Bad oil

Ole Don

Ole Don

Well-known member
Some have talked about modern oil for old engines. I will try to post a picture that shows what happens with modern oil on a fresh reground cam with new valve springs. Within 1000 miles, two valves would loosen and need adjustment. The top of the lobes had gone away.
 

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thats why i keep saying never buy any oil with the red circle on the front that says for gasoline engines only, that oil is for new cars with roller tappets, it does not have the zink in it the flat tappet engines require, buy that oil and see the pic old don posted, fair warning lol
 
The Motorcraft Diesel(Ford in a Ford) is supposed to contain more ZDDP than the new formula Rotella at about 1330 ppm I am running it in my 302, Since the 70's I always use Isky Cam lube for break in and no failures,however there has been talk of problems with faulty import lifters causing cam wear on several forums,ask before you buy.
 
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And then there is old oil. I picked up some of these two varieties today at an estate sale. The RPM brand doesnt even have an API rating. The Valvoline is SC,SD,SE, CA, CB, CC. Standard Oil Co. of California, San Francisco, made the RPM.
oldoil001.jpg
 
I've been using Wolfs Head 15W40 blend with a bottle of Lucas ZDDP for breaking in all new motors. After breakin, it's the same oil with half bottle of the Lucas. So far, so good.
 
You can run Valvoline Racing oil as it has all the wear agents that the old cam and lifters need. You can also run a Diesel Oil as it too has them but they can sludge up a gas engine. Best for a car that sits for a long time is to use some of the new along with Racing oil. Racing Oil doesn't have anti-rust agents in the oil as it's racing oil,so mix it 50/50 or so so you get some of the anti-rust agents to keep from getting rust on the inside of your engine(bottom end).It happened to me! I let an engine sit with Race Oil only in it years ago and got rust on the bottom end! Also you can get adatives to add to the new oils that have the wear agents,a number of cam companies make them as do oil companies.
 
fordy's

that's improper break-in after an

engine rebuild or a camshaft change.

you have to prime the oil pump and

start engine up on first crank or two.

camshaft is splash oiled thrown up from crankshaft.

one of the last parts to get oil on a new

engine start up.

Have A Nice Day!
 
What I have been doing the past several years is rotate Rotella T15-40 and pennzoil 10W-30 every other oilchange.
The strategy is too get the benefit of the zinc in Rotella, but then I dont want to sludge it up by using it all the time, so every other oilchange I switch to pennzoil as I would have more detergent action.
My Y-block was last rebuilt in 1984, but did also do a valve-job back in 1992. I did also re-adjust the valves about 3 years ago and improved it a lot. She is still going strong though, 100% factory stock (no modern modifications).
But now I am wondering if I should mix half and half of each type on every oil change.
 
I alternate between 10/30 Valvoleen VR-1 racing oil and 10/40 conventional. 40 weight oil, either multiviscosity or straight, is supposed to still have the needed amounts of ZDDP, as does the 10/30 VR-1.
 
The date on the picture says 2007, the cam was removed in 2000. I have used Rotella 15W40 since, because when I travel, it can be bought at any truck stop. I use a 160 thermostat to warm up the engine, and it has a PCV. The inside of the motor has a film of oil, but no sludge after all these years.
 
Don,
That's good to know about the Rotella 15w40 as you said you can buy it any place when your traveling. Even wally world sells it,as do all Auto Zones and NAPA stores.
 
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Wow, that data is amazing. They dont supply most of those around here but I could easily be using Valvoline premium Blue (Best), Pennzoil Long Life (best), Castrol GTX Diesel (satisfactory) and Motorcraft Superduty (satisfactory). And they are all better than Shell Rotella and cheaper too.
 
Fordy's

one article said they've reduced the protective metals

that 'lay on' to the wear surfaces.

they said it's because a lot of the engines now

have roller lifters.

they say there's still additives in most oils.

the Big Truck oil WOULD keep putting additives

in, because truck engines will be last to get roller lifters.

that camshaft still got flattened at break in though!:)

Have A Nice Day!
 
AutoZone (and probably others) has a 'new' Castrol synthetic 5W-50 oil that is labelled "specially formulated for classic cars" and on the back says it has extra zinc for flat tappet camshafts. It is on sale: Five qts. plus a K&N oil filter for $32.99. The filter had a regular price of $13.99.
 
One thing about the link I posted if you read the entire long article it mentions that you don't want too high a detergent level in a gasoline powered car the TBN and Calcium are the detergents, in comparison the Delo 400 has a TBN of 7.82 and 1593 Calcium Rotella is 8.77 TBN and 2488 Calcium so the Delo would be a better choice.
 
40Deluxe, that Castrol deal is a pretty good price and I will be checking it out.

Last Wolf'sHead 15w40 I got was $4 a quart, Lucas treatment $12 a pint. Not looking for 'cheap' but if it provides same protection it's a bargain.

I usually use Motorcraft or Wix filters, both are around $6 each.
 
that's a great article, just put shell rotella with a quart of rislone zinc additive in the y-block. This guy hates rotella, go figure? The stuff was on sale so I bought two more gallons. Thanks for sharing this article, Mark
 
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