Let's talk about oil. . . What do you use?

Ditto

 

Valvoline 10-30

 

Mobil 1 in my daily drivers. My Studebaker will most likely use Brad Penn 30W.

 

Valvoline VR-1 20w50 in everything I've ever owned, with WIX filters only. Valvoline VR-1 has the highest zddp content of any conventional motor oil you can find on the parts store shelf, and costs the same as any of the other quality oils. I use Brad Penn on fresh engines or breaking in a cam, then switch to the VR-1. I've never had an engine come apart, or a bearing wiped out, or a lobe flattened, or a lifter stuck...ever. I never use additives, except for a little Marvel Mystery Oil every now and then if it needs it.

 

How do you tell it's needed?

 

Rotella T 10W40 in the 235.

 

Same thing only I use the 15w40 because my grand dad buys it in 55 gallon drums for the farm tractors. It says for "industrial off road use only" because it still has zinc in it.

 

The motors I lost were O/T 4.6 quad cam mod motors. The last one only had 46,xxx miles and was never abused. I've seen a TON of the mod motors go way before their time, about 6 including friends rides. I don't trust them anymore and think they should have just stuck with the 302 and 351's. They had a good thing going there and f$cked it up.

I know that everybody loves synthetic, and I've used it for years but it seems like everything I've ever used it in has had a lot more friction and noise on synthetic than on dino out and usually develops knocks prematurely. I've even started using Zinc additive in my dailys because catalytic converters are cheaper than engines. The Zinc is a sacrificial coating and I'm convinced that it also helps a little with rings and bearings and not just flat tappets. But what do I know, I'm just some guy.

 

Pennzoil Platinum 10W-40. Motor is an 11:1 Vortec 350 with old style heads and intake, with a healthy roller cam.

 

NAPA 10w-40 in my 401 Nailhead. Everything I have heard is NAPA oil is Valvoline- so if not near a NAPA then Valvoline.

 

stroked SBC vr1 valvoline 20-50 racing...

 

Fischer Brand "Classic" Motor oil in my old stuff. Plenty of Zinc, no ZDDP needed. Mobil 1 in my Wife's car and BelRay in my bikes.

 

I'm low on $$$$$$... What conventional oil can I get at WallyMart that has a high ZDDP content?

...

 

None! Not a place to skimp when your running a flat tappet cam.

 

Is Zinc and ZDDP the same thing?

 

basically, for the purposes of these discussions, Yea. ZDDP is short for zinc dithiophosphate and it is the combination of Zinc and Phosphorus that we are most interested in.

Oh, And i have just started using Edelbrock's New High Zinc oils - they are blended by Torco specifically for flat tappet cam motors

 

We just started carrying a Lucas oil called "Hot Rod Oil", has a ton of Zinc in it...anyone use it?

 

I've been using 20w-50 Valvoline racing oil for about 40 years. Recently I switched to Valvoline synthetic stuff, 20w-50 for the hotrods and 5w-40 for my late model dd truck. Works for me.

 

super cheap stuff in the beaters, Rotella T in my own cars that I care about...At work its Valvolie VR1 in an aluminum 452" FE, and am just about to try Brad Penn now for a fresh 327-340hp solid lifter motor.

Everything I build gets a bottle of Lucas break in additive (w/ZDDP) added to the oil. Although IIRC Brad Penn doesn't recommend it as their oil already has plenty of zinc.

The synthetic leaks like a sieve in the recently built 452 motor...either the myth about smaller molecules causing leaks is true or I just suck at sealing up motors.

I also may start doing regular oil analysis as well as a preventative measure on the more valuable pieces.

 

When I lived in Montana I went to synthetic just because of the extreme cold in the winter. Plus I added a block heater. The synthetic doesn't thicken in the cold. And yes my OT truck started leaking at the rear main with the synthetic. In the '29 it's 10W30 in whatever Autozone has on sale. I have ran the Wal-mart brand quite a bit also and have have absolutely no problems with it. I get criticized for that one alot but 10 years on the road proves it's just as good.

 

valvoline 5w-30 for my OT DD 285,000 miles and still purrs napa brand is valvoline in napas container. or thats what I was told. Valvoline 20w-50 in the 383 stroker

 

Just bought some of this:
Wal Mart Super Tech Universal 15W40 CI-4 - $2.67 Qt.
Viscosity @ 100° - 15.1
TBN - 9.02
Calcium - 3016
Magnesium - 9
Phosphorus - 1179
Zinc - 1226

Also bought some Risolone Engine Oil Supplement with Zinc Treatment at
O'Reilly's Auto Parts. - $12.99 Qt.

http://www.turbodieselregister.com/TDR57_Oil.pdf
...

 

I recently attended an oil seminar hosted by Lake Speed, Jr of Joe Gibbs Oil... since I already knew everything there was to know about everything I was amazed at how much i learned about that slippery stuff.

Speed's presentation was informative and non-biased.

One thing I learned is that the days of of running the same oil in your modern daily and your hot rod, boat, lawnmower, etc are long gone.

 

My next oil change ( in my leaky Studebaker) will be with Valvoline VR-1 - 20-50 Wt.
$5.29 Qt. at Autozone

 

They don't leak!

They just leave their mark.

 

It no longer has zinc in it. That was the whole reason for running Rotella.

 

Mobil Delvac 15-40, gallon bottles, cheaper at Wallyworld, goes on sale often elsewhere.

Comp Cams breaking additive for the zinc, about 7 bucks a bottle if you buy the case from Summit.

I used the VR-1 for years, but it's not on the shelf around here anymore.

 

Actually the diesel oils do have different additives to deal with the excessive blow-by contamination. This is also helpful for an older engine that has some blow-by.

I run the diesel Rotella with zddp additive in my old flat tappet engines.

 

That's right. Diesel oils have more detergent and dispersants compared to gasoline oils.
Rotella doesn't have much more of either and the straight grades never changed the formulation of the reduced ZDDP amount as the multi-grades after 2007 for cat in the exhaust.

I run Rotella straight grade SAE 30 in my 30+ year old 235 straight 6 all year round, without zinc additive.

For my fresher 261, I use 10W-30 of any brand year round, with additive to make around 1200 ppm zinc.

But honestly, it isn't really necessary.
The oils back in the 50s never had high 1200 ppm zinc content anyway and my engines don't have high valve spring pressure.
On the other hand, this amount of zinc isn't harmful to the camshaft or lifters and for a couple of $ extra per annual oil change for me, its just playing it safe with a new engine.
I also have a Wix full flow filter and an additional TP bypass filter.
Not required, but I plan to drive it for decades...