Oil recommendation

[boss429kiwi]

Hi
(sorry, I am sure this has been discussed many times)

A local oil specialist has recommended Fuchs 25W/60 oil for all my Big Block cars.
I know nothing about oil, but this grade of oil seems rather "thick" to me?

Granted, this oil says its recommended for Big Bore high older performance engines.

Your thoughts

Gary

[mhinders]

I'm sure there will be many opinions, but synthetic oil data outperforms all of the old mineral oils. I run synthetic in all my engines, from lawn mover, old diesel boat engine, hi-performance motorcycle to big block 1967 mopar.
There is an old saying "you can't use synthetic in an old engine" and that's just pure BS, all my engines work better with synthetic oil.

[NorwayCharger]

I'm sure there will be many opinions, but synthetic oil data outperforms all of the old mineral oils. I run synthetic in all my engines, from lawn mover, old diesel boat engine, hi-performance motorcycle to big block 1967 mopar.
There is an old saying "you can't use synthetic in an old engine" and that's just pure BS, all my engines work better with synthetic oil.

I use Royal purple 20w50 and 10w40.

[BSB67]

Hi
(sorry, I am sure this has been discussed many times)

A local oil specialist has recommended Fuchs 25W/60 oil for all my Big Block cars.
I know nothing about oil, but this grade of oil seems rather "thick" to me?

Granted, this oil says its recommended for Big Bore high older performance engines.

Your thoughts

Gary

My thoughts.....run what you like.  They do not need anything that heavy.  If it maintains oil pressure, you can run 0-20.

[elacruze]

I run Shell Rotella 15w40 in mine with STP additive (for ZDDP). I have LM ceramic lifters to insure against cam wear, though. If I had steel lifters I would be running Amsoil or Royal Purple; down under you may have these brands or something similar, ELF maybe. Let your idle oil pressure be your guide, but you certainly shouldn't need anything so heavy. Consider particularly that the oil pump drive shaft is a weak point, stiff cold oil and a careless right foot can twist it out of the oil pump. Many sources sell hardened pump drive shafts to prevent this. Personally I'd never consider anything heavier than 20w50-the fact that it's a big block, or dumb old tech V8 isn't relevant. You need enough oil to keep the bearings off the journals and the lifters off the cam, no more.

[Chryco Psycho]

My opinion is you need to run non synthetic for a while to allow the rings to seat , no question synthetic is superior after seating the rings , the big issues is enough Zddp to protect flat tappet cams , any of the new oils SM & now SN are drastically reduced Zddp content.

[maxwellwedge]

+1

[firefighter3931]

Brad Penn racing 20/50 is a quality lube with plenty of extreme pressure additives and is semi synthetic. 



Ron

[mhinders]

To tell you what got me convinced...I had an old Mercedes with all alu-engine and double overhead camshafts...people told me not put synthetic oil in it...I did it anyway...and since it was a no-electronics engine, the idle speed increased with approx 500 rpms...just because of the lower friction in the engine!!!!! All good in my opinion...

[Fred]

Brad Penn racing 20/50 is a quality lube with plenty of extreme pressure additives and is semi synthetic. 



Ron

Good oil...................that's what I use. 

[resq302]

I use the Valvoline VR-1 racing oil.  Picked up a case of the new synthetic stuff last year and I was amazed at how much cooler my engine ran.  At least thats what the temp gauge showed.

[heyoldguy]

Whew, wall I was rememberin' thar was this one time in 1961 we was runnin' strat STP wen we last all the bearins in the bottom end that day at San Fernado Drag Strip.

[Budnicks]

I'm sure this has been covered many, many, times before !! but any type camshaft that is a flat tappet lifter hydraulic or mechanical solid lifter engine should use a form of Phosphorus Zinc Oxide additive or a blended oil that has a High Zinc content !! or you risk your camshaft is going to go flat, much, much, quicker than it would using the proper type of oils...  Torco racing Oils, Brad Penn, Z-Alt, Castroll High Mileage, Quakerstate, Shell/Rottella {spelling?}& Chevron/Del-lo Both are for Diesel Engine oils can be used in an automotive gasoline engines also, Lucas Oil, Comp Cams, Lunati Cams & many others have High Zinc based oils, break in oils or oil with Zinc based mixed/blended additives that can be used successfully...    Newer type engine with Hydraulic Roller Camshaft/Lifters {even a retro-fitted older engine} or any engine with Solid Roller Camshafts/Lifters any oil that is the proper viscosity will work just fine, except break ins you should use the Mineral Petroleum Based oils to seat the rings, after that point it's your choice to use either Man Made Synthetics or Mineral/Petroleum based dinosaur oils...  Just my Opinion

[Dans 68]

Brad Penn racing 20/50 is a quality lube with plenty of extreme pressure additives and is semi synthetic. 



Ron

Good oil...................that's what I use. 

Ditto.

Dan