What Motor Oil Should I Use?

Hi, I have a '64 Buick Electra 225 with a 401 nailhead in it.

What motor oil should I use in it?

With modern oils not having enough zinc and phosphorus in it any more to protect my older engine correctly. I'm confused.

Thanks! Kevin

 

I run Royal Purple 10W-40 full synthetic in my Nailhead.

 

Is there a conventional oil I could use (example - certain diesel oils) ?

 

There very well could be, I know most guys who run dino oil use a zinc additive like ZDDP.

 

From what I understand,yes.Diesel oil still contains Zinc.
I will be using Brad Penn oil since Rob at Stage1 Automotive suggested it.
(he went over my 455 for me)

 

i use texaco haviland with zddp additive....so far so good...

 

A friend of mine that works for an oil company pointed out that synthetic oils should NOT be used in older engines, as those engines just don't have the modern metallurgy and metal hardening technologies that modern engines have. Those older engine parts require natural oils, to live long and prosper.

The early engines I have attempted to run semi and/or full synthetics in, didn't fare well with them, failures occurred, most in a very small time frame and mileage after full rebuilds with best quality parts and machining. When redone, with the same parts (bearings, rings, cam and lifters) as the damaged builds had, but now on natural oils, now have lived significantly more miles/years, and NO PROBLEMS with any of them.

For my early engines, it'll continue to be natural oils, and NO Fram oil filters.

Regards,

Milton

 

The engine in my '85 Riviera is not as old as the nailheads, but it is still has a flat tappet cam. I've been running Shell's Rotella T6. It's a full synthetic and has very high ZDDP ppm's. You can get it at Wally-world. If you do it yourself, the oil and a good filter (I use NAPA Golds because they're built by Wix) is no more expensive than having Jiffy lube do their basic oil change.

Ed