20w50 in an air-cooled 1600? I seem to remember that some air-cooled experts claim that 20w50 is too heavy. I assume you have no issues?
What oils did you use for carbeurated vehicles
- Thread starter 53' Stude
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AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
The limited times it’s even started since I have had it no issues. That’s what the previous owner used as well. It seems to be a never ending battle on the VW forums about the best oil to use in these haha.
Vavoline or Castrol 10w30 in the winter, 20w50 in the summer, it was what my HS auto shop teacher recommended in the mid-80s. Later on, I stuck to manufacturer recommendations, with 80s/90s Japanese vehicles, things seemed notably sluggish at anything below 70F with 20w50.
Found BITOG about 17 years after I started driving, around 2003, only a couple of years after the last of my carb vehicles were gone. I had expanded to using M1 by that time, because I had a 2000 Ford F150 and I didn't want any mechanical issues because owning that pickup and a house was stretching me a bit thin at that point in time. Changed it every 3K like I learned to do when young. Through BITOG and UOA I learned I was dumping perfectly good oil. I tried Chevron 10w30 also thanks to BITOG, it was $1.07 a qt at Walmart vs over $4 for M1 quarts, and got better UOA results with that Chev 10w30 on a 5K OCI than with the M1, so I switched to that even though the Ford recommendation was for 5w30. Thus a long history of running non-spec oils started
Always ran Wix filters from the 80s until the mid-00s, when I got the aforementioned Ford I noticed how cheap the Motorcrafts were at Wallyworld, and they had a silicon ADBV. Saw a Fram cut apart in the 80s, was a Purlator ad basically showing both at the parts store. But I always bought Wix because my shop teacher liked them.
Then when I got a Kia in 2006 I started running their filters because they seemed quieter. After seeing Fram Ultras cut open on here, I finally tried one on my 2012 Sonata and it was very quiet, plus seeemed to keep the oil cleaner longer.
Now I'm running a Supertech MP on the Lincoln and an Fram Endurance on the Mitsu. I will run both filters out to their rated mileage, although I change oil from my stash at no more than 5K because a) I have way, way more than I need and b) I got it super cheap so short OCI is of no concern to me. Running 2017 dated 10w30 Chevron ProDS in the Navi and 5w20 ProDS in the Mitsu, why, because I bought 29 jugs of it in 2017 at $7.17 a jug. I still have quite a few jugs after 6 years. The thread is on here somewhere, but I don't care enough to go find it.
Found BITOG about 17 years after I started driving, around 2003, only a couple of years after the last of my carb vehicles were gone. I had expanded to using M1 by that time, because I had a 2000 Ford F150 and I didn't want any mechanical issues because owning that pickup and a house was stretching me a bit thin at that point in time. Changed it every 3K like I learned to do when young. Through BITOG and UOA I learned I was dumping perfectly good oil. I tried Chevron 10w30 also thanks to BITOG, it was $1.07 a qt at Walmart vs over $4 for M1 quarts, and got better UOA results with that Chev 10w30 on a 5K OCI than with the M1, so I switched to that even though the Ford recommendation was for 5w30. Thus a long history of running non-spec oils started
Always ran Wix filters from the 80s until the mid-00s, when I got the aforementioned Ford I noticed how cheap the Motorcrafts were at Wallyworld, and they had a silicon ADBV. Saw a Fram cut apart in the 80s, was a Purlator ad basically showing both at the parts store. But I always bought Wix because my shop teacher liked them.
Then when I got a Kia in 2006 I started running their filters because they seemed quieter. After seeing Fram Ultras cut open on here, I finally tried one on my 2012 Sonata and it was very quiet, plus seeemed to keep the oil cleaner longer.
Now I'm running a Supertech MP on the Lincoln and an Fram Endurance on the Mitsu. I will run both filters out to their rated mileage, although I change oil from my stash at no more than 5K because a) I have way, way more than I need and b) I got it super cheap so short OCI is of no concern to me. Running 2017 dated 10w30 Chevron ProDS in the Navi and 5w20 ProDS in the Mitsu, why, because I bought 29 jugs of it in 2017 at $7.17 a jug. I still have quite a few jugs after 6 years. The thread is on here somewhere, but I don't care enough to go find it.
Mostly 10-W-30 Chevron Supreme and Lee oil filters in the 1980's.
I'm using Penn Grade 1, 15w40 in my 700hp 496bbc.
Anything and everything. The engine didn't care. Had a 78 Camaro with a 350. I ran everything from the cheapest to the most expensive I could find, conventional and synthetic. 0W-30 to 20W-50 and it didn't make much of a difference. I beat the snot out of it and it was still running fine when I sold it with about 175k on the engine.
Is there a specific application of this engine? Flat tappet cam? High RPM? Towing? Drag racing? Just general purpose?
Is there a specific application of this engine? Flat tappet cam? High RPM? Towing? Drag racing? Just general purpose?
only referencing air cooled motorcycles of the 1960’s-1970’s, not VW anything:
at the Triumph m/c dealership I worked at in the late 1960’s thru mid-1970’s we used Castrol 20w-50 GTX exclusively and year round too. From 0 F winters to 120 F summers. It was the norm then. I don’t know of any oil related issues as a result of…
Z
1984 Mustang GT with a 302 was using exxon if i remember... 10w30?
Usually whatever was on the shelf which was likely either 10w30 or 10w40. Didn't seem to matter.
Just out of curiosity - why would the kind of fuel delivery even mater for engine oil choice?
No matter how well tuned a carbureted engine needs to dump more fuel into the engine for example on cold start to keep it running, and that's going to cause dilution.
cold starts on my classics are handles by either an electric or manually operated choke. The air is restricted, the gasoline amount remains the same. No fuel dilution has been noted on any oil analysis (so far).
That said, overall the A/F mixture is going to be richer on the average carbureted car vs modern cars with their computer controlled fuel injection systems. My K code Mustang and vintage Paxton Shelby’s are certainly examples of vintage gas hogs.
Z
Castrol GTX 20W50 !
Castrol GTX 20W50 in the summer and 10W30 in the winter. Back in the mid to late 80's I'd wait for it to go on sale for .99/qt and then buy the 24 qt case.
Shell Fire and Ice 10W30
Dad had me using straight 30 weight when I first started driving. I used a lot of straight 40 weight in a 65 F250 with a 352 where the oil light would flicker at idle. Later I used 20w50 in other old rigs that probably didn't need it.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
I would just like to say "I am sick with jealousy" NOT. Congrats on having a true Hot Rod! I knew what it was from the engine bay (one of the cleanest I have seen) photo before I saw photo #2. A 1971 or 1972?
Its a 71 and thank you for the kind words.
Castrol 10-40 with Hastings filters
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