With all the information floating around about oil, what is best, what viscosity etc, etc, I thought a poll would be a good idea to see what most guys are using ?? 5w30, 10w30, 10w40, 20w50 etc...
Thanks Chris. Just an FYI here. It is reported that adding anything to the oil reduces the protection ability. Again, this is one of those topics where you ask 10 guys and you will get 10 different answers. From what I read, its a NO, NO.
It's not about what most guys are using, it's about the engine and what it requires due to assembly tolerances and components selection... If in doubt what to use, check with your engine builder or the manufacture if it's a crate engine...
Dennis understood, but do you really know what tolerances you have and what componets are in your engine? Not everyone does. What if you do not have an engine builder or a crate engine ?? A crate engine is one thing, an engine builder is another. I bet if you ask several engine builders this question, you will get several different answers LOL. Most of our engines are pretty much the same, most. (musclecar era)
Simple answer is to let your oil pressure gauge tell you what the engine wants. This applies even if you have no idea what the tolerances started off as. The general rule of thumb has been 10psi of oil pressure per 1000RPM.
When you throw oil pumps differences in there two engines with the same clearances could have very different oil pressures with the same oil.
Still nothing wrong with the poll, It's only a matter of time before five forty shows up, just watch, I think he searches the sites for anything oil related. I also suspect someone is fishing for him.
I absolutely agree Dennis. I was just hoping for a simple survey comprised of average guys with the typical 327, 350, 396 or even the 454 engine. I know there could be many variables here, none the less I was just curious what the numbers would show. Thanks.
10w40 Rotella in my 400. Tractor Supply had Shell Rotella on the shelf from when they opened the local store. 2001 date on the yellowed bottles. Bought all they had a few years ago.Have 6 bottles left.
On the new hydraulic roller cam 400 built a few years ago, 10W-40 Summit Racing conventional for the first two changes. Oil analyses came back beautiful.
Now on 10W-40 Summit Racing semi-synthetic and about ready to send some of it off for analysis.
On the solid lifter 327 that came in the other car, initially went with 10W-40 Summit Racing but found out the previous owner's helicoil job on the oil pan didn't work too good so it wouldn't stop leaking. Drained it and was going to reuse it after putting a new oil pan on but flakes of ceramic fell off the crappy headers on it into the drain pan. Went with Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 full synthetic and a half bottle of ZDDPlus. Sent a virgin sample of the T6 off and it was already at 1250ppm zinc.
Will most likely go to the T6 5W-40 with no additives in the 400 soon.
Yeah, that' it. I reckon they stopped having it made for them last year. Gotta check mileage but pretty sure it'll be ready to come out this weekend and Blackstone usually has the anaysis done within a week of it being mailed out.
Brad there are plenty of existing oils that dont need extra additives like ZDDP. A good share of the 100% synthetics already have plenty of zddp in them already. Dont play chemist with oils. Adding one thing can offset a chemical balance that is by design. Most oils will have spec sheets that you can read and find what you need.
brad there are plenty of existing oils that dont need extra additives like zddp. A good share of the 100% synthetics already have plenty of zddp in them already. Dont play chemist with oils. Adding one thing can offset a chemical balance that is by design. Most oils will have spec sheets that you can read and find what you need.
Originally Posted by scblucam
20/50 because the builder said to. Used Castrol for years then switched to 20/50 Mobil 1synthetic. Oil pressure 60+ cold, 20+/- hot. Built around 1985
Interesting read Donny. I have never had any noise problems except for cold piston slap from forged pistons. Although even though the engine was built in the mid 80's only a few thousand miles. Not much valve train noise at all with a large hydraulic and rollers.
Reading forums is dangerous. I was also told to run valvoline 20-50 in my procharged 496. I picked up a case half price on close out. I read that whole thread on chevelles geeeeez. I have enough oil for one more change. Just wondering if I should contact the engine builder or just use the mobil one. My engine is a little noisy on start up(forged piston deal) too.
Very interesting read on the Chevelle forum. I am going to give some mobile 1 5w-30 a shot this spring. When I bought my 68 the previous owner ran 20w-50 and I switched to 10w-40 and the pressure dropped at idle from 40 to about 10. I thought I had a problem which is why I started reading this in the first place... looks like that is actually a good sign. My cruise PSI hasn't changed at all, and it peaks at 60-70 at WOT.
Well did a ton of reading after reading this. I guess with the procharger a lot of guys use the vr1 20/50 like I am using, maybe the high horsepower? IDK
Mike, I'm no expert by any means, but it seems that 20W50 is NOT a good choice. The damage occurs at start-up and the 20W50 is just to thick cold. I would look into a 10W30 or 10W40. Even the 10W40 is NOT recommended from what I read. I happen to use Summit racings 10W40. I'm going to switch to the VR1 Valvoline 10W30 (silver bottle) conventional oil though when I run out of the Summit oil.
This is one of those topics that "the more you read, the less you know". LOL
Yea you are sure right about that. I just looked on a forum where all the guys are running superchargers, prochargers etc and NONE of them use the lower viscosity. Maybe they know something I don't? I run Mobil one in all my other cars.
Excellent post Dennis. I agree. I'm also aware that there are just too many variables here that can add to someones decisions on what oil to use. Interesting, none the less.
The forum I checked out was yellowbullet. There is a section specifically for supercharged engines. I searched oil viscosity and like I said anyone with a big block chevy(supercharged) used at least a 15-45 but most used 20-50. These guys have a lot more money and experience than I do. It must have to do with the superchargers needing thicker oil in the engine, tolerances? Who knows. My Jeep with the dod hemi uses 5-20. 60k miles so far so good
I think another factor that can be thrown into the picture is that today's fuel injection is so perfect that it does not wash any gas down the cylinders. I think that would thin the oil out too. I am truly a novice but fuel injected cars do not pollute the oil as much.When guys like Steve Morris start using 5/20 in their procharged big blocks I will follow.
Thanks the engine only has about 5k miles if that. It get one oil change a year. I have the 8 quarts of the vr1 20-50. Next year I am going to change it with the 15-50. I like mobil 1. I figure if trucking companies can extend their warranties by a few hundred thousand mile by going synthetic then there must be something to it.
Castrol has just come out with a new synthetic that is specifically designed for use on classic cars. It is called Castrol Edge with Syntec and it is 5w 50 weight. I have been running it in my car for a few months now and have no negatives to report other than the $9.00 per quart price tag.
How do you like the 15W40?? Noisy at cold start-up?? It was suggested I use a 15W40 with my BBC roller set-up.
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