1938 Buick

[mechtech2]

I am giving a good once over on a friend's 1938 Buick Special.
What surprised me was the oil recommendations given in the manual.
[straight eight engine - 200ft. lbs. torque, 105 HP]
20 for normal conditions.
10 when cold out.
10 with 10% kerosene when below 10 deg F!

Another thing I noted was the recommended frequency for all sorts of maintenance. 1,000 mile intervals for a LOT of tedious oiling, lubing, checking, etc.. Check the tires twice a week.
Almost a full time job to keep it in top shape.

 

[SrDriver]

I was around back in the "Good Old Days". People did not drive all that much and we had full service gasoline stations. They pumped the gas, cleaned the windshield, and pumped up the tires.

Some would even vacuum out the inside for you.

Tires if you were lucky would last around 15,000 miles.

 

[oilboy123]

Yes the kerosene one is a first.........

 

[ctrcbob]

Oil changes were every 1000 miles. When Kendal brought out their "new" motor oil, they advertised that it was the 2000 mile oil. ("It lasts two, two, two thousand miles"). To this day, their bottles show a hand with the first and middle fingers extended, to signify it was the two thousand mile oil.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: ctrcbob
...a hand with the first and middle fingers extended, to signify it was the two thousand mile oil.


That is what that means?!? Thank you!!!
I use Kendall sometimes and have wondered since I was a little kid what that meant!

 

[Silber Igel]

Mech,

Probably not all that unusual. I've a passing interest in old tractors.... This is from another website citing the Ford manual for the Ford 8N, 9N, 2N tractors made between '39 and '50 something.

"The N-series tractor manual says to use straight 30-weight motor oil when the temperature is above 90-degrees, 20-weight for all temperatures between 10 and 90 degrees F, and 10-weight for temperatures between minus 10 and plus 10." Of course these were non-detergent oils to boot.

I've also seen a reference to adding 10% kero to the oil for very low temperature operations ... like winter time on the great plains or in Canada.

[color:#009900]The more things change... the more things stay the same...[/color}

Off topic.. Some of these old diesel, or 'distillate', fueled engines used gasoline for starting and then switched to diesel or distillate once the engine was hot.

Cheers!

 

[widman]

1938 was before the days of multigrades. It probably doesn't have an oil filter either.

Lots of changes

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: widman
1938 was before the days of multigrades. It probably doesn't have an oil filter either.

Lots of changes


Most of our old boats from the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's didn't have oil filters.

The exceptions were the Ford Y-block engines, which had a canister filter.

 

[mechtech2]

There is a bypass engine oil filter system. Better than a sharp stick in the eye, I suppose.
P47 Thunderbolt fighter of WWII used a heavy engine oil - something like 70 weight. The manual recommends up to 15% gasoline dilution at very cold starting temps.

 

[Straight8]

This looks like a good thread to hijack to talk about my 52 Buick. (at least I can show some effort went into searching the subject)
My 52 Buick has a straight eight 263 engine. The manual reads pretty much the same as the '38. The heaviest oil that it recommends is 20-W at not lower than 32F. I'll only be driving it in the summer.
The filter must be the bypass type that mechtech2 mentions. It only has 1/4 or 3/16 steel lines in and out.
Anyway, I have confused the shell out of myself trying to find the best currently available oil. The previous owner told me he ran SAE 30 in it (I assume monograde). The pressure gauge is almost always off the scale, high.
From what I have read about ZDDP I don't want to use an API SM oil. I settled on Valvoline All-Fleet Plus SAE 30 CF for this change before it goes away for the winter. The product information sheet shows a 20-W CF and a 20-W CF2 as well. I assume I can get that by special order.
I would appreciate some help deciding what I will need for zinc and other additives and any other thoughts you folks might have on the use of multigrade oils which are easier to find.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: river_rat
Originally Posted By: ctrcbob
...a hand with the first and middle fingers extended, to signify it was the two thousand mile oil.


That is what that means?!? Thank you!!!
I use Kendall sometimes and have wondered since I was a little kid what that meant!

That makes 2 of us.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: widman
1938 was before the days of multigrades. It probably doesn't have an oil filter either.

Lots of changes


Yep and a quart of oil probably costed next to nothing and was group I. And it's nothing to unbolt a drain plug. I bet this 1K mile OCI gives the "3k mile oil change myth" people a hemorrghage lol.

 

[bretfraz]

Originally Posted By: Straight8
This looks like a good thread to hijack to talk about my 52 Buick. (at least I can show some effort went into searching the subject)
My 52 Buick has a straight eight 263 engine. The manual reads pretty much the same as the '38. The heaviest oil that it recommends is 20-W at not lower than 32F. I'll only be driving it in the summer.
The filter must be the bypass type that mechtech2 mentions. It only has 1/4 or 3/16 steel lines in and out.
Anyway, I have confused the shell out of myself trying to find the best currently available oil. The previous owner told me he ran SAE 30 in it (I assume monograde). The pressure gauge is almost always off the scale, high.
From what I have read about ZDDP I don't want to use an API SM oil. I settled on Valvoline All-Fleet Plus SAE 30 CF for this change before it goes away for the winter. The product information sheet shows a 20-W CF and a 20-W CF2 as well. I assume I can get that by special order.
I would appreciate some help deciding what I will need for zinc and other additives and any other thoughts you folks might have on the use of multigrade oils which are easier to find.


Since you have a specific question, I suggest you start a new thread instead of hijacking this one. That way your question will be noticed by forum members who can help.

Thanks for trying to keep discussions on topic. All too often people post the same question over and over, but I think yours is unique. If you have not done so, do a search to see what other old car owners are using.

Welcome to BITOG.

 

[mechtech2]

Your zinc needs in that engine?
Pretty low.
It is already broken in.
And what spring pressures there are are very light.

To need extra zinc [ZDDP], you have to have a situation where the oil film is being wiped away hard down to metal to metal.
This is when the sacrificial zinc comes in to play as a secondary and last resort type of protection.
So anybody's modern engine oil is fine for you.

There is no need for a straight weight. Use a multi weight.
5 or 10W30 is a a good start.

 

[Straight8]

Thanks that helps. Some comments on a hotrodding site got me looking at the zinc aspect. Many of the hotrodders are running later model modified engines. Different than mine.
I'll see how the straight 30 works for me this year and will feel more comfortable trying a multigrade next year.
What are your thoughts on the viscosity? The manual recommends 20-W.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I grew in a family that serviced vechiles like that all the time. My Dad never went longer then 1800 miles on oil until I finaly converted him over to synthetic around 1992. Often 1300-1500 miles and we where cahnging oil, lubeing lube points,adjusting points etc..........

 

[JohnBrowning]

20W20 was popular for a long long time GM and Adam Opel where still useing it inthe 1970's on some models.

 

[mechtech2]

The older car Mfrs. would have LOVED to have modern multi weight oils.
They were not spec'd because they did not exist, or were imperfect and broke down readily.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Straight8

I would appreciate some help deciding what I will need for zinc and other additives and any other thoughts you folks might have on the use of multigrade oils which are easier to find.
Your engine was built before they got serious with ZDDP in oil. Any oil you put in it today is better than what the engine had 60 years ago.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
20W20 was popular for a long long time GM and Adam Opel where still useing it inthe 1970's on some models.


It's kind of interesting how many manufactures recommended 20W, went to 30W, and are going back to 20 weights again.