85"720 Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 What weight oil should I be using in California Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 ATF! Bahha. JK... Use what you like man. I use 20-50 1040 was good too. I heard 15-30 diesel oil worked great too. Try a few out and see what you like. PS, you can spend up to like 20 bucks per quart. But, it's not going to be in your motor long. Really, it's better to change often even with cheaper oil than to use expensive oil and hardly change it. (That doesn't mean go and buy Orielly's super cheap bottom of the barrel garbage) Quote Link to comment
SHORTDOG Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Since these trucks are older and usually have higher mileage and sometimes seem to have a little "tick" in the motor.... I always run Rotella 15-40w oil and my trucks run alot better and quieter. Try it and you'll like it! BTW: I live in So. Cal. Quote Link to comment
85"720 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I've been using 5w30 or 10w30 nd wanted to know if others are using that weight of oil Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Never 5W anything. That's for 50F and down to -30 below and way too thin. Select an oil based on the coldest expected temperature before the next oil change. If you don't go below 60F then 20W40 even as low as 10W40 in the summer. Winter is coming so 10W40 or 10W30 always with a new filter. All oils have been lowering their ZDDP levels every year because it ruins the new catalytic converters and today's new cars all run roller cams and don't need the anti scuff protection. I don't know what level of ZDDP our 'flat tappet cams' need to protect them from premature wear, so if in doubt, run a 'light diesel' oil like Chevron Delo400 or Shell Rotella T 15W40. It still maintains a reasonably high ZDDP level in it. Quote Link to comment
85"720 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I would get that timing chain rattle on start up in the morning. So using thicker oil would help this Quote Link to comment
85"720 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Ima try rotella 15w40 nd see if that helps with the overall health of the motor Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 All you may notice is it's quieter. Quote Link to comment
85"720 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 The motor has that little tick noise and hopefully its gets quieter. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 This could simply be a loose valve adjustment. Hot adjustment is 0.013" Quote Link to comment
xsdg Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 dm: pretty sure you meant 0.012" Quote Link to comment
JoeCool Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 What about this oil? Saw it on the shelf at Walmart. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accel-10W-40-Quart/20713642 Accel rated API - SF. The bottle says its for cars 1988 and Earlier. Supposed to be higher zinc level. I may try it next time. Only $2.67 per quart too! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 dm: pretty sure you meant 0.012" My '84 FSM says 0.014" for the Z24. Close enough. Quote Link to comment
xsdg Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Interesting. '86 FSM says 0.012". It's funny how all of the little details change over the live of the model. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Interesting. '86 FSM says 0.012". It's funny how all of the little details change over the live of the model. Were you looking at cold or hot? All the manuals I've seen said 14 across the board for Naps Z motors (z24 anyways, i haven't owned a Z22 or Z20). But then again, 86 was kind of a funny year. TBI (or TPI) instead of carbbed. Shrug. Quote Link to comment
Gradyfest Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 BRAD PENN. Contains the high level of Zinc and Phosphorus that our flat tappet cams need. It will destroy your catalytic converter over time like Datzenmike said though, if you run one. I choose the health of my engine over a cat. Maybe a local shop can make a bolt up pipe to remove the cat when/if you need to? I had three bolt triangle flanges welded pre and post cat on another truck of mine, just to make it easy to take apart if I need to, part of a job done right; I replaced OEM with a 50 state legal Banks Power Pack that kept the cat in line. Would of been easy to make a pipe/resonator to bolt up as a replacement if I needed to on that truck. I run 10W-40 in So Cal. After all my research, I'm sold on this brand for any "old school," flat tappet cam engine. I think the ZDDP is more important a question than the weight. Your rattle may just be from the damage already done from modern oils not having the protection required for the cam in your classic. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 No, it destroys today's newer style cats. Old cats were around when the levels were higher. Quote Link to comment
85"720 Posted November 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 Few days ago ive changed the oil and put in rotella oil. Man. It made the truck quieter 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 It's thicker and cushions worn bearings. The oil pressure might go up slightly at idle too. You may notice less oil burning between changes. Quote Link to comment
720inOlyWa Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 When I switched similarly to 15/30, I noticed this, too. Quite a bit less machine shop noise’ going on under the hood. I like it! Quote Link to comment
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