Best oil for 440.....

[ornaryal]

would oil no not change between florida and montana as multi weight in cold climates , for easier starts and better start up lube , the old manules used to say so if i remember right

 

[WileERobby]

would oil no not change between florida and montana as multi weight in cold climates , for easier starts and better start up lube , the old manules used to say so if i remember right

Yes, expected temperature range and intended use would be considerations. I've always used multi-viscosity oils for over 50+ years, I want it to act like 10W cold, and 40W hot. Since most engine wear occurs during cold startup, I like a thin oil. Just my opinion, of course ( who says that ? ).

 

[Some Car Guy]

The fsm has a section showing the temp ranges for various grades of oil. 10w-30 covers most anything the average user would face. I do toss in one quart of 20w-50 vr1 with the rest being their 10w-30. I dont always. Just depends on what I have around. I call that witch’s brew 13w-35.

 

[Cojohnso1]

VR1. 10-40. I add some Lucus oil zinc additive. It may be an over kill. But I got burned on the "Zinc removal."True it was with a flat tappet mechanical cam. Which is more susceptible to sudden wear issues regarding loss of zinc additive. Than hydraulic flats.

So call me "Mr. Paranoid." But I feel better with the extra $9 per 500 mi.

 

[RemCharger]

Yep, ask 100 people and get 100 different answers…

The old Direct Connection B/RB Performance Bulletin recommends high detergent 30W, which has worked very well for the 40+ years I’ve run big block Mopars.View attachment 1457617

This has been a decent thread as far as good denominators,, but but Black sheep pointed out some good info, and I have some more I'll post up

 

[moparedtn]

There are three that are acceptable to me, as the owner of a 440 with a flat tappet cam (Mopar "purpleshaft").
Flat tappets gotta have zinc (ZDDP) and phosphorus!

Driven HR5 conventional. ALL the ZDDP and then some - and also has "storage"
and start-up additives in it, which is good for cars like my GTX that might sit a few months in winter.
This is my #1 preferred oil and is in Fred the GTX right now.


PennGrade 1 conventional straight weight. The famous "green oil" some remember as Brad Penn.
Again, specifically made for older flat tappet engines that need the zinc and phosphorus.


Valvoline VR-1 conventional. Again, has the additives (zinc!) for older flat tappet engines
and is probably the most likely one you're going to readily find in local stores...
BUT be careful here! There's a LOT of different VR-1 oils (they use the name on all sorts
of oils besides this one), so make sure it's the right one before grabbing it at Wally World.

Oil filter selection isn't mentioned in the OP's question, but that one is easy too.
Hastings/Baldwin or Wix (or Ma Mopar, of course).
None of that "hecho en China" crap all the other brand names sell!

 

[70bigblockdodge]

The famous "green oil" some remember as Brad Penn

Kendall before that, all done at the same refinery in Bradford Pa. Now they just train car it to Indiana to bottle it, rather than build a new bottling plant in Bradford.

 

[diesel_lv]

Kendall before that, all done at the same refinery in Bradford Pa. Now they just train car it to Indiana to bottle it, rather than build a new bottling plant in Bradford.

Yep, Kendall was what I ran in all my pre 90's air cooled Harleys. Green oil!!

 

[diesel_lv]

VR1. 10-40. I add some Lucus oil zinc additive. It may be an over kill. But I got burned on the "Zinc removal."True it was with a flat tappet mechanical cam. Which is more susceptible to sudden wear issues regarding loss of zinc additive. Than hydraulic flats.

So call me "Mr. Paranoid." But I feel better with the extra $9 per 500 mi.

500 miles? I change filter every 2,500 and oil every 5k. Top off 1 qt on the filter change. Synthetic Walmart brand 10-30 or 10-40. Hydraulic roller.

 

[Cojohnso1]

500 miles? I change filter every 2,500 and oil every 5k. Top off 1 qt on the filter change. Synthetic Walmart brand 10-30 or 10-40. Hydraulic roller.

I am talking adding too. At about 500 I'm about 1/2 quart low. So I throw in a pint of the additive stuff.

 

[Cranky]

Recently read that diesel oils do not have as much anti-foaming additives as the regular oils do since diesels generally do not rev up as high as regular engines do....but, so far my junk is surviving ok with it.

 

[WileERobby]

.but, so far my junk is surviving ok with it.

... you oil your junk ?? ....

 

[68BabyBlue]

Recently read that diesel oils do not have as much anti-foaming additives as the regular oils do since diesels generally do not rev up as high as regular engines do....but, so far my junk is surviving ok with it.

Top rpm on my C-15 Caterpillar was 2100. Optimum for fuel mileage was 1400, gave me a cruising speed of 67 mph.

 

[Cranky]

... you oil your junk ?? ....

Regularly

 

[old guys rule]

10-30 with Zinc, if you beat on it 10-40 and if you redline it constantly 20-50(warm weather only)

Any name brand oil that contains Zinc/ZDDP would be preferable, but you can use a zinc/zddp additive if necessary. I like redline, and Schaefer’s for the spendy stuff, but castrol and valvoline make high zinc options that are more readily available.

Do any of the full synthetics have zinc / zddp in them?

 

[Geetex]

... you oil your junk ?? ....

It's his junk, he'll oil it as fast and as often as he likes.

 

[Nirvana]

Do any of the full synthetics have zinc / zddp in them?

Oh yeah, a bunch of them. The Schaefers/redline I mentioned are full synthetic. Valvoline VR1 is probably the most common high zinc/full synthetic oil you can find, but it’s a race oil with no detergents and I wouldn’t run it in a street car unless I liked changing the oil frequently.

 

[Photon440]

Do any of the full synthetics have zinc / zddp in them?

 

[Some Car Guy]

Do any of the full synthetics have zinc / zddp in them?

Valvoline says modern oils have other additives than zinc that do the same job so a high zinc oil isnt necessary, but people want it and they sell it to us in vr1. My car had full synthetic in it when I got it and seems to have had no ill effects. It wasn’t drive much while last guy had it. I put old school vr1 in it because I just don’t want to find out it needed it and modern oil doesn’t cut it afterall. Especially since it’s no problem to order up the oil.