navvet

Any thoughts on Hemmings Motor oil. They advertise their oil is high in zinc and phosphorus and specificvally made for old car cars and flat tappet cams.
If it is a reliable product I may use it for my next oil change.

oldcutlass

Personally I won't use it. It's a synthetic blend that is private labeled by who knows. At around $9/qt, I'll stick with using Valvoline Racing oil that's proven to be a good oil.

MDchanic

Nine dollars a quart?!?

Might as well use Harley oil.

- Eric

Nilsson

x2

RROLDSX

Eric:

I'd like to know where you get Harley oil for $9/qt? A complete oil change on my Roadglide is usually good for a C note filter in.

MDchanic

Fixed it for ya .

- Eric

D. Yaros

The fact of the matter is, one can get all the zinc needed by simply adding a can of STP (blue) to the oil at each oil change; and a whole cheaper than at $9/qt.!

rocketraider

An Oldsmobile Zone service manager once told me that oil is oil, as long as it meets API and factory engineering oil specs and is changed according to how the car is driven. He also made it clear that the factory fill oil was made by whoever gave them the best deal on oil meeting that year's factory specs, and Kendall sourced Oldsmobile's (and Cadillac's) factory fill oil for years- which is why you saw a lot of Olds dealers using Kendall for oil changes.

Pontiac bud has been researching this very thing this week and what he's discovered about private label oils (and name brands for that matter) would set you on your ear. As an example, WalMart's house brand is currently produced by Citgo, NAPA's is made by Valvoline, and Advance Auto's by Chevron. In past W-M oil bottles were identical to Mobil/Exxon bottles, and Havoline sourced A-A oil for a while before Texaco divested the Havoline brand name.

in addition to its own brands (Warren and Coastal) Warren Unilube makes CarQuest's house oil as well as some brands that would surprise you. Seems they own a Pennzoil blending plant, and they make Phillips 66 aviation lubes as well as a lot of MilSpec lubricants. I realised I have understimated that company's products.

So- that tells me that a lot of what one would consider off-brand oil is actually made by reputable refiners, to the same API specs as the high $$ name brands. They just don't have the marketing and product placement costs as the big names. And a lot of the big brand names no longer belong to the oil companies themselves, but to holding companies and marketing groups who have it made by whoever gives them the best price.

That said, if I can find SG/SH or CH4 API oil I like to use it because that was among the last to have a reasonable amount of zinc additive. The Fords with their roller cams do fine on SM/SN, but I tend to like Rotella for the older flat tappet engines. But, even Rotella is not what it was, thank you E P A.

molasses4masses

Funny you say that. I have a friend who worked at Pep Boys that did some R&D stuff for corporate for them. She told me that pretty much all tires are the same quality, we just have brand loyalty that makes us think one brand's tire is better than another's.

tru-blue 442

X3!

Mr Nick

[QUOTE=molasses4masses;647854. She told me that pretty much all tires are the same quality, we just have brand loyalty that makes us think one brand's tire is better than another's.[/QUOTE]



So I should run some Sutong or Nankang tires instead of Goodyear Eagle F1 or Michelin Pilot Sports?

I'm hoping what your friend meant, is different brand tires are very similar within a certain tire category and price range. But even then, there are usually tires that are clearly better than others.

rocketraider

Tires too are made by major manufacturers for private brands. You'll hear references to premium and second-tier tires, but a lot of times the biggest difference is the name on the sidewall, maybe a little softer tread compound- which can be a good thing compared to hard-*** high-mileage tread rubber.

I'll balk at putting Chinese-made tires on anything, but I've had really good service out of Korean-made Kumho and Hankook tires- much better than I ever got out of any Goodyear-made tires. GY's second-tier tire line, Kelly-Springfield, have arguably been better tires than the last three sets of GY's I had.

Nothing wrong with a little brand loyalty (look at us and our Oldsmobiles), but in these times of "brand management" the same product is often packaged under different brands.

oldsonharmont

The old Kendall refinery is now called Brad Penn. They advertise a zinc blend for older engines. I plan to give it a try when I can find it in my area.

http://http://www.penngrade1.com/Zinc.aspx

Joe Gibbs racing also carries a zinc blend oil.

jag1886

Can't beat Joe Gibbs oil. I don't use anything called a blend it's just regular oil they get a lot more money for.

Oldsmaniac

Brad Penn has break in oil and all sorts of weights and it is a blend part synthetic with zinc. My machine shop pushes it and so far it has been fine in my 67 E block. It is suggested to be for racing/off road. I just got 12 quarts from ebay at 62 bucks with free shipping.

molasses4masses

That seems like the obvious answer, doesn't it?

She was speaking specifically about brands made in the US as she visited the plants and did tests. For example: we had Firestone on our SUV and she convinced me that the Pep Boys equivalent was just as good....which it is.

navvet

I do thank all for your views. I think any question on oil brings the most passion in replies. Bottom line I will avoid the 9 bucks a quart oil. On another subject ....got those winter blues...can't wait to start driving the 64 again!!!!

tru-blue 442

Navvet, seems like the Vavoline
30 wt. racing oil I use was about
$4.50 a qt a Napa. I would think
it would be somewhat to thick for
your neck of the woods. But they do
make it in different weights.
Good luck with your decision.