Which Oil & Filter for my 350/300 C3?
 

Is it okay to run Mobil 1 in this engine? If so, what filter do you recommend or is stock okay?

Thanks

if you mean 15w50 yes, AC filter is ok

I use a Fram racing filter #HP4. Better filtering, although the P/O used a PH30

For oil I use Brad Penn racing oil 10W30 because of the high zinc content.
Just saying. :cheers:

Thanks..also, forgot to ask...What oil change interval is recommended with normal driving with this oil?

I've read articles where it says 7,500 to 10,000 for synthetic oil, and to just keep an eye on it and look for color. Oil is meant to hold onto dirt and dark oil means its doing its job. When its dark its time to change it. I really recommend the best filter you can get.

Brad Penn 10w40 and a K&N filter in mine and I change it every 3k.

The stock filter appears to be of larger capacity than other substitute filters. Should this be of concern and what is considered to be the "best" of filters for this engine? I have always been religious with oil changes on all of my vehicles.

This should be my last question on THIS topic.

Thanks again for all of your responses.

This is my choice of filter (a WIX product). I won't get into the oil debate, discussed here ad nauseum.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...erNAPA-008.jpg

Thanks Paul! All of you have been of great help. I realize how sensitive some of these topics can be. I did try a subject search but in this case the information appeared to be too scattered. The information that I received direct from all of you was on point.

I have to research Brad Penn oil (unfamiliar brand to me). I'll probably go with Mobil 1 and the Napa gold filter. I happen to use a Napa Gold filter on my airplane.

Regards to all

Need zinc
 

If your engine is flat tappet, which I think it is, you need high zinc content in your oil to avoid shearing off a cam lobe. Mobil 1 is not suitable, unless you add ZDDP.

Yikes...I guess I have something else to research.

Thanks

Buy a 24 of beer and start reading the oil sticky at the top of the C3 Tech page. See you in a week's time.

To a new C3 owner, this is a little like playing Clue. Not realizing that my engine had flat tappets until the previous post, now I can settle down and figure this one out. Looks like it may take more than a 24 pack to digest the sticky...but I'll sacrifice to meet the challenge.:cheers:

I've personally come full circle on oils. In your case, any mineral based oil with a ZDDP of around 1200ppm will work just fine. Change it at around 5k miles and you're good.

In my expensive 417ci motor, I use a synthetic 0w20. Since it's a hyd roller cammed engine, i don't worry about higher levels of ZDDP.

And another wrench/stick in the spokes......

I go 4,000 miles between oil changes.

BUT..........halfway through I change the oil filter and add a quart of fresh oil to keep the oil clean and the filter from getting clogged which would cause dirty oil to bypass the filter element (it's an helicopter thing---'kinda like swapping out machine gun barrels at noon).

LOL!

Oh, do you really change the filter at 2,000 miles? Seems kinda hard to believe that much junk would form in that short period..?

I just watched Eric the Car Guy interview the Valvoline folk. They recommended against higher viscosity oils for engines designed for 10w30 weight. At oil higher temperatures the oil is too viscous to flow properly and may accelerate wear.


Just sayin'...

I'll give you a little spoiler- other than seeing a bunch of 'experts' beat their chest which is entertaining in itself, you'll come out the far end of the sticky just as confused as you are now.

I could give you my own recommendation but 'the sky is falling' crowd would be at my throat in an instant. :D

Come on Mike take the risk. What you got for a recommendation? Let them rant. LOL
OP, if you want good oil without going broke buying oil, use 0W40 Mobil one synthetic. 1000 PPM zinc and true synthetic. About $27 at Walmart.
WIX is a good brand of filter.
Also like the Fram HP4.

Ask Mobil
What's the Zinc Level of Mobil 1 15W-50?

Ask Your Stickiest Question. . . Or ask us something you’ve always wanted to know about using our products. We’ll sort through all the submissions and present the best questions to our automotive experts. We'll share the questions and their answers here.



Question:
What's the Zinc Level Mobil 1 15W-50?
Hello, I read your answer about ZDDP and phosphorus levels. You even list the phosphorus level in your table, but you show no listing for the level of zinc. Other oil companies also list their zinc level. I would like to know the zinc content in your 15W-50 oil. I would like the level for the gold cap and the silver cap separately. I drive a car that is over 20 years old and the answer is important to me. Thank you, Jerry
-- Jerry Baer, Hollywood, FL

Answer:
The important element here is the phosphorus since it is the active antiwear additive. That's why we show phosphorus as well as zinc. The zinc content is in the range of 0.12 - 0.13 weight percent (1200 - 1300 ppm). (Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15W-50 [gold cap] was discontinued about May 2009.)