Oil for "maiden" voyage on what was running BBC

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Man, I want to put some oil in this thing. It's sat dry for say a year or so. While this is a restoration, I didn't touch the engine less most gaskets, the pumps, chain and carb. There's 40K on the block & heads, and the oil showed appreciation. The builder was top-notch and it shows. That said, I'm a little nervous about the block's next start. Should be good

Anyway, her last change was with synthetic Mobil-1 5-30, and I'll stick to that after the first oil change. What I'm wondering is, other than synthetic, what's recommended for a engine that will have sat 4 years? Perhaps a heavier weight or? It will sit another 1.5 years, but the oil shouldn't go stale just sitting there, I'd think.

Thanks

[Overdriven]

Heat cycling, plus fuel and combustion gases getting past the rings is what uses up oil. Just sitting is not going to have much if any effect on the oil. Probably better off just changing the oil when you’re ready to start it again, just to start off fresh.

When you are ready to start the engine I recommend doing the following since it has been sitting for so long and there will be little to no oil residue on the important parts. First pull the distributor and use a priming tool in a drill to turn the oil pump. Verify you have oil pressure and then you’ll know your bearings are lubed instead of dry. Pull all the spark plugs and squirt some oil in the cylinders, then turn the engine over by hand at least one revolution to get some oil on the cylinders. If you think you put too much oil in the cylinders, leave the plugs out, put some rags near the spark plug holes, disconnect the coil and crank it with the starter. You’ll get a bunch of blue smoke on the first start either way but it’s better than starting the engine with all the oil in the pan and nothing on the important bits.

[weim55]

Does your 402 have a roller cam?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[toolboxchev]

VR-1

It has the high film strengh ( about 100k psi ) plus the necessary Zinc additives for flat tappet motors.

Do your research: https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

I have exactly 93 k on a complete top end rebuild with this product. I have no doubts changing and replacing every 2,000 to 2,500 miles with the same is why I am at this point today with a daily driver.

Can't say more.

Prime it first while rotating the crank shaft in 1/4 turns.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

VR-1

It has the high film strengh ( about 100k psi ) plus the necessary Zinc additives for flat tappet motors.

Do your research: https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

I have exactly 93 k on a complete top end rebuild with this product. I have no doubts changing and replacing every 2,000 to 2,500 miles with the same is why I am at this point today with a daily driver.

Can't say more.

Prime it first while rotating the crank shaft in 1/4 turns.

YES. This ensures that the passages in the lifters are aligned so that they can get oil. Leaving the crank/cam in one position doesn't do that.

[Greasey Harley]

I like Rotella 10w-30 for anything with a flat tappet cam
It still has plenty of zinc in it.
The EPA hasn't ruined "Diesel oil" yet.

Officially:
" ...Rotella T with Triple Protection oil has approximately 1200 ppm of zinc and 1100 ppm phosphorus at the time of manufacture."

Unofficially:
It is great oil that also happens to be inexpensive.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by weim55

Does your 402 have a roller cam?

Steve weim55 Colorado

Nope, flat tappet. The lobes look real good. Cast iron crank. I was a little short on cash when the motor spun a bearing, was fired a few hours before I picked her up. Two days later I had to put my dog down, a real country song. If I had the cash it may have been punched to a 454.

Good info about priming the engine, oil pressure and that. I added it to a punch list, though I won't be doing it. A nice specialty shop gets her first start. Military clean shop, my old school-mate has worked there 35 years. He's a skinny 120 lbs., and hovers over a "diving board" to work over an engine bay.

[rjs53]

If you have an old distributor that's junk you can make a primer out of that. Rip the top off the dist. And grind to fit a drill.

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by rjs53

If you have an old distributor that's junk you can make a primer out of that. Rip the top off the dist. And grind to fit a drill.

Oil primer "tools" are readily available, and cheap. Summit has what you need.

Put the oil you last used in it, prime the engine as posted above, then drive it!!!