Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

[Michael W.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

When you change to synthetic oil, don't forget to put nitrogen in your tires as well.

Make sure that it's summer nitrogen. You don't want that horrible winter nitrogen the feds force us to use.

[Michael W.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

Mark
That "tractor oil" also goes into engines in Freightliners, Macks and Internationals (to name only a few) that have engines that exceed the value of many Corvettes.

I've never understood the perception of these oils being considered inferior to 'car engine' oils. Not much tougher than the duty cycle of a farm tractor under full load for hours or days on end or a commercial truck engine that's expected to last a half million miles without issue.

[Duke W.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

Also consider that the average size farm tractor nowadays probably costs several hundred thousand dollars, and the big turbo-diesel is likely more costly to manufacture and overhaul than any car engine with the possible exception of some exotic car engines.

[Paul J.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

When you change to synthetic oil, don't forget to put nitrogen in your tires as well.

Perfect!

For the rest of you guys, you are really over-thinking this.

[Mark E.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

Also consider that the average size farm tractor nowadays probably costs several hundred thousand dollars, and the big turbo-diesel is likely more costly to manufacture and overhaul than any car engine with the possible exception of some exotic car engines.

Ok, maybe "tractor oil" was an unfortunate phrase.

Let me rephrase: The "S" specs are for spark engines, and the "C" specs are for compression engines, right? Are there disadvantages/risks with running oil in a spark engine which does not meet any "S" specs? Stated another way, if a "C" spec oil is chosen for a spark engine because of ZDDP levels, is it better to choose one that also meets an "S" spec?

Since separate "S" and "C" specs exist, does this mean spark engines have unique lubrication requirements not provided by compression oils?

[Patrick H.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

Like some of the Mobil oils, if you want to buy an S category oil that meets the needs of older cars with regard to zinc, Castrol has formulated one just for us:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058WKOUQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Synthetic, and not inexpensive, but if you want to have all 3 (zinc, S, and synthetic) it's one way to go.

[Duke W.]

Re: Quick question on Oil Changes for "Sleeping Cars"(Corvettes/Camaro's)

Ok, maybe "tractor oil" was an unfortunate phrase. Let me rephrase: The "S" specs are for spark engines, and the "C" specs are for compression engines, right? Are there disadvantages/risks with running oil in a spark engine which does not meet any "S" specs? Stated another way, if a "C" spec oil is chosen for a spark engine because of ZDDP levels, is it better to choose one that also meets an "S" spec? Since separate "S" and "C" specs exist, does this mean spark engines have unique lubrication requirements not provided by compression oils?

First question, yes. Second question I answered previously. The lubrication requirements for spark and compression ignition engines are fundamentally the same, and base stock blends aren't significantly different, C-category may be higher quality because the test suite including oxidation resistance is tougher than S-category. The primary difference is the additive package, like the P concentration, but the gap is narrowing now that on-road diesel fuel has about the same sulfur level as gasoline, so the Total Base Number for C-category has been reduced to near S-category levels.