<VV> oil question, here's an answer

[Mark Durham]

Bob, lost your last email but here is the short and sweet. With some history.

Chevy built the engine to use a oil in a specific viscosity range and
with a ZDDP PPM of around 1200 each.

The 30 weight derivities , 5 W30, 10 W30 and plain 30 wt fit the bill.
The 5 w40 and 10 W40 synthetics while slightly higher in viscosity
also are just above the viscosity range. If you get too heavy a oil,
you get startup damage, and the engine may run hotter if a
conventional oil, because it will not flow as fast in the engine;
however, we have guys on this site that use mobil 1 15W50 with no
issues, and have for many years.

The key is that a full modern synthetic can alleviate some of the wear
concerns, is slippier than regular oil, however, the reason the SL is
important is that shows how much ZDDP is in the oil. You can use any
modern oil even with the starburst, if you add back in the needed
ZDDP. ZDDP rubs into the cam lobes each lifter cycle, and rubs some
off each cycle, too.

Some people do not like to use an additive. There are snake oil
additives that do no good, but adding a reputable ZDDP to fortify the
oil makes sense when needed. Because one day a oil may have the
required ZDDP, and the next oil change they made a change and it no
longer does.

So, you can pay for the additive in the oil by buying the Amsoil
10-40, or the Mobil 1 15W50, there are only several others; but the
list changes all the time.

Recommendation: Use a good full synthetic. Keep to the viscosity range
with a good engine, use heavier wt oil for a older engine with larger
clearances from wear, and make sure it has the ZDDP or add it.  Mark
Durham

 Apr 14, 2011 at 5:36 PM, Mel Francis <mfrancis at wi.rr.com> wrote:
> A couple of months ago, I read the oil selection article by Richard Widman,
> http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Corvair_oil.pdf
> and noticed that while he of course, didn't recommend a specific brand,
> careful reading of his conclusions revealed that he liked
> Amsoil's 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil (AMO). Specifically, because it's
> cold-startup viscosity was similar to a 10W-30 oil.
> His article had indicated that cold-start viscosity is very important, due
> to the fact that you need an oil to penetrate and resist
> shear at cold startup temps, where the highest wear can occur, if
> viscosities are actually too high.
>
> I ordered a 12 quart case and was immediately impressed by the fact that
> this high-zinc product is clearly labeled as high-zinc,
> and for flat tappet, high performance, higher mileage engines:
> http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/amo.aspx  Hit the link and when
> the page appears, click on the photo. You will see that you will no longer
> have to wear your glasses in the auto parts store,
> to find which oil to buy, as it is plainly marked. The cases are marked the
> same way. This is the first oil company that has
> clearly marked their product to reflect the needs of our group of buyers, a
> slightly older crowd, with older-design, flat tappet
> collector engines to maintain.
>
> I changed the oil in our '64 Monza convertible, which had always been a
> noisy-tappet engine until it warmed up, and
> within the first ten seconds, it became silent and has never clicked again.
> We will be using it in our autocross car this summer also.
>
> Try it. You can order it online from that site and you can finally realize a
> new feeling of confidence in your car's oil selection.
>
> Mel Francis,
> Oconomowoc, WI, 53066
>
>
> Re: <VV> oil question
>
>
>
>> In a message dated 4/14/2011 9:57:44 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
>> Vairtec at optonline.net writes:
>>
>> Can  anyone create a fact-based guide to the current oil selection
>> process for  Corvairs that does not exceed 100 words and does not make
>> the reader say  "Huh?"
>>
>> --Bob Marlow
>>
>>
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