Will be firing my freshly rebuilt flatty tomorrow. I've got a case of straight 60 weight VR racing oil from Valvoline. Would this be appropriate for a fresh rebuild or should i look to their 20w50 as others have used?
I use straight 40w per my engine builder's direction. I use the Valvoline VR-1 stuff, and throw a can of that ZDDP in for good measure.
When Mine was fresh I used Val 40wt Now I use 20/50 wt Since I have Hi vol oil pump, The other wt oils seem to bring oil press down Like to see at least 40pd at idle This motor has been running since 1990 that way, About 80th miles now Hope this helps you
Not sure on 60wt, Should call a flat engine rebuilder and ask, I had good luck with 40wt I did my motor my self So not a daily thing for me. Never hurts to ask
Ever try to shove butter up a wildcat's ass it's better if you melt the butter! 40,50,60 are for broke in motors, warren out ones or extreme temperature conditions. Run 20w,10w30 0r even 20w50 but make it light enough it gets everwhere as soon as possible! Add zinc and run it til its hot and drive it a least a hundred miles before changing. Heavy oils are for extreme conditions or tired motors fresh ones need light oil.
Rotella 15 W 40. Unless you know the clearance in the bearings, and it wide, save the 60 wt for a race motor with the wide clearance.
Any modern oil will be fine, but stick to 30 or a multigrade. 60 is waaay too thick. I've posted how to put in the last coupla quarts via the sender port so that you have absolutely instant pressure at fireup. I assume cam lobes were greased up with assembly lube made for that purpose...I would if so consider that part done, engine should be fine forever on regular modern oil after run in. Old way...posted forever by old Honest Charley in his catalog...was to put in an extra quart for break in so cam got extra splash, but even though traditional I would not do that because the extra splash oiling could jeopardize ring break in.
TORCO makes a break in oil that has been specifically blended for the express purpose of maximum protection during initial break in. Look them up on the internet at torcousa.com.
You can never go wrong following Bruce Lancaster's advice. I second the 30W and well-greased cam/lifters - that's how I do all engines (not that I've rebuilt anything in the recent decade). Oil is cheap insurance. I always did my initial run-in and the first 30-50 miles and then changed oil. If you have a filter, it will be full of assembly lube at this point. I then put in another 30W fill and ran that for 100-250 miles. After that, I changed as normal...
I like 20W / 50W Pennzoil or such. I pack the oil pump with white lube and spin the motor over a bit before turning on the juice. After it's got a few hundred miles on it I use Rotella 15W / 40W. Truthfully the modern oils are so good you almost can't screw it up!
I use Lucas Hot Rod oil in mine. Full of zinc, designed for flat tapped engines and comes in 10w30, 10w40 and 20w50
Why put ZDDP additive in VR1? Doesn't make sense. VR1 already has recommended levels, and it has been proven scientifically that adding extra actually reduces the effectiveness.
Most 20-50 or straight 30W mineral oils with do the job. Remember gang, FHs dont have killer valves spring pressures to contend with, so a good minerl oil that had some zinc in it will do the job. An additive cant hurt if youre paranoid. One more thing. Cam lube on cam lobes/lifters will block up the oil filter after it melts off the lobes / lifters during break in. If you're running a lifter it will clog the lifter. If you're running a filter, break in the cam, dump the oil while hot, add fresh 20-50 or whatever you used THEN drive the car to load up the rings properly. Hell even if your not running a filter do it. Then after 50-100 miles dump the oil. Why would anyone want to DRIVE the car around for 100 miles+ with a clogged filter AND the oil they broke the cam /lifters in with defies logic, esp with all the "metal" in the oil after cam break in. sp when its just for the sake of an oil change/filter? Rat
Easy priming for a new flathead: Right before startup hook a 1/4" pipe fitting to a hose from a coffee can...lash this up any way that is easy. Hook it to port at back of block. Port is hard to reach on many cars, consider also hooking up to the feed pipe up top if you have a stock filter. At any rate, put the last 2 quarts of oil into through the can rig, which will fill galleries and prime pump. You can't see or directly tell whether you get everything this way, but I believe you do, because when I do it I see movement on the pressure gauge on the first movement of the starter, and engine goes to full pressure immediately when it lights. Don't forget to re-plug your oil system before you touch that starter button!
Brad Penn is arguably the best non-synthetic oil out there. I wouldn't, however, use their 50W for initial start up. They make a break-in oil: http://www.penngrade1.com/Products/High-Performance/Break-In-Oil.aspx Brad Penn is the old Kendall green. Conoco-Phillips bought the Kendall name, but not the actual oil. Brad Penn is done in the same refinery with the same petro-chemists as the old Kendall 'green slime'. Good stuff and worth the price for most high performance engines...
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