Synthetics in AMC V8's...

[carnuck]

I use a 50/50 mix of 30W break in oil and ATF on a fresh motor. The high detergent cleans the crud out and a Napa Platinum filter or similar. No additives till it has 1500 on the clock minimum.

[Manimal70]

Look up Bob's the Oil Guy...."some" of you may change your views on oils. I wont use anything from Castrol I think they are snakes and lie. I use Mobil 1 in everyting but my old '79 F350, it ges Walmarts "SuperTech" synthetic 10/30 and a Wix or Motorcraft filter. Have not gotten to the AMC yet.

[lindel]

In my vehicles I use Amsoil oil and filters. Weight depends on mileage and climate. Here in IL, I use 10W30. I change oil around 6000 miles.

My wife, however, demands that I use Penzoil in her vehicles...hers is the one that needs an engine...'nuff said.

[letank]

He mentioned that after the first oil change, I should drive it like I stole it on the freeway for another 100 miles at high RPMs to seat the rings and set the ring ridge high point in the bore

Funny the last car that I know who got that treatment never passed 10K, and those were km... so 6200miles;

I believe that a bit of low rpm and some progressive trips in the upper rpm ...

[Tatsadasayago]

He mentioned that after the first oil change, I should drive it like I stole it on the freeway for another 100 miles at high RPMs to seat the rings and set the ring ridge high point in the bore

Funny the last car that I know who got that treatment never passed 10K, and those were km... so 6200miles;

I believe that a bit of low rpm and some progressive trips in the upper rpm ...

I was just kind of surprised at the factory attitude toward engine break-in.

I try to make a long distance drive within 100-200 miles and do exactly that; every increasing RPM and duration.
When I lived in Reno I had a cool break-in route. I would take I-80 west to Cisco Grove, south to the North Shore then back to the valley via Mt Rose. That would be about 75 miles. I would go back to Tahoe via Carson City and Spooner Summit. Usually as I pulled that long series of grades I could literally feel the power coming on as everything seated.

I must have done something right as two engines I rebuilt and know about, a 440 and a 401, are still on the road doing their thing after more than 25 years All my old builds got Havoline 30w Dino Oil for break-in then 20-50 summer and 10-30 in the winter.

[carnuck]

Look up Bob's the Oil Guy...."some" of you may change your views on oils. I wont use anything from Castrol I think they are snakes and lie. I use Mobil 1 in everyting but my old '79 F350, it ges Walmarts "SuperTech" synthetic 10/30 and a Wix or Motorcraft filter. Have not gotten to the AMC yet.

Mobil 1 no longer uses a true synthetic base, so.....

[rocklaurence]

[quote="Tatsadasayago"]I went with the dealership owner back to the factory in 89' and got a chance to talk with some engineers and a bunch of assembly people.
When I asked the plant manager about engine break-in procedures they employed he laughed at me! This is a rough quote: "We start them as they come off final assembly and if there is 25 PSI oil pressure and nothing is rattling or knocking, it gets driven to the lot to wait for transport."

That's why I asked The OEM does a 3 minute 600 FT break-n. So, when a new motor doesn't make it through break-n, I think that it failed because of something wrong with the build or likely blocked oil passages. IMO, synthetic is better but its not worth 3 times the cost. Cause Dino oil will get that motor to 150K miles.

[HowardT64]

If I understand this thread, I could use Rotella in my Wag? Does it
smooth things out as far as performance and wear?

If so, which would be a good weight for my 360. I live in East Texas
that will give you an idea of my climate

[Nikkormat]

Just to clarify... This motor has already been broken in. Its got miles on it. I had to tear down to fix some flood damage. I just need break in oil for cleaning purposes. Bit here's an idea... What if I use my oil pump primer to circulate ATF around the block pre startup to help clean it first. Then I can start it and run around town.quick on the cheapest synthetics I can find, change the oil and filter, and then call it good.

[carnuck]

You can drive with just ATF in there. Just don't run it hard. It's about the same as 5W20 motor oil.

[letank]

If I understand this thread, I could use Rotella in my Wag? Does it
smooth things out as far as performance and wear?

If so, which would be a good weight for my 360. I live in East Texas
that will give you an idea of my climate

Rotella was / is a good choice because it used to have the right level of zddp, which has been slowly depleted from the conventional oil... because zddp is slowly damaging catalytic converter. In the last 5 years zddp is being phased out from diesel oil as well.



The idea is to stay with the older oil rating SH for instance, and avoid SM or add zddp that can be bought as an additive, to prevent excessive wear of flat tappet like our engines have. Or CH CI for diesel API index.

You can do a search... about zddp, the corvette sites has some detailled explanations, or corvair as well:

http://www.widman.biz/Corvair/English/Links/Oil.html

Don't know about east Texas...

[Artandid]

Hi Nikkormat... I'm new here, but I thought I would chime in because I've been researching the correct oil to use in my AMC 327 ('66 Waggy). There has been some discussion here about correct ZDDP levels, and I agree it's the most important factor when choosing an oil for older engines. Here's the best info I've been able to find on the subject... http://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/ ... lassic-Oil scroll down and read the comments by "swheaton". He knows his stuff.

I would stay away from ZDDP additives, because too much ZDDP can be just as harmful as not enough... and it's tricky trying to get the exact ratio you need with an additive.

I hope this helps!

Cheers!

[Tatsadasayago]

You can drive with just ATF in there. Just don't run it hard. It's about the same as 5W20 motor oil.

For what it's worth:

I found myself 160 miles from home with a blown oil filter on my 350 Buick. I had a filter in the trunk, but no oil. A rancher gave me a case of ATF-Dexron and I used it to get the car home.
When I tore the engine down not only was the thing clean as new none of the bearings were damaged. The oil pan was full of gunk and I concluded the detergent action of the ATF was responsible. It's basically 5 weight mineral oil.

[carnuck]

Long before 5W30 was around taxi driver's used to run ATF in their motors because it was so much cheaper than motor oil. They noticed better fuel economy and their motors were lasting much longer.

[tara]

Castrol Edge 5W50.

High zinc synthetic that costs <$9 a quart. All my engines run it whether they have 3000 miles or 100,000.

i have to change my oil, first time since rebuilt, and i m a fan of synthetic oils, which ive put with success in all my harleys, and specially 1965 shovelhead. i want to use synth in my AMC 327. but i read some posts, it scares me a little with so many people warning against synth oils in classic engines.

[jsinajeep]

I run Rotella 15/40 and get the zinc additive at NAPA and use about 2oz
of it each time I change oil.

[tara]

can i use ZDDP with synth oil ?

[tara]

in tahiti, i cannot find rotella oil. not much choice : regular dyno oil and some synth oils like mobil 1 or motul 300 (the one i m using for my shovelhead, the best i have tried so far, better than mobil 1)

[candymancan]

I use Castrol GTX if i run conventional for all my Jeeps, but the two 98 ZJ's have been running Synthetic blend the last few years. Valvoline the red bottle. And i add an entire bottle of the rilsone ZDDP in each engine. The wagoneer leaks too much and i wouldnt put synthetic in it. I use castrol GTX and a bottle of the rilzone ZDDP. I use 10-30 for all the engines


However i just put a bottle of STP in the wagoneer to see how it would react as it thickens the oil to around 15-40. And oil pressure went up to about 30PSI hot in gear idle and i also add'd almost another quart of oil for 6 quarts total and the engine sounds and runs alot better with STP and with 6 quarts vs 5


Oil filters i usually always use Pulolator pure one.. But i noticedo n my 5.9 ZJ and my amc 360 the anti drain backs arent working.. My 5.9 ZJ chatters on startup and so did my wagoneer. So i went to Nappa and tried a Nappa gold filter for my wagoneer and the chatter went away. So im going to use one on all my Jeeps from now one.. I dunno purolator doesnt seem to be as good as they used too be. I also dont like how they changed from the yellow grippy material to smooth paint like all the other brands.


I used 15-40 rotella in my 5.9 ZJ once and i didnt like it at all.. It actually started to have lifter tapping every since i used it that one time. So ill never use that stuff again. If you want ZDDP in your oil just buy some rilsone ZDDP.. Rotella doesnt have much ZDDP in it anymore anyway, most oils have had it nearly all removed including rotella..

[tara]

my wagoneer has been recently rebuilt, all new gaskets, rings... where it could leak ???
so in my case synth oil with ZDDP should work fine ? W30, or W40 or W50 ??
climate is super hot here