march2000

I had a track day last Tuesday and Wednesday, I did check my level before the track day on Tuesday and it reads pretty much full (full on one side and about 2 x's below the full line on the other side [warm engine]). I was helping out with instructing so I just didn't check the oil level at all throughout the day (both day), I was just running around helping/riding with people ll day long. I just check my oil level today (cold engine) and the dipstick show like 2-3 x's from low. I know that the S2000 oil level was reading a little bit higher when the car is hot but I just add to the full anyway when the engine was stone cold.

I had some issue with oil stavation on my Miata abiut 4 years ago, I was running about 3/4 qts. low on it at the track and with suspension and R-Compound, I had to replaced the engine because of it. I was wondering if I did any damage on the S2000 engine? My car is totally stock and I ran on street tires both day. I haven't had a chance to drive it at all today but I drove 150 miles back home on Wednesday night and it ran fine.

Anyway, do you think I did any damage to the engine? On my Miata the problem didn't show up until like a week later (when I noticed that I was losing lots of oil, blue smoke on cold start up, etc), check the compression and it was reading almost 0 on 2 cylinders and both plug were cover in oil. After athat I always run the Miata like 1/2 a qt. to 3/4 qt. over full mark for the track use. Anyway, I don't know much about the S2000 engine but should I overfill the oil on the S2000 for track use (like 1/2 a qt. over full) just to be sure?

CaptainMike

I think you're probably fine.. I'd go ask the track junkies over in the competition forum about lateral G-force starvation, I can say that I have seen quite a number of threads where the poster's car wouldn't vtec for a reason which turned out to be oil levels 2 quarts or more low with no appearant long term effects.

koala

Check your oil when the car is cold, and see where it is on the dipstick. Anything in that area of x's is fine. It doesn't have to be filled to the top of the x's.

ruexp67

It has been repeated shown that you should use the LOW reading off of the dipstick as your level.

Also keep in mind that under high-g cornering, oil tends to come out of the PCV valve so you will lose more oil on the track than on the street, even if it is not burning it.

xviper

Your Miata engine problem may not have been due to "low oil". "3/4 qt. low" is still 1/4 qt above the "add" mark and this is still acceptable level of oil. (Unless you actually mean that it was 3/4 qt. BELOW the "add" mark, in which case, it was indeed "low". However, that experience may have given you the wrong idea of where oil level should be on any car. Oil level can be anywhere between the bottom "add" mark to the top "full" mark. That's the way car manufacturers design the engines and oilpans and dipsticks. It is not considered "LOW" until the cold measurement is BELOW the "add" mark on a dipstick.
Putting in 1/2 to 3/4 qt. ABOVE the top "full" mark is dangerous and virtually all manufacturers will warn you AGAINST having the level that high. This can result in the "bottom end" of the engine slamming into the oil in the pan and churning it into a froth. Foamed oil will not lubricate nor will it cool and if the foam gets into the oil pump, it will cavitate. Overfilling any engine is a BAD thing.

RACER

Your an instructor

xviper

From "Kelly's Heroes" ................................

I just drive 'em. I don't know how they work. Woof, woof, woof, woof!

jzz30

it would have been cool if the S already came with a baffled oil pan being the "cornering machine" that it is. plus $3-400 is alot for me sometimes...

RACER

[QUOTE=xviper]
From "Kelly's Heroes" ................................

I just drive 'em. I don't know how they work. Woof, woof, woof, woof!

march2000

To tell you the truth that is probably right. I have been doing track event for years now (started in 1996) and frankly I don