Newbie with some basic questions.

[desoto1939]

I use the baster and can get one at the dollar which is now 1.25. If you take off the drain plug then you better have a large container to collect the old oil. This seems to be harder becsue of the limited space.  A plastic baster lasts aprox 1 year because of the solvents in the oil but this is cheap expense. and a clean rag to cleanout the canister.

 

easy-Bessey .

 

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[DakotaFrank]

The last “old” vehicle I had I used the cheapest oil I could buy.  Ran a lot of 30 wt non-detergent bought at Dollar General.  It went through a lot of it.  Leaks and blow-by.  If I had a nice low mileage old car like years I would probably run Rotella T non-synthetic 10W30.  

[Sniper]

high zinc...

 

I've run thru my thoughts on this in the past.  For the stock engines in our cars, probably not needed.  Not going to hurt though.  It's not really a matter of how much you drive it so much as how stressed the cam to lifter interface is.  With our weak valve springs, broomstick cams and low red line there isn't much stress there.

 

Now if you had a fresh rebuild to break in, it might be wise to run one of the break in oils, but once broken in, I don't run anything other than current grade 10w30 oil.  Now if Castrol made a 10w30 version of that oil, priced similarly, I would run it. 

 

What would be interesting is if anyone could find the additives package of an API SC or SD oil, from back when our stuff was new, and see how it compares.

[James_Douglas]

Some time in the next year  I will be pulling the 251 in the 1947 Desoto. This cam (NOS) and lifters were all brand new when I put them in. I have not used a high zinc oil. I did check the cam and lifters to make sure they passed a rockwell test.

 

This engine is in the 4500-5000 pound Suburban which at 60K miles of San Francisco City Traffic and 70 MPH highway traffic to and from our place out of town will be an excellent test case as to if we need to worry about zinc or not.

 

When I pull this engine apart we will be able to see how much wear this is and answer the zinc question as it applies to these engines. I am curious as to what I find.

 

James

 

[OUTFXD]

Remember.  Buying parts for a vintage automobile is a slippery slope!

[Sniper]

Just now, OUTFXD said:

Remember.  Buying parts for a vintage automobile is a slippery slope!

 With or without added zinc ?

[kencombs]

Before buying into the 'high zinc is needed for all flat tappet engines' deal, research the history of zinc additives.  I think you'll find, as I did, that it was only after the advent of higher performance OHV engines that is was deemed necessary.

[motoMark]

I think for now, I will buy 30W non-detergent oil for the first oil change to be on the safe side. Then I can take my time to decide if I want to pull the side covers and inspect for any presence of sludge. Now I just have to find me a turkey baster.....

 

Thanks again for all the input.

[keithb7]

If you own and plan to maintain the old Mopar I recommend you consider acquiring a Mity-Vac evacuation pump system. Works awesome for:

 

Cleaning out oil filter housing

Priming fuel lines. 
Bleeding brakes
evacuating master cylinder

Sucking oil out of diff housing fill plug. So you don’t disturb gasket. 
Sucking out tranny oil cleanly if wanted. 

And many more uses! Love mine and use it on all cars. Not just old mopars.  A great investment.