Noob Question, How many quarts of oil, Tpye to use?

[Rebelmedic]

I am gonna change the oil in my new 70 C-10 beofre driving it to California from Texas,

I forgot to ask the guy I bought it from.
#1 How many quarts it takes
and
#2 What kind of oil I should use in it.

Its a rebuilt stock 350.

Thanks Guys.

[Stocker]

Five quarts (with filter change) is typical for a SBC. As to type, there are a lot of preferences out there. I use Chevron 10W-30 (dino).

[Arizona oldguy]

Most small block chevy's hold 5 quarts with a filter change. As for the viscosity in an older 350 I think I would use 30wt. I also heard an interesting thing from one of my friends that has built 4-72 chevy trucks, he told me that one of his engines that was just rebuilt flattened a cam shaft, he was told that the newer engine oils are better for the roller cam engines. He was told to use Rottela T 30wt. Not sure all of this is true but my friend now uses Rottela

[BAGNDRAGIT]

i personally run mobil1 high mileage 10w30 w/ a bottle of lucas in my 327. tats just me, i love me some lucas. others may disagree tho.

oh and ya 5qts, and dont skimp on the filter. just change it, they are cheap.

[jbristo67]

Originally Posted by BAGNDRAGIT

i personally run mobil1 high mileage 10w30 w/ a bottle of lucas in my 327. tats just me, i love me some lucas. others may disagree tho.

oh and ya 5qts, and dont skimp on the filter. just change it, they are cheap.

I love me some lucas

[mrein3]

I know the original thread starter is down south but lots of folks up north will be reading this some day.

Down south you can get away with a straight 30 weight oil. Up here you have to go to a multiweight like 10w-30.

You just might spin a bearing or do something else bad if you attempt to start a truck with straight 30 weight on a -20F morning.

Since my first oil change in 1984, I have been buying 5 quarts of Valvoline 10w-30 AND A NEW FILTER every time.

[Robert Bergstrom]

While working (1984) for the Forest Service in Avery Idaho (where Jesus lost his sandals) I tried to start my 1970 blue 250 stepside when it was -30 degrees with 30 weight (it had sat outside all night). It must have taken 10 minutes of cranking the engine to get the thing started. When it did it sounded like there were marbles in the crank case and there was a lot of black and white smoke coming out of it. Needless to say I switched to a 10-40 after that. I had the truck for another 10 years so the old six must not have been too damaged. I was the second owner of the truck and it was a base C-10 with a four speed (1st was a granny gear). I could put all of my worldly possessions in the bed of that truck until I got married in 1992.

[americanmusc1e]

Originally Posted by Arizona oldguy

Most small block chevy's hold 5 quarts with a filter change. As for the viscosity in an older 350 I think I would use 30wt. I also heard an interesting thing from one of my friends that has built 4-72 chevy trucks, he told me that one of his engines that was just rebuilt flattened a cam shaft, he was told that the newer engine oils are better for the roller cam engines. He was told to use Rottela T 30wt. Not sure all of this is true but my friend now uses Rottela

On my 388. I run Valvoline Racing 20w-50 because it has the high zinc already in it, but it's like $6 a quart. and a WIX or AC filter. that's what I would recomend................................................................... but, with a stock cam your chances of flattening it are slim, you could probably run a good non-synthetic motor oil in it. and a WIX or AC filter.

['72customdeluxe]

Where are you paying 6$ a quart for vr1? Or is it another racing type? It was 3.99 or 2.99 at O'reilly here. I got it one time because they didn't have the 10w-30 vr1. It has less detergents than a regular street oil however, so your engine will get nastier faster. It made a noticible (in a bad way) difference in power compared to 5w-30 and my oil pressure guage was useless with that much pressure. You don't need 20w-50 in a street driven mild engine. You might consider Mobil 1 High Mileage oil because it has over 1100 ppm zinc, excellent detergents (is cleaning my rings and bumping my compression nicely), has seal conditioners, and when you run it 6000 or so miles it's cheaper than running dino oil. On sale for 22$ for a 5 quart jug at wally world

[americanmusc1e]

Originally Posted by '72customdeluxe

Where are you paying 6$ a quart for vr1? Or is it another racing type? It was 3.99 or 2.99 at O'reilly here. I got it one time because they didn't have the 10w-30 vr1. It has less detergents than a regular street oil however, so your engine will get nastier faster. It made a noticible (in a bad way) difference in power compared to 5w-30 and my oil pressure guage was useless with that much pressure. You don't need 20w-50 in a street driven mild engine. You might consider Mobil 1 High Mileage oil because it has over 1100 ppm zinc, excellent detergents (is cleaning my rings and bumping my compression nicely), has seal conditioners, and when you run it 6000 or so miles it's cheaper than running dino oil. On sale for 22$ for a 5 quart jug at wally world

sorry, I must have gotten mixed up on my prices, thanks for the the the tip, I might try running M1 high mileage

[Sinister]

I like to add a bottle of Comp Cams engine break in oil additive or some EOS as well.

[mclairmo]

I use ZDDPlus in my older engines without roller cams. You can get it from Eastwood and others online. It adds the zinc that has been missing from oils for years now. Without that zinc, you can wipe out cam lobes. Rottela, EOS and diesel oils are used by many, too, for the same reason.

['72customdeluxe]

I run mobil 1 milage 10w-40, as it has TONS of detergents and enough zinc (1100 ppm). It's really helped to clean up the rings. But Rotella will work great too and keep your motor spotless in the future. But the Mobil is on sale for 22$ at wally world

['72customdeluxe]

Oh, and don't run a Fram, period

[BAGNDRAGIT]

Originally Posted by '72customdeluxe

Oh, and don't run a Fram, period

why do you say that? did i miss a memo

['72customdeluxe]

Because their quality sucks and you can get a better filter for the same price. Other than the stupidly overpriced K&N or Mobil 1, my order is Wix 51061, then Purolater, Ac Delco pf1218, then Walmart Supertech. The Fram can is thin and weak, the endcaps of the filter element are cardboard, not metal. When I cut my one fram open, the filter element was loose from the end cap in places. And would you rather metal or cardboard for the price? Plus they let larger particles through that go through your engine. They also have less filtering pleats, so less filter surface area. And if you want to get to the little details, the stupid black grip coating on them comes off in my hands and they never like to come unscrewed when you need it. I'd go with the Wix, beefy, filters out smaller particles, more pleats, and all metal. Isn't your motor worth the 2 extra dollars every 6000 miles (with synthetic of course)?

[BAGNDRAGIT]

well, you learn something new everyday. thanks.

im gonna go buy a new one now. DOH!

['72customdeluxe]

Originally Posted by BAGNDRAGIT

well, you learn something new everyday. thanks.

im gonna go buy a new one now. DOH!

Yup, new filter only takes 1 more quart of oil so it's worth it imo

[BAGNDRAGIT]

i agree my good man, and thanks again.

[70duramax]

thumbs up on the wix filter! there good ****. wix actaly makes a lot of other peoples filters too. like most parts store brands ie: napa and carquest

['72customdeluxe]

Another thing is, even with oil smeared on the gasket, the Fram is the only filter that never wants to come off. I had to punch holes in it and crush it etc. It wasn't overtightened and was only on for 1500 or so miles

['72customdeluxe]

That's a cartridge filter, completely different than a spin on. Plus i'm willing to bet that a Wix or such will filter out particles of a smaller size than that Fram also. So you'd have less wear

[Legolas894]

I guess if it's had this style filter for 42 years and the engine still runs pretty good, I'm not going to change now.

In the past, people didn't change oil and filters as often as they do now (or so I'm told). My mother had a '77 Buick, never changed the oil and the body fell apart in less than 10 years but way before anything ever happened to that engine.

I'm not advocating not changing oil just keeping it in perspective as to what the previous owners did.

My '67 was a farm truck. I bet the farmer wasn't changing that oil every 3 months!! Not with all the hay-wire holding stuff together.....

['72customdeluxe]

It's not "if you run a Fram, your motor will blow up" It's just that (talking spin on prices) you can get a better filter for the same money and the best for 2 dollars more. Over a 6000 mile oil change interval, will that 2$ really hurt you? And if you're worried about it's performance you would do your engine right regardless of what the po did right? I'm not advocating some super expensive oil or exotic part for an old truck, just spend 2$ more on a filter

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I run Valvoline SAE30 in all the trucks, with AC Delco PF1218's since they don't make the dang PF35's anymore.