Engine Oil Recommendations
#1
Engine Oil Recommendations
Hey guys, I want to get some recommendations of what other Olds 350 guys are using for engine oil brand and weight and oil filter. Its a 71 350, upgraded manifold and carb(that i know of for upgrades), I live in south florida so its basically just hot humid weather, im not sure if oil and weather conditions matter a whole lot but i thought id mention it. its an old rebuild so its close to the end of its life and then its time to put a big block in it. But anyway, I just want to see what you guys had the best results with. Thanks
#4
Don't use any SN oil, I had lifter noise with SN 10w40 on a stock Olds 260. Switching to an SL oil eliminated the noise. I say stroke your 350, look what Mark's stroker package did to another 71 350, over 400 hp and 500 ft/lbs of torque.
#10
I use 10w40 motorcycle oil, only VR1 locally is SN rated and 20W50. Only thing motorcycle oil doesn't have is friction modifiers. Any brand with a SL or lower rating in a 10w40, 15W40, 15W50 or 20W50 should work.
#11
#12
I agree with Sugar Bear. If you're in south Florida you've got a climate as I do. Especially in summer with a worn engine use something like 15w-40 or 20w-50; and if it's got the flat lifters get an oil with sufficient zinc or add some.
#13
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/13-p...more-oils.html
#14
The Zinc oil myth, or why ruined lobes happened with plenty of zinc and scared people into special oils and additives, and also very expensive roller cams and lifters. And it got the cam companies off the hook
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/13-p...more-oils.html
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/13-p...more-oils.html
#15
I know those tests, they are interesting to red. I use the old formula Quarker State Defy, bought up all the old SL formula around. But it is 5W20, 5W30 and 10W30. The 88 has a worn out and sludged up Olds 260. It needs 10W40 to maintain any sort of oil pressure. So I thought, worn out valve springs and the tiny cam, SN 10W40 will be fine. I had this lifter rattling sound just after the oil change, same sound as when I had a lifter go in my old Dodge Van's 318. I also threw on the orange can of doom with that oil change but have never had issues despite Fram's iffy construction. I changed it to 10W40 SL rated motorcycle oil and the noise went away. I also tried high zinc diesel oil in my Olds V8, it stuck the rings on one of them. Oil itself is much better refined but has changed a lot due to emissions and all of it is similar in cost. Why take the risk on a fresh motor by running a 800 ppm zinc SN motor oil and possibly sending filings threw everything.
Following the ancient and very old instructions on the breakin of cams has always worked for me and the people I know. On a new engine I poor new oil into the oil filter and into the dry oil galleries, before putting the intake on. I make sure the moly paste is on the bottom of the lifters and on to the lobes, and no binding on the springs and a fast fire on the engine. High spring pressures and binding coils have always been bad for cams, just as bad new cores or lifters. Fast rise ramps can also be bad, or why you don't see roller lobes on cams used with flat tappet lifters, and they must use roller lifters with them. A non roller cam with too fast of acceleration rates may seem to break in fine, but then goes out in 10-20,000 miles, and they demand usually higher spring pressures increasing wear.
Now a days they are, or at least some are, advising to split the time on the breaking in of the cams into two 10-15 minute sessions. Some just drive down the road instead. On oil probably just about any will do, but I would look at VR1, Castrol, or only one of the highest protections oils 540Rat's testing shows at higher temps above 250 to be on the safest side. Zinc content doesn't even enter into it its just myth. Fake news LOL
Ben Franklin said the a lie will get out of bed and travel halfway around the world, before the truth can get out of bed and get its pants on.
On oil pressures, they seem not to matter much at idle, as long as they go higher fast when push comes to shove, with the gas pedal. Most of us have worried for decades watching our idle pressures. They are what they are it seems, unless there is a sudden change, then kill the motor fast and investigate.
On stuck rings I have only experienced it with older engines not driven much and sitting a lot. Pouring a little Marvel Mystery oil in the spark plug holes, and letting it do its thing for a few days seems to make it go away. In the old days of legend and making the legend, we use to say put a quart of transmission fluid in the oil, and a quart of motor oil in the transmissions.
But do what ya want.
#17
#19
Okay, I'm going to get the NAPA Gold oil filter(when I go on the NAPA website the 1049 filter says it doesnt fit my vehicle) I don't really trust their fitment, but if you say if it will fit on my 350 ill get it.
Now for engine oil, I'll be honest I'm more confused about engine oil than I have ever been haha after reading like 4 different forum discussions about it, in depth science behind oil, SL vs SN, the oil weight based on my hot climate, there's just a lot of opinions and facts out there. I'm just looking for the best protection for my engine. I don't want to order something online, I want to go to my local auto parts store and get it.
Now for engine oil, I'll be honest I'm more confused about engine oil than I have ever been haha after reading like 4 different forum discussions about it, in depth science behind oil, SL vs SN, the oil weight based on my hot climate, there's just a lot of opinions and facts out there. I'm just looking for the best protection for my engine. I don't want to order something online, I want to go to my local auto parts store and get it.
#20
Yes, the 1049 will fit, I use it on my Olds 260? I have to use the 1258 due to my exhaust routing on my Olds 350. Oil brand and even weight is a personal preference. I think the Vavoline VR1 you guys get down there is the SL rating, Napa carries that brand.
#21
I'm just skeptical on the VR1 for an engine that isnt going to the track and I think the oil would need to be changed more often then another choice. I want to drive this car more and hopefully make it a daily driver and I dont think the VR1 is good for a daily driver.
#22
and if i go with VR1 I guess I would go with this one.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/VAF679083
or mobil1
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MOF122326
I dont know if the 20w50 is too thick, I dont want my car to have to work more to start and lubricate slower on start up.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/VAF679083
or mobil1
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MOF122326
I dont know if the 20w50 is too thick, I dont want my car to have to work more to start and lubricate slower on start up.
Last edited by Christopher Michael Drew; March 25th, 2018 at 09:31 PM.
#24
#27
Trust me on this, I worked at auto parts stores when we looked things up in the books and I have researched the specs and applications for the filters to verify compatibility.
#32
After reading up on the different oils , I had used pennzoil for many years . I purchased my 72 cutlass a couple of years ago and used pennzoil last year , but after reading some info , it doesn’t really have zinc anymore. This year I am going to try Lucas hot rod and classic car oil. It’s not much more expensive than the pennzoil and has high zinc content . We’ll see how it goes.
#33
Alright so today in my ASE class, I changed my oil and filter with a couple guys during the maintenance portion of the class. The Valvoline VR1 and Wix 1258 Filter(the 1049 had clearance issues) went in good and well see how the car performs with it.
#34
#38
Yeah It might not be fuel lines, just saw two metal lines. I didnt get a good look where they went to. And im pretty sure a previous owner routed these new lines, so yes, if that's the case, they are incorrectly placed. but you were right about header clearance I had plently of room regarding headers.