evolution

Change is often hard for the majority of people. Our parents, family, grandparents pass down tons of valuable information that guides us, our values and experiences. We can develop baggage that we love and stick with as our go to set up. In the oil world much of that has been crude oil based and the change that is coming will take trust and science. Testing on the track and oil testing will give you some guidance but the reality is we are often pushing our engine set up to the max and punishing an engine beyond what it was likely designed for. I was once working with an Indy 500 winner as he changed set ups for his child’s race equipment at a new track at a very big race. I asked his mechanic not to make any more changes, that we had set up everything the way it should be and final adjustments would come after the driver settled in. They were bringing new, never tried axles, springs and things, throwing everything at it each time out. I finally said, I can’t help you because it’s too much on the driver. He will be too afraid to push it and we need him to push it at this race. If we changed 7 things on your Indycar would you put it on the limit right away or work your way up to 234mph? We went back to the base set up and his son won the title at this very hard race with a borrowed engine from a West coast champion.

Engine oils that employ base oils that aren’t new but new to your family can be scary. If you have your engine dialed in and reliable and you want a little more then testing the newest designer oils from ABOVE can give you that extra power you need. By keeping the engine cooler we allow you to adjust the lean, change the ECU or just give the driver another 400 rpm on the top end. Experienced race teams have engines that are dialed in, dynamometer tested and know what they can and can’t do with a torque curve. This is where you test the oil. You’ve got a steady state after a race or after a rebuild and you make back to back runs on the old oil and the new ABOVE oils. This is probably where we do the best, if you know your set up well, then our oil is like a new pair of heads that cost $5,000. You get 3% more power for much less than that those special flow $30,000 heads. You are looking for speed and making investments. Oil is one of the cheapest ways to build power because it touches 80% of the system, but is 5% of the investment. For many people the evolution of their thinking hasn’t gotten to oil yet. They want to play it safe, because a mistake in the oil can cost you, so we get it. Some will be very slow to change. But there is that guy at the track that keeps looking for speed and he’s not going to run an Alien Juice sticker on his car to tell you he found it, because he doesn’t want you to know.

I was at the Chilibowl watching Sammy Swindell as he prepared for the race. There was a blanket over part of the car and I was leaning in and looking. He came over and moved the blanket to cover more. But what I really came to see is what he touched last. Like a criminal, racers or mechanics, ofter return to the scene of the theft of your trophy. Top racers have a plan to defeat you and they won’t just hand you this plan so you can have countermeasures or copy them. Sammy is an innovator and the last thing he touched was his shocks along with a stare at me after, like don’t tell.

If you haven’t studied oils then you are missing out. We had heard this one movie theater was popping its popcorn in coconut oil so we tried it for fun. It was very tasty and much better for you. Soybean oil is really hard on your body and doesn’t have as high of heat resistance as coconut oil so more bang on the popcorn lead to fluffy tasty stuff. High end race oil that allows you to run 30 degrees hotter, more timing, or gives you more pop if you understand fuel to air ratios and the conversion of energy. If you ever started your car on a really cold day, you know it barely wants to run, but you put it on the highway and get it clicking at the right temp and it springs to life. We allow you to take your engine past that point to new rpm’s and new power curves. Now you have to be careful because with this ability comes the notion you are a god of speed and you can forget physics still applies to your rods and bearings. Just because your oil gave you the power doesn’t mean you don’t have to upgrade for the extra rpm, especially your valve train. Race engine builders know, it’s a process.

Final caution: We had recently found a way to get these two stroke engines to go from 10,000 rpm to over 14,500. It was amazing to hear that sound. A Dad that had his very expensive race trailer and two Porsche race cars inside was looking over the engine as I was breaking in a ring with this new go lean rpm test. I asked him to stand back because we were getting bad flywheels from Italy and some were cracking on the dyno. He moved right back over the engine. I shut it down, physically moved him to the trailer wall and started again. On the third pull the flywheel let loose sending one part straight through the top of the engine where his head was. One part dented the trailer. We were all checking our McNuggets and looking for blood after the bang. He walked over and thanked me for saving his life. So be careful out there guys, when it lets loose it sometimes is metal fatigue. Balance things well, put in great oil and be safe.