I've heard you can gain some power by running your oil level on the low side of acceptable. If so how much power to be had?
Not talking about running your oil level low on a regular basis but for short term like drag racing.
Do the Gen III motors have some type of windage tray to help shed or scrape excess oil from the crank?
Just wondering.

 

I wouldn't deviate from what is published, but I think it is noticeable if you run on the low side

 

It does have a windage tray but never heard of the whole running the oil low Ill keep my engien nice a filled too much money in the engien to do that

 

Not low but on the low side of acceptable. Lets say not on the top hole on the dip stick but on the second from last lets say.
Anyone know any real figures on this?

 

never heard about running it low... since when the pump picks up the oil and pushes it through the oil journies the oil level wont matter.... unless you dont have enough or too much.

But running a thinner oil is easier for the oil pump to push the oil through everything... but if you run anything less than the 5-30 then it wont do a good job of lubricating, and I dont think you can get much less than 5-30. Moreover, it would be too much "just to run it at the track for one day"

 

best thing to do is... if your about to change your oil b/c your approaching 3k mi. or 3 months, the motor will run faster at the strip with the old oil compared to the new oil.

 

I actually witnessed a test years ago where John Lingenfelter actually drained ALL the oil out of his A/ED, and made a pass. Went slightly faster. Made another pass, and lost some et because of the internal parts overheating. No damage at all to the engine. Some hard core racers drain the oil to gain a little advantage in the final round. I don't think it would be worthwhile to run the oil low in a street driven vehicle.

 

I used run my older carb vehicles about a 3/4 quart low. It does help them run a little quicker on the older vehicles that DIDN'T come with a windage tray. I don't think gen 3 motors would benefit from running it low but they will run better when the oil is good and "broken in."

 

Some drag racers that are running the ZZ502 are running this engine with only 2.5 quarts of oil, their oil lights are coming on going thru the traps.

I read that this reduces windage losses.

Hog

 

HEY!! Some great feedback now. We do have windage trays afterall so not much to be gained really unless you have too much oil in the motor.
Thanks for the info guys, I knew I'd get something sooner or later.