Oil

[dmdeaton]

You guys are going to get tired of me. What oils are you running in the engine block? I was told to run a certain weight of Rotella? I was also told no synthetics.

[pAAt]

I was told clean oil works the best, but then I'm a coward !!

[Mitch]

https://www.vintagefordforum.com/forum/model-a/190-white-walls-or-black-walls-which-oil-thread

[pAAt]

Can't stop laughing ! What kind of link was that, but it did make sense....................,but I have none

[dmdeaton]

first thread of the forum, no wonder my search didn't pull that up

[Mitch]

You were told wrong,, i run synthetics in one of my cars mobil 1 15w50 and rotella 15w40 in the other

[dmdeaton]

You were told wrong,, i run synthetics in one of my cars mobil 1 15w50 and rotella 15w40 in the other

Mobil 1 is all I have ever run in my moderns.

[Big hammer]

Your model A will like you if you also run mobil 1 in it

[Beauford]

I ran oil and water in my last A engine...doesn't work well

[Ray Horton]

Oil. Yes. Use it.
(I thought this was a banned subject :p, or at least a sticky.)

[Mitch]

bridge.jpg

[Mitch]

What did the previous owner use?

[Ray Horton]

Oil.

[Mitch]

We Hope

[dmdeaton]

Previous owner passed away. I have all receipts and notes, but haven't gone through all yet.

[tbirdtbird]

This debate will never end. My engine builders book strongly suggests a hi-zinc oil for break-in. He reminds us that any area of the engine that has friction, such as rings, bearings, etc, and NOT just the lifters, will benefit. A. Graham Bell has written extensively on engine building.

Rotella used to have high zinc, but no more. Valvoline racing oil does, so that is what we use (30 weight straight for the first 1000 miles). After that he strongly advises Mobil 1, like a 20W50. He states that the synthetics are clearly superior lubricants. He shows lots of data to back that up.

Ya gotta be careful. Castrol and Mobil went to war over the wording for 'synthetic'. Castrol put forth the idea that the concept was for marketing only and had nothing to do with the actual type of oil. Mobil disagreed. The judge must have been asleep because he sided with Castrol. See if I ever buy their stuff.
What does this mean to guys like us? Read the label to see what you are really getting.
My Silverado comes with a factory recommendation for Mobil1.

He mentions another reason to change oil. Not only does the oil get contaminated, despite the filter, but the carbon chains get cut up by gears and such and end up smaller, thus they do not polymerize (thicken) as well with temperature. So, 2 reasons to be sure to change your oil.

Some say any oil is better than the oils of 1930. True. You just dropped $3500 bucks for an overhaul, why not toss in the best you can? Is there a reason not to?

BTW synthetic is so slippery that it will take a motor forever to break in. Avoid it for break-in use. You want the rings to seat!

[Beauford]

Good info! I just bookmarked this!!!

[Rowdy]

Had one engine that someone had put a grease zerk in the block lip above the timing gears. Guesse when the timing gear started to make noise he put a shot or two of grease in. Not sure what oil he used, but seems he thickened it over time. That has got to be one one of the strangest farmrer fixes. Think he would have been better off changing the gears. Rod

[Dennis]

Watch the video Richard Fallucca from AER did and what he recommends. 5W-30 or 10W-30. Yikes!! Seems a little thinish to me.: His recommendation...

[tbirdtbird]

Not sure what data he has to support that, but yes, that is his advice.
Anyone can suggest anything they want.
After we do our research here, we know what we are gonna use. We like hard data.
The 0W- and 5W- and 10W- are more appropriate for modern super-tight tolerance motors, which we don't have

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I just bought a case of 3 gallons of 15w/40 dello SDE, which supposedly is 50% better than the se. It has 800 ppm zinc. It's fairly new on the market. I've always run 15w/40. Originally dello 400, then the rotella t triple protection. I did not know they had lowered the zinc in it. The SDE has some other chemical that adds anti wear protection. I also believe zinc may not be needed, but if it adds anti wear protection and therefore longer engine life, why not.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Naw, this subject isn't that bad new guys are always wanting some advice on this and there is plenty of good advice on the subject.

I run Motorcraft 10W-40 because 1.) it is refined for Ford by Phillips-Conoco that bought out the Kendall GT-1 refinery which was a great racing engine oil hence the red bottle, 2.) I was a former Ford Parts Mgr. old habits die hard (had a 3.0 V-6 in an Escape that ran 5W-30 Motorcraft for 220,000 miles, developed a drip out of the pan gasket a Ford mechanic friend changed the gasket and asked me 'What kind of oil are you running? and I told him, plus a Motorcraft filter and why? he said because the bottom end of that engine was spotless, it looked like new and the pan was as clean as a whistle) and 3.) you can pick it up at WalMart pretty reasonably.

I don't worry about Zinc in the Model A or the Flathead but I do add a bottle of ZDDP to the Mach 1 at oil change time. Any name brand oil is fine. Mobil, Shell, Havoline, Phillips Trop Artic, they are all good.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Had one engine that someone had put a grease zerk in the block lip above the timing gears. Guesse when the timing gear started to make noise he put a shot or two of grease in. Not sure what oil he used, but seems he thickened it over time. That has got to be one one of the strangest farmrer fixes. Think he would have been better off changing the gears. Rod

That's EASIER than BRUSHIN' grease on the gears.
Bill W.

[plyfor]

Extensive study done years ago by the Porsche Club for horiz. opposed engines with tear down comparisons and oils with zinc, etc. The zinc had some benefit. We use the ZDDP in our classics but not for ( modern) cars with catalytic convertors. The red bottle of zinc enhanced STP was on the the market for awhile and then pulled for environ.. reasons.

[mhsprecher]

I run Mobil 1 in my two As and my 39 V8. My 45 truck is a bit leaky, so I use 20w-50 regular oil in that. All my moderns get Mobil 1, too. The only thing I will likely do is move to 20w - 40 for my Model As because Ford recommended 40w. Rich Fallucca has forgotten more than I will ever know about engines, so I would never challenge him. There was a great seminar on oil at the MARC meet in Gettysburg. They should have videoed it for posting on You Tube.

[CarlG]

Right now mine has Rotella T4 15W40 (last 2 oil changes)

[Mitch]

I just changed mine with the T5 15W40 semi-syn

[Mike V. Florida]

Here is the most honest answer you are going to get, any oil of the correct weight designed for a motor vehicle will work perfectly.