Best Oil for Camaro 396, Brand / Weight
 

All, Just a quick question...Any recommendations on what is the best oil for a 69 Camaro 396 325HP original engine with 40K miles ? Shell Rotella 10W/30 ? Can you run Mobil 1 synthetic 10w30 ? Brand? Weight? I'm sure I can get a bunch of opinions... Thoughts? Thanks...

I use Valvoline VR1 10w30 & a Wix first line oil filter....Joe

Joe Gibbs & Lucas Oil both make great conventional motor oils in their Driven Series and Hot Rod lines. You can also run straight 30w Lucas if all you're doing is warm weather driving and they also offer a conventional ZDDP additive which is great for solid lifter motors.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/jgr-02006

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/luc-10679-1

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/luc-10063-1

IMO, stay clear of Synthetics unless you want the car to start leaking everywhere. Transmission and Gear oil can also be bought through both of these manufacturers. I also run the Wix filters or the Purolator One filters.

Oil Choice...
 

I second the VR-1 and Wix filter [Napa Gold]...we also use some GM EOS with each oil change.

-wilma

Valvoline 10W30 VR1 oil is one of the best on the market. Wix oil filters are the best too. To much ZZDP additive is not good.

Best Oil for Camaro 396, Brand/Weight
 

I use Gibbs BR30 in my ZL-1 per engine builder recommendation. It is a mineral base oil for break-in as well as regular usage as it has copious amounts of phosphorous and zinc needed for flat tappet camshafts. I also use Wix or Moroso oil filters.

Agree, synthentics will cause leakage and flat tappet clicking knocking until the oil pumps up the lifters with initial startup. Go with the Valvoline VR1 race oil 10W 30 which has proven in tests it one of the best oils on the market.

This is what I use also :biggthumpup:

X2

Dave
67 Nova Boy

VR1 10W30 or 20W50 is what i use also.

Everything here gets VR1 10W30 with NAPA Gold Wix except the Day 2 which gets 20W50.

Vr1
 

What a great thread, I have always used Valvoline 10w40 and Napa Gold filters.
Should I change to 10W30 VR1? What about oil change intervals, since they sit more than get driven?

Thanks Gregg

Great Info from everyone
 

Great Info from everyone....Good to hear all the opinions and knowledge being shared....

Hey Gregg, Yes you should use the Valvoline 10W30 VR1 racing oil and good Zinc protection for flat tappet engines. 10W40 is to heavy. I know a engineer who tests motor oils and he told me the Valvoline 10W 30 VR1 racing oil is one of the best oils out there. NAPA filters are made by Wix, very good quality. Motorcraft was told by the engineer are the best out there.

Part number for Wix oil filter
 

Hey, anybody know what the part number is for a Wix oil filter for a 69 Camaro 396/325 HP ? Thanks....

Wix-51069r
 

I think I just found it....WIX-51069R, WIX Racing Oil Filter Height: 4.33"
Thread Size: 13/16-16
Bypass Valve: None
Anti-Drain Back Valve: None
Max Flow Rate: 28 gpm



Is this it?

I was thinking the 51069, the non race filter. I thought the race filter had less filteration for greater flow. No micron rating on the race filter. Been 30+ years since I worked at NAPA.....Joe

Joe is right.......just use the 51069 or the NAPA number is 1069

Tim

Got it...
 

Got it...Thanks Joe and Tim

I've used VR1 10w30 and Lucas Hot Rod 10w30. I know a lot of folks run Shell Rotella T 15w40 diesel oil too. VR1 is usually the cheapest and we all know it's good so that's what I use most.

Anybody using Shell Rotella which has a decent amount of zinc.

I use Penn Grade One, High Performance Oil 10W-30 Partial Synthetic high zinc. The original green oil.

Rotella eventually lost its Zinc too and is longer an option.

VR1 Valvoline 10W30 oil for classic muscle cars. Enough zinc to protect camshaft. Might even try the Mercury 10W30 4 Stroke marine oil. Engineer i know said this oil has even less zinc then the VR1 Valvoline 10W30 oil and the Mercury out performed the VR1 in testing. Engineer told me to much zinc can actually cause wear in a engine.

51060 or 51061 are the long ones, the 61 has the anti drain back valve

So, I have a question... I'm reading that synthetic isn't highly thought of for this application, but that VR1 is... I don't believe that both comments have come from the same members but I did want to call this out and open a discussion on VR-1 being synthetic... thoughts?

Unfortunately, these oil discussions get pounded to death. The Brad Penn is what I use. It was suggested by the engine builder I use, as well as others that I have befriended and respect.

Haven't lost a flat tappet camshaft yet

Tim

I use Brad Penn or Joe Gibb.

Not trying to change this discussion. But any oil recommendations for a stock rebuilt 69Z survivor. thanks

I use the non-synthetic VR1.

I wasn't even aware VR-1 came as a full synthetic. When I have used it (10-30) it didn't even state on the label that it was a blend. I always assumed it was totally conventional. I would use a VR-1 10-30 blend but not a full synthetic.

^ thanks guys! That’s what came up on The Google for me originally; I didn’t know it came in a conventional formula as well! That makes more sense, for me. Cheers friends.

Another Brad Penn oil user here. Also used Lucas Hot Rod & Classic oil.

Brad Penn Conventional (The Green Stuff)
Joe Gibbs Driven Series
Lucas Hot Rod Series

Those are the only "conventional" or "petroleum" based oils that I'll ever pour into my engine/s, and "Never" will I run a synthetic blended oil.

----All I use in the old stuff is Brad Penn. For that matter I also use it in my boats (some big blocks and some small blocks). Two of the 383 small blocks are fairly stout at around 475hp. The boat is an old Magnum 27 Sport race boat named Short Circuit and runs around 80mph. I'm putting iot up for sale soon if anyone on the sight wants to scare themselves to death...LOL....Bill S

Saw this on another site. Anyone used it? Is it still available in USA? Never saw it here in Canada.

I’m a Brad P user!!

I think it’s now $1000 a quart but tomorrow it may be more :D

Brad Penn, the Lucas Hot Rod, Joe Gibbs, is all good stuff. I like the green Driven oil but I primarily use Amsoil Hot Rod oil.

The VR-1 is pretty decent but even that has had some Zinc pulled from it in recent years. I read from a different source that the 20-50 will have more Zinc than the 10-30 because they catagorize the 20-50 differently as an off road oil, stating the 10-30 is what most consumers will end up buying. Don't know how much truth there is to that but one thing is for sure, oil formulations are constantly changing and hard to keep up with. For sure don't use the diesel oils, they have had the Zinc removed to very low levels for several years now so it's not really a good option anymore.

I've never had any issues with synthetics leaking in the classics and I've been using them for 30+ years in multiple cars. I don't have anything that leaks.
My thought is as long as the engine has been gone through and has modern day gaskets and sealers used, the synthetics shouldn't pose a problem. If you have an original survivor engine with 50 year old gaskets, or even something 20-30 years old, it might be a different story, but I would think an engine like that would be prone to some seepage anyway :dunno:

I use the Amsoil Z-rod in our 69Z that is daily driven. I rebuilt that engine nearly 6 years ago now. Basically a stock build, solid flat tappet cam, etc....and have now logged over 50k miles on it without complaint.
I did a few oil analysis early on, basically to get an oil change interval routine ironed out and to see how things were doing inside. Also checked valve lash routinely looking for any wear signs. Happy to say I haven't had to touch the lash since the cam was broken in almost 6 years ago. It's been perfect.