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Oil question

Sixty_vette

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2002
Messages
31
Location
Ohio
I have a stock - 1960 283/245 engine with 82k miles. Been running Mobil synthetic oil in it, and was recently told I should be using a Hi Zinc oil in this older engine!

Anyone have an opinion? Which oil would be best to use? I do not race this car, but will be going on a long trip in August to Bowling Green, KY from Ohio.

Thank you!
 
Last edited:
I have a stock - 1960 283/245 engine with 82k miles. Been running Mobil synthetic oil in it, and was recently told I should be using a Hi Zinc oil in this older engine!

Anyone have an opinion? Which oil would be best to use? I do not race this car, but will be going on a long trip in August to Bowling Green, KY from Ohio.

Thank you!

With your vintage engine, the Mobil 1 synthetic oil does nothing for you except increase your oil change costs. What's important for your engine is to ensure an adequate level of ZDDP in the oil to protect the sliding elements in the valvetrain (primarily the lifter faces and cam lobes), as that ZDDP concentration has been reduced in the current "SM" and "SN"-rated regular oils to protect catalytic converters.

The solution is simple - use any brand of CJ-4-rated 15W40 or 10W30 oil, like Shell Rotella or Mobil Delvac; Walmart also has a "house" brand of CJ-4 oil. The brand doesn't matter - if the first-listed API service category is CJ-4, that's all that matters. The regular "SM" and "SN" oils are limited to a maximum of 800 ppm of ZDDP, but there is no such limitation on CJ-4 oils, which typically test at 1100-1300 ppm, which provides all the protection your OEM valvetrain needs, without using any other additives. :thumb

:beer
 
With your vintage engine, the Mobil 1 synthetic oil does nothing for you except increase your oil change costs. What's important for your engine is to ensure an adequate level of ZDDP in the oil to protect the sliding elements in the valvetrain (primarily the lifter faces and cam lobes), as that ZDDP concentration has been reduced in the current "SM" and "SN"-rated regular oils to protect catalytic converters.

The solution is simple - use any brand of CJ-4-rated 15W40 or 10W30 oil, like Shell Rotella or Mobil Delvac; Walmart also has a "house" brand of CJ-4 oil. The brand doesn't matter - if the first-listed API service category is CJ-4, that's all that matters. The regular "SM" and "SN" oils are limited to a maximum of 800 ppm of ZDDP, but there is no such limitation on CJ-4 oils, which typically test at 1100-1300 ppm, which provides all the protection your OEM valvetrain needs, without using any other additives. :thumb

:beer

Thanks John, exactly the information I was looking for! Much appreciated!
 

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