New to Mopar

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Valiant273

Active Member
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Jun 29, 2016
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Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Hi Guys/Gals

New to Mopar. Just picked up a 65 Valiant Custom 200, 273 Commando, 4 speed. Bought from a dealer north west of Toronto who (sorta) specializes in muscle cars. According to what I was told, new clutch, new cam, new intake, new Holley 600. Body is in remarkably good shape for its year and where it lived all its life. Interior quite presentable too. Paint: a 20 footer, not a super job but not too bad.

One pic from my 7 hour drive back home. More pics to come and likely lots of questions forthcoming.

65Valiant.JPG
 
Thanks for the welcome. I have been traditionally a GM guy, owing a 65 Chevy 11, a 66 Cutlass, a 67 Acadian Sport Deluxe, 70 Camaro, 69 Chevelle and most recently a 68 Chevelle that was T-boned and written off a month ago. Onwards and upwards as they say, the Valiant grew on me pretty quick. :)
 
Welcome to Mopar!! Looks like a great Valiant!!

And a long drive like that is a great way to get acquainted.
 
Found out more details on my acquisition

New Edelbrock intake and 600cfm carb, Spitfire headers, comp cam 468 lift, newer a833 tranny, full stainless dual 2.5 exhaust with cutouts, new clutch. Motor freshened up 2 years ago before previous owner bought it. Mufflers? Not sure, look like torpedos, gotta be pretty straight through as it's loud as hell.
Seems to go though a bit of oil and lifter/drivetrain noise off and on kind of annoying. Normal though??
 
Be sure to have zinc in that oil.... either additive or already in the oil
 
News to me have never heard about using zinc. Is this specific to this engine? What oil has it and why do I need it? (excuse my newbieness)
They pulled most of the zinc out of oils several years ago because it was linked to plugging up catalyst converter. Means almost all vehicles had roller cams by the very late eighties, there really wasn't a great need for high zinc ppm. Our older motors with non roller cams need the zinc. This is especially true on new cams. You can add zinc with additive (bought at local parts store), order it on line (ZDDP Maxx), or run a oil that has it already in it like VR1 Valvoline (O'reilly's sells it) for examples. These by all means aren't the only choices, just examples.
Without the zinc, higher risk of lobes going "flat" on the cam (this would be bad news). If your running a factory stock motor with 60,000 miles on it, you should be ok with over the counter oils (although zinc is still a cushion for the cam). If you have a new cam, higher than stock valve springs, you need the zinc.
 
They pulled most of the zinc out of oils several years ago because it was linked to plugging up catalyst converter. Means almost all vehicles had roller cams by the very late eighties, there really wasn't a great need for high zinc ppm. Our older motors with non roller cams need the zinc. This is especially true on new cams. You can add zinc with additive (bought at local parts store), order it on line (ZDDP Maxx), or run a oil that has it already in it like VR1 Valvoline (O'reilly's sells it) for examples. These by all means aren't the only choices, just examples.
Without the zinc, higher risk of lobes going "flat" on the cam (this would be bad news). If your running a factory stock motor with 60,000 miles on it, you should be ok with over the counter oils (although zinc is still a cushion for the cam). If you have a new cam, higher than stock valve springs, you need the zinc.


Thanks! It is a new cam so I better find some of the oil with or additive pronto.
 
Good chance the engine builder would have known this, and a good chance you bought it with zinc in it. But if you changed oil, or if you are going to change oil soon, then yes, you need zinc. Right now I have one engine on ZDDP Maxx from online (ebay), and I have another engine on 10w-30 VR1 Valvoline and both are working just fine
 
...
Seems to go though a bit of oil and lifter/drivetrain noise off and on kind of annoying. Normal though??

Oil should be a QT about 1,500 to 3,000 miles. Hopefully you can adjust the lifters, unless it was converted to hydraulic lifters. If hydraulic lifters, your cam may be going flat already. I second or third the zinc and go to a substantial oil such as 20w50 or straight 30.
 
If the OP isn't use to hearing solid lifters, might be what he is hearing. But if the car is loud as stated, and still the lifters are bothering, well, could be lifters need adjusting, hopefully no worn lobes.....
 
If the OP isn't use to hearing solid lifters, might be what he is hearing. But if the car is loud as stated, and still the lifters are bothering, well, could be lifters need adjusting, hopefully no worn lobes.....


They are solid lifters and perhaps I'm not used to hearing them :) The noise seems to lessen or gain willy nilly though.
 
Yes, I think so. Maybe with some searching you might be able to track him down. Unfortunately, with the change in the FABO format most of the pictures are gone from old threads.
 
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