Oil weight and brand

[Ray G.]

I know it has been hashed around a lot, but what is the recommendation of oil weight and brand for my 1969 427-400. It is original with low miles. Thanks,

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

I know it has been hashed around a lot, but what is the recommendation of oil weight and brand for my 1969 427-400. It is original with low miles. Thanks,

Ray------


I think your best bet is going to be 10W-30 (which is one of the original recommended viscosities), but a dual-rated diesel and gasoline oil such as Shell Rotella or Chevron Delo. One or both are available in the 10W-30 viscosity but they might be a bit harder to find.

[Ray G.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Thanks Joe, would that be synthetic or non synthetic?

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Thanks Joe, would that be synthetic or non synthetic?

Ray-------


Well, I think the non-synthetic would be fine. However, I'm a synthetic guy. So, if it were me, I'd probably go with the Rotella or Delo synthetic of 10W-30 weight.

[Duke W.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

I know it has been hashed around a lot, but what is the recommendation of oil weight and brand for my 1969 427-400. It is original with low miles. Thanks,

I don't think anyone has disagreed lately with the information in the engine oil article I wrote for The Corvette Restorer back in 2008. You don't need to buy a specific brand. The least expensive CJ-4 is just fine and the commonly available 15W-40 is okay for consistent cold starts down to about 15F, which is well below typical for vintage Corvettes.

Unless you only want to change oil every 10K miles or ten years (not advised) or your oil temperature is always over about 260F you don't need a synthetic, but if you insist, 5W-40 CJ-4 is considered to be a "synthetic" despite the fact that there is no precise technical or legal definition of the word as it applies to engine oil.

You can easily find an updated version on the Web by googling: duke williams engine oil.

Duke

[Jim H.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

What about the reduced zinc content in current oils which compromises the lubrication of flat tappet cams on our pre-roller valve train engines. I'm using Brad Penn 10W30 (which is also part synthetic) for its higher zinc content for this reason. Am I wasting my money given BP costs $3-4 more per quart? (BTW, I have no engine leaks despite the conventional wisdom that synthetics cause leaks in Mark IV and other older V8s.)

[Michael W.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

What about the reduced zinc content in current oils which compromises the lubrication of flat tappet cams on our pre-roller valve train engines. I'm using Brad Penn 10W30 (which is also part synthetic) for its higher zinc content for this reason. Am I wasting my money given BP costs $3-4 more per quart? (BTW, I have no engine leaks despite the conventional wisdom that synthetics cause leaks in Mark IV and other older V8s.)

Yes you're wasting money. Article starts on page 6.

http://clubs.hemmings.com/DelValNCRS/Del%20Val%20Chapter%20June%202014%20Newsletter%20140605.pdf

[Warren F.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

I don't think using the Brad Penn oils are a waste of money for using with the special high performance engines that have the solid lifter camshaft and rather steep pressures on the valve train. Besides the ZDDP additive their oils are formulated to cling onto metallic surfaces which reduces friction and wear.

[Jim H.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Very informative article by Duke. Thanks for the reference, Mike. I've circulated it to my vintage motorhead buddies. Looks like there may be a cheaper and just as effective alternative to the boutique ZDDP oil premium brands.

[John H.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

I don't think using the Brad Penn oils are a waste of money for using with the special high performance engines that have the solid lifter camshaft and rather steep pressures on the valve train. Besides the ZDDP additive their oils are formulated to cling onto metallic surfaces which reduces friction and wear.

Warren -

All small-blocks, from the 250hp 1x4 to the solid-lifter engines including the 375hp fuelie, use the same valve springs as Grandma's 307 station wagon, and any CJ-4-rated oil will test at 1100-1250PPM ZDDP, which is more than adequate to protect any OEM valvetrain, without any hokey additives.

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Warren -

All small-blocks, from the 250hp 1x4 to the solid-lifter engines including the 375hp fuelie, use the same valve springs as Grandma's 307 station wagon, and any CJ-4-rated oil will test at 1100-1250PPM ZDDP, which is more than adequate to protect any OEM valvetrain, without any hokey additives.

John------


Yes, from 1955 thru 1966 all small block valve springs were the same, GM #3735381 (although 55-57 actually used a predecessor part number, 3837002). However, this changed for 1967-91. For that period all small blocks used spring GM #3911068. The interesting thing is that the 3735381 and 3911068 have only very slightly different specs. Yet, BOTH springs remain available from GM to this very day. However, the 3735381 costs about twice as much as the 3911068. But, if one wants a 3735381, one can still get it. There are also Federal-Mogul equivalents available for each spring.

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Speaking of valve springs, here's a dreamer. A set of GM #3911068 valve springs would cost about 160 bucks at full GM list price and they're still available. There are 12 people watching this auction when I looked at it. I hope that they're watching to see if anyone is dumb enough to buy them and not watching this item to bid themselves.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-NOS-Valve-Springs-Dampers-Corvette-LT-1-L79-L46-Blue-Silver-Stripes-/231205280232?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35d4e899e8&vxp=mtr

[Ray G.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Thanks guys for all your input. So I would be OK using the Shell Rotella 10-30 synthetic?

[Michael W.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Thanks guys for all your input. So I would be OK using the Shell Rotella 10-30 synthetic?

No need for any synthetic. Dino is just fine.

[Mike E.]

Re: Oil weight and brand

Thanks guys for all your input. So I would be OK using the Shell Rotella 10-30 synthetic?

Look for a label like the one below and the letters and numbers "CJ-4". If it says that you should be good to go.




Mike