Technical HELP: 30 WEIGHT NON - DETERGENT - CALIFORNIA SUCKS

I have a 1953 Dodge 230ci flat head 6 engine and to my knowledge it requires 30 weight NON-DETERGENT oil. I have found that California sucks and has outlawed it. they wont allow it to be shipped via internet and the stores do not sell it.

WHAT DO I DO NOW. is there an alternative oil I can use?

 

I'd just use normal modern 5W30 oil and not worry about it. But then, I'm not religious about oil.

 

yep, that s what I have done. I just do a couple early oil changes after the switch. figure the detergent loosens up some crud and do an early change to get it out.

 

if it has a filter run the detergent
if it doesn't have a filter, add one
oil is one of the few things that has improved over time

 

Any idea the rational they used to outlaw it?

Charlie Stephens

 

I would pull the oil pan and clean it and the pickup screen. Detergent oil could break loose deposits of sludge. Change the oil frequently at first. I have some of those pilot house dodges with the flat head six. and they have 15w40 shell rotellat oil in them. it still has the zinc needed for flat tappet lifters.

 

It probably causes cancer like your coffee.

 

Listen to Old Wolf, he speak truth! Could save you some serious problems down the road. Back in the day, I have pulled valve covers of engines that had used non detergent oil and the crud was so bad you could read “ Chevrolet “ backwards inthe hard formed crud, couldn’t even see the rockers. You don’t want to start moving that crap in an engine, Bones

 

Only old cars/trucks use it. Old cars/trucks can hurt you, what with unsafe brakes, steering, no air bags, and they emit carbon monoxide gases.
Therefore, our esteemed Governor got a committee together and decided to 'nip it in the bud'!
Gasohol didn't work...Maybe the oil will!

 

I bought a truck years ago that only had non detergent oil in it. I THOUGHT I was doing good and switched. Shortly after the oil light would not go off on startup. The filter weighed about 10 pounds when I took it off from all the crud it tore loose. After that it used gallons of oil and smoked like a freight train. If I were you I'd move to a no-commie state.

 

UPDATE: SORRY TO NOT SAY THIS, BUT THE MOTOR DOES HAVE AN OIL FILTER.

its the type that does not come apart. its one solid unit with a tube on top and a tube on bottom that screw into it.

 

it does have a filter. I am not sure if I should change it or leave it. it is not the type you can put a new element into, its the type that is a sealed container.

 

post a pic of the filter if possible

does it look like this

 

Show us a picture please.

 

Your knowledge is wrong. Dodge never recommended straight 30 weight except in very hot temps. And they never recommended non detergent oil. They recommended 10W winter, 20W20 summer. Multigrade oils were available from 1951 on, and 10W30 was the default choice at every dealership and garage in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. Your car probably never used anything else. Later engines use even thinner oil.

If you can take the pan off and clean it out all the better. Especially if some goober has been running it on good ol' 30 non detergent. Otherwise change to 10W30, or 15W40 if you insist. By the way your engine does not require extra zinc. It is like an OHC with lightly loaded valve gear. Only OHV pushrod high perf V8s need extra zinc.

I have heard of guys who ran straight 30 back in the day but they were hard drivers, racking up hundreds of miles a day in hot desert climates and they changed their oil every 1000 or 2000 miles. You DO NOT need this shit. If you doubt me I could link to a speed record set in 1934, by a Pierce Arrow V12, on the Bonneville salt flats, in August, 117 MPH AVERAGE for 24 hours, on Pennzoil 20W20. They did not need good ol' straight 30 oil and neither do you.

 

The sealed oil filter was supposed to be replaced every 5000 miles. Unfortunately you can't just buy one at the parts store anymore although they do turn up on Ebay and at flea markets. It would be better to get one of the ones with a removable cartridge, the cartridge filters are still available. Or a Frantz filter which is an excellent filter and uses a roll of toilet tissue. The Frantz is expensive but used ones turn up sometimes at reasonable cost. They don't wear out. Only the O ring seal and the filter need to be replaced.

Don't let anyone tell you the bypass filters aren't effective. They are as effective as a full flow in reducing wear, and they filter out finer particles of dirt and sludge. Any filter is better than no filter.

The bypass filter, if working correctly, will keep your oil and your engine very clean. Of course if it is plugged up and out of commission it is the same as no filter. You might check with an infrared thermometer if it gets hot after a 10 mile drive, if not it is probably full.

 

will something like this guy work

 

I do have a filter similar to that black one but mine is white. tube on top and bottom hard lines.

 

Yes that is the kind you need. Notice your filter has the small feed lines, you need the kind with small lines and you need to use a fine filter cartridge.

 

Sacto that is the kind he has. The problem is, you have to know the specs of the filter. I believe they still make them for hydraulic oil, oil furnaces etc but may not have the correct filter for auto use. It would be great if you could cross reference some common industrial filter that will work on old cars.

 

The Fram kit looks like it was made for a Chev six (the mounting bolts) but the filter itself will work on any engine. It may fit your old mounting bracket.

I don't like Fram filters, they have a poor reputation for quality, but you can put in another brand of cartridge like Hastings.

 

My filter is wix

 

here is my filter. I have not been able to find it again or a replacement for it.

 

maybe hop across the border and buy it en una tienda?

 

these came up on a google search
wix 51071

wix 51011

 

I agree with Rusty that by pass filters are good, but so are full flow filters. In about the fifties , the car manufacturers went to full flow filters. With about the same size filter, you can filter all the oil pretty good( full flow) or you can filter some of the oil real good( by pass). Car makers are concerned with cost , appearances, and mantaince cost. Big trucks with Diesel engines not so much. That is why you see both filters on high dollar trucks to get the best of both filters. Bones

 

Yep, kinda what I thought, I said right on the filter that it took an element. Should be replaceable. Bones

 

http://p15-d24.com/topic/43845-full-flow-oil-filter/

here is a lot of good info on that subject

 

Have your oil changed at El Oil Can Henry's?

 

There are spin on bypass filters you can go to https://www.thebestoil.com/products/bypass-oil-filtration/