My 71 needs an oil change. I have not done my own oil in 15 years. That being said, 2 part question. What type of oil would you guys reccomend? Also The engine was bored to a 383. Do I need to add more oil than the usual 5 quarts or so because of the larger engine size?

Thanks,

Moose

 

Since your engine is no longer stock, your questions are a bit difficult to answer.
Do you know what type of cam you are running?
Do you know if you are still using the original oil pan?

If you dont know the type of cam, then you should probably assume that its a flat tappet and use an oil with zddp levels appropriate for that.
There is an oil sticky on this forum that lists quite a few oil types that will satisfy those requirements.

If you dont know what oil pan was used, then I would recommend putting in 5 quarts and then checking the level.

 

Mild cam, (not sure of the manufacturer) I will look at the oil pan first but I think it is original.

Thanks!

 

the displacement probably has nothing to do with the capacity of the oil.....if it is using a stock oil pan and does not have remote reservoir anywhere then add 4.5 qts and then check it...

i like the valvoline VR1 racing oils they have the zinc for higher protection on our engines. if the car doesnt burn oil now then use either 10w30 or if it uses some oil try 10w40.....if you have high oil consumption you can go to 20w50. do you know what has been in it?

unless you drive it alot the Dino oil should work fine and you probably dont need the synthetic. having said that i will be trying the valvoline VR1 synthetic oil for my next oil change just because i can...

 

Looks like the stock oil pan. I don't know what oil the previous owner was running but it sure looks dirty and dipstick says it is low. I have not been able to drive it enough to determine if it is using oil. I live in a hot climate. That being said, I imagine it was NOT synthetic oil. Would you reccomend switching to synthetic?

 

I have been running Shell Rotella 15W 40 in all my old Corvettes for years with no issues. My 61 has a 383 stroker motor (flat Tappet) and I run the same in that.

 

There is an oil "sticky" at the top of the C3 section with much research.

As far a running an oil designed for a motor that sees a maximum RPM of around 4000RPM I wouldn't do it! Most Diesel oils now have most of their Zinc removed too because most modern Diesels have Catalytic Convetors on them. Diesel oils would never protect my LT-1 Vettes as they often see over 6500RPM in my drives, most high performance Vettes will rev over 6000RPM so I would stick with gasoline style motor oils myself. If your just "main street cruising" in your L-48 with weak valve springs, maybe the Rotella, Dello or other "non-otto cycle" motor oils will work fine but, I stick with the right oil for the right engine myself. I use Amsol in my Duramax pick-up but the redline there is 4200RPM last time I checked.

I use Brad Penn or Joe Gibbs "Hot Rod" motor oils in all my older cars (the Comp Cams line of motor oils are actually Joe Gibbs stuff re-labeled.) I would like Joe a lot more if he didn't run "Taiotas" in NASCAR.

One thing I'll tell you, just did an oil change on my wife's 70 LT-1 with JG Hot Rod oil this Sunday and cut the bottle open to create a funnel to the valve cover hole, I observed a big amount of additives stuck to the bottom of the bottle, I proceeded to open each subsiquent bottle and empty 1/2 into the previous bottle and shake it up for a while before filling the motor, even then there was additive stuck to all the remaining bottles (I cut all 6 of them open.) I scraped all I could and added it into the motor but, I'm going to check the Brad Penn oil next time I use it and see if it does the same. Most of this "bottom sludge" appeared to be the zinc additive they so proudly claim is in the mixture. Everyone might want to check out their next oil change for themselves.

Amsol just added a high Zinc package to their product line last month but, noe was in stock when I inquired about it.

 

I am with Solid LT-1^. Forget Shell Rotella T-it is a diesel oil, #1, and it no longer has the correct amount of ZDDP for a flat tappet cam, #2. There are numerous gasoline engine oils, both conventional and synthetic, that have the correct amount of ZDDP that makes using a diesel oil totally unnecessary and potential lethal to a flat tappet cam. I would NOT ever consider a diesel oil for my L-82 at 6,000 RPM!

 

Shell has just recently re-confirmed in writing that Rotella does indeed have ~1200ppm of zinc.

It also clear states on every bottle that it meets API-SL spec- which suitable for our engines.

But each to his own. Carry on.

 

If your new motor is a hydro roller you can use modern oil. You can also use amsoil 10w40. It is good to go with plenty of the zddp. Or add a bottle of the zddp plus additive.

 

Evidence please? Can you provide the documentation here? Thanx.

Here is Mobil's for the Mobil 1 15W-50 I use:

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...duct_Guide.pdf

I find it hard to believe that Shell Rotella T has 1,200 PPM ZDDP (the SL rating as has been discussed ad nauseum, does NOT indicate that the oil has the correct amount of ZDDP) simply because the EPA in the US has mandated that all mass market oils (sold at Walmart for example) MUST have a much reduced level of ZDDP to prevent poisoning the Catalyst used on cars and diesel engines. Specialty oils are exempt as are certain weights of oil. For example, Mobil 1 15W-50 High Performance/Racing only has the 1,200 PPM ZDDP since it is for "racing", older flat tappet cammed engines (most of these engines did not have cats), and is not a weight used any longer in newer catalytic equipped cars and trucks. Hope that helps!

 

no, regular dino oil does fine for most applications, for starters you cant go wrong with valvoline VR1 10w40, it has the zinc additives, its available at the autozones and advance autos and is reasonably priced.


edit: just looked at the valvoline website and they only have listed only 10w-30,20w50, straight 30, straight 40, straight 50 and straight 60 listed. i thought i saw 10w4o at the store though?

you could try the 10w30 and then if it uses oil add the 20w-50 to top it off.

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...shell-oil.html

 

Mike, I don't take a quote from a thread as proof of Shell Rotella T having the correct amount of ZDDP:

"Dear Sir,

Rotella T multigrade products have ~1200 ppm ZDDP.

Regards,

Shell Technical

GO THIS FROM SHELL PRODUCT INFO PEOPLE. Just in case you were wondering about Rotella T "

 

Ask them yourself then.

 

And Mobil 1 seems to be one of the VERY few "real" synthetics available.

 

http://www.bradpennracing.com/Racing-Oil-Line.aspx

I don't know if it's still true today but 40 years ago I read where the best lubricating oils came out of the ground in Pennsylvania. And yes, I'm about as prejudice as they come. I bought 10 cases of Wolf's Head 30 weight for 59 cents a quart when Sears had it on sale a long, long time ago. Since that time, Kendall sold out to Brad Penn. Same great products, just a different name.

I use and indorse Brad Penn dino oils in everything from truck and farm tractor diesels to my vette, '02 GMC Highrider and even my '98 Harley Fatboy.

BTW, does anyone remember when a case of engine oil contained 24 cans?

 

Diesel Oils have a different additive package. Real high detergent levels. High detergent levels strip the protective layer of phosphorous off the parts they supposed to protect. If Rotella meets the requirements to use it in modern diesels it can't have enough ZDDP. If it has enough ZDDP it does not meet the requirements for new diesels and the high detergent levels negate some of the protection. Either way it is not what you should be using in a flat tappet gasoline engine. No negatives using synthetic with correct ZDDP. I would use Amsoil 10W-40 AMO.