Oil recommendation for my Hemi

[moonlithaven]

Looking for recommendations on what type, brand and weight of oil to use in my John Arruzza built 517 Hemi engine. What is best to use. I don't know what engine oil he was using in it when I bought the Daytona from John. Should I be using a synthetic or just plain petroleum based HP motor oil? Just want to put the best in this Hemi as it is an extremely expensive professionally built Hemi engine.

[justcruisin]

Most are going to recommend a dino oil with the right amount of zinc/phos (1500PPM) in it like a Brad Penn or Gibbs, but you are going to need to know what weight you need, that will depend on what your engine requires in regard to clearances. 10W40 is pretty common.

[Challenger340]

As mentioned..... Dino Oils with additive Pkg's inclusive of the std EP's like Zinc, etc are highly rec'd

that said,
the other consideration being weight of Oil ?

Best to let the Engine itself 'tell you' what it wants/requires across the entire operating temperature spectrum.

Start out with a 10W40....
1.) if you find Oil Pressure is abnormally LOW with the 10W40 when hot then move up to a thicker 15/40 or 20/50
2.) if you find the Oil Pressure is abnormally HIGH with the 10W40 even when Hot then move down to a thinner 5W30 etc ?

Question:
Is there no documentation or specification sheet of internal Engine Bearing Clrcs applied on this Arruzza built 517 Hemi Engine ?
HV or std Oil Pump, etc., etc.
Dyno Sheet should have the Oil right there as well ?
My apologies for asking.... but it just seems weird to me that a ""extremely expensive professionally built Hemi engine"" at probably $30K + would get Machined/Built/Assembled and leave John Arruzza's shop devoid of any documentation of the parts/clrcs etc used in the build ?

[moonlithaven]

Most are going to recommend a dino oil with the right amount of zinc/phos (1500PPM) in it like a Brad Penn or Gibbs, but you are going to need to know what weight you need, that will depend on what your engine requires in regard to clearances. 10W40 is pretty common.

Thank you very much for your reply. I appreciate it. Seems like I need to check out Brad Penn or Gibbs oils. I guess I need to google those and do my research.

[moonlithaven]

As mentioned..... Dino Oils with additive Pkg's inclusive of the std EP's like Zinc, etc are highly rec'd

that said,
the other consideration being weight of Oil ?

Best to let the Engine itself 'tell you' what it wants/requires across the entire operating temperature spectrum.

Start out with a 10W40....
1.) if you find Oil Pressure is abnormally LOW with the 10W40 when hot then move up to a thicker 15/40 or 20/50
2.) if you find the Oil Pressure is abnormally HIGH with the 10W40 even when Hot then move down to a thinner 5W30 etc ?

Question:
Is there no documentation or specification sheet of internal Engine Bearing Clrcs applied on this Arruzza built 517 Hemi Engine ?
HV or std Oil Pump, etc., etc.
Dyno Sheet should have the Oil right there as well ?
My apologies for asking.... but it just seems weird to me that a ""extremely expensive professionally built Hemi engine"" at probably $30K + would get Machined/Built/Assembled and leave John Arruzza's shop devoid of any documentation of the parts/clrcs etc used in the build ?

You actually make some very excellent points. My circumstances on acquiring this engine are a little unique though. This motor was built in 2006 and installed in my Daytona Charger as an upgrade to the stock 440. So that being said I did not purchase this motor new in a crate from John. He actually built this motor for his own personal car. I bought the Daytona in July of 2016 so the motor I am guessing was already almost 10 years old. That is the oldest possibility for the age of the hemi but I don't really know, as John would not tell me when the motor was installed. He bought the car in 2006 but I think he had it several years before this engine went in. I'm not even sure where to find the VIN on this engine block and if I did if it would tell me anything as to the age of the motor. When I bought the Daytona for him this is the motor I received and at that point he told me the engine was worth about $35,000. Unfortunately I did not think to get the proper paperwork and necessary information all about the engine that I should have asked for, and I've been kicking myself in the behind ever since. Would love to be able to find information, specs, on the 517 hemi, but have googled this particular hemi engine and the information out there is pretty much non-existent at best. I can't seem to find anything.
As you may or may not know John Arruzza has become completely unavailable to try and get any information from, since he gave up on hemi engine building. I've tried for the last 3 to 4 years to contact him and have had no success. Kind of puts me between a rock and a hard place. Again I did not have the foresight to get all the proper documentation from him, although he gave me tons and tons of paperwork I didn't seem to get any information on the engine build. I'm sort of flying blind at trying to find out anything specific about this motor and any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

[justcruisin]

Not sure if your are aware, Dino (Dinosaur) is just a slang for conventional oil - non synthetic.

[moonlithaven]

Not sure if your are aware, Dino (Dinosaur) is just a slang for conventional oil - non synthetic.

Yes I wasn't completely sure but that's what I suspected. Thank you for the clarification. I wasn't planning on putting a synthetic oil in my Hemi anyway.

[b5blue]

I'd call Hughes Engines. Look at this chart:  https://www.hughesengines.com/TechArticles/8bearingclearanceandoilviscosity.php

[moonlithaven]

I'd call Hughes Engines. Look at this chart:  https://www.hughesengines.com/TechArticles/8bearingclearanceandoilviscosity.php

Thank you for the help. I will look at the Hughes Engines website. I wish I knew what the main bearing clearance and rod bearing clearance is? I'm not sure if there is away to find out?

[b5blue]

You'd need to drop the oil pan and plastic gauge. I'm assuming this isn't really getting "driven" much as nice as it is. Hughes would know your best/safest oil.

[cdr]

Lucas has what you need, it has all the additives in it, I would start with 10/30

[moonlithaven]

You'd need to drop the oil pan and plastic gauge. I'm assuming this isn't really getting "driven" much as nice as it is. Hughes would know your best/safest oil.

Thanks so much. Yes you are correct it doesn't get driven that much. It is more of a trailer queen and a show car. Hughes seems to be the authority on grade of oil as it relates to bearing clearances.

[moonlithaven]

Lucas has what you need, it has all the additives in it, I would start with 10/30

Thank you for the recommendation. I will check out Lucas oil. Why do you recommend 10w30 over a 10w40? Just curious because I was leaning towards using a 10w40.

[cdr]

The lighter oil is better for short trips, its just what I think should be good for what you use the car for ,as said by challenger340, you will just have to try a giving weight & see how the pressure is, I am a FIRM believer in Lucas products.