The week is almost over, and once again, another Thursday has arrived. I don’t know about you, but since the weekend is getting close, I have already planned what I’ll be working on in the garage. If your garage plans include an oil change in your hot rod or classic, we can help with that. No, we are not going to change the oil for you, but we can help make sure you choose the right oil. Once again, we celebrate another editorial look-back, and jump into the way back machine to open the Power Automedia vault that houses our vast collection of articles and revisit another great informational piece.

In this Throwback Thursday, we’re taking a small jump back to February 2016. That’s when we reached out to the folks at Driven Racing Oil and got some input about how important oil selection really is. The subject is still relevant, and that’s why I thought; Selecting The Right Oil For Your Performance Car With Driven Racing was a great article for this week’s Throwback.

Driven Racing Oil, and engine builders alike, believe in running a break-in oil with new and rebuilt engines. Driven’s break-in oils feature additives to help protect the camshaft, help break-in the rings, and give your new or rebuilt engine a good start.

Years ago, engines were much simpler than they are today. Assembly tolerances and even the materials used have changed. Are you sure your oil has kept up with those changes?  Oiling needs have become just as sophisticated as the engines we run. It’s no longer a one-size-fits-all situation when it comes to properly oiling performance vehicles. Driven Racing Oil has taken the approach of specifically designing oil for whatever engine is in your car, and more importantly, what you’re going to do with that engine.

Are you using the same oil in your classic as you do in your daily?

Driven Racing Oil’s Lake Speed, Jr. took the time to explain to us that many conventional oils on the market are aimed more towards passenger vehicles and current-day emission standards. “They are making them more and more specific to comply with increasingly stringent EPA and economy standards,” Speed says. These standards are commonly known as API Standards.

That’s fine for a daily driver, but take your car to the track, or make engine modifications, and those standards no longer apply. The fuel we burn in our engines has changed drastically from the fuels used “back in the day.” Now, that fuel can drastically affect your engines longevity, but you’ll have to check out the original article to find out more about that.

A break-in oil is especially crucial for your new engine’s camshaft. Break-in oils have ZDDP additives to protect the cam, or cams, during initial start-up.

Many of us remember a time when oil manufacturers changed the formulation, and those with flat-tappet camshafts were experiencing an untold number of failures. Oil properties are a direct reason, and we get into that discussion as well. Finally, you classic car’s engine needs vary greatly from your daily driver, and knowing what oil is available for both applications is something that Speed discusses in great detail.

There is a lot more information in the original article, and if you’re looking for some insightful suggestions from a professional source, check out Selecting The Right Oil For Your Performance Car With Driven Racing. You’ll be glad that you did.