Recommended Oil for a Model T

B

Bob Wise

Junior Member
What would be the best oil for the engine and transmission? Is there a sythetic oil available that would help obtain a free neutral?
 
Rebuilt or untouched engine/trans? If you want to use synthetic, be careful it has no magnetic things as an additive, such as graphite, because it will eventually take out the magneto.
 
Old untouched engine 30W non-detergent, good clean engine 10-30. Then you should (if you don't have it) buy the Ford service manual and adjust your clutch linkage for neutral. With any oil there will be some drag with the steel disk. My OP is synthetic is an over priced waste of money in a non filtered environment it will need to be changed just as often as regular oil.
 
Synthetics are a waste for the above stated reasons. You have to dump it too often + price. I used the 30wt. Non-D for years until I had to do a winter move. Real problem starting with that glue in there. 5-40 or 10-40 seems to be the choice of a large segment of owners. You need proper linkage adjustment in any case. Don't know why there's such a large bunch of experimenter's out there but some guys put some very strange stuff in their cars. Keep it simple. A decent grade multi weight oil with changes at recommended intervals.
 
I use the kevlar bands in my Model Ts and added synthetic oil to one of mine on a oil change etc...

The bands slipped really bad , really screwed up the works for some time. I changed the oil ( i like to use shell rotella 1 gallon bottles) had to drive the car for sometime before the band action came back.
My thinking is dont use synthetic in a Model T....................:eek:

I agree with Charlie B....
 
I use Shell Rotello 15W40 in all my T's,ModelA's and FlaT Heads 33,35,39,50 plus in my 56 Ford been doing that for years. Never had a problem to date.
 
I have had several T's. Most with old freshened up engines in them and a few hopped up ones and I always ran Quaker State 30 non detergent that came in a big round one gallon tin can. We always called it "straight 30". I never had any oil related issues besides a leak here and there.
 
I've tried them all and back to straight 30wt. detergent. The temps are mild here in
California so no multigrade. GM turbo clutches in the trans so cranks easy.
Wal Marts industrial oil. It still has the ZZP in it.
 
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