Engine oil for 1st oil change

[Coach]

Looking for some recommendations from the group. I am coming up on the 500 mile 1st oil change for my new crate 350/290hp. The engine has flat tappet cams, so I need to make sure I use an engine oil that contains zinc or an additive with zinc. Two options I am looking at are Red Line Oil & Royal Purple. What are your thoughts and are there others I should be looking at, thanks.

[trac209]

Now in my personal experience after breaking in additive has been used and the cam is broken in I haven't used a zinc enhanced oil ever. That said it can't hurt. Either of those oils listed would do fine provided they meet specs required by manufacturers to warrenty the engine. And I'm sure they do.

[sduckworth13]

I was reading a thread in the engine drivetrain area and from what I read the best oil to use is Pennzoil Ultra. I'm nervous about wiping my cam too, I haven't hit the 500 mile mark yet on my rebuilt engine.

[jvs99560]

Originally Posted by Coach

Looking for some recommendations from the group. I am coming up on the 500 mile 1st oil change for my new crate 350/290hp. The engine has flat tappet cams, so I need to make sure I use an engine oil that contains zinc or an additive with zinc. Two options I am looking at are Red Line Oil & Royal Purple. What are your thoughts and are there others I should be looking at, thanks.

Are you happy with that motor? Enough power?

[sduckworth13]

Here is the link that was in the thread.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show.../400167?page=3

[Kenfuzed]

The past couple of flat tappet cam engines I've had were run on Amsoil Z-rod oil after the break in, and I never had an issue with wiping a cam.

There are other zinc enhanced oils out there as well that I'm sure do a great job. I don't want to start an oil debate, that's just what I use. YMMV

[Mr Handy]

I decided I am going with royal purple for mine... as soon as I get it in. I have 2 rounds of RP break in and a round of the royal HPS sitting on the shelf that I got with my last summit order. I also decided that I will be running Wix Filters. From personal experience, DO NOT USE FRAM OIL FILRERS.

I have been talking with a lot of my local car guys that build/restore some really high end cars and they say either AMSoil or royal purple HPS. both have the Zink blends the flat tappets need. I also have friends that run regular oil and use the additives, but when I did the math it was cheaper to just get the RP and not worry about it.
I went RP because it seems to be easier to find locally if I don't need anything else from online.

[special-K]

I was looking for a turbo-rated oil for my break-in and landed on Royal Purple (locally). Redline is top shelf, so won't go wrong there. that's what I run in all the cases on my Harley. I'm sure Amsoil has an equivalent for this application as well.

[engineer_gregh]

I now have 5000 miles on my original 402 BB rebuild. Used Comp Cam's break in oil for the initial break in as I used a 268HE cam and I wanted to make sure if I had problems Comp would warranty the cam. After break in I used regular Valvoline 10w-40 with ZDDP additive. The last oil change was this week with 2100 miles and didn't use or leak a bit. I some times run it pretty hard, can't help myself. After a conversation with the Comp Cam's technical support line about recommended oil I decided to run the 10W-30 break in oil going forward and that's whats in it now. The only difference in the break in oil versus their regular oil is the amount of zinc; break in oil has more. Now I don't worry if the after market additives will work or not. Just my opinion as oil can be almost a religious thing for some folks. I use K&N filters.

[70CHEVYBB]

comp cams additive and brad penn oil. ran it in my 468 and no problems