I use Amsoil Z-rod synthetic oil in me 2.0 Pinto powered '27 Modified. Most of the time it sits in a warm garage in Arizona. Since it's a Roadster and I have little tolerance for cold or hot weather, it doesn't get driven much. I average around 600 miles a year. The oil on the dipstick always looks clean and fresh. What is your experience if your car doesn't get driven much? Sent from my SM-N900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I change once a year no matter the milage on my weekend cars that are not driven very much that have vintage engines, however, IMO yours should go 2000 miles easily if you always let it get properly warmed and hot enough to rid the internals from the condensation that forms on short run use which is the problem with our typical hot rods. Good Luck.
If you drove that thing, with that oil, I'd change it every 5,000 or so. But since you don't drive it enough, once a year to remove the condensation.......
About a year. I had the same motor in my Pinto before I did the V8 swap out in it. I put maybe, 10,000 miles per year on it. I only changed the oil annually. The oil was always nice and clean but well used. No burning, no smoking, no shavings just a mocha color used oil.
When I got that 28 chevy last summer, it was full of clean appearing oil. The car had been sitting for several decades. I pulled the drain plug, and only a little water came out, so I put the plug back in, and got the engine running, and putted around a bit. It's amazing what engines will put up with! If there are signs of condensation, then you probably ought to change the oil at regular intervals. But in AZ, that's usually not a problem. And anyways, you don't put enough miles on it to wear out the engine, even if you never change the oil in it. So don't sweat it...
I'm going with once a year with my Ford. Which will be in June and I'll be going with a little heavier oil now it has been broken in.
Rather be safe than sorry. Change the oil and filter, if it has one, once a year to keep the inside clean .... with no condensation build up.
That is my point, it is so dry here in Arizona, I don't know whether condensation is a concern! And if not? During the winter it is no colder than 50° in my garage and you probably know what the summer's are like! The reason I use Amsoil Z-rod is the Zinc for protecting an old engine and the quality of the Amsoil synthetic oil for coating internal parts! I have always used Amsoil in my Ford F150 pickup which now has 278,000 miles on it! Sent from my SM-N900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hello, Oil changes are like popcorn, you eat it and watch what others do ahead of you. The Mfg says to change every 3500 miles, but, we think that they are in cahoots with the oil companies for more revenue. The newer cars can go 7000 to 10k. Some of the warranties cover up to 15k if that is the first complete car checkup on the car. But, everyone has a story and what successes and failures they have seen. In my 59 Impala, it was every 5000 miles. In my first 40 Ford Sedan Delivery, it was every time I drove the car, I had to get some reclaimed oil and fill up the motor.(plus a spare gallon) The flathead did not leak or smoke, but for some unknown reason it used up the complete oil supply on a 60 mile trip down the coast. So, the gallon of reclaimed oil was for the return trip. it ran like a top until i sold it in 1964. In the 327 powered 40 sedan delivery(the 2nd one) every 5000 miles. But, here is the whopper. In my 1965 327 El Camino, from the first day I drove it home from the dealer, the oil was black. I took it back and they checked everything out for several days. Then when I got it, the oil was a clean looking color. But, after a couple of days of driving, I checked again and it was completely black. So, off to my friend’s Long Beach gas station and we completely drained, changed the filter, cleaned off what he could see and he gave me an upgrade oil. After a drive for about 20 minutes, we checked again and it was completely black. The dealer said he could not give me a new motor since it was running fine. They gave me two free oil services within the first two years and that was it. (black each time afterwards) to make a story shorter, I drove the El Camino all over So Cal, Northern California, Mexico, the desert, and the PNW. The whole time it was black. I did not change the oil for 4+ years and it ran like a top. My expert mechanic friend who owned a garage in LA said I should change the oil, but after a discussion and he also witnessed the changeover of new to black, he just gave a shrug and said enjoy the trouble free car. After 125,000 miles and one battery exchange, I sold the El Camino for $600 in 1975. It never needed anything, never missed or sputtered, all service checks were done, but nothing was replaced. It was indeed a rare car that took all of that driving with two oil changes in its 125k mile lifetime, many sets of tires and one battery. It was the most reliable car I have ever owned and gave me all of those driving experiences without any problems. Jnaki So, what did I get from this experience? It gave us a lack of trust of domestic car dealers, and lots of great stories to tell about what happened to our GM cars from 1956 to 72. But, I might buy a Holden Ute/El Camino if they were sold in the USA.
At 600 miles a year, you could save a few bucks and run cheaper oil. Get a test kit from Blackstone with the money you saved, and have them lab check it. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you plan to put over 200k miles on the engine, and want it to be in good condition at that time, then synthetic makes economic sense. Otherwise, it's a fun way to spend a little extra money, and feel like you're doing something helpful.
David just hit it above-- If you really want to know, get a Blackstone oil sample kit and send it to the lab. Costs about $30 but you will know exactly what You should be doing for Your situation. Myself, the cars I don't drive much get it about every 3rd year. I live in the desert too.
I'm thinking along with your strategy, I just changed the oil after just over 2 years and 1,800 miles. Again I used Amsoil Z-rod. The old oil I drained had a nice dark caramel color, had NO sign of moisture and still looks good! In this desert climate I don't think condensation is a real problem, at least not in my case! I am glad I changed the oil so I could get a good look at the oil and filter and I think I could go three years without any ill effect! Sent from my SM-N900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Whenever I remember.......... Hey on a side note, is that motor stock, what trans are you running and how does it perform with the weight of the car.....also hows the gas mileage. I'm building a '28 Ford Tudor with a 2.0, T-5, header, Esslinger big valve head and a modified stock intake with a Holley 350 2bbl. I was wondering what to expect from it power, driving and mpg wise. Thanks
Used to change mine yearly in the old cars, sometimes with only a couple of hundred miles in the season due to lousy weather, too much life going on, etc... then I bought one of these... http://www.lubricheck.com/
Even in the desert if the engine was started and not fully warmed to running temps there will be condensation forming. I'd change it yearly. In my old age... Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked..... the good fortune to run into the ones I do..... and the eyesight to tell the difference.
Good point. I'm lucky, I live out past the edge of town, so pretty much all of my trips are 10 miles or so. But if you live in town, and don't drive your car often, make sure each drive is a long one.
Yes, my engine is stock and has plenty of power for such a light car. It certainly is not a tire burner but chirps the tires when the C4 grabs 2nd. It gets 25 mpg. Sent from my SM-N900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I drive alot , Flatty every 2,000 miles no oil filter,( Delvac ) My race motor on street ,1,500-2,000 miles I swiched to The Green Oil Brad Penn , my 1500 gm cheap oil 20/50 every 5,000miles
Modern engine oils are far, far superior to oils of yesterday when these old cars and engines were made, that includes the Pinto engine. They are for more resistant to deterioration and aging. And Amsoil uses very high quality synthetic polyalphaolefin base stocks which are even more resistant to degradation. Still, these old engines are not as tight as a modern engine, there is a lot more exposure of the oil to blow by gases, and for those old draft tube engines and guys running no pcv, or improper pcv systems, the oil is subjected to a lot of nasty gases and condensates that do have a negative effect on the oil. At least the OP was honest about only putting ~600 miles a year on it, kudos for the honesty. Think about it, corrosive compounds formed during operation of the engine remain active inside the engine after you shut it down, though the rate slows due to the lower temp, but those nasties remain down in the sump multiplying all the time. Rust never sleeps, neither does carboxylic acid. I've always taken the twice a year approach to oil changes in my cars, that's about 5k per change for the wifes daily driver, and considerably less than that for my hot rod. My daily driver gets about >20k miles per year and mulitple changes, paid for by the leasing company. I once bought an old IH pickup from a co-worker who apparently never changed the oil, he drove it about 5 miles to work and back each day. After I bought it I ended up tearing it down and finding the worst God-awful mess inside that engine that I've even seen, wish now I had taken pictures of it. The level of sludge was unbelievable. Twice yearly changes would have avoided that.
I know a guy who firmly believes that oil Never "Wears Out" it just "Gets Dirty". So he Never changes the oil, just the filter about every 5,000 miles and top off when it gets low (Which seems to happen a lot). I have seen him lose the bottom end on a Harley and a small block Chevrolet and he is convinced that it is just coincidence! You can't fix Stupid
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