Getting ready to change the oil. What weight do you use/ recommend?

[deathsled]

Using 10W30 Quaker State synthetic blend. Engine is 80s carbureted 302 with hypo 289 heads and so on. Oil filter is a Motorcraft FL1A...

[FL SAAC]

Stop using Quaker Cake !

Get the one , the only. the original, the best synthetic Mobil One

Which one ?

Great question,  Mobil 1 15W-50 is recommended for all types of vehicles, suitable for use in high-performance turbo-charged, supercharged gasoline and diesel multi-valve fuel injected engines found in passenger cars, light vans and trucks.

There you have it, dont use imposters

[68gtcoupe]

10W-30.  I have a 1968 J-code 302, assorted bolt-on mods.  It's never let me down.

I did not specify a brand, because the OP only asked about weight. 

 

[6s1640]

Do you have roller or flat tappet cam?  I would stay with conventional oil with zink for flat tappet cams.  Valvoline Racing motor oil has the zink for classic cars.  If you run the synthetic blend, you run the risk of the cars cam going flat.  I don't know the cam/lifter configuration on a 80's 302.

Best of luck

Cory

[FL SAAC]

Mobil 1     ZINC

15 w 50.   1300

20 w 50.    1750

[deathsled]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

[Bob Gaines]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

Roller rockers are used on flat tappet cams . You ether have a roller cam or a flat tappet cam.

[deathsled]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

Roller rockers are used on flat tappet cams . You ether have a roller cam or a flat tappet cam.

I think it is a roller cam.  That's what my father said.  He gave me the engine but I still think his memory is good.  If it blows up I  will throw it out and put another engine in.  Maybe a 302 crate engine.  Or rebuild the original matching 289.  I suppose a 289 can be sleeved so as not to have to bore .030 over.

[deathsled]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

Roller rockers are used on flat tappet cams . You ether have a roller cam or a flat tappet cam.

Thank you for that clarification.  Now as I think about it, the engine must have a flat tappet came because the original valve covers were put back on but had to use two layers of gasket to accommodate the roller rockers.  So it must not have a roller cam.  Am I in trouble with Castrol 10W30 synthetic blend?  Maybe I can buy a zinc additive to the oil through the valve cover cap?

[Bob Gaines]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

Roller rockers are used on flat tappet cams . You ether have a roller cam or a flat tappet cam.

Thank you for that clarification.  Now as I think about it, the engine must have a flat tappet came because the original valve covers were put back on but had to use two layers of gasket to accommodate the roller rockers.  So it must not have a roller cam.  Am I in trouble with Castrol 10W30 synthetic blend?  Maybe I can buy a zinc additive to the oil through the valve cover cap?

The 10W30 will work. Yes you can add the additive through the cap. The additive is most critical when breaking in a new cam. It doesn't hurt to add it after every oil change however.

[deathsled]

I ended up going with Castrol 10W30.  The engine is a roller rocker so I believe that it is not a flat tappet cam.  Oil change is complete.  Did a video on it including losing the drain plug into the oil catch basin.

Roller rockers are used on flat tappet cams . You ether have a roller cam or a flat tappet cam.

Thank you for that clarification.  Now as I think about it, the engine must have a flat tappet came because the original valve covers were put back on but had to use two layers of gasket to accommodate the roller rockers.  So it must not have a roller cam.  Am I in trouble with Castrol 10W30 synthetic blend?  Maybe I can buy a zinc additive to the oil through the valve cover cap?

The 10W30 will work. Yes you can add the additive through the cap. The additive is most critical when breaking in a new cam. It doesn't hurt to add it after every oil change however.

Thank you Bob.

[rhjanes]

10W30 is fine if you are in the northern half of the USA.  Here in the south, I use a 15W40 in my old classics.  I've been using the Shell Rotella T, the old dino-stuff.  A synth or blend should also be fine.  Our temps in the summer are.....toasty, hence the "40". 
Castrol is good oil but I'm wondering which one you got?  I've been using the Castrol, Synth, High-Mileage in my wife's Honda which has 180,000 miles on it.  It runs over 6,000 miles before the car tells me to change it.  Seems like a good oil.  I've also used the Store Brand, which is by "Ashland Refinery" (that's Vavoline). 

[deathsled]

10W30 is fine if you are in the northern half of the USA.  Here in the south, I use a 15W40 in my old classics.  I've been using the Shell Rotella T, the old dino-stuff.  A synth or blend should also be fine.  Our temps in the summer are.....toasty, hence the "40". 
Castrol is good oil but I'm wondering which one you got?  I've been using the Castrol, Synth, High-Mileage in my wife's Honda which has 180,000 miles on it.  It runs over 6,000 miles before the car tells me to change it.  Seems like a good oil.  I've also used the Store Brand, which is by "Ashland Refinery" (that's Vavoline).

Exhibit "A" for identification.

[6R07mi]

somewhat off topic, back in my younger years hot rodding Telegraph Rd, Westside Motor city

my 70 351C w 4:11 gears, Crane Fireball cam w 310° duration, I ran BF-32 motorcraft plugs and 20W50 racing oil,
that unmodified short block saw a lot of 6,000+ rpm's and was still running strong at 135,000 miles when the chemically lightened body twisted!

the big pain was in cold weather I had to drop to 10W30 and BF-42 plugs or the plugs would foul on cold startup,  the cam overlap + cold weather didn't play well together!

That 351C would take a  454 Pontiac Trans Am or Z-28 all day long, ...  big block corvettes for the first 3 gears, ... "no replacement for displacement"

<< found an old photo, following theft recovery, taken on Hines Drive, western Wayne  county circa 1976 >>

jim p

[deathsled]

somewhat off topic, back in my younger years hot rodding Telegraph Rd, Westside Motor city

my 70 351C w 4:11 gears, Crane Fireball cam w 310° duration, I ran BF-32 motorcraft plugs and 20W50 racing oil,
that unmodified short block saw a lot of 6,000+ rpm's and was still running strong at 135,000 miles when the chemically lightened body twisted!

the big pain was in cold weather I had to drop to 10W30 and BF-42 plugs or the plugs would foul on cold startup,  the cam overlap + cold weather didn't play well together!

That 351C would take a  454 Pontiac Trans Am or Z-28 all day long, ...  big block corvettes for the first 3 gears, ... "no replacement for displacement" 


jim p

That's a great piece of personal history. I enjoyed reading about it.