So the engine in my 1969 oldsmobile cutlass has came to the 400 miles as directed by the machine shop with the break in oil they gave me. I am trying to change the engine oil but I am lost on what type and weight to use. It's a bone stock engine Iive in California. Conventional? Full synthetic? Brand?

 

Valvoline VR1 high zinc is best for all flat tappet engines. Since your engine is bone stock, I would use 10w30. It's not just for racing.
Check with your machine shop.

https://www.valvoline.com/our-produc...vr1-racing-oil

Good luck,

 

Swinner thank you sir. I've done some research and it keeps leading back to this oil you have pointed out. Would it be ok to run any filter or is there a specific one?

Oh and my machine shop had told me I can run 10 30 or 10 40 . With a conventional oil and pointed to the cheapest crap there is but I wouldn't want to put that in my engine since I've spent around 3k to get the engine rebuilt and accessories and so on.

 

I use Lucas high-zinc "Hot Rod and Classic" dinosaur oil. It's been fine. The problem with evaluating motor oils is, you can't tell how effective they are until some miles pile up and your engine is either sludged up and worn out or it isn't.

 

As said VR1, high ZDDP. Use a Hastings LF222 or Wix 51258 for a filter.

 

Alex Avila, I don't have a favorite filter, Wix or any name brand should work fine. Do you have O'Reilly's in your area? They have VR1 on special in Houston for 5.99 a quart.I just bought 6 qts of 30-W for my T-Bird.

 

VR1 on amazon has specials every now and then. Right now its $29.30 for a case of 6, free shipping. Click on the amazon link below.

 

Thanks guys. I found it at my local napa for 42 bucks for 6 quarts. So I'll be putting that in soon. 5 in engine and i always carry one for extra just in case.

 

stay lubricated
and hydrated
and stuff

 

I use the Lucas Hot Rod and Classic Car oil as well. Great stuff and high in zinc.

 

Use the Napa Gold filter 1258, it is made by Wix.

 

Nice. I read a thread about that also but wasn't sure if it was true.

I was also unaware about the Lucas hot rod oil. I was always told royal purple was the best thing out there but so many options. I'll stick with the vr1 for now then see if I use Lucas later in the future

I'm glad I asked and glad that I didn't go with the cheap stuff the machine shop told me to use. I noticed he was upset because it took him almost 2 years to rebuild my long block and he kept giving me the run around until I asked why he was upset. He told me that they gave me the wrong estimate. The estimate was for a Chevy not an olds. So it would be 1k more I told him a deal is a deal and I had other shops charging cheaper than him but I went with my gut feeling..and boy was i wrong. Lesson learned.

 

On the subject of oil, there is a lot to learn.





Bacon grease might be the best










For a more in depth look at it all


https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/201...-test-ranking/





Notice what Prolong did for oil on 540Rat's page, and you can find results for a similar product called Duralube, and it did on Project Farms testing. They both contain the same extra ingredient/chemical.


For a worn engine with loss of power and lower than normal cranking compression due to ring/cylinder wear a product called Restore, which seems to work well.