Which oil for my /six? Yes, I know this has been asked b4!

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53ryder

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Have read threads here and on other sites. I may be regretting doing so. So my recently bought '64 Valiant has a 225cid /six. The oil is nicely black and I'm sure in need of changing.

I've come to the conclusion to get a Wix oil filter, which is no problem here. But what oil to run in my engine? Delo 15W-40 or Rotella T(15W-40)? Or just put in some Valvoline or Castrol? I can get all of the forementioned oil brands so access is no problem either.

I almost hate to ask this question for knowing I'll get a bunch of different answers.

Please don't hate me! Just trying to figure out what to do!



Glenn](*,)
 
10 30 or 10 40 will be fine.
 
Its really hot here in the summer, so I use 15-40. But in cooler climates 10-30 is good.
 
hogwash. 15 40 wasn't around to run when slants were new. 10 30 or 10 40 or even straight 30 or 40 weight. It worked good then and it'll work good now. Save your money for beer.
 
Based off of your location I would run 10W-30. Just be sure what your buying has a high Zinc content. In the late 90's the federal government mandated that oil producing companies reduce the amount of zinc for emissions reasons and to help prolong the life of catalytic converters. The problem with that is, the older vehicles that still use standard flat tappet cams, like you slant 6, needs that Zinc to help reduce friction and heat between metal on metal components. Usually diesel oil like Rotella has high amounts of zinc in them, but be careful because even the diesel oil is starting to reduce zinc. Last time I looked the Rotella with high zinc content only came in 10W-40 or 20W-50. The 10W-40 will be fine just don't go beating on the motor before you warm the oil up, to be sure you have full oil flow.
 
Adding zinc, okay. What would be a easily found zinc additive I could find at O'Reillys or Autozone or NAPA?

Glenn
 
the high mileage oils whether it be Castrol or whatever are already zinc rich. don't over think it. get you a jug of high mileage Castrol 10 30 or 10 40 , dump it in and fly like the wind

shouldn't be long before this turns into a full synthetic pissing match
 
I understand that people have strong views on things like 'which brand oil' or 'which brand filter'? Thanks all for being level-headed in your responses so far.


Glenn
 
73AbodEE said:
shouldn't be long before this turns into a full synthetic pissing match
Click to expand...

Not from this white boy. I gave my 2 cents. Can you say gimmick? lol

Oh and every single cam company will tell you the zinc thing is really only necessary at cam breakin. Once broken in, it's really not needed anymore. The new oils are not zinc FREE, they simply have reduced amounts. Once a camshaft is properly broken in, putting reduced zinc oil in the engine will not be the cause of camshaft or lifter failure. In fact, too much zinc can cause damage too. Don't take my word for it. Call some cam manufacturers. Do you have a factory service manual for your car? If not, get one. It will tell you real quick what kind of oil to run.

Ok.....that's my 3 cents. I'm out. Yall can piss all over yerselves. LOL
 
Ok. Whatever you say sir.
 
Well for whatever it's worth I just got back from a shopping trip. A Wix filter and a 5 quart jug of Castrol 10W-30 High Milage oil. Will see how it works.

..and thanks for all the support! I do really appreciate it!



Glenn
 
I am a firm believer in synthetic oil & 12,000 mile oil changes for modern roller lifter engines. For flat tappet engines synthetics are not "slippery" enough.
 
ive always used Havoline 10w30 or 10w40....... BUT, ive just in the past 3-4 years became really attached to the Valvoline High Mileage 10w30 or 10w40.......not for the high mileage part, but because it just works better in my opinion....normal oil after 2500-3000 miles is BLACK. GOTTA change it...which is good. thats right. but in the real world, sometimes you cant change your oil on time...thats why i like the Valvoline High Mileage oil. you can go past your oil change and it still has not broke down...makes me feel better about my engine protection.

since ive been running it, ive not had a single problem....had on old car, nothin fancy or valuable. i put the Valvoline High Mileage in myself and forgot about it...kept a check on my oil regularly, always looked good. one day i looked at my odometer and realized that i had a little over 12000 miles on that oil. i changed it immediately, but thats how good it has been for me. just keeps me protected.
 
From my understanding, black oil comes from carbon being suspended in the oil. In other words, the oil is doing its job and cleaning out the engine.
 
/6 Matt, I can agree with that. I don't know for sure but it sounds good . It's not so much the black I'm worried about as it is the oil seems to break down and get super thin.
 
Yall talkin about oil color makes me think of why I like the particular brand oil that I do. ......and it's a stupid reason I know, but here it is. I like Valvoline. Not because "top mechanics choose it, blah blah blah......" but because it's lighter in color than just about any other brand and I figure it'll take longer to get dirty. How's that for stupid? LMAO

All kiddin aside, maybe I was a little harsh in post #10, but what I am trying to get across is this. Carbon based oils have been around for over 100 years. Go back and read that again. Just because your favorite motosports shows on the weekend say synthetic is best, don't make it so. Sure, it's best for the companies that sell it. But is it really what you NEED? I'm sure somebody on here can show me all kinda data tellin me it's what I need, but where does that data come from? From the companies that sell synthetic oil. That's just too suspect for me to jump on the badwagon.

When I worked for a small one man owned machine shop in the 80s.......before a lot of you were born, we were the only local Amsoil dealer, so I know a little about synthetic oil. You know what their pitch was? That if you changed to Amsoil with an Amsoil filter, all you'd have to do from THERE on out was put on a new Amsoil filter and add 1 quart of oil every ten thousand miles. I didn't buy it then and I don't buy it now.

Is synthetic oil a good product? Yup. I don't debate it one bit. Is it that danged good? I'll put it this way. My wallet doesn't think so.
 
Well I'm not going to get into a pissing match on synthetic or conventional with you because I agree with the wallet liking me for using conventional. but here's a good example of a synthetic loyalist: mybest friend owns a 2004 Subaru wrx turbo since new. the car has nearly 400,000 on the clock now. No major engine work besides tuneup, and timing belts. regularly changes his oil every 5000 with synthetic. now I'm not trying to convert anyone to a synthetic user but I have a good educated guess that the synthetic worked for him.
 
71Scamper said:
Well I'm not going to get into a pissing match on synthetic or conventional with you because I agree with the wallet liking me for using conventional. but here's a good example of a synthetic loyalist: mybest friend owns a 2004 Subaru wrx turbo since new. the car has nearly 400,000 on the clock now. No major engine work besides tuneup, and timing belts. regularly changes his oil every 5000 with synthetic. now I'm not trying to convert anyone to a synthetic user but I have a good educated guess that the synthetic worked for him.
Click to expand...

I,ve got 250 k so far on my s10 with conventional changed every 5k and have never cracked a valve cover, replaced a chain.Nothing but water pumps alternators and filters. Nothing oil related. 30 weight in winter 40 weight in summer,in Houston.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Not from this white boy. I gave my 2 cents. Can you say gimmick? lol

Oh and every single cam company will tell you the zinc thing is really only necessary at cam breakin. Once broken in, it's really not needed anymore. The new oils are not zinc FREE, they simply have reduced amounts. Once a camshaft is properly broken in, putting reduced zinc oil in the engine will not be the cause of camshaft or lifter failure. In fact, too much zinc can cause damage too. Don't take my word for it. Call some cam manufacturers. Do you have a factory service manual for your car? If not, get one. It will tell you real quick what kind of oil to run.

Ok.....that's my 3 cents. I'm out. Yall can piss all over yerselves. LOL
Click to expand...

If you are not running insane cam profiles and spring pressures, it's a nonissue so long as you use a good cam lube at assembly and use a zinc containing supplement on initial start. GM EOS or the Lycoming version are good.

Just about any good oil that is clean and fresh is good for this engine. Use good filters and change oil and filter regularly.

We used AD Aeroshell in the airport equipment I serviced with Slant 6s, Ford 300 sixes and 53 Series Detroit Diesels. The gas engines were all run on avgas and the Detroits on jet fuel with Power Service added. The only problem is that on 100LL they would foul plugs if idled excessively. We used it because we had it. There is no reason to use it (Aeroshell oil) otherwise on these engines.

I use the cheapest SAE rated detergent oil I can find at the auto parts place. I could get it cheaper at WalMart but the auto parts place I use I would rather support than WM. I have a Frantz toilet paper bypass filter and I change all three about every three or four months regardless of mileage.
 
If you aren't going to run canola oil then I would suggest 10w-30 in the brand of your choice as long as it's not below freezing in the winter.

These things are nearly bulletproof so I'm sure canola oil would work as well.
 
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