Over here we're generally advised to use Castrol Classic 20-50, or similar, since modern oils apparently do not suit older engines. I'm due an oil change and thought I'd ask the experts on this venerable site for their opinions.
Just make sure theres a "ZINC" content in whatever oil you use. Newer oils have dropped the zinc, causing camshaft & lifter failures here in the older engines. I use LUCAS oil additive with zinc. I was using Shell ROTTELLA diesel 10/40 oil, but they took out the zinc in that too!!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
I use Petro-Canada Duron Diesel Oils you can use 15W40, 10W30, 10W40, I use 5W40 synthetic, they all have over 1200 PPM of Zinc and Phosphorus and you should have those additives for flat tappet cams. Some diesel oils and gas oils have dropped out the zinc and phosphorus
...our performance-shop mechanic told us not to use synthetic oil in our ??000 mile, non-rebuilt engine as the old seals would not react well to it. He said just use natural oil until we rebuild and then go synthetic. Anyone have a comment on that? Also forgot about the zinc/phosphorus content..have to remember to use an oil with those components. We do remember to use a lead additive in our gas so we don't fry the valves using unleaded...
Your mechanics comments on the seal issues etc is to do with non-mineral synthetics . If you use mineral based synthetics there are no issues but the chemical synthetics can dry out your seals and also have other drawbacks as in you cannot mix with any mineral based oils. Be careful with Amsoil and products like ester based synthetics. These synthetics can also be magnetized meaning the oil draws to itself causing the oil to draw back to the sump giving you dry oil starts.
...just read in Hemmings that the zinc issue has more to do with flat-tappet cams than hydraulic . Do we still need a higher zinc content oil in a hydraulic-cammed engine? Comments anyone?
Just make sure theres a "ZINC" content in whatever oil you use. Newer oils have dropped the zinc, causing camshaft & lifter failures here in the older engines. I use LUCAS oil additive with zinc. I was using Shell ROTTELLA diesel 10/40 oil, but they took out the zinc in that too!!!!
I heard that and use the gm eos additive but where are you getting your Lucas additive and do you know how much zinc is in it?
This is all part urban legend, old wives tale, and reality.
New engines are not universally made with roller tappets. In fact, most engines made today still use flat tappets, just like a Model T used.
The EPA was not notified by the manufacturers, nor was anyone surprised by the changes to the standards. They had been in the works for many years.
Dig long enough and you do find information about problems with flat tappets showing up in the racing circuit some years ago. Racing engines run radical cams with steep ramps and lots of lift. This has always been hard on the tappets. Roller rockers are a good solution, but many racing bodies do not allow roller rockers or tappets. When the engine oils were reformulated a few years ago, there were lots of failures of these racing engines. Not stock engines out on the street, but radical racing engines on race tracks. Research ensued, and it was finally identified that the reduction in zinc in the latest engine oil was the culpret. Switching to diesel or motorcycle oil solved the problem.
From this, the urban legend about the massive destruction of stock flat tappet engines spawned.
-- Edited by 427carl on Friday 3rd of June 2011 06:21:19 AM
...just read in Hemmings that the zinc issue has more to do with flat-tappet cams than hydraulic . Do we still need a higher zinc content oil in a hydraulic-cammed engine? Comments anyone?
No not for regular street engines...... read the threads
...Carl, I now realize that I read that as "solid-lifter" cams as opposed to "hydraulic-lifter". My mistake. I see now after reading again that it was referring to "flat-tappet" as opposed to "roller-tappet" cams. However your info seems to debunk this theory anyway..cheers...
There are very high loads on the lifter foot & camshaft lobes on a non-roller lifter. Zinc is the last barrier to metal to metal contact. During break-in, racing motor or mild street engines, lobe failures happen at a significant rate. The EPA mandated lower zinc in oils for 2 reasons that I know of. Zinc will foul catalytic converters if engine oil containing significant zinc levels gets into the exhaust by whatever means (valve seals, unseated rings etc.). Zinc is also treated as a hazard during disposal (hell, the EPA says light bulbs should be handled by a hazmat team, jeez...).
That was interesting as to what was posted earlier regarding mineral-based synthetic vs. ester-based. One of the wives tails regarding the use of synthetic oil in an older engine is that it will make your older engine leak oil. Actually there is some truth to that. Mineral-based non-synthetic oil can accumulate sludge over time. The sludge may actually mask oil leaks; switching to synthetic will gradually remove the sludge, uncovering hidden leaks.
Be aware that oil companies often change zinc percentages without notice in response to government mandates. Some of those threads are a couple of years old and the oils may have changed formulation as required (by the car-hating, unelected EPA).
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In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
i was lucky enough to grab the parisienne with a rebuilt 283, she was rebuilt in the 90s, stone stock (hydraulic lifters, stock stock stock) i've had no issues with gtx 1030, really like it, cheap high quality oil. if she has yet to be rebuilt, and still 45 years old, i've collected a different mentality. canadian tire? the motormaster formula 1 is ace. yep, no jokes. motomaster oil does have the zinc! i used it in the inline 6 of my '63 ford falcon, which had yet to be rebuilt in any way. never had an issue
I still like to add some "ZINC" additive just to be on the SAFE side for the long hwy. runs I do & this is where I've read the MOST damage is done with the continuous "pounding" the V/train takes w/ no "ZINC" protection, 14 hrs of hwy driving to W.Virginia at 70MPH I want to be sure it's GOOD to GO!!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
