Oil change and additives on C2
I will be changing the oil on my '66 L79 soon, and am not looking forward to the antique can with filter system (even my '64 Dodge came with a spin-on disposable type). But I am wondering about recommendations for oils and or additives. I have heard you should use ZDD Plus with the oil when you change. I am also wondering what brand of oil most recommend and of course the weight/viscosity rating. Thanks for any advice.
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Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico -
Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Michael -
If you use "CI-4" or "CJ-4" API-rated diesel oil (like Shell Rotella T, Mobil Delvac, Chevron Delo, etc.), you don't need any "additives"; any brand of CI-4/CJ-4-rated oil has an adequate level of ZDDP/phosphorus to protect your OEM valvetrain. 15W40 is the most common weight carried by most retailers, and will work fine for you.
The canister oil change is no big deal - just make sure you get all of the old square-section rubber gasket out of the groove in the block before you install the new one. -
Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Agree with John and would like to add if you buy the Walmart brand CJ-4 15W-40 it's $8.50/gal..
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Michael,
Here's a little background info on the fine recommendations you have received so far:
Scroll down to page 3 for the oil article by Duke Williams.
JoeComment
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Find a parts store that caters to the medium/heavy duty truck trade and buy a case of Baldwin P18 filters. It's their replacement for the PF-141, which is now a cheap cardboard piece made oversees.
If you have never heard of Baldwin Filters, search the archives for discussions and google to find their Web site.
If you can't find the above, a Wix PF-141 replacement from NAPA is okay.
To remove the old filter gasket, remove the oil filter bypass valve housing - the aluminum piece secured with two cap screws. There is no gasket between this piece and the block. Be sure all the old filter housing gasket is completely removed and the block surface is free of old gasket material, then install the new gasket using a little grease on it to make it stick and reinstall the bypass housing. I usually change the gasket every other filter change. It's no big deal.
I prefer the cartridge design because it has more filter area than typical spin on conversions, and the cartridges cost half as much as most spin-ons.
The Walmart "Super Tech" house brand 15W-40 CI-4 is an excellent value/choice. At my local Walmart the C-category oil is in a different location than the S-category oil, and Walmart usually stocks Delo, Rotella, and Delvac CJ-4 along with their house brand Super Tech CI-4. I buy on price, which means I usually buy Super Tech unless the national brands have a rebate deal going.
DukeLast edited by Duke W.; November 30, 2009, 10:31 AM.Comment
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Wow, now anything involved with diesel is something I would never have thought of since diesels are such nasty, dirty engines and the L79 is such a hi-po, elegant one. So this diesel oil will not gum up my engine and hurt it you say? Amazing, who would have thunk it. Thanks to all.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Such a question indicates you did not read the referenced article or did not absorb it. Look for the discussion on "dual rated" engine oils from the past.
BTW, a modern diesel engine is much "cleaner" - waaaaaaay cleaner emission-wise than your vintage L-79.
DukeComment
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
I read your article closely and understand it fully, and I was just being dramatically incredulous, since I worked in a truck stop at one time and saw the filthy, dirty oil (like molasses) and exhausts of these monsters of old and had very little respect for diesels. I do not have the emissions data for the L79 (mine has no visible smoke like diesels do, but I am sure the hi compression produces NOx and SOx), but as a scientist I have read much about the facts and fallacies about new diesels vs. new gasoline engines, as here:
It seems they have solved the sulphur problem for diesels, but much remains to be done to be as clean and efficient as say the new LS3 is for instance. I can guarantee diesels are not as many thrills per mile as the L79 or the LS3.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Oil change and additives on C2
Diesels including vintage are relatively low on HC and CO. Their problem was NOx and, in particular, particulates, and the sulfur issue was basically solved with the new low-sulfur diesel fuel that has been required for all on-road diesels since 2007, and it is the only type available at commercial service stations. Low sulfer diesel fuel is also why the additive package in CJ-4 is slightly less robust than CI-4. With sulfer levels in diesel fuel now about the same as gasoline, diesels form much less acid in the crankcase, but CJ-4 still has a much better additive package for vintage engines than SM.
Vintage gasoline engines have very high HC and CO because they basically run rich most of the time. The SHP engines are actually fairly low on NOx compared to vintage base engine because their high overlap cams act like full time EGR.
About 40 percent of passenger cars sold in Europe are diesel and many modern turbocharged diesel powered European passenger cars outperform their gasoline equivalents.
Diesels have been slow to catch on in the USA because California has unrealistically low particulate standards, but EGR, catalysts, and urea injection after-treatment appear to be the solutions.
As far as "efficiency" is concerned, specifically BSFC, the diesel always wins, and its greatest advantage is in stop-and-go traffic with lots of idling because there is no pumping loss so diesels only require one-third to half the idle fuel flow compared to a gasoline engine of similar power. They just have to overcome internal engine friction with no power absorbed maintaining manifold vacuum.
Remember that this is a technical forum, so if you're a scientist, it's okay to talk like one.
DukeLast edited by Duke W.; November 30, 2009, 03:11 PM.Comment
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