Oil suggestion for 65 Chevelle SS?

[Nicasio]

I run the 0w40 euro oils in my old V8 and everything else I own. No issues.

I’m really considering this in my Buick and ‘89 Mustang too! It’s what I have in my Bimmer. Seems like the best all around synthetic oil. Wonder if the 0w40 synthetic would be better than the VR1 10w30 conventional in my old car.

 

[Nicasio]

I run the OW-40 in my big block with a flat tappet cam. I use no additives. Roughly 10k miles. I switched heads last spring and I pulled the lifters out to look at. No issues whatsoever.

Man I’m really considering this y’all! How much Zinc is in the 0w40 Euros?

 

[SR5]

Man I’m really considering this y’all! How much Zinc is in the 0w40 Euros?

A good Euro oil with A3/B4 spec and some OEMs like MB 229.5 & Porsche A40 tends to run about 1000 ppm zinc (ZDDP), while the typical ILSAC oils are about 700 to 800 ppm.

Note I once saw a VOA of something like Amazon Basic Euro oil, it had A3/B4 but none of the OEMs, and it was only about 800 ppm Zinc.

You want the name brands like M1 or Castrol Edge 0W40

 

[SR5]

@Nicasio here are some VOAs for you

M1 0W40 on 29 Dec 2020, Zinc = 1096 ppm

Mobil 1 0W40 Euro VOA

From the mart of wall. My baseline for a UOA coming up in a few mos. to compare how this looks vs. the Liquimoly oils I've been using/abusing in my Sportwagen.

bobistheoilguy.com

Castrol Edge 0W40 on 15 March 2021, Zinc = 1023 ppm

Castrol 0-40 Euro Belgium

Are there any virgin analysis of this oil? I haven't been able to find any. I've got some I can send off if there are none already done.

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

This is what I’m currently running in my Buick’s 455 (462). I only have about 600 miles on it. I only drive it maybe twice a month on nice sunny days. I know these older motors want a high Zinc oil that’s for sure.

Love those Buicks. I used to drive my Chevelle every Saturday morning on about a 20 mile trip around town. Part of which on highway where I could open it up to 55 - 60 mph. I was extremely lucky as we almost zero winter to speak of here. So I never had to go thru all the winter time hibernation preps. Mine had its own dedicated garage in my back yard.

 

[wpod]

I

I would not expose that car to road salt, but that's just me.

Cars of that vintage didn't handle it well when they were brand new.

I survived driving those cars.

 

[Odd_Ball]

I

I survived driving those cars.

So did I. But a lot of those cars didn't survive the road salt used in many localities. Car companies didn't really do corrosion protection of frame members or body panels and after market protection sometimes did more harm than good.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

So did I. But a lot of those cars didn't survive the road salt used in many localities. Car companies didn't really do corrosion protection of frame members or body panels and after market protection sometimes did more harm than good.

Back then I usually totalled a car crashing them before they could rust. Many of those wrecks were not my fault and was lucky to live thru one of them. Messed up my spine and neck on that one.

 

[SteveG4]

The Chevelle is a L79 car, the high 350 horsepower 327. It has a healthy hydraulic cam, not sure if it's stock. Previous owner ran Mobil Delvac 15w40.

I'm looking for oil that's more cold start friendly. I just bought it and I'm expecting alot of cold starts in the next few months.

I don't know any specifics about the engine. I believe it has been rebuilt, atleast I expect the heads were since they look new inside the valve cover. The owner died unexpectedly and all useful knowledge went with him, he'd owned the car for almost 50 years. This SS has a 4 speed and 12 bolt with I'm guessing 4.11 gears. It will be turning some RPMs and wants to rev.

Here's a picture from earlier. Replaced the master cylinder and all the wheel cylinders tonight. (Master and couple wheel cylinders were leaking)

Beautiful! Stick with an HD 15w40 oil of your choice. Today's syn-blend 15W oils start just fine at freezing and down to around 0 degrees F. Some are even good to somewhere below zero...

No worries! Congrats! And keep her in the garage in the winter. You don't need the salt.

 

[CheezWhiz]

I tried to figure out a way to drive my 65 goat in the winter but i was convinced by others that the road ice solution they use is too corrosive to risk it. it was fun shopping for 14” snow tires while it lasted ...

 

[Darren_L]