Oil Weight for a Chevy 383 Stroker

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Hello, I just bought a car with a Chevy 383 Stroker motor in it and was wondering which oil weight you would recommend for it. I live in NJ and will probably store it in the garage over the winter, so it will probably only be driven early spring to late fall in the north east. Also would you use a different oil for storage then used for the rest of the year or should I just keep the same oil in it regardless so different oils aren't mixing? I was thinking either a 10w30 or 5w-40. I tried to do a search first but the search function doesn't seem to work so well for me. thanks for the help

Oh and any winter storage tips that you got are welcome also. I was going to just change the oil and check the coolant mixture, but leave the gear and trans fluid alone till the spring.
 
Sounds like fun. Any trick parts, like a crazy cam or stiff valve springs etc?

I would look for lots of zinc and let the weight fall in from there. 5w40 rotella would work pretty good.
 
383 is a common 350 modification. But that means someone rebuilt that engine.
If they liked loose clearances, you would be best with a thicker oil. Being high performance, it probably will run hot in the summer. I'd go with the 5-40 in that great but older technology engine.
 
I have a friend in Missouri that's a professional engine builder. He has a Camaro that he races at the local drag strip. The car has a 500HP 383ci stroker motor and he runs nothing but Valvoline 20W-50 in it; and that's regular Valvoline; not the racing formula.
 
Thanks for the replies.

If I go with 5w-40 Rotella, would you use the same oil in the winter during storage even though it will be dumped in the spring before I fire it up or would you just put some cheap oil in for storage. If the cheap oil what weight?

Yes this engine is also in a Camaro (69) with no power steering so i am definitely gonna have to take it easy till I get used to the power. I just got the car and don't have many specs on the engine yet, but the previous owner said he is gonna find all the paper work on it and send it to me. Supposedly when the builder put it on the dyno it made around 425hp. The cam sound nice at idle but doesn't sound too radical. It also already a bigger all aluminum radiator, so i am hoping that will take care of the temp in the summer(cross my fingers). I don't plan on racing this car, this is gonna be more of a street cruiser.

thanks again for you guys help.
 
Just change the oil before puttin the car into storage,thats the main thing.

Quote:
I don't plan on racing this car, this is gonna be more of a street cruiser.


Yup,I said the same thing,but there will be times you'll give in to a lil street race
whistle.gif
 
I'm also throwing together a 385ci SB for my boat over the winter. Being a marine engine it's set up a little looser than a car engine and will be fed Mobil Delvac 1300S 15W-40. I would use a Synthetic but the oil is changed every 20-25 hours which is two weeks most of the time. Carbed marine engines are hard on the oil. Fuel dilution and extended WOT runs. How many car engines see 5500 rpms WOT for 2-5 mins at a time?

For your application I would want to know the bearing clearances? If you cannot find them out use the Rotella 5W-40 Syn or Mobil 1 5W-40 Syn. I've always had good luck with Diesel 15W-40's also. The motors I have torn down using 15W-40 oil have all looked wonderful and they are hard run marine engines.
I would stick with the same oil for storage. Just change it before storing and its ready to fire up in the spring.
 
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