Need help with engine oil.

[jcal87]

The persons mechanic I got the car from recommended Amsoil 20w-50 full synthetic. However, I called the shop who built the motor and they said they only use that weight of oil to dyno with. Then they recommend to drop down to a conventional 10W-30 in the winter and a 10W-40 in the summer.

They also said only to use synthetic during break in then switch to a conventional oil. I have talked to a few friends of mine and a mechanic and they say go with a 10W-30 conventional or synthetic and switching back won’t hurt the engine if I decide to go with conventional.

Can anyone add some clarification to this? The car is leaking a bit of oil and I won’t to get the right stuff in there this time around. I posted a pic of the engine build sheet below.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181217/4cc816c4dcd0700688143e41aaa6cba2.jpg


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[Turbo6inKY]

The answer to every oil question is: It depends.

What are the bearing clearances, and how are you using the thing? What do your oil pressures look like hot at idle and a WOT?

What is the oil recommendation from the lifter manufacturer? Erson told me never to use anything heavier than a 5w40 with my lifters. The cold weight is important. If there's not enough flow into the lifter at startup to pump the lifters up, you'll get a bunch of loosey goosey pushrod action and it'll make a ton of noise and hammer the cam bearings.

You can switch back and forth between synthetic and conventional. That's not a problem.

Where's it leaking?

[ilikeike]

The persons mechanic I got the car from recommended Amsoil 20w-50 full synthetic. However, I called the shop who built the motor and they said they only use that weight of oil to dyno with. Then they recommend to drop down to a conventional 10W-30 in the winter and a 10W-40 in the summer.

They also said only to use synthetic during break in then switch to a conventional oil. I have talked to a few friends of mine and a mechanic and they say go with a 10W-30 conventional or synthetic and switching back won’t hurt the engine if I decide to go with conventional.

Can anyone add some clarification to this? The car is leaking a bit of oil and I won’t to get the right stuff in there this time around. I posted a pic of the engine build sheet below.




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Thats normally the other way around.

[Turbo6inKY]

Thats normally the other way around.

Conventional wisdom, yes.

I'm not sure it really matters on a roller motor anymore. Breaking in on conventional is definitely more economical. No sense spending $8 a quart on something that's only going to be in the engine for a short time.

[jcal87]

The answer to every oil question is: It depends.

What are the bearing clearances, and how are you using the thing? What do your oil pressures look like hot at idle and a WOT?

What is the oil recommendation from the lifter manufacturer? Erson told me never to use anything heavier than a 5w40 with my lifters. The cold weight is important. If there's not enough flow into the lifter at startup to pump the lifters up, you'll get a bunch of loosey goosey pushrod action and it'll make a ton of noise and hammer the cam bearings.

You can switch back and forth between synthetic and conventional. That's not a problem.

Where's it leaking?

I have to be honest most of the questions you just asked are way above my knowledge of engines. I will check the gauges next time I am driving it. I am mainly just driving it around for fun and running the piss out of it from red light to red light and in deserted parking lots to burn a little rubber.

My plan is to lift it up this week sometime and get up under to see where the leak is coming from. All gaskets were just replaced in October. The engine manufacturer said it could be the full synthetic that's causing the leak. I personally don't know how much I believe that though. Engine was purchased and built by Skip White performance.

[Turbo6inKY]

The engine manufacturer said it could be the full synthetic that's causing the leak. I personally don't know how much I believe that though. Engine was purchased and built by Skip White performance.

That's a big negative, Ghost Rider.

Synthetic oil doesn't cause leaks. Failed containment (seals) causes leaks. Period.

[jcal87]

That's a big negative, Ghost Rider.

Synthetic oil doesn't cause leaks. Failed containment (seals) causes leaks. Period.

My thoughts exactly

[Vegas69]

A good quality conventional 10w-30 like a Brad Penn is where I'd start unless you road race it and it see's extreme temps. Then I'd go with a synthetic. Your hot oil pressure will dictate the ideal viscosity. If you have over 20 psi at idle hot, you are good to go. If you want to get another 5-10 psi, bump it up a viscosity or two.

[Turbo6inKY]

A good quality conventional 10w-30 like a Brad Penn...

As it turns out, it really doesn't matter what brand you use.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f641390cba42169db49e0cd6e/files/95d3f8e6-44ac-42f3-bf55-9dcaa234d223/Aug_17_ENG.pdf

It's basically all the same crap regardless of what's on the label. Unless you need the high temp capability of a top-line synthetic, anything you get in the proper weight is going to be fine.

Spend the money on a quality filter.

[AMSOILGUY]

The persons mechanic I got the car from recommended Amsoil 20w-50 full synthetic. However, I called the shop who built the motor and they said they only use that weight of oil to dyno with. Then they recommend to drop down to a conventional 10W-30 in the winter and a 10W-40 in the summer.

They also said only to use synthetic during break in then switch to a conventional oil. I have talked to a few friends of mine and a mechanic and they say go with a 10W-30 conventional or synthetic and switching back won’t hurt the engine if I decide to go with conventional.

Can anyone add some clarification to this? The car is leaking a bit of oil and I won’t to get the right stuff in there this time around. I posted a pic of the engine build sheet below.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181217/4cc816c4dcd0700688143e41aaa6cba2.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi,
My thoughts are I would just make it as simple on yourself as possible and not use conventional if you can afford synthetic. I'd pick 1 viscosity oil and run that year round. Based on what you said I'd pick the 10w40 because you don't get really cold temps for any extended period of time in Texas. Have the UPS man deliver your AMSOIL oil and filters and all your other lubricants to your door to make it even easier on you. :ups:

Here's a link to free shipping on orders of 100 or more directly from AMSOIL (https://www.amsoil.com/offers/pc.aspx?zo=1856266)

[F'in mine]

For the initial startup on a rebuilt engine I would use a non synthetic break-in oil of 10w30 weight even if you have a roller cam, its to seat the rings properly as well.
Drain the oil after the break-in period, I know it cost a few bucks but I'm sure that new motor cost a pretty penny.
After that a 10w40 should be good.
On my flat tappet annual oil changes..... after I've drained the oil with the drain plug still open, I pour a quart of inexpensive oil right through til drained then close things up, new filter filled with as much oil as I can, screw on then fill crankcase to capacity.
The extra zinc & phosphorous probably doesn't hurt the engine. I've been using Brad Penn with no problems for years. I also add a little of this once in a while, good additive.
https://lucasoil.com/products/engine-oil-additives/engine-break-in-oil-additive-tb-zinc-plus

[jcal87]

lol Basically what I am figuring out here is discussing oil is like discussing religion and politics. Everyone has a different opinion and thought. Seems like the majority of everyone seems to say 10W-40. I was leaning very strongly towards the Valvoline VR1 because of the Zinc additives in it. It doesnt get much colder than 30 degress here in Dallas and that is only for a few hours a night with average temps int he day around 50-60. However, in the summer it can get hot as hell. Temps around 100 or more and that may be rough on the engine.

[BMR Sales]

A good quality conventional 10w-30 like a Brad Penn is where I'd start

Brad Penn Oils are now known as Penn Grade

[Turbo6inKY]

lol Basically what I am figuring out here is discussing oil is like discussing religion and politics. Everyone has a different opinion and thought. Seems like the majority of everyone seems to say 10W-40. I was leaning very strongly towards the Valvoline VR1 because of the Zinc additives in it. It doesnt get much colder than 30 degress here in Dallas and that is only for a few hours a night with average temps int he day around 50-60. However, in the summer it can get hot as hell. Temps around 100 or more and that may be rough on the engine.

Much like religion and politics, oil discussions digress because nobody has any hard data.

Eexcept I just posted the hard data. We have it. All you have to do is read it and it'll answer your question on what brand to buy - Any of them. Sure, oil A and oil B might do differently running down a board at 15 degrees F, or oil C and oil D exhibit different wear patterns when you lean a bar against a spinning steel wheel. Oil E and F might behave differently when put in a frying pan and heated beyond what they'd ever see in an actual engine. Those make for great marketing.

But where it matters - how much wear an engine undergoes during an oil change interval - the available evidence indicates there's really no difference. People that track the car and put the oil through stupid high temps probably need a good synthetic. Just about nobody else does.

The moral really is: Buy what you want. Even the cheap stuff is "good enough."

The other moral is: You don't need to pick among a pile of opinions. You can figure it out yourself and actually KNOW. Put 10w40 in the engine, warm it up, and check the pressures. Then put 10w30 and check again. You could do the testing back to back with the cheapest no-label mineral oil Wal-Mart carries for $40. As long as it has an SAE seal on it, the viscosity is going to be in the proper range regardless if it's $20 a quart Motul or $2 a quart generic brand.

Then you'll know exactly what weight to buy when you fill it back up with whatever brand you want to run. And by know, I mean you'll KNOW. It won't be speculation or presumption or rule of thumb. You'll know. Actual Truth.

[Che70velle]

Here’s a very informative read, that breaks down oil protection for you. Interestingly enough, most of the “break in” oils everybody likes to pay top dollar for, does a very poor job of protecting anything. Give it a read. Find out where your oil ranks. This is hard data, and data is your friend...

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

[Turbo6inKY]

Here’s a very informative read, that breaks down oil protection for you. Interestingly enough, most of the “break in” oils everybody likes to pay top dollar for, does a very poor job of protecting anything. Give it a read. Find out where your oil ranks. This is hard data, and data is your friend...

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

Ooops:

"201. “ZDDPlus” added to Royal Purple 20W50, API SN, synthetic = 63,595 psi
zinc = 2436 ppm (up 1848 ppm)
phos = 2053 ppm (up 1356 ppm)
moly = 2 ppm (up 2 ppm)
The amount of ZDDPlus added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was 24% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the ZDDPlus was added to it. Most major Oil Companies say to NEVER add anything to their oils, because adding anything will upset the carefully balanced additive package, and ruin the oil’s chemical composition. And that is precisely what we see here. Adding ZDDPlus SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oil’s wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised."

[TheJDMan]

I run Rotella T6 15w40 year round. Also a very good source of oil info with no BS and lots of facts is at https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

[gnx7]

Here’s a very informative read, that breaks down oil protection for you. Interestingly enough, most of the “break in” oils everybody likes to pay top dollar for, does a very poor job of protecting anything. Give it a read. Find out where your oil ranks. This is hard data, and data is your friend...

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/


I have emailed him before and he is very receptive to questions. Great read!

I use Joe Gibbs BR30 oil for break in and change it within 2hrs/50 miles plus the filter... then I switch over to Valvoline VR1 40W mineral oil (non synthetic) change at 500 miles.... then change every 2K miles.... I beat on my cars with lots of track days.... plus run e85 which does put some moisture into the engine. After 2K miles I run a synthetic oil.... Mobil1, Royal Purple, Amsoil.... whatever is cheapest among these 3. Always WIX filters.

[Vegas69]

As it turns out, it really doesn't matter what brand you use.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f641390cba42169db49e0cd6e/files/95d3f8e6-44ac-42f3-bf55-9dcaa234d223/Aug_17_ENG.pdf

It's basically all the same crap regardless of what's on the label. Unless you need the high temp capability of a top-line synthetic, anything you get in the proper weight is going to be fine.

Spend the money on a quality filter.

https://youtu.be/E2zS8MyvJxU

[AMSOILGUY]

:king: https://youtu.be/E2zS8MyvJxU

[06-Z0SICK]

My 408 stroker was built from a high end engine builder that does a lot of premium stuff. He reccomended bradd penn 20w50 high zinc oil for my motor and thats what i run. I let oil get up to temp before getting into it.