I strictly use my 2003 996TT as a track car (6-7 events annually). I have been changing the oil (Motul 300) about every 2-3 events which works out to changing every 1000 miles. Is this reasonable, too often. I send out to Blackstone Lab at least once a year & the numbers are excellent.
I also change the front/rear diff fluid once a year. I would rather be proactive than have a catastrophic failure that was preventable.

 

If the UOA comes back with no signs of oil break down, and no scary iron/alum. and bearing metal PPM numbers, I'd say your schedule is reasonable.

The oil is the sacrificial item in the engine and engine oil relationship. Thus better to toss out oil that might have a few more track miles left before it doesn't have any more track miles left than to run the oil too long and have to toss out the engine.

My auto tech buddies told me to always show up at the track with fresh oil.

So if you want to be proactive and err on the side of caution change the oil/filter a day or two before every track event.

 

I'd almost say you are a bit on the prolonged side, but the UOA says differently...I say you're on the money with what you are doing...keep it up!
Cheers,

 

the thing is if your changing your oil every 1000 miles there may not be enough time on the oil to collect the needed material to show up in a blackstone reading. so it reads great every time

 

I am curious how this could be? Is this speculation or is there a specific reason why this would be? Isn't the entire point of the oil to suspend the particulate that Blackstone analyzes immediately?

 

I don't know what the specific oil flow rate is for the Turbo engine but I'd hazard a guess it is around 60 liters per minute at high RPMs. While obviously less at lower RPMs there is still a fair amount of oil being circulated through the engine. Oil is constantly flowing into and out out bearings and lifter buckets and being sprayed at the underside of the pistons.

If there was any particulate matter being shed by the engine it would show up in the oil almost immediately.

 

in a sense the oil has to get "dirty " in order to suspend the particulate. i have seen samples from blackstone were they advised running more time on the oil as its been sampled to soon and the data may be skewed. typically that would be between 3k and 5k miles. if the amount of time the o/p has tracked the car equals only 1k miles it may need more time to get an accurate reading of the metal in the oil. if you feel the synthetic oils used nowadays it has a super slick feel moreso than petrol based oils.

 

the UOA will pick up any shed metals/particulates...this is why you can also do VOA(new oil)...if the UOA isn't showing any/little 'pollution' or shear then the engine is healthy...I'm sure Blackstone is also basing their 'desired' metal counts/OCI's based on user mileage
Blackstone often recommends either prolonged or shorter intervals, which I think you are referring to Steve.