Weight of engine oil
05-13-2012, 01:01 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Weight of engine oil
Hi, I have a 1971 with 108,000 miles. I was wondering what weight oil I should put in the car? I live in NY and we have 4 seasons...thanks Anthony
05-13-2012, 01:29 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
10/40 weight multi grade with a ZDDP anti-wear package for your cam/lifters. Brad Penn, Joe Gibbs "Hot Rod" oil, Amsol all have good packages for GenI Chevy motors.
05-13-2012, 02:23 PM
#4
Anthony, that right there is a big old can 'o worms.
My suggestion- read and follow the owners manual recommendations. The guys who built the motor know what they're talking about.
I personally use Filipo Bario extra virgin.
My suggestion- read and follow the owners manual recommendations. The guys who built the motor know what they're talking about.
I personally use Filipo Bario extra virgin.
05-13-2012, 02:27 PM
#5
Team Owner
05-14-2012, 12:09 AM
#6
Safety Car
05-14-2012, 02:53 AM
#7
Le Mans Master
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Seriously, tho, I agree with checking your owner's manual, Haynes or Chilton's manual, they will tell you what you need to know. If you don't have a manual, you need one. Also agree with making sure it's a brand that has the zddp that a flat-tappet engine needs.
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
05-14-2012, 07:14 AM
#8
Team Owner
Ahhh, you're wasting your money on that fancy, expensive, imported olive oil, I just run the store brand. I also add a little vinegar, as an anti-wear additive!
Seriously, tho, I agree with checking your owner's manual, Haynes or Chilton's manual, they will tell you what you need to know. If you don't have a manual, you need one. Also agree with making sure it's a brand that has the zddp that a flat-tappet engine needs.
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
Seriously, tho, I agree with checking your owner's manual, Haynes or Chilton's manual, they will tell you what you need to know. If you don't have a manual, you need one. Also agree with making sure it's a brand that has the zddp that a flat-tappet engine needs.
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
Keep in mind that the owners manual for a C-3 was written 40 years ago, and lubricants have changed significantly since then. And as you also mentioned, having the zinc in the oil formulation is critical for a car with a flat-tappet camshaft.
05-14-2012, 08:49 AM
#9
Melting Slicks
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The Brad-Penn engine oil I currently use weighs exactly 2 pounds for the 1 quart container. Is that what you meant by weight? Or did you mean viscosity?
05-14-2012, 04:03 PM
#10
Racer
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Zinc Content
I agree - "10/40 weight multi grade with a ZDDP anti-wear package for your cam/lifters." The modern oils do not have sufficient zinc in them for our 40+ year old cars. There are several oil threads on the CF that are worth reading. The ZDDP content is important.
05-14-2012, 04:26 PM
#11
Why the 10w40? I have 5w30 in my 78. Why zinc?
I am reading the booklet that came with my Edelbrock carb and they show some oil products they are promoting. Two of them are 10w40, one fully syn the other partial syn, and both have the zinc. But both say not recommended for cars with a cat converter, which my 78 still has. Why?
There is also a plain old jug of zinc additive that you pour in. Can I do that without causing harm?
Good info to know, I want to protect the motor as much as possible. I too have to let the car sit for 4-6 months out of the year because of snow.
Thanks, Jedi
I am reading the booklet that came with my Edelbrock carb and they show some oil products they are promoting. Two of them are 10w40, one fully syn the other partial syn, and both have the zinc. But both say not recommended for cars with a cat converter, which my 78 still has. Why?
There is also a plain old jug of zinc additive that you pour in. Can I do that without causing harm?
Good info to know, I want to protect the motor as much as possible. I too have to let the car sit for 4-6 months out of the year because of snow.
Thanks, Jedi
05-14-2012, 07:05 PM
#12
Team Owner
Why the 10w40? I have 5w30 in my 78. Why zinc?
I am reading the booklet that came with my Edelbrock carb and they show some oil products they are promoting. Two of them are 10w40, one fully syn the other partial syn, and both have the zinc. But both say not recommended for cars with a cat converter, which my 78 still has. Why?
There is also a plain old jug of zinc additive that you pour in. Can I do that without causing harm?
Good info to know, I want to protect the motor as much as possible. I too have to let the car sit for 4-6 months out of the year because of snow.
Thanks, Jedi
I am reading the booklet that came with my Edelbrock carb and they show some oil products they are promoting. Two of them are 10w40, one fully syn the other partial syn, and both have the zinc. But both say not recommended for cars with a cat converter, which my 78 still has. Why?
There is also a plain old jug of zinc additive that you pour in. Can I do that without causing harm?
Good info to know, I want to protect the motor as much as possible. I too have to let the car sit for 4-6 months out of the year because of snow.
Thanks, Jedi
Here's my $0.02 worth, in order of your questions...
10W-40.....because the machining tolerances back in the 70s and 80s was not as exacting as it is today, therefore the clearances weren't as tight back then, let alone on a car that has thousands of miles on it (assuming, of course, your engine isn't freshly rebuilt). The added viscosity of the 10W-40 helps with a thicker oil "cushion" at the bearings. 5w-30 is sort of OK, but you might consume a little oil is the valve seals and/or piston rings are a little "loose".
Zinc...it's a high pressure lubricant that is critical to the cam/lifter interface, where the oil is only "splashed" rather than "pressurized", yet it's the point of highest mechanical pressure in the engine.
Edelbrock "high zinc content oil" is not recommended for cat equipped cars, because the zinc is harmful to the converter over the long term. Newer engines are better machined than older engines, but more importantly, newer engines have roller lifters, so the high pressure, sliding friction of a flat tappet against the camshaft doesn't exist.
Personally, I'd run the oil that protects the engine, since a cat converter is a lot cheaper to replace than an engine......
05-14-2012, 07:52 PM
#13
Here's my $0.02 worth, in order of your questions...
10W-40.....because the machining tolerances back in the 70s and 80s was not as exacting as it is today, therefore the clearances weren't as tight back then, let alone on a car that has thousands of miles on it (assuming, of course, your engine isn't freshly rebuilt). The added viscosity of the 10W-40 helps with a thicker oil "cushion" at the bearings. 5w-30 is sort of OK, but you might consume a little oil is the valve seals and/or piston rings are a little "loose".
Zinc...it's a high pressure lubricant that is critical to the cam/lifter interface, where the oil is only "splashed" rather than "pressurized", yet it's the point of highest mechanical pressure in the engine.
Edelbrock "high zinc content oil" is not recommended for cat equipped cars, because the zinc is harmful to the converter over the long term. Newer engines are better machined than older engines, but more importantly, newer engines have roller lifters, so the high pressure, sliding friction of a flat tappet against the camshaft doesn't exist.
Personally, I'd run the oil that protects the engine, since a cat converter is a lot cheaper to replace than an engine......
10W-40.....because the machining tolerances back in the 70s and 80s was not as exacting as it is today, therefore the clearances weren't as tight back then, let alone on a car that has thousands of miles on it (assuming, of course, your engine isn't freshly rebuilt). The added viscosity of the 10W-40 helps with a thicker oil "cushion" at the bearings. 5w-30 is sort of OK, but you might consume a little oil is the valve seals and/or piston rings are a little "loose".
Zinc...it's a high pressure lubricant that is critical to the cam/lifter interface, where the oil is only "splashed" rather than "pressurized", yet it's the point of highest mechanical pressure in the engine.
Edelbrock "high zinc content oil" is not recommended for cat equipped cars, because the zinc is harmful to the converter over the long term. Newer engines are better machined than older engines, but more importantly, newer engines have roller lifters, so the high pressure, sliding friction of a flat tappet against the camshaft doesn't exist.
Personally, I'd run the oil that protects the engine, since a cat converter is a lot cheaper to replace than an engine......
05-14-2012, 08:50 PM
#14
Safety Car
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I've been using 10W30 weight oil for over 40 years in all my cars corvette included without an engine related failure. 
Right now I'm using Joe Gibbs HR2.
http://www.joegibbsdriven.com/produc...mance/hr2.html
Right now I'm using Joe Gibbs HR2.
http://www.joegibbsdriven.com/produc...mance/hr2.html
05-14-2012, 09:54 PM
#16
Drifting
There are some good oils listed in this thread, but the one thing that they have in common is that you most likely cant buy them at your local auto parts.
A good one that you can buy locally is Valvoline VR1 in 10W-30.
A good one that you can buy locally is Valvoline VR1 in 10W-30.
