What is everyones opinion with Synthetic oil? I am currently running regular 20-50 in my 56 Lincoln. The car has a 368 Y-block that was rebuilt about 11,000 miles ago. I was thinking about running a synthetic oil when I change the oil next. Should these older engines run synthetic? just wondering what others are doing with their older engines. I did a search on oil, but did not find a post with a good answer. Thanks for any input.
I've never been impressed with the synthetic oil in normal operations. I just don't think its worth the money, and I sell it every day just for that application. In generators or something that is going to get a lot of abuse regulary maybe so. Just not for my needs. JMO.
You may not need it, then it would just me throwing money away, most new cars run the synth because of the tollerences with the bearings and most have long mileage services. That engine wasnt built with synth oil in mind. I would just run what you have been for the past 11,000 miles. If Im missing something someone let me know. I also forgot to say the vendor at work said the "normal" oil they sell is aprox 70% synth anyway.
This is a fairly volatile topic but here is my experience. I have a 1956 Chevy 210 with a 235. It has never been apart and I've run synthetic in for 15 years now and about 18,000 miles. The engine does not leak any more than it did when I got it, which is to say the valve cover gasket leaked and that gasket was replaced. The side cover gasket weeps but not enough to put any on the garage floor. The only drips from my car are from the trans. I was using Mobil 1 15w50 for years until I switched to Castrol's 20W50 Syntec with zinc. See link below. I also add a bottle of ZDDPlus at each oil change for added protection. The zinc, obviously, has no impact on the gasket leaking issue. http://www.castrol.com/castrol/genericarticle.do?categoryId=82915470&contentId=7032644 The only reason I switched to synthetic is because I still have the road draft tube and conventional dino oil smokes worse than synthetic at stop lights. As far as the gakset leaking issue, it is a non-issue for my car. I say use the Castrol linked above.
I get lots of **** on my thinking, but I honestly do not see how synthetics can pay for themselves over the life of an engine. Several years ago, I bought a totally beat truck that was a former fleet vehicle at a company auction. The thing had 160K miles on it and looked every inch of it. But it had it's oil changed every 2500 miles since new with plain old, 10-40w Chevron Delo oil. I drove it for another 10 years, and when I sold it, the thing had over 350,000 miles and still didn't use oil. That was 2 years ago, and I heard the new owner is still driving it. Yes, the rest of the truck was falling apart, and it had been through 3 700R4 trannies, but it ran well and p***ed smog what else could you want? I think the real key is to change the oil regularly and keep an eye on the levels.
Don't do it! The synthetics don't have the ZDDP (zinc) that your flat tappet cam needs. Stick with the 20-50. Also don't run anything below 40w for the same reson.
Few of the modern oils have zinc, synthetic or conventional, because it poisons catalysts and O2 sensors. No matter what oil you choose, use this http://www.zddplus.com/ and you are safe. Even diesel oil has less zinc than it used to. Valvoline Racing oil does have zinc.
Brad Penn - made in the USA oil from oil that is pulled from USA wells. Its the old Kendall Oil stuff. Its green. This is the real flat tappet safe oil. It is huge a**** the air cooled crowd.
I've run synthetic oil in older engines and didn't get impressed with them. VR-1 Valvoline 20-50 is what I run in the 55. As far as I know it still has zinc in it. About 5.00 a quart but in over 2 years of hard beating I've had no problems oil related
Stick with the fossil oils, better for the older engine. Synthetics ok for newer engines or ones with less than 100k on them. But like mctim64 said the new oils and sym's have no zinc something the old engines need.
I stand by this stuff !!!! It saved me big $$$$$$ you can actually run this stuff 60 % for tired engines .......
was talking to a guy the other day who builds motors, he said that the new valvoline racing oil isnt good and that even the new rottella doesnt have the zinc that it used to and they had problems with it, the zinc is good for a soild lifter flat tapet cam. he said that they switched to brad penn oil and it is very good stuff. have used it in 2 motors so far. plus its only around six bucks a quart so the price is comparable to most other oils.
Run Mobil 1 in everything..Uncle had a 69 Porsche with like 120k miles and it would run hot going to Vegas..switched to Mobil 1 and cut the heat way down..less heat less friction. Thought the gauge stopped working properly because it was so much cooler. Looking into Amzoil because of the zinc..
I like both dino and synthetic. I run Mobil Delvac 15W40 in my Cat diesel. Ran Mobil 1 in my expeditor van... got 385,000 miles out of it and the mexicans who bought it from me got another 150,000 on it before it disappeared. Ran a 25 lap feature in my Ford dirt tracker with the oil pump laying in the bottom of the oil pan... no damage. had Amsoil racing oil in the pan. I run dino oil in most of my dailys cuz i drive old **** that i ain't gonna own very long. As long as the rope rear main seal doesn't leak run synthetic with a zddp additive. BTW... Brad Penn is great stuff... so is Cenpeco.
"Think with your dipstick...Jimmy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj5ms9PJDNY The older engines I've used synthetic in used less oil. My late model vehicles (2000 Silverado, '96 Caprice/Imp SS) have the oil contaminant sensors. About the time the oil starts to look dirty the "oil change light" comes on, just about 5000 miles on both vehicles. The synth blend I use offsets the cost by staying cleaner longer. My truck is quieter on cold starts with the blend than it is with full synth or full dino. M. McFly
Stick with the 20/50 as it's perfect for your Lincoln,the synthetic may be better for cars with all the modern emmisions but your doing the right thing.
Occupy your mind with something that needs attention, stay with oem recommended oil. Anybody that recommends paying more for oil you don't need don't know what they're talking about anyhow.
I run this at Bonneville........good American made oil, never had any problems, great people to dobusines with.
It's true that even the Diesel oils have less zinc and it is getting worse. Automotive oils of higher than 30w (15w-40, 20w-50, ect) are suposed to have what the old engines need but this will change too. The only way to be sure is to add some sort of ZDDP addative at every oil change. On an average they cost around $10 - $15 but it is cheep insurance. It's no fun to have to pull an engine because you wanted to save a few $.
We put zddplus in every oil we use, in every oil change, for every customer, and our cars. Get some, then you can always add it to any oil you have. The Valvoline Racing Non Synthetic has added zinc. I put one of these in all my customers trunk for adds. I think anyone not doing this has their head in the sand. Wil www.sakowskimotors.com LA / NC
Hope everybody reads this! For any non-roller motor running a conventional cam/lifter combo, especially any kind of performance cam with stronger valve springs, you need the zinc/phosphorous additive! Not to say that good old Valvoline or Castrol is not good oil, because it still is. Its just lacking the ZDDP because most all production cars are built with roller cams/lifters. It seems the only conventional oil still found on the shelf these days that still has sufficient ZDDP levels is Chevron Dello 400, available at Autozone and Walmart (believe it or not) in only 15W-40. Most oils produced after 2007, and especially 2008, need a ZDDP additive if used in an engine with a flat tappet cam and lifters. The additive you need that is available on the shelf (only at Advance Auto Parts that I'm aware of) is Lucas Oil's engine break-in additive, called TB Zinc-Plus. Its about $14 for a 16oz. bottle. 2.5oz-3oz are all you need to add to 5 qts of oil, so a bottle could last about 6 oil changes. Suppose a qt of Valvoline 10W-30 has a ZDDP somewhere around 800ppm, adding a half ounce of the Lucal Oil additive raises it to 1200-1250ppm. Hence, the 2.5 ounces to boost the ZDDP level of 5 quarts of oil. For a hot cam and high rate valve springs, add another half ounce or ounce for good measure. I'm in no way affiliated with or profiting from these products, I'm just posting this so the average hot rodder will no whats on the shelf and readily available for our old and/or rebuilt vintage motors.
Wrong! Amsoil synthetics have enough ZDDP, they even advertise it on their bottles and and redline also has enough ZDDP. I know because I'm a dealer.
Why would a synthetic leak more than a mineral based oil? A 10W30 is a 10w30 no matter if it's synthetic or not, the only reason it would leak more is if it were thinner in any way but if the viscosity is the same than it won't make a difference. The only time it could leak more is if you have a leak in a seal that has pressurized oil behind it because synthetic oil will increase oil pressure in most cases.
ok good question, most of the time i'm into mid eighties hondas, but the cars i like are overhead cam with solid rocker arms, do you think the zinc additive will help these engines also? I know some of the older traditional engines that have overhead cams are built the same way. I usually run the syntec blend, got better oil pressure with a hot engine in the summer,almost ten pounds worth. these engines have had the same solid rocker setup since the 70's, through all their generations. hasn't changed at all. other then the number of valves. thanks for the input.
Shaeffer's is the best oil on the market, period! We run it in everything from our stockers to full blown racing engines. We even drain it from our race engines and put it in the pull trucks. Like he said... Great people to deal with. Syn-Blend will work perfect with your Lincoln, it's just insurance. Change it every 5-6000 miles instead of 3000. Kevin Ooltewah Speed Shop
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