Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Open Roads Forum Already a member? Login here.   If not, Register Today!  |  Help

Newest  |  Active  |  Popular  |  RVing FAQ Forum Rules  |  Forum Posting Help and Support  |  Contact  

Search:   Advanced Search

Search only in Class C Motorhomes

Open Roads Forum  >  Class C Motorhomes

 > How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

Reply to Topic  |  Subscribe  |  Print Page  |  Post New Topic  | 
Page of 837  
Prev  |  Next
RvFNG76

Michigan

Full Member

Joined: 07/14/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:17pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Any ideas on a Zinc additive for the flat tappet??

StingrayL82

Nampa, Idaho

Senior Member

Joined: 06/27/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:18pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

RvFNG76 wrote:

Ok less thought of question. What kinds grades of oil does everyone run in their rigs??


My machinist friend in Monterey (built two engines for me) told me to only use Castrol, Valvoline or Kendall, 20W50 in the summer and 10W40 in the winter. He went so far as to tell me that he would void my warranty, if I ran Quaker State or Pennzoil (same company), because they gum up engines. Keep in mind he told me this 25 years ago, and oil technology has come a long way since then. There was a recent article written that quotes Blackstone Labs saying that there really is no difference between the brands. Personally, I run Mobil 1 5W30 in my Z06 and my wife’s BMW 740iL. In my AMC/Jeep CJ-5 I use Castrol 10W30. Whichever route you go, I would make sure to add a good zinc additive, if your engine hasn’t been rebuilt, because older engines need it and newer oils just don’t have the amount needed.


Fred
Retired Army Guy
2005 Monaco LaPalma 37PST
Workhorse W24 chassis
8.1L Vortec
Allison 2100 MH
Onyx Color Scheme

Griff in Fairbanks

AK

Senior Member

Joined: 04/21/2005

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:20pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

RvFNG76 wrote:

Any ideas on a Zinc additive for the flat tappet??

From what I understand, I'd use it, especially on a new engine. (That's what I plan when I get MLP's engine rebuilt.)


1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A


RvFNG76

Michigan

Full Member

Joined: 07/14/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:23pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Right on i was curious about that as well.

StingrayL82

Nampa, Idaho

Senior Member

Joined: 06/27/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:24pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

RvFNG76 wrote:

Right on i was curious about that as well.


Is your engine rebuilt?

RvFNG76

Michigan

Full Member

Joined: 07/14/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:25pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Talked to a "local" speed shop thats huge in my area they recommended i used it along with other updates to my ol girl.

RvFNG76

Michigan

Full Member

Joined: 07/14/2017

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:27pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

StingrayL82 wrote:

RvFNG76 wrote:

Right on i was curious about that as well.


Is your engine rebuilt?
That i have no idea on honestly probably wouldnt hurt to have it done might do top end this winter while shes parked and sitting along with a new intake and efi setup. Thought about going to aluminum heads since PO snapped off two stud in one and 2 in the other.

Griff in Fairbanks

AK

Senior Member

Joined: 04/21/2005

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/10/18 08:49pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Sorry, in terms of oil I was thinking about the 28 year old 300/6 in my van, with around 600,000 miles on it. For anything else, I'd follow what StingrayL82 says.

Zinc additive -- absolutely, new or old engine, if you have flat tappets, for the reason StingrayL82 stated. (Most of us have flat tappets in our beasts.) Also increases camshaft lifespan.

Better sealing valves usually means increased piston ring blow-by, unless you hone and re-ring. Do a dry/wet compression test and a leak-down compression test. Those will tell you what you actually need to do, versus just throwing dollars at it. (On these older Dodge engines, excess oil consumption is usually due to valve stem seals. These can be replaced without removing the heads.)

These older motorhome engines are often good-to-go, due to being low milage.

RvFNG76 -- absent bad results from compression tests, I'd just look at replacing broken studs. If on the rocker arm shafts, it can be done without removing the heads. If block to head studs, I'd consider removing the heads, replacing the broken studs, using new head gaskets, and torquing in the right order and specifications -- WITHOUT rebuilding the heads.

VintageMopar

Missouri

New Member

Joined: 09/14/2013

View Profile


Offline
Posted: 05/13/18 08:04am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Don’ t go from 2 bbl to 4 bbl without a camshaft change, it will be very laggy, hesitant and poor drive ability . Tried this when I was 16 with a 1965 Plymouth 383. Would rather lean pop and die than acceler

DRTDEVL

SPAM Town, USA

Full Member

Joined: 04/23/2014

View Profile



Good Sam RV Club Member

Offline
Posted: 05/13/18 08:11am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I run 10w30. That's what Dodge suggested for the 360, so that's what it gets.

Just the cheap stuff. Supertech from WalMart is usually what goes in, but then I find a quality filter. No Fram, ever.

I change the oil when it looks like it needs it or if it begins smelling like fuel. That means the oil was changed by my grandfather in the 90s, then I changed it last month. In the meantime, it was started a few times in 2010 after sitting for over a decade, then started a few times in 2015, then started and driven 60 miles this year. As I have not really used it, I kept the old oil and filter.

This year will be different, though... I'll probably change it again in the fall, as I am actually driving it weekly (not much, just 3 miles from storage to the house, and another 3 miles back every weekend), but we'll be taking it to White Sands next week (55 miles each way), and a couple short-ish trips to work out the bugs (100 miles each way or so), before using it on a medium distance (150 miles), 2 week boondocking trip in the mountains in July. After that, we'll try to get out in it about once per month for the remainder of the year.


Resurrecting an inherited 1980 Minnie Winnie 20RG from the dead after sitting since 1998..


Reply to Topic  |  Subscribe  |  Print Page  |  Post New Topic  | 
Page of 837  
Prev  |  Next

Open Roads Forum  >  Class C Motorhomes

 > How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Search:   Advanced Search

Search only in Class C Motorhomes


New posts No new posts
Closed, new posts Closed, no new posts
Moved, new posts Moved, no new posts

Adjust text size:




© 2025 CWI, Inc. © 2025 Good Sam Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.