The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Type Motor Oil

I have 59 L6 250 engine that has been rebuilt and not started yet. I want to put in the correct type motor oil. I live in Houston where it is normally very hot. The vehicle will only see light use and be driven on weekends. What type and weight oil should I use?

Rotella 15W-40 or any good equivalent. Don't bother with synthetics unless you really enjoy flushing handfuls of dollar bills down the toilet.
Jerry

Copy that

What Jerry said.
I use Rotella 15-40 in all our vehicles except the ones that require synthetic.
I also buy it by the barrow, it’s not any cheaper, just convenient.

Don

1959 250 engine?
If it's the original engine it's probably a 235.

You don't need to pay up for Rotella. Walmart house brand 15W-40 meets the same spec and is a LOT cheaper.

Rotella 30 weight 16.00 gallon NH.

Traveler brand 15-40 from Tractor Supply Co. in 5 gallon pails beats all of them, price-wise, and has the same API rating. Everything on the farm gets it- - - -cars, trucks tractors, lawn mowers, generators, pressure washer, and my Harley EVO soft tail.
Jerry

If this is a rebuilt engine, add some break-in oil and run the engine according to your camshaft manufacturer recommendations. A stock engine with little to no valve spring pressure will be much easier on the camshaft then strong race type spring, but it's still a good idea to use the correct oil. I run Mobil 1 5w20 in my 250, I change it every two or three years, which still isn't much mileage, but for the multiple short trips I make, I like the better oil.

Water-thin oil like 5W-20 will let an older engine beat itself to death. It's designed to squeeze its way into microscopic clearance areas on modern engines. That's exactly the wrong apporach for engines like the old stovebolts and the ones from the 1960's and 70's with more "normal" clearances. Try puftting a drop of thin oil like 3-in-1 in the palm of your hand and pushing with a 3 pound hammer from 1/8" away. Then back off and take a hard swing from 6 inches. Then try the same test with a 1" thick layer of wheel bearing grease. Repeat as required until the light bulb in your brain comes on!
Jerry

My 216 takes 15-40 but it would not have occurred to me to put it in the Harley.

Jerry, I have to thank you for the tip. My Harley was making quite a bit of noise running the "recommended" synthetic 20-50. Switching to 15-40 made a big difference, the engine is much quieter. I have to think this means better lubricated.

The service manual for my 87 EVO engine Soft Tail reccomends 10W-40 dino oil, not synthetic. Since it had 87K miles on it when I bought it, I thought a slightly thicker "low" viscosity number would provide better cushioning for the parts. There was also a noticeable amount of oil getting into the air cleaner from the rocker box vent tubes, which improved a little with the switch to thicker oil. So far, it hasn't started "marking its territory" like most Harleys, so I check the oil regularly to be sure it's not empty!
Jerry

Whole different world from my old '70 FLP. That was straight 50 weight.

Tiny, that was so it would stay in there long enough to get the filler cap reinstalled! The left side filler cap on my 1942 45 flathead was for the oil tank. There was a dry sump scavenge pump at the bottom of the crankcase that refilled the tank, and lubrication was more or less gravity flow. I'm pretty sure Harley specified 60 weight for that one.
Jerry

IMVHO, even a straight weight like "30" has a W low temperature viscosity value. But maybe the low temperature viscosity measurement is somewhat variable for that stuff and the oil company doesn't want to specify it. When they learned to adjust the "W" viscosity and get consistency, they certified dual weight such as 10W-30.

So when there's a single number straight weight in motor oil or gear lube, they are just not choosing to specify a low temp viscosity. They don't want to say 10 +/-5W 30. Just guessing.

When I first started driving in 1960, I remember being puzzled at 20W-20.

Read the following and you won't want to talk about oil viscosity again. Scroll down about half way to see a cartoon about mineral vs. synthetics. I've got a problem with how they show "larger." The bigger ones are actually longer and not bigger in diameter.

https://www.kewengineering.co.uk/Auto_oils/oil_viscosity_explained.htm

A new engine would definitely require a high zinc break in oil for the cam. In my opinion and from research, most all modern oils have enough zinc to sustain a flat tappet cam after a proper break in. I run 20-50 Penn Grade in my 235 hydraulic cam engine.

I also use Shell Rotella 15w-40 and the Walmart brand in all my old vehicles.

It should be noted that the Shell Rotella 15w-40 is formulated for deisel engines and should NEVER be used in vehicles with catalytic converters. The extra zinc in the deisel oil, which was removed from oil formulated for gasoline engines, will ruin catalytic converters.

100K+ of using 15W-40 in my 04 Ram1500 with 240K miles- - - - -the cat still works as designed. "Your mileage may vary".
Jerry

Texapache Here in central il. where it's both hot and cold I stay with 5w30 plus zinc. Cams are fine,bearings are fine !!

Here is a copy of a post I wrote a couple weeks ago. I should say now that the temps have dropped I do idle the truck about a minute before I take off the first thing in the morning. About $10.50 gal.

I have been using wally 30w for a couple years in my wore out 216 with good results. It is apparently for older Detroit diesels as it says on the jug not to use in newer vehicles, I think it says only for farm and construction use. I bought a couple gallons a couple weeks ago, if it is important to you I can look on the jug. Also EdPruss, it is always located away from other motor oil, it is over by 2 cycle and gear or hydraulic type oils. If I had known there was going to be a test I wold have paid more attention. Maybe Ill see if I can get some more tomorrow.

Product details
Maintain your off highway vehicle's engine in higher temperatures and keep it running cleaner for longer with SuperTech Heavy Duty SAE 30 Motor Oil. Engineered for 2-stroke off road diesel fleet and farm engines, and some 4-storke gasoline engines subjected to severe use in varying climate conditions. Compatible with most standard and synthetic oils, this heavy-duty motor oil will help protect your vehicle's engine against harmful deposits and acids and ensure it runs smoothly for a long time to come. Provides high oxidation stability, extreme pressure anti-wear protection against valve train wear and scuffing of highly loaded parts exposed to boundary lubrication. For use in high-temperature environments. Recommended for API CF-2 and CF/SG applications. Not intended for use in on highway vehicles.

Super Tech Conventional HD 30, 1 Gallon

I have taken the "not intended for highway use" to mean higher zinc for old camshafts, but that's just me.

I am sith sludgeburner, I haveg had really good luck with Penn Grade (formerlly Brad Penn) although I use 10W30 in my early 235/261 motors, all very modified, two with very high spring pressures, not one issue from break in forward. And I am hard on my motors. Semi synthetic with a good zinc package.

My 52 motor was “redone” back in 2013/14 and since I’m the third owner and I do not know how many miles or oil changes it’s had since.
I guess it has been broken in at this point, so the manual shows SAE30 but after reading these posts, the percentage of ppl are using 15w-40.
Would detergent or non-detergent matter at this point?

Except for the feed pump; 1941-73 relief spring keeps it to 30 psi.

Non detergent oil is good for lubricating squeaky door hinges. Don't get it anywhere near an engine.
Jerry

I use Shell Rotella 15W-40 Diesel oil for the added zinc content.

Re non-detergent oil; I have a friend with a 1934 Duesenberg that can only use non-detergent oil. That's because the engine has never been rebuilt. Using a detergent oil would risk loosening 90 years of sludge inside the engine with potentially catastrophic results.

Shell Rotella no longer has the zinc and phosphorus package that it once had.

All the diesel oils got zinc and phosphorus reduced a while back. I think it was when API CK-4 spec oil came out. But I believe they still have as much zinc and phosphorus as common gasoline engine oils.

That is just the point. The oils currently sold for gas engines no longer have the zinc and phosphorus package that an old motor was designed for and needs. Neither does the rotella. You should be using an oil formulated with the higher level additive package or an additive that contains the required zinc and phosphorus package.

I looked at some unused oil analyses of older oils at Blackstone, and it appears that gas rated oils got reduced zinc and phosphorus as well. I saw some as high as around 1500 ppm zinc and 1500 ppm phosphorus, and later oils are below 1000 ppm for each.

It really doesn't matter. Buy Walmart branded 15w40 diesel oil, keep a check and don't let it get too low, change a time or two each year. Enjoy life.

My Cummins diesel powered '95 dually has 300,000 miles. I used to obsess a bit on everything about my new baby, only ran Valvoline Premium Blue (from the local Cummins dealer) did oil analysis, installed a by-pass oil filter, turned the fuel up a lot (more than doubled hp) drove the crap out of it. For the last 100k miles I've followed the advice in the first sentence above. No oil issues ever. And this is on an engine that's been worked like a dog at times. Max power, 3rd gear for miles at a time pulling a trailer in the Rockies. Our AD trucks live a life of pampered leisure in comparison.

Just make sure it has oil in it and don't use 5 or 0W anything.

RonR

Texapache 15/40 Work good in your climate,check on zinc content.