Shell Rotella TP HD 15W-40 for Older Engines

[1951FORD]

My first post asked general thoughts on modern oils in my 1951 Ford flathead V8. This oil and weight was the consensus I gathered from everyone's feedback. Thoughts? Experience?

I use the car in Massachusetts in warmer months, low mileage original engine good runner.

Mixed suggestions on MMO and ZDDP additives. I use Stabil over the winter.

Antique Engines/Modern Products

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Simple. Use just the oil in the crankcase and leave all the miracle-of-the-week extra additives on the store shelves. Rotella has everything vintage engines like yours need, and those old engines are not picky about oil. The only advantage to using the additives is the reduced weight the engine has to carry, since your wallet will be much lighter after you purchase them.

Sta-Bil is fine-I use it all year in my vintage engines as well as all of my lawn/garden/small engine equipment.

Most of all enjoy the car.

 

[Propflux01]

Run the hdeo oils. Remove the zinc additives and mmo from your thoughts. They are simply not needed.

 

[old1]

I HAVE A 50 FORD CUSTOM DELUX 2 door sdn, that I bought about 1and 1/2 year ago. It was all restored stock except dual exhaust. V/8 with 3 speed, w/o o/d. (darn) Anyway, I changed the oil and put in Defy 10/40. Seems to work good, of course, I to only drive it in warm months. I put on about 1000 miles last summer, and am planning to leave it in till next fall before changing it. Then will probably go to rotella t5 10/30, as I have some in my stash. In my other classics, I usually changed the oil every fall weather or not it needed it, but this fall we moved to a new house, so didn't have time, and decided to leave it for a second year, as it gets easy long runs when it is driven. As far as zzdp, I believe these oils have plenty. In my gas I use both MMO and lead additive. And lots of Sta-bil for winter storage with e-0 gas

 

[Jimzz]

I run 4 qts of 15w40 and 1 qt of high mileage 10w30 in my old chevy. Seems to work fine so far.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Jimzz
I run 4 qts of 15w40 and 1 qt of high mileage 10w30 in my old chevy. Seems to work fine so far.

Which likely means the quart of 10W-30 HM is only serving to slightly thin the 15W-40...

I have a '69 Torino with 428 Cobra Jet engine, these days it's only seen 10W-40 QS Defy and zero additives... Now has 107K mi and has been beat like a red headed step child, on it's third set of heads but other than oil pump, bottom end is 100% orig... Yes I know it's orig as I bought it in 1973 with 36K miles... Orig owner just drove it(I've talked with him), back then stll had orig plug wires, battery, all smog equip, etc...

 

[1951FORD]

Originally Posted By: Jimzz
I run 4 qts of 15w40 and 1 qt of high mileage 10w30 in my old chevy. Seems to work fine so far.


Originally Posted By: old1
I HAVE A 50 FORD CUSTOM DELUX 2 door sdn, that I bought about 1and 1/2 year ago. It was all restored stock except dual exhaust. V/8 with 3 speed, w/o o/d. (darn) Anyway, I changed the oil and put in Defy 10/40. Seems to work good, of course, I to only drive it in warm months. I put on about 1000 miles last summer, and am planning to leave it in till next fall before changing it. Then will probably go to rotella t5 10/30, as I have some in my stash. In my other classics, I usually changed the oil every fall weather or not it needed it, but this fall we moved to a new house, so didn't have time, and decided to leave it for a second year, as it gets easy long runs when it is driven. As far as zzdp, I believe these oils have plenty. In my gas I use both MMO and lead additive. And lots of Sta-bil for winter storage with e-0 gas


Practically exactly what I have. 37,000 original miles 3 spc. O/D. Check out to the link to a pic of my car given by my Dad on his deathbed.


[img:left]https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...amp;oe=56E272DF[/img]

 

[TFB1]

Nice '51, a year newer than myself...

 

[artificialist]

The only time I would use MMO is if piston rings were stuck, and I would drain the engine oil plus MMO mixture quickly.

If you want or need extra ZDDP, HDEO is great. Did your car have any markings under the hood? Did it come with the user's manual?

Sometimes they called for SAE 20, SAE 30, or SAE 40 based on temperature.

using sta-bil over winter sounds good. Was the flathead engine prone to exhaust valve seat wear when unleaded gasoline took over? If that is the case, buying a "Lead substitute" gasoline additive instead of sta-bil would be better.

 

[BrocLuno]

I'd just run the straight HDEO as it comes from the bottle. The modern chemistry is better than home brew "old" oils and MMO.

And I'm a fan of MMO. Have used it on and off for like 5 decades. But modern HDEO's are really good

 

[BrocLuno]

Here's an interesting read on oils for older motors: http://www.earlytimeschapter.org/engineoils.html

Note that there are typo's, and I think there are some errors of fact, but the gist is interesting

 

[1951FORD]

That was a good read, there is so much misinformation out there and in this forum I have learned more about motor oil in a week than I have in fifty years! Thanks.
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Here's an interesting read on oils for older motors: http://www.earlytimeschapter.org/engineoils.html

Note that there are typo's, and I think there are some errors of fact, but the gist is interesting

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: 1951FORD
That was a good read, there is so much misinformation out there and in this forum I have learned more about motor oil in a week than I have in fifty years! Thanks.

Of course when you try to relay your new gained knowledge, you'll be accused of being FOS...

 

[1951FORD]

Shell Rotella Triple T 15W40 HDMO has been in the engine for 1000 miles...looks good, will be changing soon but I suspect the results are positive. Very little loss during cycle and clean appearance (relatively),good filming and smooth running.

 

[BrocLuno]

I never had a 51. I had a 52 when I was 10 as my first learner car. That got traded away for a 38 Dodge that the folks thought I could learn more on as it was one head and easier to work on. I missed that Ford right away, but the folks were in charge ...

Later on, I had a 49 Ford coupe in HS. But, for the life on me, I can't remember if either was equipped with an oil filter of any sort?

The 49 morphed into a 54 Y Block and that morphed into a 53 Hudson Hornet, so it's been a while since I wrenched a Flatty V-8

Point being that all these HDEO's can go at least 5,000 miles with filtration. W/O filtration, I'd be changing at 3,000 (warmed up after a drive). The oil is cheap enough and 3K is likely two years or more for you'all...

I have no beef with the MMO. I been using it for 5 decades now. Along with B-12 Chemtool, and Brake Clean - they are my go-to's for some issues... But, like the others have said, modern HDEO's have enough in the add pak already that this is not a big deal. I'd just run the oil straight out of the bottle.

I might look to add a period correct filter if they don't have one ... I think Hastings used to make a black and orange canister filter that bolted to the firewall that would look cool

Mostly, I'd be doing subtle upgrades on the ground circuitry. I'd be adding #4 welding cable with soldered lugs between the body and frame, and between the motor and the frame, like off a bell housing bolt or something, where it would not be obvious. Soldered lugs and never-seize with clean bolts will do wonders for the old ground system, lights, gauges, etc. 6 Volts ain't much to work with

 

[1951FORD]

Thanks. It's a low mileage sweetheart original...37,000 miles. It has the canister bypass filter and I use a Fram C4P stacked media filter. I use never seize...have since birth practically, and Dad swore by a little MMO. The Shell Rotella is working well and suits the engine. Cheers!