Oil, Filters, and Changes

[firebane]

Your spring pressure is a need to know thing if your doing a cam swap if your springs have too much pressure you'll wipe out a few cam lobes after break in and the first 2 miles! And you might end up doing it a few times before you realize I usually break my cams in at about 1800rpm for about 20 mins, and of course watching it like a Hawk and listening very carefully haha

You need to break a cam in at least around 3,000rpm. Most manufacturers will tell you that if your springs are too heavy to use lighter springs for the break in.

 

[da_raabi]

I probably go a little overkill on this but i use Amsoil Z-Rod oil and a Wix 2 quart filter - which should fit your SBC fine.

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10556

 

[PrairieDrifter]

You need to break a cam in at least around 3,000rpm. Most manufacturers will tell you that if your springs are too heavy to use lighter springs for the break in.

I've had no problems at 1800 so far. Yep but depending on the cam you choose and the lift it has you may need lighter springs for the setup

 

[Rusty Nail]

During my 15 years as a full service automobile technician, I only saw two engine failures that resulted from the oil filter. They both were Fram - one Chrysler, one Nissan.

I run only Quaker State oil and Wix filters.
I use only Valvoline transmission fluid and Wix filters

6 months is too long of a change interval. The "3 months or 3000 miles" isn't arbitrary. Oil is a suspension and has a half life like everything else. In time it will separate, the detergents decay, and one ends up doing more harm than good EVEN IF it isn't immediately detectable.

P.S. I use the weight of oil recommended by the dude that built it. Your oil cap doesn't say 15-40 on it, or 10-40... what did you have to do before becoming smarter than the General? Do you make and sell more cars longer than he does? Oh. Perhaps you know something about it that Louis Chevrolet didn't. You know the engine he built better than he does? Might as well tell GOD he made the sky the wrong color or something...

For the record : I have never heard of zddp? Like 7up, never have/never will use it. I think Pennzoil is one of the worst oils on the market next to Castrol and if I EVER find reason to switch, I'd choose Valvoline.

 

[mistaake]

During my 15 years as a full service automobile technician, I only saw two engine failures that resulted from the oil filter. They both were Fram - one Chrysler, one Nissan.

I run only Quaker State oil and Wix filters.
I use only Valvoline transmission fluid and Wix filters

6 months is too long of a change interval. The "3 months or 3000 miles" isn't arbitrary. Oil is a suspension and has a half life like everything else. In time it will separate, the detergents decay, and one ends up doing more harm than good EVEN IF it isn't immediately detectable.

P.S. I use the weight of oil recommended by the dude that built it. Your oil cap doesn't say 15-40 on it, or 10-40... what did you have to do before becoming smarter than the General? Do you make and sell more cars longer than he does? Oh. Perhaps you know something about it that Louis Chevrolet didn't. You know the engine he built better than he does? Might as well tell GOD he made the sky the wrong color or something...

For the record : I have never heard of zddp? Like 7up, never have/never will use it. I think Pennzoil is one of the worst oils on the market next to Castrol and if I EVER find reason to switch, I'd choose Valvoline.

OK... Please save me the time, what weight oil does GM recommend?

 

[flyboy1100]

During my 15 years as a full service automobile technician, I only saw two engine failures that resulted from the oil filter. They both were Fram - one Chrysler, one Nissan.

I run only Quaker State oil and Wix filters.
I use only Valvoline transmission fluid and Wix filters

6 months is too long of a change interval. The "3 months or 3000 miles" isn't arbitrary. Oil is a suspension and has a half life like everything else. In time it will separate, the detergents decay, and one ends up doing more harm than good EVEN IF it isn't immediately detectable.

P.S. I use the weight of oil recommended by the dude that built it. Your oil cap doesn't say 15-40 on it, or 10-40... what did you have to do before becoming smarter than the General? Do you make and sell more cars longer than he does? Oh. Perhaps you know something about it that Louis Chevrolet didn't. You know the engine he built better than he does? Might as well tell GOD he made the sky the wrong color or something...

For the record : I have never heard of zddp? Like 7up, never have/never will use it. I think Pennzoil is one of the worst oils on the market next to Castrol and if I EVER find reason to switch, I'd choose Valvoline.

it is amazing what a used oil analysis can tell you. my 3800 powered buick with 260,000 miles on it originally spec'd for 10w-30 dino oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles was tested and proven to run 10k mile intervals using Mobil 1 0w-30.....

i'm pretty sure the owners manual for my 1986 GMC specs oil changes at 6mo or 7,500 miles. can't remember the weight, but i think it is also 10w-30. should be SF rated...

 

[firebane]

Engines break down and its cheaper to run a heavier oil than to do a rebuild.

There is nothing wrong with running a 10w40 oil or a 15w40 oil in a older truck. But it also depends on the climate you live.

A 15w oil in -30 isn't going to pleasant but a 5w or 10w oil won't be so bad.

 

[MadOgre]

During my 15 years as a full service automobile technician, I only saw two engine failures that resulted from the oil filter. They both were Fram - one Chrysler, one Nissan.

I run only Quaker State oil and Wix filters.
I use only Valvoline transmission fluid and Wix filters

6 months is too long of a change interval. The "3 months or 3000 miles" isn't arbitrary. Oil is a suspension and has a half life like everything else. In time it will separate, the detergents decay, and one ends up doing more harm than good EVEN IF it isn't immediately detectable.

P.S. I use the weight of oil recommended by the dude that built it. Your oil cap doesn't say 15-40 on it, or 10-40... what did you have to do before becoming smarter than the General? Do you make and sell more cars longer than he does? Oh. Perhaps you know something about it that Louis Chevrolet didn't. You know the engine he built better than he does? Might as well tell GOD he made the sky the wrong color or something...

For the record : I have never heard of zddp? Like 7up, never have/never will use it. I think Pennzoil is one of the worst oils on the market next to Castrol and if I EVER find reason to switch, I'd choose Valvoline.

Well I have used Penzoil for like 20 years now and have never gone wrong in fact my engines are cleaner and last longer than most I have owned previously and those that I can compare to.

Any oil is crap if oil changes are neglected. Same can be said that most oils are decent if oil changes are maintained with new filters every time.

I do use the recommended viscosity as doing otherwise is foolish unless you have rebuilt the bearings your self and know the tolerances compared to stock specs.

10-30 in the summer and 5-30 in the winter if not using a block heater.

I have a hard time taking you seriously when you are raving and promoting Quaker State the only oil that I have seen engines disintegrate on ! Also zddp has been around before I was born so I dunno dude.

I do use the recommended viscosity and religiously change my oil 5 or 6 times a year.

I even change the oil for something to do just because Im bored lol.

This is the single most reason for extended engine and transmission life. By simply keeping the fluids nice and fresh along with new filters!

Fram filters are ok if changed frequently @3000 or less. The problem with fram is when your filter is full then look out.

That being said the WIX filters seem to be about the best filter out there. WIX and Napa filters are the best. And the WIX ones are about $1 cheaper ta boot.

 

[MadOgre]

Engines break down and its cheaper to run a heavier oil than to do a rebuild.

There is nothing wrong with running a 10w40 oil or a 15w40 oil in a older truck. But it also depends on the climate you live.

A 15w oil in -30 isn't going to pleasant but a 5w or 10w oil won't be so bad.

This is also correct but ultimately you are better off doing the rebuild because by the time you are done running diesel oil in you small block the internals are completely trashed.

 

[firebane]

This is also correct but ultimately you are better off doing the rebuild because by the time you are done running diesel oil in you small block the internals are completely trashed.

Diesel oil isn't the only type that is heavier in grade. The oil I'm running now isn't a diesel oil and its specifically designed for older vehicles and its a 15w40 oil.

 

[mistaake]

Well, diesel oil doesn't contain diesel... why does it matter then? lol

 

[flyboy1100]

This is also correct but ultimately you are better off doing the rebuild because by the time you are done running diesel oil in you small block the internals are completely trashed.

so the what about the 30,000 miles i have on my motorcycle running Rotella t6?? am I doomed

look at the API label on diesel oils, most of them are lagging behind on current API standards, which is perfect for an older gasoline engine. my motorcycle calls for SF/SG/SH as the newest standard, that was 20+ years ago. current standard is SN. T6 I believe was reformulated a year or so ago and I have quit using it (SM standard now IIRC) before it was SJ.

 

[MadOgre]

Im pretty sure I was talking about viscosity for well used motors

 

[Skweegle89]

I broke my new motor in with 15-40 and comp additive. If I get 10 years out of it il be happy.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[GTME94]

I tend to avoid these threads as they get pretty heated but I'm jumping in anyway.

Diesel oil is designed to combat the effects of diesel combustion byproducts and blow-by which can be different from gasoline byproducts and blow-by.
An oil analysis will give you many numbers two of which are TAN and TBN. Total acid number and total base number. Just like chemistry class you want your oil to remain ph neutral and gasoline and diesel combustion drive the oil to be different ph. Also, diesel has much higher soot levels than gasoline (although that is changing with more gasoline direct injection) and the oil is designed to combat that.

If you regularly change your oil then it most likely doesn't matter if you use diesel oil in a gas engine. But, the oil is designed for extreme usage and abuse of longer change intervals so it must combat the negative effects of people not changing their oil. So that's part of the reason there are gasoline and diesel specific grades of oil.

There are just a couple of oil additive manufacturers that sell their products to the many companies that sell brand name oils. All of them have to meet the minimum specs of the current API specs. If you buy a brand name oil and change it regularly you should be fine no matter the brand since they all must meet the minimum specs. (Of course everyone I know of has a brand they will never use since an engine they know of failed with it) The auto companies do extensive dyno and fleet testing to determine oil weight and change interval.(Also, the factory oil filters are marked differently than anything that can be purchased, even at a dealer. Don't drive for 35k miles and not change your oil or filter and then file a warranty claim, they will know if you never changed a filter) With newer cars and trucks, the lighter weight oil is spec'd to help improve fuel economy. lighter weight oil requires less pumping work and saves a little bit of fuel.