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Posted: Thu
Nov 15, 2007 7:59
pm Post subject: Which oil is best?
Everyone has different stories of how one oil gummed up the motor and this works better so what do ya'll think is the best oil personally? _________________ NECOA #7220
1981 El Camino SS
305/350
I've had good luck with valvoline, but I am starting to switch towards Castrol. Royal Purple is probably THE best though. _________________ 1970 El Camino
1979 Nova
1982 Olds Delta 88
Use a good quality oil like Mobil 1 and change it regularly. Oils don`t gum up engines if they are changed at regular intervals. 3K miles is best although some manufacturers recommend longer intervals. My philosophy is "oils are cheap, engines aren't"!
Necoa #: 9322
Location: 16(CO,MT,WY,UT)
Joined: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 1074
Year: 1985
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri
Nov 16, 2007 12:02
am Post subject:
theelcaminofactory wrote:
Royal Purple in anything I value...Crapoila or Valvoline in anything else.
Someone clue me in on Royal Purple oil. Of the so called oil tests I have read Royal Purple was not the highest in any category. And the prices I have seen is very high. Who makes it? Is is it imported?
Edit. Googled Royal Purple oil and answered most of my own questions.
Doug _________________ 85 El Camino 305, TH350, K&N, dual exhausts
87 El Camino 305, 2004R, K&N, dual exhausts
1964-1/2 Mustang conv, 260 V8, dual exhausts
2002 Jaguar XJ8, 2000 Harley Road King
Lakewood, CO
Royal is more of a race standard oil designed for it i mean. Mobil 1 in my opinion is the best .Ihave run it in every thing i own and never had a problem.I had a nova that i drove when i was in school probally put close to 100,000 on it when the head gasket blew at about 60,000 i took the motor down expectin to have to rebuild but it still had hone marks in the cylinders. I just put it back together and guy i sold it to is still driving it. I wouldn't even guess how many miles it has on it now that was 10 years ago. _________________ AMERICAN MUSCLE KICKIN BUT SINCE DAY 1 !!! 1988 IROC Z 388 TUNEDPORT 1986 SS ELKY GRAND NATIONAL LT1
Necoa #: 9947
Location: 2(CT,MA,ME,NH,RI,VT)
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Posts: 28
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu
Nov 22, 2007 3:40
am Post subject:
Only auto parts store on island is napa. So i use the napa extended life. (high miles) i have always used the high miles oil.
i live in MA now, so i use 10-30 winter and 10-40 summer. Used to run just 10-40 all year back in lovely san diego, ca. I change my oil roughly every three to 4 months. Once a year i buy 10-50 and run it for a month and then go back to 10-40 or 10-30. Running the thicker oil for a month or so seems to get a lot of gunk out, so i've done it for about 4 years now.
Im sure no one here goes from standard to synthetic than to standard again. But just incase you didn't know, don't/ :P
Let's just say " someone i know that makes more money than me " has an early 90's jeep, has used standard oil forever. The jeep runs like crap-ola, hardcore. he's got that idle on that carb so high i think its going to explode. anyway. He put marine grade oil(for a diesel engne) in it, and if you know anything about marine grade oil, you'll know it can carry lots of detergants. Lets just say, after 3 days it won't stop leaking oil from ever part there is a gasket. :P people make mistakes, but thats a big one. :D
Something we need to be aware of is that the latest EPA specs for oil have forced the manufacturers to reduce the zinc content of todays motor oils. Not a problem for new engines with roller lifters and such, but a bad thing for engines with flat tappet cams, especially performance cams.
You can get around this problem by adding an additive which increase "ZDDP" levels to your favorite oil. GM's "EOS" additive is one that can help. I've heard there are a few other products available as well. I've also found that Penzoil racing oil and Brad Penn break in oil have enough formulated in to be ok.
Necoa #: 672
Location: 24Europe
Joined: Mar 04, 2003
Posts: 109
Year: 1979
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri
Nov 30, 2007 1:35
am Post subject:
all the time i run with 20W50 from "76" or Valvoline, only mineral, no syntetic splash.
do you like syntetic beer ? _________________ More Power !
http://www.chevy-elcamino.com
Its A Long Way To The Top
If Ya Wanna Rock And Roll
Necoa #: 2321
Location: 15(AZ,NM)
Joined: Jan 30, 2004
Posts: 1085
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri
Nov 30, 2007 3:02
am Post subject:
I use Mobil 1 in my 74. I use conventional during break in on new engines though to let rings seat and such. I know that's mainly for older engines which have a lot more engineered slop in them than new engines though. New cars I go with what the manual says.
On my 08 Mustang GT I did a 500 mile break-in change and used castrol 5W20 blend which other than Ford's oil is recommended type and viscosity.
I keep a bottle of 5W20 Royal Purple in my road kit in the trunk as a backup.
Hard to believe there isn't some kind of TSB out there that mentions using an additive because of the Zinc problem. THe mobil 1 response didn't really answer the question.
I just don't see why automakers would sit idly by when something could potentially cost them hundreds of millions in warranty claims.
_________________ 74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007
2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!
Ole Pop has been around a while, and have used probably most the major brands. I had excellant service from the old Quaker State red top High detergent) oil, and all the major brands--Valvoline, Havoline etc. Why pay more for Royal Purple? Changing oil at three thousand miles is wasting money. I use Mobil One in two of my vehicles because that is what was used in them before I got them. I prefer to stay with the same oil that was previously used, instead of swapping to an petroleum oil.
THE MAIN THING IS TO CHANGE YOUR OIL AT FREQUENT INTERVALS, WITH A NEW FILTER. CHANGE THE AIR FILTER AT THE RECOMMENDED INTERVALS. IF YOU USE A FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER, USE IT JUST BEFORE YOUR OIL CHANGE. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DO NOT RUN YOUR ENGINE HOT. _________________ 86 El Camino SS Z15 / Posi / 305-V8-4bbl
http://elcaminocentral.com/users/pops86camino/
Necoa #: 6858
Location: 7(AL,GA,TN)
Joined: Feb 07, 2006
Posts: 891
Year: 1970
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri
Nov 30, 2007 6:40
pm Post subject: oil
Point taken, Pops. However if the oil does not change, the method need not change. Problem being, the oil has changed. It is not what it used to be. If you do not have a modern engine with a roller cam etc..., the same oil that you have always bought and the same changing regiment is just not enough anymore. _________________ Jim
70 ElCamino 461 solid M20 331eaton
http://elcaminocentral.com/gallery-album_album346.html
I just don't see why automakers would sit idly by when something could potentially cost them hundreds of millions in warranty claims.
GM knew about this problem ages ago... they changed over to roller cams in 1987. Ford was using roller cams years before that.
Before that, even when oil was still SF rated, GM forgot to heat treat their cams, and lobes were being wiped right off the dealer's lot. Nobody noticed because the engines were dogs from the dark days of the CAFE era.
EOS is no longer avaible at GM dealers. I believe Delco dealers can still get it, but not sure. The ZDDP content reduction with the new SM/SL oil is only ~30% less than SF rated oil.
I've also heard from people that are using regular oil with no cam issues. It is most critical during breakin, when an oil with high ZDDP is required. Apparently it's hit or miss whether you'll wear a cam after its broken in. I run a diesel 15w40 in the summer, but change to a plain 10w30 for winter. I did try the EOS in the past, but wondered if it actually mixed with the oil (it sank to the bottom of the new oil). Right now I'm running plain 10w30, will have to see if the cam suffers.
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