[Bishop191188]

Ok, so I need a little help and input. I have searched in the search function and read a lot of posts, but I havent read specifically about this. Let me explain the situation.

I have 2 cars I will be trying to do most or all of maintenance for going forward. My 67 with a 390 that I had built and has more modern parts, but isn't too far from stock. This car has maybe 400 miles on its fresh engine, but has been sitting for several years. Resto was completed maybe 10 yrs ago.

Other car is 69 mach 1, with 351 windsor engine. Was rebuilt aupposedly a couple thousand moles ago, but this was a recent purchase so the history is all really unknown to me. The previous owner said he used mobil 1 oil, didnt indicate what weight. However this car was from the northeast as well as my 67.

The 67 has been maintained by the guy who built it, and he always used catrol gtx i believe for oil. It has always run fine and had no issues and he always used that oil. I always had him do all maintenance.

Now the cars have been moved, along with me and my wife to the northwest. I want to maintain these and do as much as I can since I am relatively familiar with these anyway working a lot on the 67 when we did it.

So here is the questions. What would be the recommended oil to use in others opinions? Should i continue to use the castrol in the 67 or since i am going to change the oil here shortly should I switch if I am going to now? The car and engine are still in break in period and altho it has sat for years, I am going to start to use it and enjoy it. Any other info I should know on the break in period?

Next question, is what would be best weight for both vehicles? We now live in the coastal northwest, where we are in a climate that stays withing about 40 to 70 all year. Winter time it can get into 30s at night, but not often, and we rarely get a freeze. Snow is a dusting once every few years for 1 day. We just get a lot of rain and wind. I dont know of all that affects what I should run for weight, but we dont get extreme hot or cold here.

One more important question for each. I did some research but want to confirm what I saw in other posts. For the 351, I read it will take 5 quarts. For the 390, I was reading a post here that said to use 6 quarts. Are those the correct amounts for each?

Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[kenash]

I run 10-40 Castrol GTX year round. However,living here along the mid-atlantic (Maryland) I drive 3 seasons. Unless you plan on driving in ultra cold temps, 10-40 should work for you to. What is an oil/engine killer are the acids that form due to short hops that are under 10 miles (my opinion) at a clip. I only idle my engine when absolutely necessary and then allow it to get up to operating temps. Whether it's a 289/stroker/351/390 etc. It's the duty cycle that's important. Most of our older blocks are 5 +1 Qts., with a filter change. However, always check the oil with the car parked on a flat surface and the engine is off. Just in case, auto trannys are checked with the engine idling.

 

[RV6]

I run Mobil-1 15W-50 as it is supposed to have the correct ZDDP levels for flat tappet cams. Last time I checked it was listed as having 1200 ppm of ZDDP. I drive from last snow to first snow in the Colorado Rockies. I have also been known to run Shell Rotella 15W-40 Diesel oil for the same reason. High ZDDP content.

Page not found | ExxonMobil

 

[Bishop191188]

A quick update, and a question. It has been a decade almost and the car has been stored awsy for years so my memory is fuzzy now. But I am not sure this has flat tappets. Someone can correct me if i am wrong. I had a crane cams rocker arm "K" kit installed from comp cams. I thought this was a roller rocker setup, but I may be wrong.

Maybe I am confused and tappets are elsewhere.

 

[awhtx]

It's the lifters/tappets you're concerned with. If you have a "flat tappet" cam you need an oil with lots of ZDDP to protect the "scrub area" between the cam lobes and the faces of the lifters/tappets. As previously mentioned, I'd use Mobil 1 15w-50 in both engines.

 

[Bishop191188]

Ok, that sounds reasonable.

Is there any issue with draining whats in there and changing it out and filter, knowing that what is in there is likely 10w-40?

I will let it drain really well, and try to get it all, but making sure no issues.

Also with the breakin of this engine only being at 400 miles, how soon should i be changing the oil again? Maybe 4 to 6 months or another 500 miles?

I want to try to not ruin a. Nice new engine that may have had the first 400 miles put on with an oil that didnt have the proper "stuff".

Thanks

 

[cruising68]

No issue. Let it drain as long as you like.

 

[RV6]

Ok, that sounds reasonable.

Is there any issue with draining whats in there and changing it out and filter, knowing that what is in there is likely 10w-40?

I will let it drain really well, and try to get it all, but making sure no issues.

Also with the breakin of this engine only being at 400 miles, how soon should i be changing the oil again? Maybe 4 to 6 months or another 500 miles?

I want to try to not ruin a. Nice new engine that may have had the first 400 miles put on with an oil that didnt have the proper "stuff".

Thanks

Just pour your "New Favorite Oil' in it and keep driving.

 

[Travis98146]

Here in the Seattle area, I run any major brand of 10w-30 on a newer rebuild. My older (un-rebuilt engines) I use a straight 30w. The only oil issue I've ever had was with RPM Delo. I put it in my 56 Chev and oil leaked from every gasket & seal (the Delo was free). I changed back to Havoline and the leaks stopped.

 

[Bishop191188]

Thats interesting. Can you tell me why you use that versus 15w-50? Do you get cold weather there or more mild like us?

 

[Woodchuck]

Both engines use the same viscosity engine oil, as recommended by Ford being 10W-30 for all seasons and most climates. Whether you decide to use conventional or synthetic is solely up to you. I use conventional for 2 reasons... first, I RARELY exceed a few thousand miles per year and the oil WILL get changed in the fall, regardless, so it's not like I need the longevity of a synthetic and, secondly, it's easier to find conventional (Valvoline VR-1) with appropriate levels of ZDDP. You can also find synthetic with the right amount of ZDDP (Amsoil Z-Rod).

 

[Bishop191188]

So I am confused. Should i be using 10w-30, or 15w- 50? What is appropriate?

 

[1ofAMillion+]

Its easier to search "oils that ruined my engine" and choose anything except those.

 

[Woodchuck]

So I am confused. Should i be using 10w-30, or 15w- 50? What is appropriate?

Engine oil viscosity is dependent, primarily, on engine bearing clearances. Production engines typically have clearances designed for longevity and are closer in tolerance than racing engines, where bearing clearances are wider to reduce friction (to get as much horsepower as possible). There needs to be sufficient pressure and volume to maintain that oil "cushion" between journals and bearings and Ford did the hard work for you, already, by specifying the appropriate viscosities for three temperature ranges... consistently BELOW 32*F which, IIRC, was something like a 5W-20, general use which was 10W-30, and consistent high temperatures, like the desert Southwest which was something like a SAE40... if you have your owners manual it'll be in the back somewhere.

The primary issue I have, personally, is that I do not believe a 15W-50 or 20W-50 is sufficiently "thin" enough for cold starts in temperatures below 70*F and on the other extreme the 50-weight causes unnecessary strain on the oil pump and, consequently, the oil pump driveshaft and distributor driven gear (and roll pin). I also believe the viscosity improver package is more apt to leave deposits than a 10W-30. Bear in mind that I'm giving my opinion only (as a retired ASE Master Technician and former Sunoco Service Station owner), for what it's worth. I have not experienced an engine failure due to lubrication issues with the exception of 2 vehicles I bought with bad bearings in 47 years, if that matters.

I think that human nature, being what it is, figures that if "ordinary" oil is good then "racing" oil must be better... or, if 1 capful of carwash soap is good, then a cup must be REALLY good. I think you know what I mean. LOL.

 

[Bishop191188]

So would a mobil 1 with a lower weight have the zinc additive needed or would I then have to add it?

All very interesting, but I am still just as lost as to what is best for my engine.

 

[Woodchuck]

So would a mobil 1 with a lower weight have the zinc additive needed or would I then have to add it?

All very interesting, but I am still just as lost as to what is best for my engine.

Mobil1 10W-30 does NOT, in my opinion, have enough ZDDP, at around 800 ppm. I do not recommend using "Snake Oil" additives to engine oil, either. If you want a synthetic I'd go with the Amsoil Z-Rod... 1320 Zinc and 1440 Phos.

 

[Travis98146]

Thats interesting. Can you tell me why you use that versus 15w-50? Do you get cold weather there or more mild like us?

Since our temps here may run to +95 (for maybe 4 days) or down to (+20 for a few days). The standard 30w gives me better oil pressure/viscosity in the hot days and the colder days don't seem to affect cranking. In the 30 years I worked for the Postal Service we always used 10w-30 in everything except the diesels. I guess it's mostly the car's choice. I'd try different weights to see what your car likes best.

 

[GypsyR]

If you are looking at Mobil 1 as a brand, you are better off looking at the specifications than the viscosity. Because of what's on the nice chart RV6 linked to way back up up there. What you want for "very good" is ACEA A3/B3 at least. "Best" is one that is A3/B3 and Mercedes 229.1/229.3. We use the Mercedes spec because Ford hasn't really seen fit to specify oil specs for products they made 50 years ago. Mercedes (and Porsche) have bothered to do so and it so happens their old engines are flat tappet designs that have almost identical needs as ours.
There was an older Mobil 1 chart that showed the 15W50 meeting both specs. It so happens that you can often find exactly this oil on sale for $22 for 5 quarts at WalMart. Kind of hard to beat that deal. Some of the best engine oil out there for our old engines (per specifications, not unsubstantiated advertising claims) and at a really good price. Some of us here got in the habit of using this particular oil. I see now the Mercedes 229 spec has been dropped from that viscosity. Wonder what that's about? Might need looking into. It still makes specific mention of "flat tappet" cams specifically though where the other viscosity offerings with the ACEA A3/B3 do not.

But the "best" from Mobil would be the FS-X2 5W-50. You can see it has the ACEA, the Mercedes, AND the Porsche specs we want to see. Unfortunately it does NOT go on sale locally. Last I looked I couldn't even find it for sale around here. If you want to spend the money for the peace of mind of having the best, it's the stuff.

Anyway, that's why vintage Mustang users of Mobil who've been paying attention tend to use one of those two viscosities.
I believe Castrol at least offers the equivalent of both these two oils but you'd want to find the specifications to be sure. Though I tend to use Mobil 1 in our vehicles these days I've nothing against Castrol (or anything else that will meet specs). Saw some Magnatec exact equivalent of the Mobil 1 I usually buy for another vehicle we have on sale for cheap. And bought it. No problem.
Some "boutique" oil brands will happily charge you twice as much for their oil and claim they are better than anything else while having various excuses on hand as to why they can't put down in writing how they meet the specifications. Some do meet certain specs and then claim to do a better job of it than other oils. Ummm, no thanks.

Don't worry about the remnants of any other oil you might have been using. They all mix and are compatible.

 

[stephen_wilson]

FWIW, In that vein I use Castrol Edge Synthetic 5-40 or 0-40 "Euro" spec oil in my Boxster and my wife's Audi.
API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B4, BMW LL-01, MB-Approval 229.3, Porsche A40, Volkswagen 505 00/502 00 , The 0-40 is also A3/B3, MB 229.5, Ford WSS-M2C937-A

It looks like the 10-40 is API SN, ACEA A3/B3, ACEA A3/B4

 

[Bishop191188]

So I am going back thru and rereading thread. I am still confused as to what I should use and if the 5w-50 will be too heavy and put undo strain. It seems like it since where I live we reach a max of 70 degrees. Usually it is cooler. Sitting in a metal garage it may get warm and we may have the anomoly day here and there, but generally it is fairly mild.

It has been running 10w-40, but it sounds like it may not have enough zddp in it. I was trying to find out what it had.

I would make the switch to mobil 1, 10w-40 or something similar, maybe even a 30 of that eas appropriate, but I dont know that those will have proper zddp either. It sounds like it is the 50 wt. Only?

Also I would use an additive, but then already hearing negative info about additives.

Basically I want to break in and then enjoy my car for years and not have to worry about it.

Thank you all.