oil changes

[Tom S.]

Re: oil changes

Joe
Thanks for all your time and help. Also a big thanks to everyone else who responded.I find this forum very helpful, and extremly interesting.

Thanks again

Tom Stanton

[Craig S.]

Re: oil changes

Joe - in my 66 L72 that will include orignal grind speed pro cam and solid lifters, and speed pro current technology forged pistons fitted with the 0.003" clearance speed pro stipulates, I plan to use Mobil 1 10W-300 too. I frequently see suggestions not to use synthetic for ring seating until 5K miles or so, which I did on my 81 454 pickup which I rebuilt in around 1995 with a comp 270 cam and similar forged pistions. I have about 40K on the rebuild, and use Mobil 1 10W-30 exclusively every 3K on that build up since the 5K coversion. It did use a quart of oil every 1000-1200 miles for the 2nd change at 1K (first was after cam break in) and 2nd change at 3K. Third was at 5K to the Mobil 1. Somewhere after 5K the oil consumption dropped, and even with these forged slugs at 0.003", I am guessing my oil consumption to be stabilized at around 4-5K per quart. These did not have the graphite impregnated skirts. The new speed pros on my 66 L72 have the newer coated skirts, I am not sure if this wears off immediately and is a break in coating only, or stays in the aluminum. At any rate, I am curious on your views if I should use Mobil 1 from the get go or switch after a period. I realize the skirt coating is not for ring seating but skirt galling and scuffing, I will be using plasma-moly filled rings on this new engine, but the 81 truck had the cheaper moly sprayed rings. In both cases, the bores were honed on a Sunnen CK10 with stones for moly rings, which produce the fine finish to prevent chipping of the moly.

Thx for your thoughts!......Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: Synthetic in a new Truck

Rich - thx for the links again, I lost that mopar filter study which I felt was very thorough...Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: oil changes

I guess I really need to start proof reading my posts.....my fingers don't do very well without spell checker any more!.....Craig

[Patrick H.]

Oil Filter Study Link

haven't seen you on the other board, Craig.......

check out the link below




Oil Filter comparison

[Craig S.]

Re: Oil Filter Study Link

Patrick - I know, has been too long . I have been traveling quite a bit lately for IBM, and this past week was working in your neck of the woods (well, sort of) in Poughkeepsie NY. I had to drive in that blasted storm yesterday from Pokie to LaGuardia. We were working from 8AM to 9PM every day.... yuck. Have been to Columbus OH a lot lately too, one of our customers is Bank One and I am our storage systems advocate.... the dev labs have customer advocates. Seems like I never have time lately for fun vette stuff, even the board. Thx for the link guys!.......Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: Oil Filter Study Link

Patrick - missed the other board que.....same comment applies!! LOL...Craig

[Dave F.]

Re: oil changes

Joe,
For a rebuild, what break-in oil do you recommend before running with a synthetic?

[Joe L.]

Re: oil changes

Dave-----

For the first 1/2 hour of engine operation----straight 30 wt, conventional DETERGENT oil

For the next 1/2 hour of engine operation----same as above with new oil filter

For the next 500 miles of opertion---conventional 10W-30 with new oil filter

After that, Mobil 1 5W-30 or 10W-30 with new oil filter

The above is MY preference, but it's very likely unnecessary. GM fills brand new engines with synthetic 5W-30 and 10W-30 oil. However, I don't know what they use at the engine plant for the very short "hot test and balance".

[Dave F.]

Re: oil changes

Thanks Joe. Your preferences may be deemed unnecessary by some, but I prefer this conservative approach. Is there anything you would recommend regarding break-in period for a new camshaft(along with valves, springs, and lifters)? I've recently read/heard something like 20 minutes at 2000 rpm, but this seems to conflict with what I had learned a long time ago about varying the rpm for the first few hundred miles as being very important for a new engine. Maybe this applies only when installing just a new cam and lifters. Along with the above, my rebuild requires new rings and bearings. Pistons, rods, and crank do not need to be replaced. I'm not sure on this.

[Craig S.]

Re: oil changes

Dave - the 20 minutes at 200-2500 is very important with flat tappet cams. Also use a high grade moly based cam lube such as made by ARP etc for the break in period. Zero idle time, including cranking the starter without lighting the engine is not good. Use a drill driven priming tool to get the oil through the lifter galleries first, and fill the carb with gas so it lights immediately, and a much as it "hurts" bring to up to a steady 2200 rpm or so for 20 minutes. After this cam break in period, you can then go into the varied driving you have heard about and avoid constant rpm on the highways etc, with no full throttle burst until 1000 miles or so, keeping the rpm somewhat down but driving briskly, varying speeds. Modern roller rockers don't need the cam break in like flat tappets. Basically, you can destroy a cam lobe in seconds if they run dry with too much spring pressure, tearing off the parkerized surface on the lobes, and they will go flat in short order. High spring rates and agressive cams are more prone to this than mild cams, I sometimes break in a cam with only the outer springs, and subsequently remove the springs and insall inner and outers after run in....Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: oil changes = correction

My fingers failed me on the keyboard again.... I was trying to say 2000-2500 rpm, not 200-2500....Craig

[Dave F.]

Craig & Joe - Thank You *NM*

[Steve Pettit]

Re: oil changes

Thank you Joe,

I currently change my conventional oil at 3,000 miles or the first day of the season (ie, summer, fall etc.) and will continue to do so. Thanks again for the help on this and other issues.

Regards, Steve Pettit

[Barney Joe Flick]

Re: oil changes

I have to agree with Chuck.After scrolling through the answers to Tom's question,I did learn a few things,but was thinking what Chuck was thinking.Or how about the ol'method of changing the oil,but not the filter,,,in fact I think it even suggests changing the filter every other oil change in my 1970 owners manual.I never understood the reasoning behind that one.