Strumoo

Rebuilding a 340 hp for my swc. I know these engines need oil with zinc. Any recommendations for brand, weight, etc

Bluestripe67

Are you doing the work or is a machine shop? It may make a difference relative to their warranty. Are you running a roller cam or standard cam? Most of all of this has been covered multiple times in the past. Do a search under "engine brake in oil" or similar headings. Dennis

4 Speed Dave

Do a search on this lots of info. Some bullet points: What are your oil clearances on the mains & rods, flat tappet or roller cam are the main items. Given the fact that you will mostly be driving in nice weather temp is not too much of a factor as it is in an OEM application.

john5801

strumoo..
i use a half quart of ''les frickshun'' products,inc. ( in oil city, PA)
''zinc''pro-pack..in my 58 vette at oil change..(i use 10-40 castrol, or 20-50 castrol oil)
283/472 hp solid lifter-flat tappet motor.
a friend uses this additive in his TAD (dragster) racer..

but as mentioned above , there are plenty of other additives to choose from...i.e. joe gibbs racing oil, brad penn zinc additive, etc..the list is on this site somewhere......
hope this helps..
john

MikeM

....................just a matter of time!

By all means, dump in plenty of expensive additives on top of your expensive oil! Be sure and change it every year even if you only have 500 miles on it!

65hihp

good old mikem
always helpful,,,
check the bottom sticky thread above that contains everything everyone ever wanted to know about flat tappet engine oils.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...ky-thread.html

MikeM

Your cynicism is exceeded only by your desire to increase your post count for no good reason other than to get your name in print on the internet.

WTF does the OP need anything special in the way of oil and what does a 472 horsepower 283 and a competition dragster have to do with his choice of oil for his OEM built engine?

Please advise and if you have some meaningful reason for the OP to use what John uses, I'll take back my remarks.

john5801

mike m.
i'm not sure what you are trying to say. except that you think /or know something that a zink additive is not necessary.. my only point was that with all of the info and talk on this forum regarding oil's and lack of zink in the product, has me believing that it's worth the piece of mind to put the zink additive (1650 ppm-per 4-5 qts.oil chg.) in my c-1 solid lifter motor..my choice was the brand i mentioned because a friend put's it in his old cars and his TAD..in my old 59 283/270 vette, and other old cars w/original built spec motors, i've used it there too.
the man (strumoo) asked a question on what to use, and i mearly said what ''I'' use...
please tell me what you use or do for youre flat tappet engine(s)..i would really like to know--esp. if i've misunderstood the info on this forum, and if i'm wasting my money..
thanks in advance for youre solution......
john

Donald #31176

From the Restorer
article starts page 3

http://stlouisncrs.org/news_files/St..._July_2011.pdf

MikeM

I don't know how I could have made it any more clear what I was saying.

You and yer buddy obviously have some hot rod, Jegs/Summit/jacked up/souped up, stiff valve springed engine that needs a little more slippery stuff added to the oil than what you get with the standard fare.

The stuff you and yer buddy are using is roughly twice as slippery as what the OP's engine had in it when it was new! Why should he get a suggestion that he needs $8-9/quart oil when $3/quart will work fine. Maybe you and yer buddy need it. He certainly doesn't.

When you're building a stock OEM engine in an old Corvette, suggesting that the owner should use anything besides $3/quart oil is somewhat like a blind man with a busted flashlight searching in a dark closet for a black cat that doesn't exist.

My solution to the non-existent problem for an OEM build engine needing sufficient anti-friction is Rotella T 15W/40 oil at $3/quart. Works very well for me and thousands of others with old cars and OEM spec engines.

I have several engines, just like the OP and I have no problem with using that oil. I've even given thought of using the latest API SM(?) oil but guys like 65FI have gotten me so spooked that I just can't bring myself to use it. Why should I? The Rotella is just as cheap and has proven to work well.

I wasn't gonna' recommend anything until you came popping out of the woodwork.

65hihp

I don't have any reason for OP to use what John uses, and I don't need you to take back your remarks. Even if you did, you would just trot them out again, as you have so many times before, when the next guy writes asking what oil/additive he should use. Some people like additives, as evidenced by the shelves lined with them in the FLAPS. Me, I just use good old WallyMart Universal motor oil with nothing added. Also, I am not looking to increase my post count, since I don't think there is any prize for having the most. My only purpose was offering the OP some useful information, as opposed to whatever your purpose was.

MikeM

Thanks for posting that Don. If the OP reads this, it should become clear what he needs to use.

Mike Ward

Did you just make that up or is that a local expression?

I would have posted earlier but I was over at the local Wallyworld stocking up on Rotella. Tomorrow we're making our regular trip over to Canajun Tire to watch the boy racers spend their weekly allowance on snake oil additives that cure problems that don't exist.

BarryK

tell them to buy electric water pumps while they are there!! you know, for all the free HP they will get from it!

john5801

thanks don.. for the good read on oil..youre posted article is the very reason i remain and like reading the forum..good guidance, answers, and solutions to car questions from others.. so it now seems that i've wasted money on zink additives in my oil on my stock flat tappet (cars) engines...
and i'm sure 'strumoo' will also benefit from the info...
and maybe mike m. could have originally just answered the guys question, that he uses rotella t 15w/40 oil in his engines....and that it works well for him with-out any additives...
as a matter of fact, i think i'll try his suggested oil on my next oil change.....maybe.......or maybe i'll just continue to use the half quart of $8.00 zddp additive, just for the continued piece of mind...decisions,decisions.....
again, thanks don for the info.
john

tuxnharley

The direction this thread took - and the responses from some of the posters - was as predictable as the results of the last election.......

MikeM

And you still don't get it,do you?

If you have a 500 hp 283 and yer bud has a competition dragster, you both have special oil needs. I'll suggest you don't even think about using Rotella T. The OP certainly doesn't need that crap you're using.

I didn't suggest anything until you popped up and implied the guy might try something he doesn't need. That's how urban legends get started. Kinda' like the KO wheels that just fly off for no good reason, Corvette transmissions won't shift unless they're moved by a Hurst, radial ply tires are hand grenades after a couple of years, bias ply tires are dangerous, midyear corvettes overheated when new, drum brakes are dangerous, etc., etc.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ps. I didn't post any new information and neither did Don. It's been posted many times but for some reason, some people just do not want to listen, either through ignorance or .........................

kcust62

Been using 15W-40 Rotella without extra additives for many years in my '62-340 hp. Excellent choice in my opinion!

Mike Ward

Seems that was just a passing fad with the C3 guys. Now they're all switching over to 'poly bushing smart struts' to fix yet another non-existent problem and can't figure out why the jamb nuts keep coming loose.