The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop engine oil for 235s

question to my fellow bolters. I have a 59 Apache with a 235. I am wondering what oil to use in this engine? I live in Texas so it does not get real cold, for a long period of time. I do not have an oil filter so I need to change this oil every month, and have been using a standard 30 weight. I have had my Bolt for about 2 months and I am using this as a daily driver. Do I need to use a different oil for summer/winter?
My thanks to the Elder Bolters who are helping me out.

Cliff59

I too live in TX, had my 56 235 rebuilt by an old timer in Cleburne. He said to run 30W period. Others may offer different answers -- me I'm sticky to the recommendations of my engine builder -- who has and drives a 55 with a 235.

I live in northern Virginia where it does get fairly cold. When these trucks were new everyone ran 30 wt in the summer and 20 wt in the winter. I can't find 20 wt any longer. If I ask for it, the young guys behind the counter get a puzzled look on their face and tell me they never heard of it.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to a multi grade that would more or less equal the old single grade 20 wt? Allen

In a nutshell, this is how multigrade numbering works. I will use 10w-40 as the example. The first number is the oil viscosity measured at zero degrees fahrenheit. This is indicated by the letter "W", which means winter, not weight. The second number represents the viscosity of the same oil measured at 210 degrees fahrenheit.

When the engine is cold in the morning, the oil will exhibit the characteristics of a 10w oil, and as the engine warms up, the oil will flow as a 40 weight oil. This doesn't mean the oil gets "thicker", it means it doesn't continue to get less viscous than the 10w at zero fahrenheit.

For the bolt engine in a cold climate, the perfect oil would be a 30w-30..ever seen that on the shelf? A 20w-40 would allow the 20 weight to provide fast oiling/protection as the rig started up on that cold Virginia morning, and as it warmed up running down the road, it's viscosity would that of a 30 weight...perfect.

The science of this lies in what the oil is compounded with, and the fact that this compounded oil is measured at two different temps and given viscosity numbers associated with those temps.

The bottom line is to use what you feel works best and the heck with science! Multigrade oils were developed to achieve higher fuel economy and to promote less friction and better oiling for the tighter clearances encountered in the modern engine.


Stuart

twe56 - you wouldn't have that guy's name/business that rebuilt your 235 would you. mines ok now but looking in the future. please email if you do. millere@whitesboroisd.org

I like the multi-weights. I use the thinest oil the engine will work with. 10w30 if it is a new or recent rebuild. If it is an older engine that uses some oil or has blowby I use 15/40 or 20w50.

have used Quaker State 10W30 in my 235 for the last 15 years. Use it all year round and change it frequently. Use the same oil in my 81 Malibu with a 267 inch V8.

I use 10W30 Valvoline in everything, even my lawnmowers. The weather here can change overnight, so I go with the multi-grades.
Scott

Delo 400 15W40 year round. Change it every 2,000 miles, no oil filter. No sludge buiold up!

Shell Rotella 15-40

in my 78 suburban (350 2 bolt 4 barrel) i ran 10w30 but it leaked resonably so i ran 10w40 but at idle i had very little oil pressure (probly could use a new pump) but now i'm running 20w50 and that seems to give fair oil pressure at idle when the motor is completely warmed up
Nate

Well if it comes to oil it is almost a religios qestion. :rolleyes:

I go with straight 30 and never had an oil or wear problem.

But I don`t drive in the winter because of the salt.

I wrote that the multi visco oils loose the ability to change the viscosity after 5000 miles.

I don`t know if that`s true. As anybody else heard about this?

Frank

don't know if the multi viscocity oils loose the ability to change after 5000 miles and to me i guess it don't matter if it does because with reg. non-synthetic oil i change it every 3000 anyway
Nate

I don't understand the multi grades. I have a 1932 model McCormick Deering tractor. When I got it, I changed the oil, and put a multi grade in it. (I think it was 10 / 30), and I had very little pressure. After thinking about it for a little, I decided I had made a mistake, took that out, and replaced it with 30 weight, non detergent. The pressure is now better, and holds up better after the engine gets hot.

I decided to use a non detergent, because I'm sure the engine is full of sludge, I don't want to take it apart, and I don't want all that crud breaking loose.

If the multi grades really are good from 20 to 50 for example, why are they so light and thin? It would seem that if they cover so many bases, they would get heavier as they get hotter. I know that doesn't happen, but why not? Allen

Allen,


The multi-grade concept is sort of a tough one to visualize. First remember..they don't get thicker as they get warmer, they just don't get thinner, (compared to single grade oil at 0 degrees).

Take a cube of butter and put it in a pan on the stove. There is your 10w oil at 0 degrees.

Turn the stove on. There is your 10w oil at 210 degrees..pretty thin!!

Now we put the magic VI improver (viscosity index) into the oil.

Butter in the pan on the stove. 10w oil at 0 degrees.

Turn the stove on. WOW, butter darn near as thick as it was with the stove off...it didn't get thicker, it just didn't get as thin as it did in the first experiment. Why? because we added a VI improver. Have you heard of "Motor Honey"..it's a VI Improver.

Now why did the old tractor not respond so well to the multigrade...I'll be damned if I know!

A detergent oil only has limited cleaning ability on deposits already in the engine. Its compounds encapsulate and hold junk in suspension until you change the oil. This is why oils have a change life...you can only run it so long then it "gets full" and won't hold contaminants in suspension any longer..BAM, now they start to gunk up the engine.

The general consensus, especially with items like old tractors etc, is if you ran non-detergent, don't switch. You now know all I know about oil, and are qualified for a job at the corner gas station. Have a Merry Christmas Allen.

Stuart

Stuart: Thanks for the explanation. I think I finally understand the concept. As for the old tractor. I think the problem is mainly that it is old. It runs fine for the use I will put it to, which is just to run around the place once in a while, and maybe in a parade. If I were to try to work it, it would need an overhaul. I just assumed that everything is worn, all tolerances are loose and the light oil just didn't build up much pressure. Maybe it doesn't work that way.

It probably didn't carry much pressure when it was new. No oil goes to the top of the motor at all. It was designed with small oil containers on the top of the valve cover. If you are using it you should fill them about twice a day. I have never had the cover off, but I assume that oils the rocker, valve guides, push rods, etc. Thanks again. Hope you have a nice christmas. Allen
PS: It's kind of an interesting old machine. It has no water pump. I think they called it a perculator system. It is cooled by the water in the block getting hot enough to boil. It will then force water to the top of the radiator, just like the old fashioned perculators, the cool water in the bottom of the radiator goes back in the block, and it starts over again. If I run it for a while until it gets good and hot, and then shut it off, I can hear the water percolating for a while, just like the old coffee makers.