Technical What oil should I use

I’ve been working on this 1950 Pontiac and the motor has been completely redone so what type of oil should I use in it 10w30 or 5w30? It’s a straight 8. Thanks

 

I always use hi zinc Brad Penn, but I heard it's sold/gone, an marketed under another name which lead's one to question if it's still the same

 

I use Valvoline VR-1. I can buy it at my local auto parts store.

 

Since day one of my rebuild on my 283 I have only used Shell Rotella diesel oil..

 

I wouldn't go any lighter than a 10-30. I'd probably run 10-40 or Rotella 15-40 in it. One gaurentee, question about oil will get 1000 different answers from 1000 different people.

 

My question would first be whether or not you used "assembly lube" when putting the engine together ? Did you put some moly lube on the camshaft lobes.....not the cam bearing journals ? Then you need to make a priming tool to pre-lube the engines bearings. I would put some oil on the cylinder walls by removing the sparkplugs and misting some oil into the cylinder. Then use the pre-lube tool to build oil pressure and then crank the engine over a few cycles.
Next I would reinstall the spark plugs and see if she starts. Oh, and I would buy some brand of "break in oil" for the first start. Amsoil, Royal Purple,Lucas,Gibbs etc. Use the oil that comes made for break in rather than the additive that is placed in non break in oil .

 

It's still available and they claim it's the same formula... I use it in my flatty and get it at the local western auto (if you can believe they are still around)
Chappy

 

I inherited the car. It was built then driven 934 miles and sat for last 3 years. Previous owner did pull the plugs and put marvel oil down in top of cylinders. The car has sat the last few years but does turn over. I probably should change the oil before I start it. I put a an inline fuel filter in it and carb looks clean. I put new plugs on it and spark plugs. Should I change oil first before I attempt to start it over run in it. It looks clean. I’m retiring the whole car with a new harness and almost finished with that. Thanks.

 

Western auto has been gone for years. It was bought out by Advanced Auto Parts. They don’t carry Brad Penn oil.

 

Greenbuzzer,
Knoxville, Tennessee ?
Has the car been sitting with the hood down,,engine covered.
Should be fine,,,as long as it has had the air filter on and nothing open to allow any wild life in.

I’m not gonna touch the oil suggestion,,,,,it can get out of hand here quickly over that,,,LoL.
It usually happens after the 10 th post or so.

Tommy

 

You could get away with about any oil like, that engine has very low valve spring pressure and lift on the camshaft. 10w30 would be my choice, it sounds like it has been run and likely broke-in years ago, so just change oil and filter if it has one to the brand you like. Penn Grade is really good oil, but expensive. Any made for " OFF ROAD USE ONLY " oil will have the required additives needed, but then again, such little pressure on the camshaft and valve train, any decent brand oil will work. IN MY OPINION,

Joe

 

Drain the oil....you have know idea what's in that sump. Could be full of gasoline from it being flooded in the past.

 

Hahaha I know about the oil. Yes Knoxville. It had hood down and covered for last 3 years. My old man and I have been working on it since Xmas day getting closer. Doing some body work, floor on repair, and rewired whole car. Got berthing to work except radio. Tubes light up but no static. Gonna paint the wheels and new tires came yesterday. Doing the wiring harness was a treat now I know why I haven’t done my 71 Cheyenne for the 12 years I’ve owned it or sons 82 stepside c10. What a pain.

 

Good looking old Pontiac,,,that will be nice !
Straight 8,,,,,i like it !

Tommy

 

I guess ours was bought by Auto Parts Plus... and they sell it. I buy a couple of cases a year. Still came up as western auto on google search as early as last spring.
I guess just go here and put in your zip to find a dealer
https://penngrade1.com/where-to-buy/

 

CHEAP way out would be Walmart 10-30 with a bottle of STP to light the motor off. Squirt some Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders, spin the oil pump with a drill n old screwdriver ground to fit - have a helper check for oil pressure on the gauge. Change the oil and filter after 50-100 miles to Valvoline VR-1 - any NAPA store should have 20-50 grade. I'd run the motor for 20 minutes or so at 2,000 RPM to make damn-sure the cam and lifters are broke in well! Good Luck, Tim

 

Original question was " 10w30 0r 5w30" I believe. Where you live, the 10w30 wpuld be the better of those two. 5w30 might be used in COLD,Cold climate, like great falls or so.
I use 15w40 in my Buick.

Ben

 

That's not The same, An further More you would Never use a synthetic/or even partial synthetic in a break in

 

Motor oil

 

Didnt realize we were talking about break in oil...
i was simply letting you know that brad penn oil is still available.
Further more... it is the same.
It was originally Kendal, then Brad Penn and now PennGrade...
Here is a link to a guy that paid for a test on both brad penn and penngrade1... result, it's the same...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/pors...nngrade-vs-brad-penn-blackstone-analysis.html

Here is a link to a video breaking down the history of the oil
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Vaw3cICiVMwX2a-oYgjfjgHSI&cshid=1578180446705

And here is a link from engine builder mag that talks about it being the same
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/20...l-brand-to-penn-grade-1-high-performance-oil/

And the speedway listing for the oil that says "New look, same product - Brad Penn Oil is now PennGrade 1 Motor Oil."
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Penn...end-Performance-Engine-Oil-12-Qt-,136581.html

So, it is the same... and if you want an oil with zinc and phosphorus (as was mentioned in the responses)
My opinion is that the PennGrade1 is great.

Chappy

 

Rite-On... He had stated a "fresh" engine only reason for absolutely no synthetic, Rings will never break in... Good research by the way... Cheer's

 

Lucas HotRod high zinc 10-30.

 

I would think 70 years ago when it was made they would use 30 in summer, 20 winter. My guess, not multi-viscosity which came out several years later.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

The engine has 934 miles on it then parked, its way past broke-in.

 

That stuff is so dark how do you tell when it's dirty?

 

Yes, and the oils at that time weren't "high zinc" oils, probably no higher zinc levels than what you'll find in most passenger car oils today. As someone above mentioned, it does not have a high lift cam or high spring pressures, it would've used a "low ash" straight grade engine oil. I'd stick with a 10W-30 viscosity, that should work year round for him. Most any modern SN motor oil will be fine, nothing special needed. You could go with a CJ-4 or CK-4 diesel engine oil in 10W-30 as well, which is a better oil, but pretty much anything will be fine. The engine has ~1k miles on it, no 'break in" oil needed.

 

It won't look that dark on the dipstick or if you drop some on your fingers, or better yet, the back of a business card.

I could get in depth on the whole Pennsylvania Grade oil thing, but don't want to bore anyone to death, but at one time that was important, much less important today due to modern refining technology.

 

When it's not green anymore
Chappy

 

Read about oils here: www.zddplus.com They are an Alliance Vendor here on the HAMB

 

The Grand Master, squirrel has said to use Walmart 10-30 detergent and I would never doubt him!