5w-30 in 277k mile chevy 350 tbi

[jayg]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by jayg
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Your engine was originally built for 5w-30. The 10w-30 is fine for where you live. So if you want to buy one oil the 5w-30 will work.
SBC? Probably designed to run on 20W50, SAE40 or something insane like that.



????


It's a TBI SBC. It's not from 1956. Loads of TBI SBC's from the 1980s and 1990s ran 10w30 and 5w30 since new.
It's the same mill but with cetnerbolt valve covers and a one piece rear main seal. I can't remember what year they switched to roller cams.

First car I ever drove was an 1988 Sierra. TBI is a lot closer to a carb than MPFI.


Cars in 87 and Truck in 95 for roller cams. My point was they still came with 10w30 and 5w30 multigrades from the factory.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by Red91
Dave I really don't think most bitogers know just how good of an engine the tbi small block was and is. Robust is an understatement. I'm fond of the [censored] things.


I understand. It is a design which stood the test of time and even today the base architecture is still in use.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by Red91
I really don't think most bitogers know just how good of an engine the tbi small block was and is. Robust is an understatement.


I'm sort of a quasi-Ford guy, and even I know full well how good these engines are.

The 90's-era Chevy 350's will go 300,000 miles with ease if half taken care of.
Even my TBI 1995 K3500 454 with 296,000 shows no signs of slowing down (15W-40 most it's whole life)

however..... That goofy pot-metal heater hose fitting WON'T last!!!

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Red91
I really don't think most bitogers know just how good of an engine the tbi small block was and is. Robust is an understatement.


I'm sort of a quasi-Ford guy, and even I know full well how good these engines are.

The 90's-era Chevy 350's will go 300,000 miles with ease if half taken care of.
Even my TBI 1995 K3500 454 with 296,000 shows no signs of slowing down (15W-40 most it's whole life)

however..... That goofy pot-metal heater hose fitting WON'T last!!!

305 is more durable than the 350 in my experience. 305 TBI is unstoppable, they easily outlast the body and trans.

 

[Nick1994]

Check the numbers on the motor to see if it matches the year

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Red91
I really don't think most bitogers know just how good of an engine the tbi small block was and is. Robust is an understatement.


I'm sort of a quasi-Ford guy, and even I know full well how good these engines are.

The 90's-era Chevy 350's will go 300,000 miles with ease if half taken care of.
Even my TBI 1995 K3500 454 with 296,000 shows no signs of slowing down (15W-40 most it's whole life)

however..... That goofy pot-metal heater hose fitting WON'T last!!!

305 is more durable than the 350 in my experience. 305 TBI is unstoppable, they easily outlast the body and trans.

Just in terms of TBIs I've had a 92 305, 95 350, and now this 95 350. Haven't had a SINGLE engine related problem on ANY of them, ALL with high mileage. Truly the best. I've had a lot of Vortecs and they are not nearly as reliable.

 

[Red91]

My 89 has a 305. I've had both tbi 305s and 350s, and they've all served me well. I plan on running this truck until something fails that's unjustifiably expensive to repair and replace the truck, then I remember it's an 89 Chevy that can be repaired inexpensively until after the end of time. It's ugly, dirty and paid for, and this summer it earned it's keep hauling scrap and trash, then doing clean up work on a farm. I've been using 20w50 in it. Now that cold weather is here, the starts are sluggish but oil pressure is instant and the engine is quiet. It'll chug about two quarts of oil in four months, how many miles that is I don't know because the odometer doesn't work.......I'm rambling...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
SBC? Probably designed to run on 20W50, SAE40 or something insane like that.

A 30 of most sorts will be fine. The taxis ran on energy conserving 10w-30 grades and the equivalent since the 1970s. Thicker will certainly work, but there's always been room for a thin 30 in the specifications for the engines. Heck, you go to certain years, you'll see dire warnings against 10w-40.

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by CT8
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Your engine was originally built for 5w-30. The 10w-30 is fine for where you live. So if you want to buy one oil the 5w-30 will work.

How was the engine built for a 5W-30?

Ok. Two of you got me and are beating me up. But both of you are right. The engine was built for a 30w oil. The manufacturer spec's 5w-30. Ok?

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Your engine was originally built for 5w-30. The 10w-30 is fine for where you live. So if you want to buy one oil the 5w-30 will work.
SBC? Probably designed to run on 20W50, SAE40 or something insane like that.

No, GM engines since the '70' were designed around 30w. Some GM engines of the '60's called for a 20w.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by ka9mnx
Your engine was originally built for 5w-30. The 10w-30 is fine for where you live. So if you want to buy one oil the 5w-30 will work.
SBC? Probably designed to run on 20W50, SAE40 or something insane like that.

No, GM engines since the '70' were designed around 30w. Some GM engines of the '60's called for a 20w.



Someone has been reseaching recommendations. Indeed 20 grade was a recommended grade in the 60's.

 

[ka9mnx]

No research required. I was turning wrenches back then.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by ka9mnx
No research required. I was turning wrenches back then.



Nice. Most people fail to make this observation.