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Engine Oil

Avalanche

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KennyCuda -

Just to echo what everyone else has said - Your choice for Mobil 1 synthetic oil is an excellent choice! Especially, if you're running a non-roller setup. ZDDP is vital for classic build, flat tappet motors and Mobil 1 comes off the store shelves with just the right amount in the bottle/jug.

As far as oil filters are concern - FRAM Group IP LLC has saturated the market with their filters. They must put a lion's share into their advertising budget and field reps. They're an American Company and that's "Great n' all," but I wouldn't purchase their product if it was the last brand on the shelf. Seriously! Consider Purolator ONE (PL30001), Bosch Premium oil filter (3500 - I believe - painted black canister), Wix (you already have) or even Motorcraft (Yikes! A Ford product in a Mopar? FL-1A). All of them have a far superior internal construction over Fram. Especially, when it comes to backflow within the filter after the motor is shutdown.

I was a big time consumer of Fram Filters. My belief was a filter is a filter. Meh! That was until I power search the web and found one horror story after another about Fram filters. I wouldn't! Just no way! Too much money tied into my motor to be cheap now.

Does Mobil 1 have enough zinc for a flat tappet cam?
Also can there be too much zinc in oil?
 

wedg2go

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Does Mobil 1 have enough zinc for a flat tappet cam?
Also can there be too much zinc in oil?

The answer to your first question: Mobil 1 contains 1000 ppm of ZDDP. Admittedly, this is bare minimum for any flat tappet cam. Royal Purple contains a little less (A great debate with car show gearheads). I wouldn't go over 1150 ppm, thinking more is better. Which leads me to answer your second question. It's been shown that too much ZDDP in oil can cause premature wear. I'll give you a Reader's Digest" link https://www.raceenginesuppliers.com/Suppliers/can-you-have-too-much-zinc and if you like, google "can there be too much zddp in oil". Amazing info regarding ZDDP when there's too much.

BTW - My usage for "gunk up" stands in terminology as with any foreign ingredient that happens (or chemically changes) and shouldn't be within any engine. Acid (or acidic) is one. It's just wrong for the components of any engine. Also, I've seen this cake-up on the older and certain current "X" brands of oils claiming their's contain ZDDP. Never good and the number one reason to stick to a schedule to change the oil regularly. Even when it contains the right amount of ZDDP.
 

74Scooter

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We must know the same "Folks."

From my understanding, either one is good. I just happen to lean towards Mobile 1. The reason? If I remember right, Royal Purple contained a little less zinc and Mobile 1 - as mentioned for flat tappets - was in the ballpark.

BTW - There are brands out there, imo, containing too much zinc. I'm guessing the thought here is, "More is better" when it's not. ZDDP make a great lube, but too much just gunks up the works.

Now most here know I run a roller setup, from top to bottom, on my 440. Zinc - or ZDDP in general - should not be an issue. True! But for some reason Mobil 1, from my motor to my ears, seems to hold up better when the engine warms up.

Then again,
Maybe I'm just superstitious and lean towards their company background (history)?

LOL>

Good info.. thanks! I've an equal number of folks who say regular 10w-30/40 was good nuff for the manufacturer to put it in every car came off the assembly line. Try not to start that debate.. "Tastes great... less filling" comes to mind. :)

Had oil on my mind yesterday sitting in 100 degree heat in traffic. Probably switch over to Mobil 1 on next oil change.
 

craigbred

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I sell a bunch of Mobile synthetic everyday in newer cars. And use in all my other cars/trucks. I’ve been using Castrol 20/50 conventional oil for 40 years. No problem. One Sunday I was doing an oil change on my stroker and realized I didn’t have any 20/50. And the parts store didn’t have any. So I bought synthetic 10/40 penz. All I can say is my motor wasn’t having it. It really didn’t like it. I drove it 10 miles and brought her home. I don’t know why but, that’s what happened.
Monday I changed it back to 20/50 and all good ......
Mobile is great oil, no doubt.


Can you tell me why the 10/40 made your motor unhappy? Lifter noise?
 

CMC

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Not promoting the store necessarily, but it seems that O'Reileys always had the WIX filters when I needed one.

And I ran racing oil in my new motor with an additional zinc additive (12-15/tube). After 1500 miles I couldnt tell from the dipstick if I had any oil in there or not because it was so clean!!! (New motor)
 

fasjac

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Can you tell me why the 10/40 made your motor unhappy? Lifter noise?
I can only tell you that the motor ran sluggish to me. Kinda like it wasn't hitting as hard as usual. No lifter/valve train noise though. When I put the castrol 20/50 back in.....all good. I know that sounds stupid but, it happened:realcrazy:
 

craigbred

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I can only tell you that the motor ran sluggish to me. Kinda like it wasn't hitting as hard as usual. No lifter/valve train noise though. When I put the castrol 20/50 back in.....all good. I know that sounds stupid but, it happened:realcrazy:
I had a similar thing on my tired 440, stock bore with quite a few hard miles. I normally ran 50wt. But one time I tried 30wt. It slowed down at the track. I don't remember how much, and it smoked more at wide open too. I went back to 50wt and it was back to normal. Still tired, but back to normal.
 

PlumCraZRT

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What about Brad Penn? That stuff was the talk of the town only a couple years back.
 

michael

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Boy I'm way off in left field..the old hot rodder machine shop who built my moderately built 440 years ago recommended Rotella 15-40 heavy duty diesel oil with 8 oz of zddp. I change the oil once a year usually with about 500 miles of so. Oil is barely discolored. And always a wix filter.
 

i_taz

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Brad Penn & Joe Gibbs are specifically tailored for older engines , good stuff !

Gibbs Driven GP-1 oil IS basically the old Brad Penn. Brad Penn was sold off and changed their formula and left the refinery who developed the lube package high and dry so they teamed up with Gibbs. Same green color too. I went from HR6 full synthetic 10w-40 to the GP-1 10w-30 and it runs and even starts much better.

They were supposed to come out with a 10w-40 this year but didn't probably for obvious reasons and they recommended the 15w-40 but glad I went with my gut...

 
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Chryco Psycho

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1200 ppm is about right for ZDDP more is not nessisarily better
Rotella is about right for ZDDP but diesel formulation as a lot of deisel engines use flat tappet cams but maybe not the best for gas engines .
Often agricultural oils still run SJ formula as it is off highway use which is still the best formula for older engines .
 

fasjac

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I would get 2000 miles on it Before switching to synthetic .
I agree I Only use Wix filters , Fram is trash.
Agreed. I cut the end off both. If you haven’t seen the construction you should.
Fram is wayyyy behind in theirs. See for yourself.
 

DetMatt1

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I’ve been using Brad Penn(now PennGrade) in my classics for years. Did the oil change when the name changed??
 

Knock Out

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Wow
A lot of info out there. Thank you all. I really appreciate all the knowledge.
I changed from conventional 20/50 lucas with zinc to Valvoline VR 1 racing 20/50. Runs great (440 six pack) Engine bench dyno close to 600 hp when built 4000 miles and 20 years ago, prior to my ownership.
Have not noticed any down side.
using napa platinum filter
Would appreciate feedback , Don't want to make a mistake.
Back in the day 70's and 80'swhen I built a few mopar motors I did 2- 360's, one 318, one 413, and one 440 I always used Castrol 20-50
Thanks again for all the sharing of knowledge
 

Mopar Mitch

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Agreed. I cut the end off both. If you haven’t seen the construction you should.
Fram is wayyyy behind in theirs. See for yourself.
I suggest that whenever we talk oil filters, that we specifically indicate the part number of the filter. I've had full satisfaction with the FRAM HP-1 (racing) oil filter... larger holes and greater volume vs the WIX 51515R. This is not to say the WIX 51515R is bad, just that the visible features seem to have an advantage for the FRAM HP-1. I cut apart an HP-1 once before after finding metal shavings during an oil change... the HP-1 appeared to have caught it all... engine internals were still good!... machine shop told me the filter did its job very well.

If we're talking about regular passenger car filters, that is a different comparison... and the WIX are generally better than Fram (for passenger cars).
 
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