What oil for 1950 Chrysler?

[mazdamonky]

My Grandpa had a 1950 Chrysler Windsor with the 251 inline 6 that he drove up until he started having issues with Cancer. This car drove beautifully and was a really cool thing to drive. I only got to drive it a couple of times before he passed.

So the issue is this car has been sitting for around 10 to 12 years in a barn without being started. Sadly the car oriented side of the family, me, my dad, and my brother, haven't been able to get ahold of the car as my aunt took the house with the barn it is in on the land. After 5+ years of her not wanting anybody to touch the car, we finally have talked her into letting us do a little work and get a "mechanic" (my brother) to look at it. Before we turn the engine over we would like to put fresh fluids in it. We don't know what was run in it in the past however I do know the engine was rebuilt and modified at some point in time by my grandfather.

Sorry for the long post, but what type of oil would you guys recommend to put in this motor? Is there a recommended brand as it being an older car may prefer more zinc or some other additive not as commonly present in today's oils?

 

[eljefino]

Don't put fresh fluids in. Just top off what's there.

It'll be a dry start anyway, don't make it worse. You could lose the oil pump prime for example.

After a decade, stale gas is going to be your issue anyway. Prepare to rig up a gallon gas can and skip the tank and its presumably jammed lines, for now, to see if it runs.

 

[Merkava_4]

15W-40 diesel oil with a can of Justice Brothers zinc additive.

 

[jeepman3071]

+1 on the topping off of the fluids. The fuel will most likely need to be drained and replaced. Once it runs enough to get warmed up, then change the fluids. I'd run something like a Rotella T 10w30.

 

[redbone3]

I would remove the plugs and squirt in some penetrating oil and let it sit for a day or two before cranking it. Make sure the transmission is in neutral (Clutch may be frozen).

 

[ryanschillinger]

I was gonna say. I might not be right, but I'd pull the plugs and either spray penetrating oil or pour some MMO or Seafoam in there and turn over by hand once a day while letting it soak for a few days to make sure cylinder walls have some protection to start and hopefully unstick anything.

 

[JR]

Top off till you hear it run. I would mmo the cylinders, mmo in crankcase.
Get started and tuned, then change fluids.

I would run a light weight hdeo. My gut says to add zinc, too.
If it had seals replaced I would go for a synthetic hdeo.



Harvey

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: JR
Top off till you hear it run. I would mmo the cylinders, mmo in crankcase.
Get started and tuned, then change fluids.

I would run a light weight hdeo. My gut says to add zinc, too.
If it had seals replaced I would go for a synthetic hdeo.



Harvey


This zinc thing is blown so far out of proportion it isn't funny... Wasn't till the '60s that oils had approx same amount of zinc as todays SN oils(was little to none in most oils of the early '50s)... Amounts steadily increased through the '70s...

Being a flat head I'd dump a ounce of MMO or similar in each cylinder and let it set for 5 or 10 minutes before cranking... No need to set for days, that stuff is so light it will be in the pan in less than 10 minutes... For real lubrication a 50/50 mix of MMO and any motor oil would be a better choice...

 

[Electrajoe]

Based on:

After 5+ years of her not wanting anybody to touch the car, we finally have talked her into letting us do a little work and get a "mechanic" (my brother) to look at it.

Get the car title in your name and on your property.

Then tinker.

 

[BrocLuno]

If it was me, I'd pull the plugs, put a bit of MMO in each cylinder. Spin it by hand (plugs out) to lube the rings and walls AND make sure there are no hard spots. I'd turn it at least a half dozen times to make sure each cylinder is clear of condensation and debris.

Disconnect the fuel line from the pump. No point in putting 5+ year old barn gas through the pump... I'd prolly blow some low pressure air into the fuel line back to the tank with the gas cap off to listen and make sure it made good bubble sounds, than drain the tank from the plug...

Put fresh battery in and spin it (plugs out) with the stater motor and make sure all that is happy. Check spark on a couple of plug wires. Fill the float bowl and fire it off. Bring to high idle until float bowl runs dry. IF it sounds good, do it again.

Then I'd change all the fluids. Maxlife 10W-40 for the old seals and all.

Stick or auto?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
15W-40 diesel oil with a can of Justice Brothers zinc additive.

15w-40 dual rated oil would be fine, but skip the additive. A 1950 engine wasn't relying on large amounts of ZDDP anyhow, with oils of the day having less than ILSAC rated oils of today. That's not saying extra ZDDP doesn't hurt, but the HDEO will take care of that all on its own. Personally, a 10w30 HDEO might be a better fit, even.

Originally Posted By: Electrajoe
Get the car title in your name and on your property.

This might be the best piece of advice in the whole thread. After all, the vehicle drove to its resting place, and if it isn't in at least as good a condition as it was the day it was put away (because hoses and gas never deteriorate and rust is a myth) it will be the fault of the tinkerer.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

I would let the aunt take care of vehicle disposal the best way she can.You are going to take it on the chin no matter what you do or how good your intentions are. STAY OUT OF IT. It was grandpa's car, which means it was like new and any problems with the car are going to be automatically your fault. STAY OUT OF IT. Let aunt take care of it even if she wants to sell vehicle for $50.00. STAY OUT OF IT. And did I mention STAY OUT OF IT>

 

[BrocLuno]

No, no, no - a good family "discussion" is fun to watch and better than reality TV

When the dust settles, I'll buy it for $100

 

[mazdamonky]

So there are some differing opinions on oil. The changing to an HDEO seems to be the most agreed upon and add a little bit of zinc. Zinc Additive isn't so expensive so it sounds like cheap insurance. I mean, I would trust an oil without zinc. Oils today should in theory do a far superior job at lubricating.

Gas will be drained and dealt with properly. We have resurrected quite a few rx7's that sat for years so that part isn't new.

Our general thing with the rx7's has been drain gas, put in 5 gallons non ethanol, replace oil with 10w40 cheap stuff, pray the engine turns by hand, if it doesn't pour some seafoam in the plug holes to hopefully eat some stuck carbon somewhere and attempt turning by hand after letting it sit for a day. Only once have we had one stick after letting it sit. It turned first time with the starter though.

Also, the car has a cool history. My grandfather had shelves full of trophies he had won at car shows all over with the car. It was featured in a couple of movies. We even found the papers from when it was in the movie A Painted House. He got it for a deal though. He paid $200 for it not running from his neighbor had it running a week later and kept it going until he could barely get out of bed.

Here is a pic of it covered in dust.

 

[Cubey]

Awesome car!

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: Cubey
Awesome car!


Yeah neat-o...

I was ready to po-po it as just another old MOPAR but it's a 2dr, got to be fairly rare...

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
So there are some differing opinions on oil. The changing to an HDEO seems to be the most agreed upon and add a little bit of zinc. Zinc Additive isn't so expensive so it sounds like cheap insurance. I mean, I would trust an oil without zinc. Oils today should in theory do a far superior job at lubricating.


No do not add more ZDDP. In 1950 PCMO's had only a fraction of ZDDP of today's oils and had even less antiwear and friction modifiers. It is not insurance at all if you are trying to play garage chemist. At best you are doing nothing but spending extra money at worst you are degrading your choice of lubrication.

A bit of advice if you do the opposite of what Merk recommends you would be right 9 out 10 times.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
15W-40 diesel oil with a can of Justice Brothers zinc additive.
The oils of that time didn't have much zinc to require an additive. Forklifts used those engine for quite a while and plain old HDEOs let them live too long.

 

[Torrid]

I can't stress enough not to add ZDDP. You don't know how it will affect the add pack. HM or HDEO is your best choice though oils these days are so advanced a regular conventional would be just fine.

 

[Toaster_Jer]

I can't stress enough not to add ZDDP. You don't know how it will affect the add pack. HM or HDEO is your best choice though oils these days are so advanced a regular conventional would be just fine.


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