Which type of oil to use

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J

JozefJ

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Hi guys,

I'm running a 318 V8 in a '73 dart sport.
Come April I will be changing the oil of the car. The temperature in our area (Netherlands) is between 5 and 30 degrees Celsius during the period in which the car will be out of the winter storage.

I see that 20w50 is the recommend oil type. Would that be the way to go? Or do you guys have other reccomenations?

I know that it should be non-synthetic and with a relatively high level of zinc.

Thanks for thinking along!
 
5 and 30 degrees Celsius= 41 to 86 degrees F. I run Driven HR5 10W-40. Temp range 32 to 100 degrees F.
 
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If the internal.clearances are good (good oil pressure, in other words) I'd run 10-30 or 10-40, depending on running oil pressure , warmed up, on the highway.
I run 20-50, but my clearances are a bit loose, (intentionally) and I've seen 123°f here in Arizona. ( 50.5° cent.)
 
I live in northern Colorado. My 273 is stock and 160,000 miles on its last rebuild.

our temps run 0F to 100F.

I use 10W40 (would prefer to have 5W40 as the 0-32F range the oil pours like molasses)

On a new rebuild I would use 5W30 or 10W30

Many newer cars use 5W20 (better clearances)

The FSM calls for 30W for most regions MyMopar.com free FSM download for your car or for your engines year
 
RustyRatRod said:
Naw, the OP. I just wanted to know who recommended 20/50.
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I realized that after.

I have thought about running 50 weight in my warn out dart as the running oil pressure at temp is on the low side. I was using 30 weight but I went to 40 weight because my oil light kept coming on when I would come to a stop at a signal. does not do that with 40 weight, so the 40 weight increased my oil pressure by at minimum 1 psi :rofl:
 
Dana67Dart said:
I realized that after.

I have thought about running 50 weight in my warn out dart as the running oil pressure at temp is on the low side. I was using 30 weight but I went to 40 weight because my oil light kept coming on when I would come to a stop at a signal. does not do that with 40 weight, so the 40 weight increased my oil pressure by at minimum 1 psi :rofl:
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I tried 20/50 in Vixen. She would not idle cold. You could tell the oil was holding it back terrible when cold. I couldn't believe it.
 
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10W30 in the winter temps below 40 degs
and 20W 50 in the summer in all my old Mopars.
VR 1 oil
I've been running Mopars since 1976, not one bearing or cam failure, not one.
 
20/50 won't make it fail, but it is thick, and the engine will slow down and work to churn through it. He has a 318 not an overpowered hotrod. have you ever tried to fun in a swinning pool?

I mistakenly put 10/40 in a small 4 cyl econobox car. It would work to go 60-65 on flat ground. I looked it up and 5/30 was the oil for it, and it drove very different with thinner oil. It does make a difference.
 
I still use 30wt straight in my warm 360. Seems to be fine. I use to run VR-1 30wt now I'm using Brad Penn or Penn grade 30. I also have a case of Schaefers 30 wt. Can't wait to try the Schaefer oil! Curious to see how good it will be!
 
413 said:
20/50 won't make it fail, but it is thick, and the engine will slow down and work to churn through it. He has a 318 not an overpowered hotrod. have you ever tried to fun in a swinning pool?

I mistakenly put 10/40 in a small 4 cyl econobox car. It would work to go 60-65 on flat ground. I looked it up and 5/30 was the oil for it, and it drove very different with thinner oil. It does make a difference.
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People don't believe that when I tell them. When I tried 20/50, It popped right off cold and immediately shut off when I took my foot off the gas, like it was on a dyno brake. I couldn't believe it.
 
RustyRatRod said:
People don't believe that when I tell them. When I tried 20/50, It popped right off cold and immediately shut off when I took my foot off the gas, like it was on a dyno brake. I couldn't believe it.
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I believe it.

I did an oil change in my 30 deg garage.

The oil was out there too.

Like I said earlier it poured like molasses. The color was different too, almost looked cloudy
 
RustyRatRod said:
People don't believe that when I tell them. When I tried 20/50, It popped right off cold and immediately shut off when I took my foot off the gas, like it was on a dyno brake. I couldn't believe it.
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and I'd say your tolerances are on the tight side.
 
fishmens67 said:
and I'd say your tolerances are on the tight side.
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Or, his clearances are correct.

This is why brother Newbomb is constantly harping on guys to tighten up their clearances to 21st century standards.

My climate is sub zero to 100F plus. I used 5w30 and it was a bit on the thick side. This time I'm using 0w20.

Even off the shelf oils are so much better today that there is no real reason to run a 50 grade oil.

And why these companies still produce single grade oils baffles me.
 
Newbomb Turk said:
Or, his clearances are correct.

This is why brother Newbomb is constantly harping on guys to tighten up their clearances to 21st century standards.

My climate is sub zero to 100F plus. I used 5w30 and it was a bit on the thick side. This time I'm using 0w20.

Even off the shelf oils are so much better today that there is no real reason to run a 50 grade oil.

And why these companies still produce single grade oils baffles me.
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You can see the OP gauge under the hood when the pump dumps the relief valve open. It hits 75 PSI idling cold and will NOT budge another millimeter when you goose it. She idles at about 50 or so hot, but AS SOON AS you give any throttle at all, it zings right up against the relief valve at 75. Melling says the HP relief spring is 70 PSI, but it gets a little more before it dumps open.
 
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1971 CY Dodge Dart said:
No way would I run 20W-50. 10W-30 is a good weight oil for most climates/usage/builds.
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The ONLY reason I tried it was because I already had it and she needed an oil change. It's funny. The spec on the T18 4 speed in my truck is 50w motor oil, so I drain the old and used the 20/50 in there. Works good.
 
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