<VV> oil question, here's an answer

[Ted Duke]

Tony,

Thanks, I think I can sleep better tonight.............. But,  my 61 is 
in the shop with the gas tank out, and being stripped for a paint job, 
but of course, when I change the oil before I drive it again I will be 
right back where I was before the OIL discussion started.  Oh well, it 
will be awhile and maybe by then someone will start selling an oil that 
is labeled:

THE ONLY OIL
FOR AN EARLY
CORVAIR
THAT HAS NOT
BEEN REBUILT
AND HAS LESS
THAN 40,000
MILES ON IT

<BG>

Ted

On 4/15/2011 12:54 AM, Tony Underwood wrote:
> At 11:01 PM 4/14/2011, Mark Durham wrote:
>
>> Chevy built the engine to use a oil in a specific viscosity range and
>> with a ZDDP PPM of around 1200 each.
>>
>> The 30 weight derivities , 5 W30, 10 W30 and plain 30 wt fit the bill.
>> The 5 w40 and 10 W40 synthetics while slightly higher in viscosity
>> also are just above the viscosity range. If you get too heavy a oil,
>> you get startup damage, and the engine may run hotter if a
>> conventional oil, because it will not flow as fast in the engine;
>> however, we have guys on this site that use mobil 1 15W50 with no
>> issues, and have for many years.
>
>
> It is at this point that I shall point out that just about every
> Corvair engine in existence started out using engine oil that was
> MUCH less capable than what's available now, and many of them went
> 200,000 miles (or more) on that antiquated oil and the house brand
> oils that followed it.   There are guys that use Advance Store house
> brand 10W40 oil in older cars with no issues, and have for many years.
>
> My point is that ultra-modern engine oils may well be just a tad bit
> overkill and the point of diminishing returns has been reached
> already.   Advancing towards those 10 buck/quart oils won't really
> give you that much of an advantage over a 5 buck/quart oil,
> considering that those engines started out on oils that were quite
> inferior to just about anything available today unless you buy
> nondetergent bulk stuff.
>
> ...and I've seen people back in the day use that stuff in those
> engines... used to be carried by mom&pop gas stations, in racks out
> front, shipped in glass bottles.  They used to call it bulk motor
> oil.  They lasted through it.
>
> There are still a lot of Corvair engines out there that are running
> their original rings and bearings.   Who knows what sort of Family
> Dollar Store cutrate engine oil they absorbed for a decade or more
> along the way?  And they did it while owned by some ditz with no respect.
>
> Not a Luddite... nothing wrong with using high tech space-age
> synthetic engine oil in a Corvair.   But...   ;)
>
>
>
> tony..
>
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