The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Best oil for chevy235

Getting ready to change the oil on my 235 and with all the new stuff out there was wondering what everyone is using. its not driven much but I like to see some oil pressure at idle

No synthetic.

I have been using Brand Penn 10W30 (now called Penn Grade One) for 7 or 8 years now. Real Pennsylvania crude oil base, clings to the parts, especially the rockers over the winter, has a zinc package and a wear package compatible with our old motors, and seems to hold better pressure then the Pennzoil I use to use, at least from what I have experienced.

Valvoline VR-1 30 weight is what I use. You won't have winter weather to worry about in S. Florida, so 30 weight should be your friend. VR-1 also has extra zinc and holds pressure well in hot climates.

I use Delo 30w, any of the diesel oils still have enough zinc in them to protect the cam and lifters.

Thanks for the input. Think I will go with the VR1 oil, like the zinc additive. But it looks to be hard to find in a 30 wt wonderif 10w30 would be ok. and yes we have had a light winter here still haven't put on the tire chains

The VR-1 if it is truly a RACING oil, it won't have detergent, and yes 10w-30 is fine, I can't even believe anyone uses a straight weight oil, even Caterpillar has relented. And if you have a tight engine that doesn't leak a lot of oil, synthetic is more than fine, it is by far a superior lubricant.

Is this a reflection on the viscosity of synthetic or the cost of it?

Thanks

The viscosity is not an index of load capacity, film strength, "slippery-ness", or bearing protection.
It's the thickness: how much can pass through a sized orifice per second at a given temperature. Paint, molten metal, and maple syrup may have the same viscosity.

Yep that's true.
Water works for bearings, but it can't stand the heat in an engine. In fact there are circulating pumps for heating systems that are lubricated by the pumped water.

If you like Shell Rotella get the T4 it has enough zinc for flat tappet cams too.
Lots of options but stay away from synthetics if you have been running dino oils in the past. IMHO

I have yet to hear a first hand story about leaky seals when changing from dino to synthetic. Usually, it's "My second cousin's brother in law's uncle........" Just saying.

Buy 30 weight Valvoline VR-1 from Amazon.

Notice that 30 weight is not listed in the original specs.
Why? A joke:
"The number before the W of a multi-weight oil (or the only number of a single weight oil) is the time in seconds it takes for full pressure to reach the farthest bearing in the engine".
5W30: 5 seconds
20W50: 20 seconds
50: 50 seconds
As mileage increases leakage from the bearings, it takes even longer...

Heavy weight oil is a good idea, if the oil and the engine are both at 212 degrees when you start it.

Go ahead and give it a try then, I just wrote that because it did happen to me in my 94 ford pickup.

When I put the 283 back in my 2 ton I filled it with Valvoline 5w-30 full synthetic 'cause that's what I had on hand. I did not do any machine work on the engine, just a cam, lifters, gears and chain that I took out of a 350 from a prior build. I cleaned the oil pump screen, new front seal, pan gasket, intake gasket, left the original rope seal in the rear main. No leaks and it runs great with no smoke. I also was concerned about running synthetic in it but I have no worries now.

I used full synth for the first time in anything about a month ago. Put it in my wife's escalade and liked it so much I put it in everything I have including 1946 Chevy 2 ton. It really smoothed the 46 out the most. Much quieter, idles and runs smoother and stronger. Leaks, well it still leaks but cant really tell the diff on that. Starts up at zero degrees just like it did at 70.

Pat

Believe rope seals fair better against synthetics than neoprene seals on the rear mains, no empirical data just my own thinking.