Oil type/use question

[souzape]

Mark- are you running a roller or flat tappet cam in your engine?

[mkassab]

I already own a lot of sync oil… 2 types…
- Castrol Syntec 5W-50
- Red Line 0W-40

For the first several hundred miles, I’m using the Gibbs oil and some 10w-40 oil with Red Line break in additive. Then I’ll drain, hook up my canton oil/filter/accu system and use Shell Rotella (about 15 quarts). Will run that ~12 months.

1. Is there any issue with either of these sync oils for my 427 sbf engine? I’d plan to wait to next year to use. I could wait longer.
2. Should I mix the two sync's above
3. Should I mix Shell Rotella with any of above.
4. If yes to mix… maybe 50-50?

Your advice needed. I don’t want to waste the sync oil I have. I sold a Porsche that used both.

Thanks Mark

[Slither]

What did Brent say?

[mkassab]

Brent’s opinion is “avoid the sync oil…. it finds ways to leak…. " For my low mileage he prefers I stick with Shell Rotella “dyno” oil. I may just end up selling this sync oil?

Mark

[B2 Motorsports]

....and the synthetic oil viscosity is too low for what I like in this engine. Keep the oil pressure up....

The dinosaur oil works just fine....you don't have anything else to put the synthetic stuff in? What does your wife drive?

[mkassab]

....and the synthetic oil viscosity is too low for what I like in this engine. Keep the oil pressure up....

The dinosaur oil works just fine....you don't have anything else to put the synthetic stuff in? What does your wife drive?

These new cars won't allow it. Heck, my wife's car calls for 0W-20. My Jeep calls for 5W-20. I'll have to check if this oil has "diesel" ratings to use in my truck?

[spd4me]

Everthing I read says that the Shell Rotella was made for diesel engines.
Bob

[mkassab]

Everthing I read says that the Shell Rotella was made for diesel engines.
Bob

Bob, you are correct, but that's not a bad thing.... 2 key reasons:
1. Rotella meet/exceeds all gas and diesel ratings (S* and C* (*=current letter rating, exp CJ for Diesel or SL for gas)).
2. Rotella has high ZDDP (zinc and phosphor anti-wear additives)

Recently, the EPA wanted lower ZDDP in our car (gas) oil because of potential cat converter shorten life.... at the expense of more engine wear. Because of this, oil with the higher ZDDP cannot claim the S* ratings any longer (or until they drop the ZDDP). Oil such as Red Line, Rotella, etc. won't do that. For our cars, without cat converters, it's not an issue and we want the higher ZDDP. Even with the Rotella, I'll still add a ZDDP additive.... as many do on this forum. Bottom line, Rotella is better than gas (non-diesel rated) oils. I could use Sync.... but with my very low annual miles I'll put on the car.... I'd just be throwing high $ oil away on my annual oil changes. At around ~15 qts per change, that's a lot of oil and $$'s !!

Mark

[eliminator]

Correction:

Rotella use to have high zinc ratings...no more.

I ended up sticking with the Valvoline Racing Oil, with a little dab of Marvel Mystery Oil.

I agree with Brent stay away from Synthetics.

[spd4me]

I changed from AmSoil to Schaeffer's Supreme 700 because of it's high zinc content. There's a new oil on the market called G Oil "Green" Motor Oil biodegradabel. When I was at the Petite LeMans last month one of the LMP2 prototypes was sponsored by it and talked to the engine mechanic about it. It's an animal and plant base oil. They run a Corvette LS1 factory sealed crate motor and run it for 85 hours between changes. I figure at 100 mph that's 8500 miles. www.getg.com
Bob

[B2 Motorsports]

He's running a solid roller.

[mkassab]

Mark- are you running a roller or flat tappet cam in your engine?

I'm sorry, I missed this question... roller cam.
Mark

[souzape]

The main issue with the zinc in the engine oil occurs with flat tappet cams...the more radical the cam profile, the more zinc becomes a factor (very high loadings at the cam face/lifter base contact point). If you're running a roller, you should really have no issue with any of the current motor oils on the market. That being said, I would have a real heart to heart talk with your engine builder regarding the clearances that your engine is set up for. Usually, with an older Windsor, Cleveland of FE engine you should be very careful about running anything lower than a 10W (10W-40, 20W-50) oil unless some specific work was done to optimize the engine for it. Since you live in Florida, it would appear that there would be no real reason for you to do so anyway.

[Tony Radford]

Bob, was the zinc content in the Amsoil insufficient? It used to be pretty high. I'be been running the 15w50 racing oil for a couple of years - ever since I had a spun bearing using Valvoline. I like the way the synthetic lubes on startup, especially in cold weather.

[spd4me]

Tony - Had no problems with Amsoil. Back when I did my research on motor oils, I found that Schaeffer's seemed to be the best in wear protection and the 2 ball-4 ball test. They are one of the best oils for farm equipment that stays ourside in cold weather and needs to start up quickly. Looking at the electron microscope photos, the zine seems to coat the metal with snake like scales. I couldn't locate anyone here in Birmingham that sold it so I went with the Amsoil. Last year I meet a guy that sells both so I wanted to try the Schaeffer's. I'm running solid lifters.
Bob

[Tony Radford]

Thanks Bob. I'm running solid as well in a 427 SB stroker no less. Lyle at S-A found a spun main bearing during an inspection a couple of years back. I was running Valvoline 50w in the summer and Valvoline 20w50 in the winter. Because of the zinc and Phosphorus levels, I picked Amsoil and have been using it ever since. I don't know how you tell if it's working well until something breaks, or hopefully doesn't break. Stuff's expensive, but so is a motor.

[spd4me]

One thing we spent most of our time talking about is the oil but probably more important is the oil filter. The particles in the oil are what grind away at our motors. In reasearching oil filters, I use the Amsoil filters. I found 2 good web sites. The second one "motoroilbible" use to be free but now you have to purchase the info.

www.bobistheoilguy.com

www.motoroilbible.com