I agree, but I still use nothing but Brad Penn in my flathead. I would rather spend a few extra bucks for the one or two times a year (Usually only one) I change the oil in my coupe and be safe.
Exactly. I've got over 50,000 miles on my flathead with regular 10W 30. No additives. There is still enough ZDDP in todays oils for any flathead. Do you suppose they had break in oils back in the 40's and 50's? Now an overhead valve engine is a different story.
Brad penn is about the best bang for the buck. It's badass stuff joe Gibbs is some really good stuff as well lil more money but about the best you can find
I use a good deisel 15/40 and ZDDP. Used to have a lot of failures till I started using this combo...I also use GM EOS as an assembly lube, and pour the leftovers in the first load...
when I bought a new stroked short block for my Falcon the instructions with it said to use Rottella T for break in. It has everything in it that is recommended for a new engine.
No on overheads about 2 a year till I started using this shit. The record was 5 in one year and the cam manufacturer warrantied every one of them. Shortly after that they figured out what was going on with the oils. None on flatheads but I still use the same oils, can't hurt...
That's what the problem is with a lot of these answers. The original question was about a 1950 Ford flathead.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> I also use GM EOS as an assembly lube and add it to the first startup. Then I use VALVOLINE VR-1 racing motor oil. http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/vr1_racing.pdf VR-1 is available at NAPA and several auto parts stores. You may want to check out this site. Flathead Engine Rebuild: http://www.systemv.us/clemmie/flathead/ Scroll down to Fire In The Hole! and read Important Information about Motor Oils. Heres something interesting in the article about ZDDP percentages: Update: As of early 2011, Valvoline is selling specialty motor oil with higher ZDDP levels! Referred to as "Racing, Not Street Legal" oil, its available in 5W-30, 10W-30 and 20W-50. You can get it at your local NAPA store. Try this link if you are interested. 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Good point...But the oils a long time ago had lots of Zinc. Flat cams never started showing up till they started cutting back on the percentages, thus no problems with a flathead?
There was NO zinc in any engine oil until the forties when the performance OHV engines with high spring pressures heavy valve trains and higher operating rpms started appearing . There is NO NEED for any zinc in a street flathead . Extensive mods (like a half inch lift cam, and heavy tripple springs), combined with 6000 +rpm in a comp engine will need some extra protection. There was never any mention of running in oil back in the day because the normal oil was single grade, most often straight 30wt. They too only became necessary when multigrade oils with additives came out. The running in oils were just the old single grade oils, with no friction modifiers, and were/are used so the engine parts can wear together .
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