What engine oil to run after 500 mile break in

[shiftpro]

I'm sure it's all broken down somewhere. Not saying u have to use synthetic. I think it's more of a preference thing. There should be some advantage to using it.

Well I suppose there is evidence it reduces friction. Perhaps that's enough reason to use it. I hear that old engines will leak when switched to synth. The molecules are smaller than petro oil?

It is quite the added expense though. It doesn't break down as fast as petro oil so it can run longer in an engine... just what would make me lose sleep.
Anyway as a propane wingnut I have to be careful to change oil on regular intervals because it doesn't go black like petro oil. Doesn't mean it's not breaking down.

 

[shiftpro]

Oil question but slightly off topic...

Who here uses old oil to 'pave' their gravel driveways? I can imagine the eco freaks completely losing it over this lol.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Oil question but slightly off topic...

Who here uses old oil to 'pave' their gravel driveways? I can imagine the eco freaks completely losing it over this lol.

35 years ago my dad would dump it on the road out in front of the house to keep the dust down as where we lived there was only 2 paved roads and we didn't live any where close to them. Lol

 

[gpmorgan]

Well I suppose there is evidence it reduces friction. Perhaps that's enough reason to use it. I hear that old engines will leak when switched to synth. The molecules are smaller than petro oil?

It is quite the added expense though. It doesn't break down as fast as petro oil so it can run longer in an engine... just what would make me lose sleep.
Anyway as a propane wingnut I have to be careful to change oil on regular intervals because it doesn't go black like petro oil. Doesn't mean it's not breaking down.

Yeah lp gas keep the oil real clean. I use to wotk on a lot of lp stuff in the material handling equip world.

 

[shiftpro]

35 years ago my dad would dump it on the road out in front of the house to keep the dust down as where we lived there was only 2 paved roads and we didn't live any where close to them. Lol

I can't wait to do this again... unless my shop has an engine oil burning furnace.
Dust makes go mental..

 

[74 Shortbed]

I do but I have a roller cam but Rotella is formulated for OTR trucks that need good oil so the engines run reliably for hundreds of thousands of miles I've used Rotella for years with out issue.

Rotella has Zinc in it that's why, although in the last couple years or so they have dropped the zinc content, but it still has it and better than none at all..

 

[CSFJ]

Rotella has Zinc in it that's why, although in the last couple years or so they have dropped the zinc content, but it still has it and better than none at all..

We got on the zinc discussion the other week at work. Ended up googling the answer. The Rotella still has above the minimum required amount for the older lifters. One of the guys I work with thinks it used to be higher, but we didn't have a way to prove it.

 

[74 Shortbed]

We got on the zinc discussion the other week at work. Ended up googling the answer. The Rotella still has above the minimum required amount for the older lifters. One of the guys I work with thinks it used to be higher, but we didn't have a way to prove it.

He is absolutely right, it used to have as much as "break in" oil you use today, reason they cut it down is because of cruise control, cruise control in big rigs have a fast idle option, flip the toggle switch and you're up on a fast idle so now you have a lot more oil splash on the cam, before that there was just low idle and had very little splash and cams didn't last long, go through a truck stop at night sometime and you'll hear them, I thought that was the greatest thing, on fast idle it's smooth and the slight hum will put you to sleep real quick, lol...

 

[Honky Kong jr]

They cut zinc because when it burns it kills cats. Damn tree huggers.

 

[74 Shortbed]

They cut zinc because when it burns it kills cats. Damn tree huggers.

Yep, that was part of it too..

 

[shiftpro]

He is absolutely right, it used to have as much as "break in" oil you use today, reason they cut it down is because of cruise control, cruise control in big rigs have a fast idle option, flip the toggle switch and you're up on a fast idle so now you have a lot more oil splash on the cam, before that there was just low idle and had very little splash and cams didn't last long, go through a truck stop at night sometime and you'll hear them, I thought that was the greatest thing, on fast idle it's smooth and the slight hum will put you to sleep real quick, lol...

Wow no doubt, I about fell asleep reading your post.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Wow no doubt, I about fell asleep reading your post.

Really....he is a bit long winded lol jk Art.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Really....he is a bit long winded lol jk Art.

LOL...

 

[MikeB]

Roller cam -- I'd use a name brand oil somewhere around 10W-30. The deal with synthetics is to hold off using them until after the rings seat, whenever that is.

Flat tappet cam -- Oil with "old school" levels of ZDDP. Google "oils with high ZDDP" to see what's available.

Even with a flat tappet cam, if the valve springs are stock, or even the lowest level performance springs, I am convinced by experience that Mobil 1 10W-30 will work fine AFTER the critical break-in period. Look it up on Mobil's website and you'll see its ZDDP content is higher than most.

If you don't know what type of cam you have, assume it's a flat tappet with high pressure valve springs.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Even with a flat tappet cam, if the valve springs are stock, or even the lowest level performance springs, I am convinced by experience that Mobil 1 10W-30 will work fine AFTER the critical break-in period.

When I got my dually I rebuilt the motor made a 468, put a brand new Crower cam, lifters and springs in, broke the cam in with Brad Penn "Break- in" oil for the usual 20 minutes or so, dumped it and put everyday off the shelf Castrol GTX in, it now has over 150,000mi on it and the cam looks like new, pulled it out of the dually when I sold it, it'll get freshened up and go in the C10..