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Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.
RichZ begins the question....
- Thread starter Kap142
- Start date
69smallblock
New member
oil
I neglected to say that i did a rebuild on my small block with a new cam and lifters
I neglected to say that i did a rebuild on my small block with a new cam and lifters
gmjunkie
Corvette,GM Classic Freak
I use Mobil 1 in my C4's and C5's engines, and Royal Purple in ALL my Manual Transmissions!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Like you said, Shifting is Smoother!!:thumbsup:
I personally believe they Shift allot Slicker and Quicker!!:reddevil::thumbsup:
72ragtop
New member
Article geared toward older, vintage engines.
Good reading
For over half a century the automotive and petroleum industries have promulgated engine oil standards through the American Petroleum Institute (API). The result: Engine oil is a generic product, but different generic engine oil products are offered depending on the type of service. The current API service category system dates back to 1969, and there are two basic categories. Current, past and obsolete service categories that begin with S are intended primarily for spark ignition (gas), engines and C categories are intended primarily for compression ignition (diesel) engines. The second letter indicates the revision, and the service categories have evolved to the current SM and CJ-4 (4 refers to four stroke cycle) based on the requirements of currently produced engines, and i emphasize currently. The current SM service category is not the best engine oil for vintage gasoline engines for reasons i will explain.
As a general rule, both C and S category performance requirements have significantly increased over the years, but recent changes have reduced the concentration of anti-wear additive due to evidence that its combustion byproducts reduce catalyst life. EPA requirements for tighter emission controls and longer emission control system warranties are the reasons for the reduction. Meanwhile, modern engines design details have reduced the need for anti-wear additive.
Additives, which are critical to proper engine performance and longevity, include detergents and dispersants, and corrosion, foaming, and wear inhibitors. The most effective anti-wear additive going back over 50 years is zinc diahkyldithiophosphate, which is generally known as ZDDP. This additive is critical to preventing sliding surface wear. In particular, vintage engines have many sliding surfaces in the valve train such as flat-faced valve lifters and plain bearing rocker arms/shafts or stamped rocker arms/balls as used on vintage chevrolet V-8 engines.
Most modern valve trains have roller lifters and roller trunnion rocker arms, which means they dont need as much ZDDP as vintage engines.
From the 1950's to the early 200s many engine oils were dual-rated. carrying both the then current compression and spark ignition engine service categories. The primary category was listed first, and the typical level of ZDDP concentration based on the mass fraction of phosphorous (symbol P on the Periodic Chart of Elements) evolved to about .12%, which can be expressed as 1200 ppm. Over the years this level has proved to be ideal for sliding surface protection. Significantly less can allow more rapid sliding surface wear, but more the .14 over the long run can have negative effects such as certain corrosion mechanisms. More is not necessarily better, and there is absolutely no need to use any supplemental ZDDP-rich additives with CJ-4 rated oils, other then GM EOS being optional for initial engine break in.
To promote long catalyst life, SM oils in winter grades of 10W or less are limited to .08% or 800 ppm P. This is sufficient for modern roller-everything gasoline engines, but may not be sufficient to prevent accelerated wear on vintage engine sliding valve train components. SM oils with winter grades above 10W have no P limitations, but this does not mean that 20W-50 SM oils have more because only as little as .06% of P is required to pass the SM specification and test suite.
The current CJ-4 specification also limits P due to the addition of catalysts to 2007 and later over the road heavy duty diesel engines, But the limitation is .12%, which is about the same level as earlier S and C category oils. Typical CJ-4s analyze at .011-0.12% P, and this concentration of ZDDP is necessary to pass the tougher CJ-4 anti-wear test suite. As a general rule, the CJ-4 test suite is a higher hurdle then the SM test suite.
Thus, CJ-4 is the best current commonly available oil for vintage engines because your are essentially guaranteed the ideal concentration of ZDDP for maximum protection of vintage engine sliding surface components.
The next question is invariably: What brand? I refuse to name brands because it doesnt make any difference! There is no best brand! As long as the label (usually the label on the back side of the package) has the API Service Symbol (sometimes called the donut) with the CJ-4 listed as the first service category, the product, within reasonable tolerance, is essentially the same as any other API CJ-4 oil.
The commonly available 15W-40 viscosity range is suitable for cold starts down to about 10-15 degrees F. and will likely meet the needs of 99 plus percent of vintage car owners. If cold stars below this range will be common, use the 5W-40 verison.
Author is a retired automotive and aerospace engineer and holds a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center. He is the original owner of a 1963 Corvette coup and has been involved with restoration and racing since he was a teenager.
Good reading
For over half a century the automotive and petroleum industries have promulgated engine oil standards through the American Petroleum Institute (API). The result: Engine oil is a generic product, but different generic engine oil products are offered depending on the type of service. The current API service category system dates back to 1969, and there are two basic categories. Current, past and obsolete service categories that begin with S are intended primarily for spark ignition (gas), engines and C categories are intended primarily for compression ignition (diesel) engines. The second letter indicates the revision, and the service categories have evolved to the current SM and CJ-4 (4 refers to four stroke cycle) based on the requirements of currently produced engines, and i emphasize currently. The current SM service category is not the best engine oil for vintage gasoline engines for reasons i will explain.
As a general rule, both C and S category performance requirements have significantly increased over the years, but recent changes have reduced the concentration of anti-wear additive due to evidence that its combustion byproducts reduce catalyst life. EPA requirements for tighter emission controls and longer emission control system warranties are the reasons for the reduction. Meanwhile, modern engines design details have reduced the need for anti-wear additive.
Additives, which are critical to proper engine performance and longevity, include detergents and dispersants, and corrosion, foaming, and wear inhibitors. The most effective anti-wear additive going back over 50 years is zinc diahkyldithiophosphate, which is generally known as ZDDP. This additive is critical to preventing sliding surface wear. In particular, vintage engines have many sliding surfaces in the valve train such as flat-faced valve lifters and plain bearing rocker arms/shafts or stamped rocker arms/balls as used on vintage chevrolet V-8 engines.
Most modern valve trains have roller lifters and roller trunnion rocker arms, which means they dont need as much ZDDP as vintage engines.
From the 1950's to the early 200s many engine oils were dual-rated. carrying both the then current compression and spark ignition engine service categories. The primary category was listed first, and the typical level of ZDDP concentration based on the mass fraction of phosphorous (symbol P on the Periodic Chart of Elements) evolved to about .12%, which can be expressed as 1200 ppm. Over the years this level has proved to be ideal for sliding surface protection. Significantly less can allow more rapid sliding surface wear, but more the .14 over the long run can have negative effects such as certain corrosion mechanisms. More is not necessarily better, and there is absolutely no need to use any supplemental ZDDP-rich additives with CJ-4 rated oils, other then GM EOS being optional for initial engine break in.
To promote long catalyst life, SM oils in winter grades of 10W or less are limited to .08% or 800 ppm P. This is sufficient for modern roller-everything gasoline engines, but may not be sufficient to prevent accelerated wear on vintage engine sliding valve train components. SM oils with winter grades above 10W have no P limitations, but this does not mean that 20W-50 SM oils have more because only as little as .06% of P is required to pass the SM specification and test suite.
The current CJ-4 specification also limits P due to the addition of catalysts to 2007 and later over the road heavy duty diesel engines, But the limitation is .12%, which is about the same level as earlier S and C category oils. Typical CJ-4s analyze at .011-0.12% P, and this concentration of ZDDP is necessary to pass the tougher CJ-4 anti-wear test suite. As a general rule, the CJ-4 test suite is a higher hurdle then the SM test suite.
Thus, CJ-4 is the best current commonly available oil for vintage engines because your are essentially guaranteed the ideal concentration of ZDDP for maximum protection of vintage engine sliding surface components.
The next question is invariably: What brand? I refuse to name brands because it doesnt make any difference! There is no best brand! As long as the label (usually the label on the back side of the package) has the API Service Symbol (sometimes called the donut) with the CJ-4 listed as the first service category, the product, within reasonable tolerance, is essentially the same as any other API CJ-4 oil.
The commonly available 15W-40 viscosity range is suitable for cold starts down to about 10-15 degrees F. and will likely meet the needs of 99 plus percent of vintage car owners. If cold stars below this range will be common, use the 5W-40 verison.
Author is a retired automotive and aerospace engineer and holds a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center. He is the original owner of a 1963 Corvette coup and has been involved with restoration and racing since he was a teenager.
98 softtail
Bug Killer
Without friction there is no wear, without wear there is no wear-out, we can't have things not wearing-out now can we? :NoNo:
mobil 1 5w-30 here 
when i had my STI (turbo) i was using amsoil 5w-40 european formula(even though the factory spec was 5w-30) ,i'd never use mobil 1 for a Subaru since i heard a lot of bad things about subies and mobil 1 .. but it seems mobil 1 is the way to go for corvette, i guess it all depends on the engine for same reason i didn't wanna use european formulua for my Z , .. i'd go higher viscosity if i ever boost the engine tho..
when i had my STI (turbo) i was using amsoil 5w-40 european formula(even though the factory spec was 5w-30) ,i'd never use mobil 1 for a Subaru since i heard a lot of bad things about subies and mobil 1 .. but it seems mobil 1 is the way to go for corvette, i guess it all depends on the engine for same reason i didn't wanna use european formulua for my Z , .. i'd go higher viscosity if i ever boost the engine tho..
vettejack
New member
Mobil 1 Synthetic in the '06 Vette convertible...I'm staying with factory. I change it at 3000 miles or earlier despite the rhetoric of what you read and hear. I will take no chances with such an expensive car to dispute the price of an oil change, and at what mileage, because of what talking head or self imposed expert or pundit says I should do with my car and how to treat the oil! :hehehe:
And for our silver 82 Vette? Try Valvoline Durablend! Its formulated for engines over 75,000mile and high RPM. Its a fine blend of synthetic and real oil. Again, I change the oil every 3000 miles, or earlier, depending on the driving that last 3000 miles has seen. If its city driving, then sooner...if its highway driving for most of the last 3000 miles, then the oil is changed a bit towards 3000.
Thats my take! :wavey:
And for our silver 82 Vette? Try Valvoline Durablend! Its formulated for engines over 75,000mile and high RPM. Its a fine blend of synthetic and real oil. Again, I change the oil every 3000 miles, or earlier, depending on the driving that last 3000 miles has seen. If its city driving, then sooner...if its highway driving for most of the last 3000 miles, then the oil is changed a bit towards 3000.
Thats my take! :wavey:
Kap142
New member
Thanks bro, got it.
Guro305
Heathen
Ditto!I use what the book says...Mobil 1. One less decision I have to make in this world......