RvFNG76 wrote:
Ok less thought of question. What kinds grades of oil does everyone run in their rigs??
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
RvFNG76 wrote:
Any ideas on a Zinc additive for the flat tappet??
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 wrote:
Right on i was curious about that as well.
Right on i was curious about that as well.
Is your engine rebuilt?
StingrayL82 wrote:
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.
RvFNG76 wrote:
Right on i was curious about that as well.
Right on i was curious about that as well.
Is your engine rebuilt?
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.
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..
