Muscle car oil?

[markjohnson]

I'm gonna try my hardest to make this my last ever post about oil! I've done lots and LOTS of research on this subject. Rotella now has REDUCED levels of zinc, just like regular oil that everyone avoids now. Now.....it was good to use for about a year or so after the EPA demanded the reduced Zinc levels in regular oil, but it was on their list to follow in having it's Zinc content reduced also. Now, I've always been a big fan of Mobil One Synthetic and if you go their website, you'll see that their "red label" Mobil One 15W-50 DOES have sufficient Zinc and is formulated for older engines. I'm gonna post a direct link to their site about it here shortly, but you can also buy this oil at any Wal-Mart and it even comes in an economical 5-quart container. Now as far as new engines or even a camshaft swap, I would highly recommend a set of EDM-ed lifters (or even a solid Roller!) and naturally a cam-break-in period of only using the outer valve springs. Yeah, I know it's a real pain in the ass to then install the inner springs afterwards, but it's just gotta be done. I had one of the first sets of the EDM solid lifters and that hole was like .012. Still in use with no problems (knock on wood!). That 'lil weephole has become extremely important in that high pressure contact area with the poor quality of today's oils.

[markjohnson]

Here 'ya go! Very informative. http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...1_15W-50_.aspx

[Don_Lightfoot]

Thanks for the information Mark.

My situation is the car gets driven very rarely, maybe 200 miles per year or less, and is not raced or run at high RPM's (except the odd run through the gears). Would I benefit from the "thicker oil film" with the 15-W-30? I currently use 10-W-30 full synthetic from another manufacturer.

Appreciate it.

[firez]

I have used valvoline VR1 in my 68 Z, It has quite a bit of zinc in it and seems to work good

[markjohnson]

I think you'd be fine with the slightly thicker Mobil One. It's just VERY important to wait until the engine AND it's oil reaches operating temperature before any "enthusiastic" driving. I can't even begin to say how bad it is for an engine to be zinged-up with cold oil just after start-up.

[RichSchmidt]

The oil related issues going around are related to decreasing of ZDDP additive package to about 60 percent of what it was 15 years ago.ZDDP is an additive that provides protection from the oil film being diplaced by excessive surface pressure.This occurs at any engine speed including start up.An older engine that is well broken in will have the cam and lifter surfaces worn to mate each other sufficiently well that usually the newer standard oils will offer sufficient protection,and this is further helped by that fact that most older engine have valve springs that have lost some pressure over the years which reduces the load on the cam/lifter surface.

Newly rebuilt engines with flat tappet cams especially ones with high performance valvesprings need extra protection that the current street oils cant deliver.I use Shell Rotella in all my engines AND add a bottle of cam break in lube or GM engine oil suppliment at every oil change.Either one of these things would be more then enough protection for any engine that was rebuilt to muscle car era specs.

[CC Rider]

Thanks Mark! I appreciate your input, even if it's been posted before. [ QUOTE ]
Here 'ya go! Very informative. http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...1_15W-50_.aspx

[/ QUOTE ]

[427.060]

What about Valvoline VR1?
James

[markjohnson]

I think that Valvoline VR1 oil is a good substitute if a guy wanted to save a few bucks instead of the Mobil One. I've got friends that use it and have never heard anything negative about it. It's dinosauer-based and gets by the EPA by not having the starburst-grading system on the back of the bottle. So it's not really certified for street-use you can say. You just need to trust Valvoline's great reputation that's it's a quality product, which it is. In, fact, it's what I use for break-in before the Mobil One.

[70 Forest Green Zee]

Mark...the reason Rotella has reduced zinc levels now is due to the fact emission standards changed for diesel engines and they are now required to have a catalytic converter now. I went out a couple years back and bought all of the old Rotella I could find with the high level of ZDDP and zinc.....I'll be good for several more years.