Engine motor oil for rebuilt '64 430 engine

[epbendel1]

Which modern motor oil is best for my rebuilt 1964 430 cubic inch original engine?

[Lee]

There will be plenty of opinions, here's mine.

There are 2 areas where most modern motor oils are really incompatible with older engine designs:

1) Most modern oils are extremely light weight. 0W-20 is common, and even 5W weights are still too light. I would not use anything lighter than a 10W-30 grade, unless you are driving around Fraser's neighborhood in January. Heavier weights are getting rarer every day.
2) Zinc and phosphorus are reduced in modern oils to avoid catalytic converter contamination. They were very good additives at reducing friction and wear in sliding metal on metal applications, the biggest being flat tappet cams in old engines. New engines invariably now have rolling cam followers, so they don't need as much. So look for high levels of those, often referred to collectively as "ZDDP". It is also available as an additive.

I use a synthetic, but that choice is less consequential to engine life, in my opinion, that the first two points.

[Dan Szwarc]

You should follow your engine rebuilder's instructions on the break-in oil, how long to use it, etc.

After that, use the oil recommended in your owner's manual with a ZDDP additive (most likely 10W-40 or 10W-30).

[frasern]

1) Most modern oils are extremely light weight. 0W-20 is common, and even 5W weights are still too light. I would not use anything lighter than a 10W-30 grade, unless you are driving around Fraser's neighborhood in January. Heavier weights are getting rarer every day.

One would be crazy to drive a classic Lincoln around my neighourhood in January, unless one really likes "patina". I use 10 W 30 diesel oil, because diesels still have flat tappets, but do as Dan has suggested, follow the rebuilders directions, at least until it's out of warranty (if applicable).

[Lee]

One would be crazy to drive a classic Lincoln around my neighourhood in January,

Years ago, I bought my (very unrestored) Model A from a party in Minnesota. In January. When I arrived with a trailer to pick it up, it was parked outside, -10F, and a foot of snow all over it. And I didn’t have a winch. When I expressed my fears, the guy who sold it to me just smiled, and went out to the car. While I’m standing there wagering with my brother on the chances…he pressed the starter pedal, and it started cranking over slowwwwer than I thought a starter ever could. But it caught, and a few minutes, it was climbing on the trailer under its own power.

[rick]

Love the model A story.

Haven't owned one of those yet.

[frasern]

Rick, I love that word "yet"!

[Lee]

Love the model A story.

Haven't owned one of those yet.

I’d never owned pre-war, so I was a bit leery, but you couldn’t find an easier car to restore. Maybe a T. They are dead simple. There’s a huge aftermarket supplier base; you could probably build one from scratch. I did frame-off, every nut and bolt got attention, bought the interior from Lebaron Bonney (I miss them!) did all the paint and engine work myself except for cylinder boring and crank machining, and finished in just over two years, still working a full time job. They are going cheap these days…that generation is passing into history, and they certainly aren’t a millenial’s dream car.

[1Bad55Chevy]

I personally do not like adding additives to anything. I use Valvoline vr1 oil in everything with a flat appetite cam. It's a low detergent oil but to me that dosen't matter because I am not daily driving these things nor am I skipping oil changes.

Every major manufacturer now has a high zinc oil so it all depends on the brands you like. I know a lot of people running the Amsoil high zinc and the Lucas hot rod oil with outstanding results. Most everything is good if you are buying quality products and not trying to run 10k+ miles per oil change.

Just thinking here about the motor builders I have known over the years and their recommendations.... I can't think of any engine builder that recommends anything besides Valvoline, Amsoil, or Lucas. I have never heard an engine builder say "ya that Castrol GTX is the cats ass of oil". Just a thought/ ramble!

[Lee]

I have never heard an engine builder say "ya that Castrol GTX is the cats ass of oil". Just a thought/ ramble!

Obviously, you are not located in Europe
https://www.castrol.com/en_us/united-st ... rover.html

[1Bad55Chevy]

My wife has a supercharged XJL and it's a pain in the ass to find that gold bottle edge. Another strange thing about those cars is you typically do an oil change completely from the top. When you open the oil filler there is a metal tube that sticks up in there that you are supposed to hook an evacuation machine to and suck the oil out of the crankcase. I don't have one of those machines so I go old school and do it from the bottom.

[TonyC]

I personally use Wal-Mart's 10W-40, plus a bottle of Rislone ZDDP additive at every change, per my former mechanic's recommendation. It's the most convenient source for me.

That reminds me, I still have to make a venture to Lackland and register at the auto-skill center there, in time for the next oil change which should be the beginning of next year at my current rate. One disappointment I learned upon moving back is a that all the auto-hobby shops had been dismantled except for Lackland's, which is located on the exactly opposite corner of SA where I settled . If there is a way to protest the absence of a shop on Fort Sam, I will; that hotel they put up in the old shop's spot is of zero use to me.

---Tony

[epbendel1]

The '64 Lincoln is past the break-in period and the break-in oil has been removed. It has gone about 3,000 miles altogether and it's ready for an oil change. Is the Valvoline VR1 10W-30 racing oil OK for this application without the additive? Thanks to all for your advice.

[1Bad55Chevy]

The '64 Lincoln is past the break-in period and the break-in oil has been removed. It has gone about 3,000 miles altogether and it's ready for an oil change. Is the Valvoline VR1 10W-30 racing oil OK for this application without the additive? Thanks to all for your advice.

I run that 20w50 vr1 in most everything with awesome results. The 460 in the Lincoln doesn't like the 20w50 and kicks the oil pressure up to high so I run the vr1 40 weight and it runs well.

Ask your engine builder what weight you should run. Factory specs don't matter anymore because they could have increased the bearing clearances when they built the engine. Remember that's a low detergent oil so don't skip oil changes and try to get 15k miles out of an oil change! If it's a vehicle that is seldom driven atleast change it twice a year regardless of miles driven.

Have you hooked up a mechanical Guage to the engine yet to see the actual pressure its running at with the 10w30?

[epbendel1]

I decided to go with Valvoline VR1 20W-50. Thanks for all the advice. I will post results again after use.