would have suggested 0w50.

[Briland_1LE]

The car comes with a high performance driving manual, just read it and do what that says. I wouldn't listen to people online over what that manual says. GM gives instructions on what to do for track driving and servicing.