oil CHANGE

G

Gil Sissons

Senior Member
I would appreciate some input re engine oil.
We have a recently rebuilt "touring" engine.
The engine builder suggested Valvolene VR-1
Race oil. Which we have used the ffirst 1K.
But....that stuff is $11 quart.
What about the rest if you.... Cannot believe
Many of you are filling up with the VR-1.
What do you use? Do you add lead.... Or anything else?
And with normal driving .... How often change your oil?
Thanks for the feedback. Gil. NoCal
 
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Re: oil

any multigrade oil you like, I use 20-50 valvolene, make sure on the badge on the front of the container does not say (for gasoline engines) it does not have zink in it, it is for modern engines with roller tappet cams and lifters and catalytic converters
 
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Rotella "diesel" oil, 15-40 is what I use. It's about 15 a gallon and is a good oil for flat tappet type engines. Its what my builder recommends for race engines with flat tappet cams or roller cams and it gets the job done well in the model a. We could get into a whole nother discussion about whether the model a needs the zinc or not due to the camshaft material vs. modern camshaft materials but we don't have to. I prefer to have the zinc as I know it helps with other engines and it sure can't hurt. JMO
 
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Oil of the '20's and '30's did not have any zinc in it! Zinc is not needed in your Model A! Modern high RPM performance engines with huge spring pressures (300#+ open) need zinc, but NOT a Model A with barely 100#. It's amazing how easily we fall for modern myths like this!
 
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Gil, if your engine has a warranty from the builder you might want to stay with his recommendation. I use synethic 10w-30 with changes at 1,000 miles. I buy my "oil" at Walmart in 5 gallon jugs. Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about oil but have had superb results or "luck" using full synethic in trucks and cars.. And there is no need for a $55.00 oil fill in any A.
 
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40 Deluxe said:
Oil of the '20's and '30's did not have any zinc in it! Zinc is not needed in your Model A! Modern high RPM performance engines with huge spring pressures (300#+ open) need zinc, but NOT a Model A with barely 100#. It's amazing how easily we fall for modern myths like this!
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Ha-ha thats what I was talking about when I said we could get into a whole other debate about whether it's needed for a model A or not. More than spring pressures and rpms its got some to do with the grade or composition of the materials in the casting and forging process of the camshaft. But yeah, its not needed in the model a, I cant dispute that. It sure doesn't hurt though.
 
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LOL bdave, no the a's didn't have zink in the oil for them it wasn't used in oil then, but I bet Henry would have called for it if he had access to it, any thing that reduces friction and wear is good for any engine, modern cars running oil with zink in it will go for over 200,000 miles, will your model A do that?
 
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Any brand name oil will be OK. Stay away from non-detergent. Remember you will change it after 500 miles!
 
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I am bad about whining about prices ,., my wife laughs at me ,., but in prospective it cost me about 35 bucks to change oil in my lawn mower /tractor ,. oh and you have to Grease the front end before every use or its a bear to steer ,., I think they put too much weight on the front .,
My Daddy always said son oil is cheaper than bearings ., ,.,
.,
.,

,.,.,
 
Re: oil

Thanks for the input.
What about oil changes?
Yes.... I know in the day.... With the quality of oil
Combined with road conditions .... 500 miles was
The standard mark.
What do you do change wise?
 
Now using synethic so every 1,000 but I love changing oil or doing maintenance on my A so it might be sooner.
 
Re: oil

CarlG said:
Sure beats the $12.50/liter I paid for Mobil 1 while on vacation in Canada a couple of weeks ago for my modern.
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Walmart gets about $24 for five quarts, or less than $5 per liter for MOBIL ONE. I use it in my Model A as well as my modern cars and trucks. I DO WONDER why someone would suggest synthetic oil for "Break In Oil" though. I used Mineral Oil, (Castrol 5W30) for my rebuilt Model A Engine during break in.
 
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skibb said:
gil, if your engine has a warranty from the builder you might want to stay with his recommendation. I use synethic 10w-30 with changes at 1,000 miles. I buy my "oil" at walmart in 5 gallon jugs. Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about oil but have had superb results or "luck" using full synethic in trucks and cars.. And there is no need for a $55.00 oil fill in any a.
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x-2
 
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Someone will dispute this, probably, But a better method would be to use a cheap oil for the first 10 hours ( Part of that is high idle) and then dump it.When I was working on airplanes, we would run mineral oil for a short time and drain it in new engines. Then replace with our normal running oil. Newly rebuilt engines need a flush soon after starting.
Terry




31Abone said:
I have a new rebuilt and its tight ..so I put in 5-20 for the first 1000.
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I' ve only used 10W30 detergent oil in my '30 Ford since I bought it in 2000. Of course the engine was rebuilt and very clean inside. The oil works as advertised.
I don't believe in non-detgergent oil at all. I'm convinced that if Ford had detergent oil available to him, that's what he would have recommended.
Rog
 
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