Oil

[p.mole1]

I am running Comma 5w50 oil at present, however I have been reading that most cheap synthetic oil is not really true synthetic and it's only oils made with esters that can claim to be true synthetic oils. Millers nanodrive oils are making some claims that these oils can release an extra 3 to 5% Bhp and it seems to be the case. Normally I am very skeptical but when I was at Gemzoe he has actually tested the stuff on his dyno and it works.

I've bought some it's expensive £ 56 for 5 liters but not that much more than other ester synthetics and it's much more tolerant of heat which means I may get away without an oil cooler.

Apparently it works by filling the the peaks and troughs at a microscopic level and reduces friction by quite a large margin. I am going to try 5w/40 and see how it goes. 

[tomwood]

Interesting, I’ve always put Fuchs Pro S into mine which is also a full Ester synthetic oil. 5w40 has always been my choice and I’ve found it to be excellent. As you say they seem to be more heat tolerant which arguably makes them more forgiving for track use.

Are you implying that the nanodrive oils are more special (extra BHP) than other ester synthetics or merely that they are better than the cheaper synthetic oils, which, as you suggest are quite often mineral oils with additives then marketed as synthetic?

Tom

[7 wonders of the world]

theres and awful lot of marketing speak here.......

I would suggest that before making a decision to go without a cooler you measure the oil temp (in the correct place) and base this decsision on facts not sales benefits.

[p.mole1]

My oil temperature gets quite high quite often over 100 degrees on track days. I was going to switch to a "proper" synthetic so I have nothing too loose by trying Millers. I have done some research and I have seen various tests, seems to the oil of choice for Porsches. I heard nothing but good reports dyno reports seem to prove this on a like for like viscosity. There is actually some science behind this not snake oil like most additives. 

[7 wonders of the world]

Where is the sender for your oil temp gauge located.....?

[p.mole1]

When Gemzoe tested the oil he had no allegiance to any oil company and I guess he was as sceptical as most people and it made no difference if the result was positive or negative. This is the blurb

Nanotechnology is rooted in a 60 atom sphere called a "Buckey Ball" that looks like a soccer ball at the amotic level. With conventional lubricant, tiny microscopic asperities on the metal's surface slide against each other and break apart. These asperities can be protected by nanoparticles, which act like billions of ball bearings to fill the gaps and make a more uniform surface on the atomic level. The nanoparticles in the Millers Oils are inorganic fullerenes that have multiple layers of nested spheres, and are less than 1/10th of a micron in size (0.000004"). These particles are to a soccer ball as the soccer ball is to the Earth in terms of scale. The nested spheres resemble onion layers, which can exfoliate under extreme pressure and form a protective tribofilm on the metal surfaces. Due to the tremendous surface area, the nanospheres will migrate to and "stick" to the walls of lubricated components.

 

Millers Oils gear oil with nanotechnology was awarded the Most Innovative New Product at the 2009 World Motorsports Symposium, beating out a data acquisition system from McLaren and the KERS system from Williams. Millers' engine oil was the runner-up for the same award in 2012.

 

[p.mole1]

Hi it's in the sandwich pate take off on my oil filter so the oil temperature is probably a reading slightly higher as it's just been through the pump. It seems strange but I used too get really high oil temps on my 1.4 but since I went to a 1.8 they seem more stable but still a tad high. The only difference between the two engines is the position of the thermostat which now gives me rock steady water temperatures.

[CycleSi]

My question is which of the two Millers Nanodrive+ oils out of 5w40 and 10w50 is "closest" in spec. to 5w50 which most of us use in their K-series engines?

I'm about to get my R400K engine rebuilt by Boss Racing and would like to try Millers Nanodrive+ in the future, but am unsure which one is most suitable.

[p.mole1]

I can't really answer that one,but normally you would have run a mineral oil in your engine to break it in unless Boss have run it in first on a dyno. I am trying the lower viscosity oil, 5w40, my thinking being the oil is more stable so the pressure should not drop as much when hot, the lower the viscosity the better the output, not that will be a problem in your case.

Hopefully due to reduced friction less heat. I read of a test with a Honda Blackbird engine they tried lower viscosity oils and got more power the lower they went until they tried a 0w20 and these gave quite large increase in power. I think a lot of bike racing teams use the minium viscosity they can get away with but they only have to finish a race. I would speak to Boss and see what they recommend you put in it.

I built my engine in the garage,some parts were second hand! I haven't spent a huge amount of money although  it was a lot too me! I am by no means an expert I am just trying to get the best out of what I've got.

[Jonathan Kay]

Millers nanodrive oils are making some claims that these oils can release an extra 3 to 5% Bhp and it seems to be the case.

NB In most settings a different lubricant that can increase peak power can usually be found. The question is whether it makes any adverse trade-offs, see below.

These asperities can be protected by nanoparticles, which act like billions of ball bearings to fill the gaps and make a more uniform surface on the atomic level. The nanoparticles in the Millers Oils are inorganic fullerenes that have multiple layers of nested spheres, and are less than 1/10th of a micron in size (0.000004").

Inorganic fullerenes are now available. I can't find what they are using.

Trade-offs

Miller's site includes:

• Laboratory tests and results show  up to a further 15% reduction in friction and up to a further 17% reduction in wear over the previous award winning NT range

But I can't find the study that supports these claims so I can't assess whether they look true, plausible or relevant. And "up to" can be less impressive than it sounds. 

Has anyone got the data?

Jonathan