Oil for model a+ t

B

Buff

New member
I heard some people are using rotella oil in their cars. What is the advantage and what weight are they using.
 
Oh, boy...

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Ford designed the Model A's engine for SAE 30 for cold weather and SAE 40 for warm weather. SAE 50 does flow as easily as the lesser viscosity oils.

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Antique Engine Rebuilding near me says no Zinc. Zinc only need for steel camshafts, Model A has cast iron camshaft. Furthermore, a majority of people use no zinc and everything is fine.
 
Buff said:
I heard some people are using rotella oil in their cars. What is the advantage and what weight are they using.
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This is a subject much debated, varying opinions, no consensus. You can use the Search function here, read all the info, then it is up to you. Just remember just about any oil today is much better than oil in the 30s. Change the oil often if a stock setup, and when the oil starts looking dirty. My opinion is keeping the oil in your A fresh/clean is much more important than the type/brand used.


Opinions may vary.
 
chrs1961815 said:
Antique Engine Rebuilding near me says no Zinc. Zinc only need for steel camshafts, Model A has cast iron camshaft. Furthermore, a majority of people use no zinc and everything is fine.
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Hmmm, I thought it was the other way around... Model A has steel cams...
 
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Synchro909 said:
And therefore Zinc (ZSSC) is required but did the oils of the 1920s have zinc added?.
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No, zinc was added with higher reving motors to reduce wear, due to higher reving motors needing stiffer valve springs so the valves would not float.


You probably already know, Zinc has been mostly removed because it was found zinc damages catalytic convertors. Am not sure thought I read that Zinc was also hard on some sensors.


Only diesel oil has much Zinc in it since diesels do not have catalytic convertors. There maybe other reasons for diesels having zinc oil, but can not remember why.
 
30 Closed Cab PU said:
This is a subject much debated, varying opinions, no consensus. You can use the Search function here, read all the info, then it is up to you. Just remember just about any oil today is much better than oil in the 30s. Change the oil often if a stock setup, and when the oil starts looking dirty. My opinion is keeping the oil in your A fresh/clean is much more important than the type/brand used
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I agree, if so many people are using so many different grades with positive results then I think what you use is less important than keep the level up and keeping it clean. No comparisons to today's oils to oil available 90 years ago
 
Agree completely. Any oil you can buy today is 1000 times better than oils of the 1920's - 1930's. ZDDP was first used as an oil additive in the mid - 1950's because of higher valve spring pressures causing premature failure of cast iron camshafts and cast iron lifters. It was never used in the Model A era and never needed due to low valve spring pressure and low RPM.








Humperhill said:
I agree, if so many people are using so many different grades with positive results then I think what you use is less important than keep the level up and keeping it clean. No comparisons to today's oils to oil available 90 years ago
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I only use oil distilled from the finest dinosaur dung. For now that means Shell's Rotella 15w40. I don't use synthetic as it lacks the vitamins and minerals that my Model A deserves.
 
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Full synthetic, or 100 percent synthetic oils, are extracted from crude oil or a byproduct of crude oil.
Throw a few more worms into the can! :)
 
Every time oil comes up, I have to revise what I think I know about oil. To stir this pot even more I looked up this subject on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_oil


What I found interesting is the statement - "Oil needs to be changed because it gets contaminated with combustion by-products that accumulate at about the same rate regardless of oil type".


This seems support that in order run longer oil change intervals, an oil filter is needed, whether running non synthetic or synthetic. To extend life of Rod and Main bearings keeping the oil fresh/clean is the goal, choices are frequent oil changes and/or an oil filter. I have seen many statements on forums observations that one of the benefits of synthetic oil is it runs cleaner resulting in extended oil change intervals. Am not sure what to believe.


Also found interesting the statements - ""Full synthetic" is a marketing term and is not a measurable quality." & "The base material, however, is still overwhelmingly crude oil that is distilled and then modified physically and chemically". My previous understanding was that Full Synthetic was oil not based on Dino oil but was purely synthetic, and "Synthetic" oil was a blend of Dino and synthetic properties referred to in this article as "Semi-synthetic".


Am still trying to get my brain around this info, so if my conclusions are incorrect please correct me.
 
I have read studies showing the lubricity of oil improves after it has been used in the engine for a period of time. Also I've heard a lot of engines have bearing "rap" on first start up after an oil change, particularly if the filter is not filled prior to start.

Therefore, I try to find a balance between regular but not too frequent oil changes.

Of course the above is based on modern auto engines, and may not apply to Model A engines :)

fried okra
 
I'm considering trying Olive Oil. There's so many labels to choose from. Anyhoo . . . I digress.
 
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