Engine builder says to use valvoline 20w50

[IvelDesigns]

so what would you guys run in a stock '72 BBC? VR-1 20w50?

[truckster]

I have a friend who owns a machine shop and he builds engines for NHRA. He says he uses the Delo.

[special-K]

I`m Castrol all the way with narry a problem.I run 20/50w.Nothing against Valvoline,just had no reason to switch.

[Jim_PA]

I'm still curious as to why all the 20w 50 users? Isn't that stuff a little thick?

[69GMCLonghorn]

If you have a race engine (define this, please!), maybe you need some special additives. But really... the oils today are so good that we can get away with running a thinner oil and not damage the engine. If it's old and worn out, then 20W50 is good. Otherwise, save your money on the additives, etc. Use a good synthetic in either 10W30 or 40 and be done with it. If your motor is screwed up, dump some STP in it until you can afford to throw it in da guttah and go buy anuddah...

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by 69GMCLonghorn

If you have a race engine (define this, please!), maybe you need some special additives. But really... the oils today are so good that we can get away with running a thinner oil and not damage the engine. If it's old and worn out, then 20W50 is good. Otherwise, save your money on the additives, etc. Use a good synthetic in either 10W30 or 40 and be done with it. If your motor is screwed up, dump some STP in it until you can afford to throw it in da guttah and go buy anuddah...

The point of the additives is to replace the zinc thats missing in the new oils. Necessary because of the flat tappet cams that came in these trucks.

[70cst]

Good Thread!

[tim21391]

i run castrol gtx 10w-30 in my 72 and in my 00 eclipse...

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Jim_PA

I'm still curious as to why all the 20w 50 users? Isn't that stuff a little thick?

That's why I was questioning the use of 20w50 in a new motor.

Originally Posted by 69GMCLonghorn

If you have a race engine (define this, please!), maybe you need some special additives. But really... the oils today are so good that we can get away with running a thinner oil and not damage the engine. If it's old and worn out, then 20W50 is good. Otherwise, save your money on the additives, etc. Use a good synthetic in either 10W30 or 40 and be done with it. If your motor is screwed up, dump some STP in it until you can afford to throw it in da guttah and go buy anuddah...

Oils today lack ZDDP thats why we need additive or special oils that have it.
My motor is new, and cannot use synthetics yet.
What oil are you using?
s/t

[67shortie]

Actually the DELO 15W-40 is rated for both gas engines and diesel, and it will have one of the highest ratings of ZZDP in it over other brands.

I use it in the truck, and the Chevelle with nothing strange going on....

Keep this going, it is a good read

[russellmarling]

I called the comp cams tech line after I built my engine, and they recommended using Shell Rotella T 15W40 with a flat tappet cam due to its high zinc content. This is primarily a diesel oil, but it is approved for use in gasoline applications as well. It is also affordable and readily available almost anywhere. I have been using it for a while, and I have no complaints.

[1968SWBBigBlock]

The real scoop on oil thickness
Your engine builder told you to run 20w50 oil because he built the motor on the loose side of the tolerance band - he needs the thicker oil to fill the bigger gaps in the bearings
This is not a good or bad situation - (a loose engine spins faster and makes better HP - a tighter engine will run smoother and last longer)
We run thinner oils in todays engines because they can maintain a tighter tolerance in the motor that works well with lighter weight oils.
Regarding what oil has zinc content and what oils do not - this is a moving target and nothing is written in stone - the oil company will not call you and tell you they changed the formulation - PROTECT YOURSELF - buy and use a good high quality additive that adds additional zinc back into your oil.
Many of the oils mentioned in this thread have changed formulations in the last 24 months - old tried and true may not work and it will be a costly lesson to learn when the cam fails.

[70cst]

So with all the above said...is there an additive that is heads above the others or all they all the same?

[Sport/Truck]

After someone posted that the VR1 racing oil already had ZDDP, I decided to investigate the use of this oil. I called Valvoline Tech. support and inquired about this oil for a street car. I explained my concern that a race oil my not have the same detergents as other regular oils.

He said the VR1 has the same amount of detergent as their regular oil and ZDDP levels of 1400ppm & 1300ppm for Phosphorus.
I also talked to them about the weight of the oil. I decided to use a 10w30 and I’ll monitor the oil pressure and see if it gets too low during idle. – That would suggest the oil is too light.
The availability of the VR1 is pretty good too, so no worry there. The price was cheaper than buying oil and adding the additive.
The thing about going this way is the ZDDP is already in the oil so you don’t have to be concerned how it mixes or how it’s suspended in the oil – like someone already pointed out about additives.
Hope this helps.
s/t

[C20-67_N_MO]

I've always ran 10w30 in all my vehicles' engines and never had an issue.

Even back when I built my own engine for my '69 Camaro it would be with a good quality 10w30 for a few hundred miles then change that break-in oil with the same weight as what I used to break it in with.

Well like others have said on here before I just do not see the need to use the heavier weight 20w50 unless the engine build didn't setup the bearing tolerances tight enough.

[1968SWBBigBlock]

70CST - the real deal seems to be GM EOS, GM approved it for use in their motors - who am I to argue
It has been out on the market and is a trusted product with known results - everyone else is a johnny come lately
- they may be just fine, only time will tell
As I stated above = IMO - if you choose not to run an additive you run the risk of camshaft failure -we have no control over the oil company and when they decide to add or subtract ingredients

[70rs/ss]

You need some some of a break in oil period if you don't use the chance of a flat lobe increases.

As for using diesel oils, DON"T my 07 Dodge has a cat on it, do you think they would reformulate (gasoline oils to protect cats and not do the diesel oils!?) I didn't think so the ZDDP was dropped to protect the cats (oe got tired of replacing cats with the 10yr 100k warrantees and leaned on the epa, which in turn leaned on the oil companies). If it doesn't say NOT FOR USE ON "NEWER CARS" it doesn't has enough ZDDP. NAPA sells a 30 ND (non-detergent) that has PLENTY of ZDPP in it, use that for the first two oil changes then run whatever you want with a half a bottle of EOS or pay the extra for a good oil with plenty of ZDDP in it, or risk the chance of a flat lobe?!

You need

[Sinister]

Usually use 1/2 a bottle of EOS, though last oil change I went with a bottle of Compcam's Engine Break in additive.

[jchav62]

Good thread. A lot of great info on here.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Sinister

Usually use 1/2 a bottle of EOS, though last oil change I went with a bottle of Compcam's Engine Break in additive.

Sinister – I was ready to use comp cams break in oil too. I did an internet search and quickly found out it not as good as they claim.
Can you find out how much ZDDP and Phosphorus is in it? Nobody seems to know & Comp cams is already known for bad lube in the case of the red assembly lube.
s/t

[Sinister]

Doh, might have to go back to EOS. Seems to be O.K. so far though.
My truck had what appeared to be 50,000 miles on it when I got it,
with what also appeared to be the original motor. So far so good.

[lowbucktruck]

Originally Posted by IvelDesigns

so what would you guys run in a stock '72 BBC? VR-1 20w50?

Great thread, lots of good info here. Did someone respond to IvelDesigns? I am wondering about that as well, since I have a stock (not recently rebuilt, just freshened up) 402 big block in my truck. I usually use Castol in all my vehicles (my Toyota 4Runner likes it) but have used Valvoline 10w40 in my old '73 C20 with 350 small-block (GM Goodwrench motor).

Makes sense to me, to use a heavier weight oil in a big-block Chevy motor.

[BossHogg69]

fwiw, the guy that built the big block in my '69 said to use the Valvoline 20W-50 with a Delco filter, and that's what I've done. I drive it hard and it runs fine, doesn't use any oil at all. He also reminded me to let the motor warm up a bit when its cold out before 'gouging on it' (his words) as not to break the oil pump shaft off due to the thick oil... He runs Valvoline in his street driven '77 C10 with a 468, his 540 '67 Nova racecar and every other big block he has.

As for my '05, I only use Mobil 1 10W-30 and a mobil filter. I also had had a '92 chevy with a 350 in it. Used only Mobil 1 10W-30 in it, and drove the p*ss out of that truck for 250,000 miles. Never had to pull the valvecovers off. Just changed the oil every 5,000 and did lots of burnouts...

[brothers69c-10]

I've been running plane old napa 10w30 in my old truck since iput the motor in 3 years ago. That was the oil i used to break it in too. Sometimes i even mix oil brands and weights since it leaks a little. Most mechanics don't recommend it, but i've never had any problems.
That motor is a small block of course. As for the big block in my 68 impala. Nothing has ever been done to the motor, it doesn't leak or burn oil, and i run motorcarft 5w-30 in it with no problems whatsoever.

[Painter D]

Originally Posted by 1968SWBBigBlock

The real scoop on oil thickness
Your engine builder told you to run 20w50 oil because he built the motor on the loose side of the tolerance band - he needs the thicker oil to fill the bigger gaps in the bearings
This is not a good or bad situation - (a loose engine spins faster and makes better HP - a tighter engine will run smoother and last longer)
We run thinner oils in todays engines because they can maintain a tighter tolerance in the motor that works well with lighter weight oils.
Regarding what oil has zinc content and what oils do not - this is a moving target and nothing is written in stone - the oil company will not call you and tell you they changed the formulation - PROTECT YOURSELF - buy and use a good high quality additive that adds additional zinc back into your oil.
Many of the oils mentioned in this thread have changed formulations in the last 24 months - old tried and true may not work and it will be a costly lesson to learn when the cam fails.

What he said