Motor Oil for old Muscle

[E86 GTX]

OK what do you do for oil for your old engines. HP 71 440 GTX. Last rebuild 1985. Compression stock 9.7 and no hard seats. For fuel There is a little store near here that sells 89 octane with NO ETHANOL. Will use a lead substitute and octane boost if needed.

...............Thanks Again: Your Friend Ben

[bruce]

Use Brad Penn in my Road Runner. Don't have to add zinc to it... You're gonna want to get the heads reworked with hardened seats.

[74roadbird]

Amsoil makes 2 viscosities of Z-Rod with zinc that is supposed to be good for the older engines. Won't have a chance to try it for a couple of months, but plan to by the end of summer.

[E86 GTX]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have been told that with less than 10:1 compression that hard seats are not necessary? You can hear any thing at car shows and swap meets.

............Your Friend Ben

[Eric]

I typically run a synthetic (either valvoline or mobile 1) with a zinc additive (ZDDP)
http://zddplus.com/

[1bluegtx]

OK what do you do for oil for your old engines. HP 71 440 GTX. Last rebuild 1985. Compression stock 9.7 and no hard seats. For fuel There is a little store near here that sells 89 octane with NO ETHANOL. Will use a lead substitute and octane boost if needed.

...............Thanks Again: Your Friend Ben

Don't waste your money on octane booster or lead substitute.None of these really work.Find someplace that sells racing gas (cam2,turbo blue,etc)and mix a gallon or two with your tank of unleaded.It will give you enough lead to lube your valves and raise your octane a little.

Plus it really smells good!

BRIAN

[gcoupe72]

I talked with Shell and Chevron engineers last fall about this.

The consensus was that with a stock or mild flat tappet cam that's been broken in for years,

you're "safe" with off the shelf SN oils, in normal driving.

Now installing a new, or high lift flat tappet cam, yes use the additive for break-in, preferably with light

"brake-in" springs. And use oil with ZDDP or SN oil with an additive.

The Shell engineer said that their Rotella T (MULTIGRADE ONLY) still has 1200 ppm of the "good stuff"

The Chevron guy said the same thing about their Delo. The reason this is good news is that around here I can

quite often find these oils for about $12.95/gallon. And not have to add any additive.

I've read that off the shelf oils in the "good old days" had 1400 ppm. and current oils have less than 1000.

But, with a race engine, I'd use the "race oil".

[E86 GTX]

The car was semi restored in 1985. I say semi because there was a lot of body filler used. There was apparently something done to the engine at that time. It has a purple shaft cam and M/T valve covers. It was stored in 1987 until 2007 when I bought it. It cranks and runs very well with only a little roughness at idle So I do not believe that it was a very aggressive cam. With #'s matching drive chain and 87 K on the odometer and no smoke at cranking after sitting for a few days or while running. That makes me think it may have had a rebuild in 85. So did they grind valves then? I am on a pay as you go budget and am only able to do a restore to driving condition job, with the exception of the sheet metal which I am replacing now. So With it running so good I really do not want to tear it down to see what has been done. So what do I do, play it safe and use additives or just drive it and have fun?

.................................Thanks Again: Your Friend Ben

[E86 GTX]

1971 "E 86" GTX Project Car

[E86 GTX]

1971 "E 86" GTX Project Car with roof skin removed.

[E86 GTX]

IF this link works check out Mobil1 15W-50. What do you think?

1200 PPM Phosphorus

1300 PPM ZINC

Boosted, higher viscosity, advanced full synthetic formula designed for performance vehicles.
HT/HS applications. Racing and Flat tappet applications


http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... _Guide.pdf

[moparite]

You're gonna want to get the heads reworked with hardened seats.

I have been told that with less than 10:1 compression that hard seats are not necessary? You can hear any thing at car shows and swap meets.

Check the casting # of your heads. Most likely you WILL have to have hardened seats put in. Compression doesn't matter, What does is there is no lead in todays gas. Lead acted as a lubricant so hardened valve seats weren't needed. Back in the day i built a 383 with 906 heads(no hardened seats) and used to mix premium fuel with regular. Got octane from the premium and lead from the regular. The gas station attendants looked at me like i was nuts! Then in 1986 all leaded gas ended in the us:( Hardened valve seats are a must now unless you want the valves to wear themselves into the head.

[rradar71]

I was thinking about trying Lucas hot rod and muscle car oil. Its supposed to have 2100 ppm of zinc.

[E86 GTX]

I am going to use Valvoline VR1. It has 1400 ZDDP and 1300 phosphorus. Should be good enough for street use and it is avalable in synthetic and conventional at the local parts house.

. Your Friend Ben

[74roadbird]

I did some research on the Amsoil brand oils for Phosphorus and Zinc levels. The combined properties are called the ZDDP. The Amsoil ZRod oils have 1320ppm phos. and 1440ppm Zinc. Their 5W-20, 10W-30 and 15W-50 Dominator Racing Oils have 1424ppm phos. and 1575ppm zinc. The oils are formulated in northern Wisconsin and are all synthetic. If you go on their website, you can get more information by downloading their technical service bulletin MO-2007-08-05. If you decide to buy any please use reference # 531262.