I'm changing the oil, VR1 20w50, is there any suggestion on the oil filter?
This is the first time I replace it! Stock 350ci. Thanks

 

This is my choice (made by WIX).

 

Top quality. mike...

 

 

i use the truck filter, it holds close to 2 quarts. it saved my bacon in another car one time.

 

read this test of oil filters, I ended up going with K&N, your oil choice is too thick go with the Vr1 10W30, see the oil sticky on the top of this forum

http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articl...lterstudy.html

 

NAPA/ Wix filter is very good choice and economical too. I agree that 10W30 is the correct weight and for the zinc the VR 1 should be sufficient.

Edit: the VR oil may not be suitable for normal oil change intervals as it does not have additives you would find in other oils. Others with more wisdom in this area may chime in. Personally I would run a standard 10W30 or maybe 10W40 depending on your climate with a ZDDP additive.

Edit#2: calling bs on my last edit. VR oil is ok for normal oil change interval according to Valvoline website. My statement would apply to NSL oil.

 

K&N with Brad Penn 10w40.

 

The others are correct about 20W50 oil being too thick. Consider THE BENEFITS OF USING THINNER OIL:

• Thinner oil flows quicker at cold start-up to begin lubricating critical engine components much more quickly than thicker oil can. Most engine wear takes place during cold start-up before oil can reach all the components. So, quicker flowing thinner oil will help reduce start-up engine wear.

• Thinner oil flows more at normal operating temperatures. And oil flow is lubrication, but oil pressure is NOT. Oil pressure is only a measurement of resistance to flow. Of course you need enough oil pressure to move the oil, but oil pressure in and of itself, is NOT what you are after. Running thicker oil just to up the oil pressure is the wrong thing to do, because that only reduces flow and lubrication.

• The old rule of thumb of 10 psi for every 1,000 rpm is perfectly fine. Running thicker oil to achieve any more pressure than that, will simply reduce flow for no good reason. It is best to run the thinnest oil you can, that will maintain the rule of thumb oil pressure.

• Oil flow is what carries heat away from internal engine components. Those engine components are directly oil cooled, but only indirectly water cooled. And better flowing thinner oil will keep critical engine components cooler because it carries heat away faster. If you run thicker oil than needed, you will be driving up engine component temps.

• Thinner oil will also increase HP because of less viscous drag, compared to thicker oils.

• Almost no one should ever need to run oil thicker than a multi-viscosity 30 weight. The lower the first number cold viscosity rating, the better the cold flow. For example, 0W30 flows WAY better cold than 20W50. And 0W30 flows WAY better cold than straight 30wt, which is horrible for cold start-up flow and should be avoided at all cost. And the lower the second number hot viscosity rating, the better the hot flow. For example, 0W30 flows WAY better hot than 20W50.

540 RAT
Member SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers)

 

540 RAT....., I had always heard (in the old days) that thicker oil (50wt) was better for high compression motors... I'm not saying it is, but I've heard it on more than one occasion. Other than what you said in your post (#9), can you shed any light to this "myth" ??

 

High CR -> thick oil? That makes no sense at all. High power, high rpm endurance motors can benefit from a thicker oil such as 10W-40. Some new cars specify 10W-60 (BMW E46 M3) or 5W-50 (Ford Boss 302).

A 20W-50 oil risks startup damage unless the car is never started in anything much below room temp.

10W-30 is a good compromise viscosity. Hard to go wrong with it unless you live in a very cold climate where you'd want a 5W-30 or even 0W-30.

 

zwede..., Didn't make sense to me either, yet I've heard it time and time again over the years (Not making it correct..., I'm just say'n).. Why make a 50wt oil if there's only a handful of situations to use it (Ford Boss 302 ??). Seems the oil companies would stop making it if there wasn't a legit use...

 

Jim: Many oil companies don't make a 5W-50. Of the few that do make them (Castrol, Mobil1, Motorcraft, maybe one or two more), they don't distribute to most retailers. For instance, Oreilly's and Autozone can't get Mobil1 5W-50. Not even as special order. I've never seen it at Walmart either. Only place I can find it is NAPA.

 

It's hard to find vr1 10w30 in Europe... That's why I was looking for 20w50. Also now I'm using 20w50 oil, is it OK to change oil rating??

 

i should know better by now,but in the last 30 years out of several new cars and a few old cars, in all of them i have used 20-w-50 synthetic oil. in all the new vehicles i have never gotten less than 300k miles with no failure. i will continue to use it. i have gotten the results i desire. i don't care what general motors or the api or any other egg heads have to say. you can't trust any of them because the E.P.A is so heavily invested in all of them its unbelievable. i don't care that 20 winter costs me 5 horsepower. i use a high quality oil change it at 3k miles and use a quality oil filter. and i also have run 160 degree thermostats in all of them and i have had zero transmission failures. just goes to show you can be a complete idiot and your car won't blow up

 

I use Castrol 20-50 fullsyn since the car was new.
30 years and the oil stays clean way past the 3k mile.
Just had a smog test and the car can be 3 times dirtier and still pass.
And 20/50w is the only oil that says pre 95 cars on the label.

 

The one time I tried 20W-50 it took so long for the oil to reach one of the rockers it galled and destroyed itself. Replaced the pushrod & rocker, switched to 10W-30 and no more problems.

 

Valvoline NSL (Not Street Legal) 10W30 Conventional Racing Oil
Silicon = 6 ppm (anti-foaming agent in new oil, but in used oil, certain gasket materials and dirt can also add to this number)
Boron = <5 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Magnesium = 5 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Calcium = 1607 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Barium = 2 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Total detergent/dispersant (anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge) = 1618 ppm
Zinc = 1669 ppm (anti-wear)
Phos = 1518 ppm (anti-wear)
Moly = 784 ppm (anti-wear)
Total anti-wear = 3971 ppm
Potassium = 7 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
Sodium = 190 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
Tin = 13 ppm (from bearings, bronze parts and piston coatings, but this is brand new oil……..)
TBN = 4.4**** (Total Base Number is an acid neutralizer to prevent corrosion. Most gasoline engine motor oils start with TBN around 8 or 9. And in use, this becomes depleted over time as mileage accumulates)
Viscosity (cSt at 100*C) = 9.8 (cSt range for SAE 30 is 9.3 to 12.4) And cSt (centistokes) in general terms, represents an oil’s thickness.
****NOTE: The very low TBN value in this NSL oil would require increased oil change frequency, to avoid acid build-up. And Valvoline has said that their NSL oils should be changed at least every 500 miles.


Valvoline VR1 10W30 Racing Oil conventional (Silver Bottle)
This one does NOT have the API symbol, but its text says it exceeds API SM
Silicon = 10 ppm (anti-foaming agent in new oil, but in used oil, certain gasket materials and dirt can also add to this number)
Boron = <5 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Magnesium = 73 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Calcium = 2707 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Barium = 3 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Total detergent/dispersant (anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge) = 2787 ppm
Zinc = 1472 ppm (anti-wear)
Phos = 1544 ppm (anti-wear)
Moly = 3 ppm (anti-wear)
Total anti-wear = 3019 ppm
Potassium = 6 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
Sodium = 380 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
TBN = 7.6 (Total Base Number is an acid neutralizer to prevent corrosion. Most gasoline engine motor oils start with TBN around 8 or 9. And in use, this becomes depleted over time as mileage accumulates)
Viscosity (cSt at 100*C) = 11.0 (cSt range for SAE 30 is 9.3 to 12.4) And cSt (centistokes) in general terms, represents an oil’s thickness.
This oil is suitable for Classic Cars, High HP Street Hotrods and Street/Strip cars, as well as many dedicated race cars (including flat tappet setups and those with bronze dist gears).


Valvoline VR1 10W30 “SYNTHETIC” Racing Oil API SL (Black Bottle)
Silicon = 8 ppm (anti-foaming agent in new oil, but in used oil, certain gasket materials and dirt can also add to this number)
Boron = <5 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Magnesium = 15 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Calcium = 2664 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Barium = 0 ppm (detergent/dispersant, anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge)
Total detergent/dispersant (anti-deposit buildup/anti-sludge) = 2683 ppm
Zinc = 1180 ppm (anti-wear)
Phos = 1112 ppm (anti-wear)
Moly = 162 ppm (anti-wear)
Total anti-wear = 2454 ppm
Potassium = 5 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
Sodium = 195 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
TBN = 7.4 (Total Base Number is an acid neutralizer to prevent corrosion. Most gasoline engine motor oils start with TBN around 8 or 9. And in use, this becomes depleted over time as mileage accumulates)
Viscosity (cSt at 100*C) = 10.4 (cSt range for SAE 30 is 9.3 to 12.4) And cSt (centistokes) in general terms, represents an oil’s thickness.
This oil is suitable for Classic Cars, High HP Street Hotrods and Street/Strip cars, as well as many dedicated race cars (including flat tappet setups and those with bronze dist gears).

--------------

NEVER use ZDDP additives. Most major oil companies say to never add anything to their oil. And they are 100% correct. I have tested ZDDPlus and Edelbrock's Zinc additive, in 3 different oils each. And in every case, they ruined each oil's carefully balanced additive package and significantly reduced their "Wear Protection" capability, compared to their capability BEFORE anything was added. Always use oil just as it comes out of the bottle.

And the thinking that you need extra zinc for extra wear protection is a MYTH that has been BUSTED. I've "Wear Tested" dozens and dozens of oils, and some of the worst ones have high levels of zinc. So, don't buy into the wishful thinking that more zinc is better, no matter what anyone tells you. Because zinc simply does NOT work that way. And here is a GM oil report that says the same thing I'm saying:

http://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/oil_myths.pdf

540 RAT
Member SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers)

 

I ran Castrol 20W-50 until 1986 when I switched to Mobil 1 15W-50 which I run today-perfect!

Modern engines run much closer tolerances and should run 5/10W-30 oils. Not older flat tappet engines.

BTW-pour a bottle of Dino oil at zero degrees and then a synthetic of the same grade/weight and observe the viscosity difference. Another BIG advantage to a synthetic.

 

Can't remember the last time it got down to 0 here.