help me narrow down oil selection

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by Pete

No feathers ruffled here.
There were a few leakers got through but if you bought a new A and it leaked, the dealer would fix on it till it didn't leak.
Been there seen it.

Pete, you where there when Model As were new?

[ETAModel]

My older brother turned wrenches in several shops most of his life. He had a saying, "Oil is cheaper than a rebuild and clutches are cheaper than transmissions."

[ronn]

supertech from walmart- 5 qts for 14.00


100% synthetic- I run it in EVERYTHING


As, lawn tractors, new cars and trucks. never ever had any engine failure- nor will I.

[Karl]

Well I run 10w-30w detergent . No Oil filter I drop the oil every 500 miles
Unless I'm on a long trip were I do it before and after -Almost certainly overkill but oil is cheap and I believe changing your oil to often is the best mistake you can make. Synthetics are superior oils with better lubrication but a higher price and probably more leakyness -I'm not convinced they are cost effective or required if I dump the oil every 500 miles. But its all better than the oil in the day . I use the same oil in my 1910 Hupp 1913T 1934 Fordor with no problems

[rfequity]

Originally Posted by CWPASADENA

I have 3 model A engines with Babbitt bearings that do not leak.

I run 10-40 in the winter and 20-50 in the summer when I go on tours.

Any currently available oil is much better than the best premium oils that were available when these cars were new.

My opinion,

Chris W.

Thank you for this. So specifically, what do you mean 20-50? Is that 20w50? Is that synthetic?

[WHN]

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Originally Posted by rfequity

Thank you for this. So specifically, what do you mean 20-50? Is that 20w50? Is that synthetic?

20w-50 means the oil is equal to 20 weight in winter, oil is cold (20w) and 50 weight when fully warmed up running. 20w-50. It has nothing to do with synthetic.

20-50 would be 20w-50 if correct term was used.

5-30 equal to 5w-30 and so on.

[katy]

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

I disagree that most people use non-detergent oil. Maybe 50 years ago but not today. I think most people have been educated to the obvious benefits of using a detergent oil.

Ditto

[rfequity]

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c.../20505qt?pos=3

So the above would work, then.

[Dick M]

I use Chevron Delo 400 10-40 WT. It is made for diesel engines. Many diesel engines have babbitt bearings. I change it every 500 miles. I buy the 4 quart bottle at Wallmart for about $12.

I drain my oil and replace it with the 4 quart bottle. Not to worry about the 5 quart capacity. About 1/2 quart is left in the engine and dipper tray. That will give you 4 1/2 quarts in the engine which is just fine. Further, 4 1/2 quarts lessens the possibility of losing oil out of the rear main bearing (especially when climbing up steep hills) that will drip out of the flywheel housing. I have been using Delo 400 for years and it works well for me.

Another step you can take to keep your oil free of and sludge build up is to buy a couple of rare earth magnets and place them in the divot of your drain plug. This works well especially when changing your oil every 500 miles. They are the size of a small pill and will fit nicely into the drain plug. The rare earth magnets are inexpensive and can be found at Home Depot. JMHO

[Jeff/Illinois]

I don't use WalMart brand oil personally, the Super Tech, but I think it would work just fine in a Model A Ford. And cheap.

Check out this article:

https://roadsumo.com/who-makes-supertech-oil/

And also this, from Warren Performance Products evidently the ones who mfg., package, and sell SoperTech to WalMart....

https://www.warrenoil.com/us/

[katy]

Originally Posted by rfequity

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c.../20505qt?pos=3

So the above would work, then.

Yes

[Gene F]

Since we are really talking about oil chemistry, may I ask?

Anyone ever seen that little gear comparison on the counter at NAPA stores for Lucas Oil addative? Since they greatly reduced the zinc and phosphorus in the oil formulas I'd think adding 1/2 a bottle of that at oil change time might be good.

I hate snake-oil, but if you have ever talked to a guy with a streetrod that has a flat tappet cam setup, and wiped a cam with the modern conventional oils slinging off........ Makes a guy worried just a bit. Just sayin'.

[johnneilson]

Gene,

The cam failures in the Hotrods is not the oil "slinging" off. It is a matter of the combination of the components and altering the said components. Usually the cam is a cast iron, the lifters are hard steel or carburized iron faces. Model A is steel on steel.

The Model A will not have this issue for a couple reasons.
First and foremost, the valve springs are not substantial enough to cause the wear or PV is limited (pressure/velocity). Now, if you have a stuck valve in a guide it can add wear to the cam and lifter. Rough numbers, Mod A has about 60# pressure on the seat and 80 open. In comparison, the Mod A race motors run more than 140# on the seat and 300 plus open. Obviously the cam needs support between the cyl's 1/2 and 3/4 and very good oil.

Using the additive seems like a good idea, but, would it make more sense to use a better quality oil and not need the additive? There are published ZDDP levels for such and such brands of oil around, I honestly don't know what the minimum level should be and I would wager that ANY of the oils will work since they pass the SFI specifications.

Years ago I built machinery to fill oil containers, remember the cardboard cans and tin lids? Contract packers would run high speed lines with brand x, not stop the machine and just put brand y containers in. After a while the containers would change color again without stopping.

One last thought, the lab had to test the batches of oil before packaging. This is when synthetics were starting up. Conventional oil batches only had to pass muster 3 out of 10 attempts to be accepted. The synthetics passed every attempt first time.

A wise older gentleman put it to me this way, "the worst oil today is better than the best oil back then" pick your poison and smile.

J

[Pete]

Speaking of snake oil, did any of you ever see the hard bearing demonstration machine that appeared on parts house counters in the 50's and 60's? It was put there by Bardahl Oil Co. and was to demonstrate the wonders of Bardahl.

It consisted of a base with a small electric motor in it that through a small v belt, turned a hard roller out of a roller bearing. There was another roller mounted on a small arm that was attached to an inch pound torque wrench. When the torque wrench was brought down the two bearing surfaces met. There was a small metal cup under the bottom roller that oil could be put in. All of this was to demonstrate how slick and good Bardahl was.
You could put some of your favorite oil in the cup and bring the torque wrench down and it would seize up the powered roller at some value. Then cleaning out your oil and putting in some Bardahl, the torque wrench reading would be far greater to stall the motor.

Bardahl wasn't bad stuff but it wasn't the stuff that was going to save the world either.
They had a local salesman that was a loudmouth egotistical know-it-all and he called me at work one day and wanted to bring his little machine and sales pitch to the next racing association meeting. I said sure. He showed up at the meeting with a couple of cohorts.
One was a really good friend of mine that we dealt with when we made parts for Bardahl's unlimited hydro. Anyway, Mr. Bozo sets up his little machine and goes through his speech about Bardahl doing all sorts of good stuff. Then he invites anyone to bring up any oil they want whether they run it or not and try it in the machine. Several guys had seen the demo before so had brought all kinds of various oil to try. After several tried and failed miserably, we sent in our "ringer". He has a small bottle with some liquid in it and puts it in the cup. He then invites Bozo to work the wrench. Lo and behold Bozo can't stall the motor even with 2 hands on the wrench. Bozo gets all flustered and wants to know what the mystery liquid is and I tell him it is Ccl4, carbon tetrachloride and that several other common chemicals will give the same results. Bozo retires from the sales dept. and works in the office after that.....lol

I never did have a sample of Bardahl analyzed but when I was working for a local railroad in Seattle one summer, we used to drop a tank car of #1 diesel and another of liquid white lead at their siding twice a week. Basic ingredients??????

[johnneilson]

liquid white lead, that brings back memories, best tapping compound ever.
Toxic and carcinogenic all in one, saved some very expensive parts.

J

[1930 coupe]

xxx

[Gene F]

Pete, first I have heard that Bardol story. Thanks.

[Patrick L.]

These threads take on a life of their own.

The oil designation such as 10w-30 just means that the oil will flow will flow as a 10weight when cold yet always has the film strength of a 30 weight.

[duke36]

15-40 Shell Rotella +ZDDp zinc additive, stabil in the fuel