"SG(+)" 15w40 or better oil 1987 BBC 454

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I have a motorhome on a 1987 P30 chassis with 57,000 original miles. Engine has been well maintained and the oil was always changed once a year or 3000 whatever came first it's entire life.

I would like to run a 15w40 heavy duty oil due to the higher viscosity and higher zinc due to the flat tappet cam, but seems like the diesel oils are losing their "s" rating and only having a "c" rating now.

I typically run at 3000 RPM and travel more in extreme hot. May go up to the snow/mountains once a year but wouldnt be up there much colder than 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

I also run Lucas and would run a zinc additive if I couldn't find a heavy duty oil.

I have included the page from the GM dealer service manual for the chassis that shows straight 30 is the recommended.

Looking for recommendations on the best route to go since I can't seem to find a 15w40 heavy duty "s" oil anymore.

Thanks

Screenshot_20181214-133444_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
 
"S" has nothing to do with the usability of oil in gas engines. It is simply not "compliant" for the certification, most commonly for the presence for cat eating compounds. PETA has their hands in everything :(, kidding.

I can't think of a "better" oil, at least when engine protection is concerned. I'm not getting into the whole Zn debate, it's like a Royal Purple following.
 
I know they still exist on the global market, there is a Delo variety that is specifically made for old diesels but I cannot remember the name. I'm sure someone offers an oil that is intended for pre-emissions diesels in the US that would be worth looking at.

I'm sure you can get by on CK4 or whatever the spec is. I'm not sure BBCs or SBCs for that matter really care, 10W30 would probably be perfect.
 
Originally Posted by zrxkawboy
I would use any reputable brand of 15W40.


TRUTH ... my 1995 Chevy K3500 454 has 296,000 miles and runs great, running the same 15W-40 we ran in all of our diesel engine equipment, bought by the 55 gallon drum

Oh - - please don't use the Lucas product - - it is nothing more than "bright stock" and has ZERO anti-wear or anti-friction additives in it.
 
Amsoil makes a 15w40 marine and diesel that's rated for pre emissions diesels, healthy slug of zinc in that oil which sounds like it may suit your needs
 
Don't worry about the S spec right now. If it's listing ACEA E7, E9, you'll be fine. To be honest, a 10w-30 HDEO would be a perfectly acceptable choice, too. If you really want an S spec and higher zinc, Valvoline VR-1 in 10w-30 would be almost ideal.
 
Interesting oil-recommendation section, especially the recommendation against 10W-40.

Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30 is almost a SAE 30 monograde -- almost no viscosity-index improver (VII).

There are many dual-rated CK-4/SN HDEO's out there though. HDEO's such as Delvac should have almost no VII.

If you need a thicker oil, you can also consider dexos2 oils such as Pennzoil Platinum Euro L 5W-30.

Most modern oils regardless of viscosity and type should perform better than any oil in 1987.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
I know they still exist on the global market, there is a Delo variety that is specifically made for old diesels but I cannot remember the name. I'm sure someone offers an oil that is intended for pre-emissions diesels in the US that would be worth looking at.

I'm sure you can get by on CK4 or whatever the spec is. I'm not sure BBCs or SBCs for that matter really care, 10W30 would probably be perfect.
Delo 400 is made for old diesels, the last jug of SAE 30 I had from the famous AZ 99 cent/gallon closeout was rated CH-4/SL. Most 454 Chevy engines seem to like thicker oils, I would think just about any 15W40 HDEO would be perfect for it. My vote is Delvac 1300, it always has a rebate, or Mystik JT-8 if you can get a good deal on it.
 
Any 15/40 at all. Enough zinc for flat tappet cam. I'd stay away from the 30 weight. BBCs are not the happiest campers with sustained high rpms. Bottom end doesn't care. Valvetrain, not so much.

Amsoil Marine and Diesel 12 TBN (AME) is a fantastic oil, but only if you feel like it.
 
I run 5w-40 year round, but I have run lots of 10w-40 and 15w-40 in my big blocks over the years. All are fine. Back in the day when I was running Ford Cleveland motors it was all straight 30 or straight 40, but I was in So Cal at the time. Your choice of 15w-40 is a good one.
 
Originally Posted by DoubleWasp
Any 15/40 at all. Enough zinc for flat tappet cam. I'd stay away from the 30 weight.

I'd have no concern if the 10w-30 were an HDEO or something of similar HTHS. But, the 15w-40 HDEO and 10w-30 HDEO aren't going to exactly be miles apart from each other in availability or price, so it's just about flip a coin.

Gokhan: I don't think GM was a fan of the formulation of 10w-40 options in the day, considering the high level of VIIs and with 10w-40 often having much lower HTHS than is the minimum today.
 
HDEO vs. HDEO 30 weight has a track record in the Marine world of being the difference between engine life and engine death where BBC engines are concerned.

A RV application is quite similar to The Marine duty cycle, given the sustained high loads and RPMs. The heat factor is even greater for an RV than it is for a marine engine. I would stay away from the 30 weight unless driving the high latitudes in the peak of winter.

Volvo Penta tried to game the system using a straight 30 synthetic oil, which was a mirror direct copy of amsoil HDD and ended up losing big block engines to valvetrain failures as a result. Nowadays, they call for a 15 w 40 diesel engine oil. Keep in mind that all of this drama went down in the roller cam BBC engines. OP has a flat tappet cam.
 
Originally Posted by Gokhan
Interesting oil-recommendation section, especially the recommendation against 10W-40.

Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30 is almost a SAE 30 monograde -- almost no viscosity-index improver (VII).

There are many dual-rated CK-4/SN HDEO's out there though. HDEO's such as Delvac should have almost no VII.

If you need a thicker oil, you can also consider dexos2 oils such as Pennzoil Platinum Euro L 5W-30.

Most modern oils regardless of viscosity and type should perform better than any oil in 1987.



They should and I do not doubt your statements here in the least. But mullet heads are brainwashed in modern lubericants do not have enough zenk.
 
I just don't see the point of spending big $ on a Euro or full syn oil for an old school big block-back when I had my old '73 440-3 Class A, tipping the scales at 11,000 pounds empty & sucking down fuel at a 3 MPG rate (thank God gas was around $1.25/gallon then), I ran plain old Castrol GTX 20W50 dino and hammered that thing all day long, and it did just fine. Any major 15W40, or 10W30 in extreme cold, HDEO would do just fine in a 454. If I still had my old house sized Titleist, I would stick a pail of Delvac 1300 or cheap Mystik JT-8 in a compartment somewhere & just dump it in when it got low.
 
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