Flathead Motor Oil

[Mr. Will]

I did a search on this but could not find anything.

What motor oil would you guys recommend non-detergent or detergent? Also what about the zinc?

[fordor41]

I'll let some one else comment on det/non-det oil but I'd run a zinc oil or zinc additive in any flat tappet engine and renew every 3000 mi. For the $15 every 3000 mi for at least an additive, I won't take the chance.

[Lanny]

Originally Posted by Mr. Will

I did a search on this but could not find anything.

What motor oil would you guys recommend non-detergent or detergent? Also what about the zinc?

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Here is a recent thread listed a week or so ago....

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...light=oil+zinc












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[Mr. Will]

I run the VR1 in my other cars so I am familar with the zink issue. My flathead does not have a filter so I guess my main concern is the non-detergent verses the detergent oil and using a detergent oil in a engine that has been run with non-detergent.

[Lanny]

I've run Detergent oil in every flathead i've had, and been happy with it.








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[Old Henry]

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Detergent oil for sure. That keeps the impurities in suspension so they'll drain out with the oil. Otherwise, with non-detergent oil, the impurities settle on the bottom and become sludge.

[ford3]

non detergent oils have nothing in then that is good for your engine, no rust inhibators, no acid neutralizes, no anti foaming ingredients, no zink and no nothing that is good, there is a reason all car makers stopped using it, and the reason is it does nothing to protect your engine

[scooder]

Nothing wrong with using detergent oil in an engine that's only had non detergent oil before, I used to think that it would be bad. That the detergent oil would free up the sludge and whip it around the engine. But it don't do that, it ain't ment to and can't do that. It only keeps the bits in suspension that come loose, for want of a better description, while the detergent oil was/is in use. It won't clean old sludge and stuff out of the pan. I've seen pics of a valve chamber on s flathead that used non detergent for years, then a switch to detergent oil years later, still has all the old (pre detergent) sludge in there.
Use good detergent oil.
Martin.

[Snouts out]

What about the seals?Non detergent,change every 1000 miles.

[john in illinois]

non detergent oil is good for air compressors,not flatheads.

John

[Ol' Ron]

I recommend 10-30 detergent oil in an engine with an oil filter and non detergent oin in one with out. However I don't know where you could find any right now.

[scooder]

Originally Posted by Snouts out

What about the seals?Non detergent,change every 1000 miles.

What about the "seals"?
Martin.

[flatjack9]

Detergent oil, absolutely.

[Andyr]

Lanny.......I use "Classic Car Motor Oil" as advertized in the V-8 Times.......contains Zinc. Check it out at ClassicCarMotorOil.com or 317-225-0040.......thanks

[Automotive Stud]

Originally I ran 30wt detergent because that's what the previous owner used. Lately I've been using Shell Rotella 15w40 with zddp+ additive.

[ct1932ford]

VR1 change the oil frequently!

[Mr. Will]

Thanks Guys for the input. A friend just bought a 40' and he did a whole lot of reading about it and said what some of the others had said about the non-detergent oil was suppose to collect the sludge in the bottom of the pan and then the large drain was for the sludge to drain out. He also mentioned that if changing to detergent that the detergent would break loose the old sludge and could possibly ruin the engine. This was my concern.

[Mike51Merc]

Rotella T 15W40 plus a bottle of STP

[Shu47]

Detergent and either 10W-30 or 10W-40.

[scooder]

Never seen any evidenced to support the "it will break loose the old sludge" that ain't what it does. I think you'll find the folk that believe this, also know that a Stewart Warner southwind heater will burn your car into a fireball, cus gas is injected into the heater. Or they crack and everybody in the car dies from monoxide poisoning.
Martin.

[42guy]

I have been using Rotella 15-40 for 12 years with a filter and oil looks good when drained. Never ant problems.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I've used Advance Auto Parts 20-50 with ZDDP additive and most all of my engines are new/newer rebuilds for the past several years. I do not run a filter and I change the oil often, usually after each good long run.

The ZDDP additive I use is 1 ounce for a gallon of oil and is fairly inexpensive - one small bottle does 8-10 oil changes. I get it from the Gliptone dealer @ Carlisle. Google it and you can see it on their website ....

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by Mr. Will

Thanks Guys for the input. A friend just bought a 40' and he did a whole lot of reading about it and said what some of the others had said about the non-detergent oil was suppose to collect the sludge in the bottom of the pan and then the large drain was for the sludge to drain out. He also mentioned that if changing to detergent that the detergent would break loose the old sludge and could possibly ruin the engine. This was my concern.

Your friend may have done a lot of reading, but that doesn't mean what he is reading is fact. I for one don't believe any of that.

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

Your friend may have done a lot of reading, but that doesn't mean what he is reading is fact. I for one don't believe any of that.

That is why I asked here I was not conviced the non-detergent was the way to go. I will run the VR1.

[ford3]

ol'ron, why non detergent in an engine with out a filter,? filter or not that is the worst oil you can run in any engine, all non detergent oil does is let sludge built up in the engine, pan and valve gallery,the more sludge build up the more contaminets that are allowed to be carried by the oil, instead of being carried out by the oil at oil change the gunk stays in the engine and builds up

[40 Deluxe]

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Why all the fussin' and stewin' about zinc additive in a flathead?? How much zinc do you think was in the oil in the '30's and '40's? Little, if any! Furthermore, by the '50's and '60's, flatheads were just worn-out beaters that leaked and burned oil like crazy. So we went to the gas station or parts store and bought the cheapest oil we could find, including re-refined oil. No zinc in that! No cams went flat, either! As I recall from a recent General Motors tech bulletin, current oils have about the same level of zinc as oil in the '60's. Plus, your flathead likely has a valve spring pressure under 100 lbs. open, and no rocker arms to multiply that by 1.5 or 1.6 in contrast to an OHV engine with well over 100 lbs. closed pressure. So, no extra zinc is needed!!

[Bassman/NZ]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Why all the fussin' and stewin' about zinc additive in a flathead?? How much zinc do you think was in the oil in the '30's and '40's? Little, if any! Furthermore, by the '50's and '60's, flatheads were just worn-out beaters that leaked and burned oil like crazy. So we went to the gas station or parts store and bought the cheapest oil we could find, including re-refined oil. No zinc in that! No cams went flat, either! As I recall from a recent General Motors tech bulletin, current oils have about the same level of zinc as oil in the '60's. Plus, your flathead likely has a valve spring pressure under 100 lbs. open, and no rocker arms to multiply that by 1.5 or 1.6 in contrast to an OHV engine with well over 100 lbs. closed pressure. So, no extra zinc is needed!!

Now we're getting somewhere! I can remember using cut price re-refined oil in the 60s too.

[corvette8n]

I remember a store on the edge of town that only sold oil, all major brands including many kinds of re-refined for 10 cents a quart. Wow I must be old

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Why all the fussin' and stewin' about zinc additive in a flathead?? How much zinc do you think was in the oil in the '30's and '40's? Little, if any! Furthermore, by the '50's and '60's, flatheads were just worn-out beaters that leaked and burned oil like crazy. So we went to the gas station or parts store and bought the cheapest oil we could find, including re-refined oil. No zinc in that! No cams went flat, either! As I recall from a recent General Motors tech bulletin, current oils have about the same level of zinc as oil in the '60's. Plus, your flathead likely has a valve spring pressure under 100 lbs. open, and no rocker arms to multiply that by 1.5 or 1.6 in contrast to an OHV engine with well over 100 lbs. closed pressure. So, no extra zinc is needed!!

Exactly right.

[jimTN]

I have been running HD oil in all my stuff for years with no harm. Had a T engine down this week to check the inards and you could eat off the inside of it.

[Ol' Ron]

One thing you have to remember is the fact that the bearings get HOT and oil flow through the bearings cool them. One reason race engines have oil coolers. another thing to remember is the oil pump pressure relief valve causes some of the heat. Running a heavier oil than necessary is harmfull to your engine. Just think a stock engine has only a few thousandth clearance between the main and rod bearings. Pretty hard to push 40 weight oil through here and that's why the oil pressure gauge reads as hi as it does. Ford specs call for 10WT in the winter and 30 in the summer. I'm not smarter than they are and they must have a reason. So when your engine had a 100K on it and the gauge is a little low, might be the right time for 20/40

[paul2748]

Over and over I've been telling these guys the same thing. They insist on using an additive when any oil that is 40 weight or better has more than enough ZDDP for any flathead other than a race engine.

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Why all the fussin' and stewin' about zinc additive in a flathead?? How much zinc do you think was in the oil in the '30's and '40's? Little, if any! Furthermore, by the '50's and '60's, flatheads were just worn-out beaters that leaked and burned oil like crazy. So we went to the gas station or parts store and bought the cheapest oil we could find, including re-refined oil. No zinc in that! No cams went flat, either! As I recall from a recent General Motors tech bulletin, current oils have about the same level of zinc as oil in the '60's. Plus, your flathead likely has a valve spring pressure under 100 lbs. open, and no rocker arms to multiply that by 1.5 or 1.6 in contrast to an OHV engine with well over 100 lbs. closed pressure. So, no extra zinc is needed!!