I was recommended by the builder of the car, a 38 Ford truck coupe, that he rocommends Motul motor oil, otherwise, I would screw up the heads on the flathead. What kind of Motul would you use?
Motul has some great oils designed for older engines....both synthetic, conventional, or a blend. What type does the engine builder recommend? PM me if you need a source, as I'm a stocking Motul dealer.
Motul does make some great oil, there is no question about that - it is used by many Top MOTORCYCLE Racing teams. But I would be VERY leery of any moron who said you could hurt the HEADS on a flat head because of oil. Flat Head heads have no moving parts. Seriously, I wouldn't listen to this guy!
Yeah, oil won't hurt a flathead. But making sure whatever oil you run, has a zddp additive will protect a flat tappet camshaft. Not sure if Motul has it in it or not...but you can buy the oil with it in it, or just buy small quantities of the additive to put into what ever oil you choose to run.
Motul has a few formulations which are designed specifically for flat tappet engines. They contain high levels of zinc. They even have a specific formulation for hot rods and older sports cars.
not trying to go off topic sorry, but what about older Japanese cars with flat tappets on the cam? I'm sure there are plenty of cars made here with the same situation, I have years and years in my project and I would hate to wipe out my new cam in a few miles
I have no experience, but it is my understanding that once the cam (stock, not high performance) has been run in, the new gas engine stuff can be used. High performance slider cam, no way. Diesel rated oil is so common and will do the job, so why take a chance? Bill
thanks, running a delta cam so I'm going to stick with the zinc oil, still pretty old stuff even if a bit off topic I have heard many good things about the Motul oil though
The diesel oils are not bad, but they are not designed for gas engines. While they have a lot of zinc, that zinc tends to flash off at a different temperature than the zinc in gas engine oil. Also, a zinc level over 1000 ppm is for the most part unneeded, even for the most extreme flat tappet cams.
I spent some time talking to a Motul rep at the road races at Mid Ohio he had some very interesting stuff to stay about Zinc and ZDP oil. When I asked him if they had a high Zinc oil. He almost laughed as he pulled out his pamphlet then went into a long drawn out explaination of how they do have Zinc in their oils but its a very small piece of their formula, and how I should be looking for so much more than zinc and how I don't need Zinc even at start up or break in. I'm not saying his word was gospel but he had a lot of fancy lingo that sounded legit. I would recomend you contact a rep. I have his card somewhere but can't find it off the top of my head. I do know that it was pricey and I can't see it being vital for a flat head my self!
Yeah, but, it took 6 mos. to even get a response so I stopped looking at the thread as I thought my question was doomed from the start.
I was going to say the same thing, what is there to screw up on a flat head? It has no moving parts. I didn't see it originally but I'll just about bet everyone thought it was a joke, it is pretty hard to screw up a flat head with a crow bar.
Good point and the fella's builder was probably thinking cam shaft anyway. How silly would all this be if it turned out to have a roller cam.
QUOTE from that "Alliance Vendor -----"After 70+ years of trouble-free, metal-metal anti-wear protection, the E.P.A. is forcing ZDDP (Zinc Dialkyl Dithio Phosphate, containing both Zinc and Phosphorus) from domestic motor oil." That is NOT true. ZDDP levels were REDUCED not forced from domestic motor oil. They were reduced to pre-1970 levels. Eastwood Products were also claiming QUOTE-- "After 70+ years, the E.P.A. mandated that all domestic oil producers remove ZDDP (Zinc Dialkyl Dithio Phosphate, containing both Zinc and Phosphorus) from all conventional and synthetic motor oils." The editors of "Skinned Knuckles" magazine, where Eastwood Products was advertising, called out these un-true FEAR & SMEAR TACTICS and notified Eastwood ---- thus Eastwood dropped the EPA "mandated"crap from their advertising. Mouse-Milk and Snake Oil has always been composed of hyperbole, fear, and bullsheet. This time it's a gubernment cornspiracy freak-out designed to suck in the gullible to think they HAVE to buy the stuff ... "get it now before its all gone" or else.
In the aviation business we had a penetrating oil called "Mouse Milk". It worked great. It's still there; never been gone! I once had one of those little "Hyper Bole's". But, it scurried out into the street; and got run over. We had, I think, a Man Date Tree. Didn't give any Dates. The old man had a Gulleymoble; but the wheels fell off. Inadvertantly ran my '34 five Window, one night, without oil; only on the "sludge". The bearings rattled a bit. Put the oil in the 21 stud flathead. It ran fine. Is "sludge" O.K.? Maybe somebody has bottled it. What?
After rounding off the cam lobes in 2 different engines, there was something obviously going on. Then the information started coming out about the reformulated modern oils which was causing this problem. Newer engines have roller lifters and can live w/o the higher levels of ZDDP. ZDDP causes problems in newer vehicles, like catalytic converters, which is why it was mandated to be reduced in modern oils. Comp Cams, Brad Penn, Amsoil and others are now offering oil with the higher levels of ZDDP for older engines. Is this effort of reformulated oil for older engines a 'snake oil' tactic?
Give me 10! Aw hell, give me 20 bottles! *waves a mixture of gold, gravel and old tobacco enthusiastically*
Did I miss something here ? "Mess up the heads on a FLATHEAD" ??? The only fluid in those heads is engine coolant..........Oil doesn't get anywhere near them...... 4TTRUK
Thanx everyone for all the feedback, including the snake oil and pic of where to get it. It provides me with food for thought.
file:///Users/jamesvalente/Desktop/Your%20Car/2012%20Photo%20Image%20File.jpg Here is the car in question. Copy and paste it to your web browser.
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