Hi all - I have a few noob questions. My 62 Bel Air Wagon has, what I can only assume, is a stock 327. It has the 250hp heads on it. I have an aluminum intake (no name) with a 1406 carb and headers. Just info in case its relevant. So, according to the manual, the compression should be 10.5/1. Whats the proper fuel octane to run? I can run 87 without pinging. I know on newer cars at this CR you’d want a higher octane. But I’ve been following the if it don’t ping, you’re good rule. 2nd - would this engine be a flat tappet or hydraulic lifter? I’m thinking of trying Amsoil as I do lose about a qt every 2k miles and I’m thinking a better than Napa oil might have better evap properties. I do not see any noticeable smoke from the exhaust. So I’m trying to determine if I should try zrod but they don’t have that in 10w40 and 20w50 seems too thick? Their syn oil is available in 10w40 but Its a different additive package. Thanks for your thoughts! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
May need to run mid grade gas to keep it happy. Flat tappet cams can be solid or hydraulic. Yours would be a hydraulic flat tappet. One quart in 2000 miles? No problem there. That is probably average even when those were fairly new.
You would have to blueprint the engine to get near the advertised compression level. I'd avoid amsoil. A quart every 2k is great. Pete
Thanks- agreed that oil consumption is not anything to worry about, but I’d like something with some ZDDP in it if its got a flat tappet and just a little better quality oil. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I agree with you on the additive. I use diesel oil and add half a bottle of comp cam's additive at each oil change. Pete
I know a hell of a lot of guys who would be tickled to death if their 327 only went though 1 quart every 2K That is lubrication not high consumption. Another no vote on Amsoil. I saw that crap pulled out of a couple of oil pans looking like a perfect mold of the inside of the pan like jello out of a jello mold in the 70's and my boss was sponsored by Amsoil on the dirt track but didn't run it in his race car.
The engine code is stamped on the block 9n the right side. It will be on the deck, just in front of the cylinder head.
I don't get crazy with oil and use either mineral based or a blend. I try to find something local like Kendall with high zddp. $6 a quart beats $9 or $10 a quart. I run 20w-50 in my 355 year round.
I'm an Amsoil believer. I ran their 50W race oil in my racer for over 250 rounds. Same oil with 1 filter change and a qt added. I used it exclusively in my sleds with no oil related failures in thousands of miles. One thing to remember when switching to a full synthetic on an older engine, you want to go up 1 full grade. If you're running 10-30 go to 10-40. Running 10-40 go to 20-50. Synthetics don't burn like mineral oils do but they also don't "cushion" like mineral oils either. I'm fully aware that all this is over-simplified, and some who are well versed in lube tech can tell us in technical terms or indeed tell me I'm full of shit. Your worries can be salved somewhat by running 15-40 diesel oil. Just look up their MSDS sheets online and you'll see ZDDP in parts per million (PPM). FWIW "Supertech" diesel oil from Walmart (yes, Wally World) is rated rather high in quality and ZDDP. It's also about 2/3 the price of most name brand oils. Nearly all 20-50 oils are well zupported by ZDDP as well. blues4u did a wonderful oil topic not too long ago with links to oil research and grade pages and many spelled out the things we HAMB brains need or want in oils. Best advice? Find that topic, don't over-think it, and run the best gasoline you can afford. Just because you don't "hear" spark knock doesn't mean you're not suffering the silent killer known as detonation. In old engines ocatane is your friend, and it wouldn't hurt to run an occasional cpl gallons of race gas added to a fill up. The little bit of lead in race fuel makes valves happy.
87 might be a little iffy running a .040 head gasket would loose about one half a point. Most NAPA oil is Valvoline. I had a 64 300 hp 327 that used a quart every 1000 miles for the 100,000 miles I had it.
Thanks everyone. I'm going to give the Amsoil a shot on this next change, but I like the idea of using something off the shelf. Between my Wagon and the Roadster, neither see more than just some street use. Good tip on using the higher octane - that's what I thought but having switched back and forth I haven't noticed any differences that I can tell.
For all reasonable purposes, oil does not evaporate. I’ll second the recommendation for HD diesel oil, and looking up blues4u’s thread on why. If the engine is original, you may need new valve seals. Pretty easy to change them if you have an air compressor. The Harbor Freight valve spring compressor kinda sucks, but it works if you band it with a hose clamp. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
2000 miles to a qt. must be a record! I never got more than 1200 on a perfect SBC, and that was only after 2 dyno pulls! I use 15-40 Super-Tech Heavy Duty, (NOT CONVENTIONAL) It has 1500 ppm zinc for flat tappet cams. There is a different ZDDP rating on the "Conventional" Super-Tech somewhere in 750 range.
The Jalopy Journal
