Rotella?????
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 2
From: Parkville, MO (KC)
ford390's right
zddp is an antiwear additive. the "z" stands for zinc. It poisons catalytic converters. I do not beleive that synthetic oils have any more antiwear additives that dino. The are more stable though, so if you like running oil to 5 or 7k, then sythetic is better.
As to 15w40 -- well it all depends where you are and when. If you never start under freezing, you can run 15w40 and you will do your engine a favor. I notice about 20psi better oil pressure when hot with 15w40 as opposed to 10w30. I don't put many miles on my pickup, and I change oil 2x yearly. Once in the Fall for the 10W30 and again in the Spring for some 15W40. I am in midwest where Summers are hot and winters can be cold.
The 5w20 CRAP they put in modern engines is designed to get good mileage and let the engine wear out at 105,000 miles. Forget about any idea that more modern oils must be better. True, running old straight weight oils is not longer a good idea, but assuming that a lighter oil is better cause its more modern and cause all the new cars and trucks run it -- well your old engine has much looser tollerances due to both the original manufcaturing as well as wear. You need a little stiffer oil in there.
zddp is an antiwear additive. the "z" stands for zinc. It poisons catalytic converters. I do not beleive that synthetic oils have any more antiwear additives that dino. The are more stable though, so if you like running oil to 5 or 7k, then sythetic is better.
As to 15w40 -- well it all depends where you are and when. If you never start under freezing, you can run 15w40 and you will do your engine a favor. I notice about 20psi better oil pressure when hot with 15w40 as opposed to 10w30. I don't put many miles on my pickup, and I change oil 2x yearly. Once in the Fall for the 10W30 and again in the Spring for some 15W40. I am in midwest where Summers are hot and winters can be cold.
The 5w20 CRAP they put in modern engines is designed to get good mileage and let the engine wear out at 105,000 miles. Forget about any idea that more modern oils must be better. True, running old straight weight oils is not longer a good idea, but assuming that a lighter oil is better cause its more modern and cause all the new cars and trucks run it -- well your old engine has much looser tollerances due to both the original manufcaturing as well as wear. You need a little stiffer oil in there.
Senior User
Joined: May 2004
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From: Montana
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,439
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From: Spokane WA
Originally Posted by cdherman
ford390's right
As to 15w40 -- well it all depends where you are and when. If you never start under freezing, you can run 15w40 and you will do your engine a favor.
As to 15w40 -- well it all depends where you are and when. If you never start under freezing, you can run 15w40 and you will do your engine a favor.
the thinner the oil, the more wear I find when I tear them down, every time.
Last edited by oldhalftons; Aug 26, 2005 at 10:31 AM.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 2
From: Parkville, MO (KC)
Ford didn't spec 5w20 in 1965!!!! 
As to using heavy oils in cold weather -- you can do it, but that "rattle" you hear at first is all the dry cold lifters waiting for oil to warm up to get to them. And those parts you don't hear might be suffering too. While its true that racing engines tend to run straight 50 weight, they are started realtively seldom and run at ultra high temps.
For the best of all worlds of couse, you would run heavy oil, but have a block warmer before starting. That is what most big diesels do. Our family farm has any number of large diesels -- they get plugged in on a timer set to warm them up before the next time they are anticipated to be started. I am pretty sure that the big rigs also have block wamers for the same reasons. Having tried to start some of these engines without pre-warming, I can tell you, it ain't pretty. You can ether them, but it hard on them.
As to using heavy oils in cold weather -- you can do it, but that "rattle" you hear at first is all the dry cold lifters waiting for oil to warm up to get to them. And those parts you don't hear might be suffering too. While its true that racing engines tend to run straight 50 weight, they are started realtively seldom and run at ultra high temps.
For the best of all worlds of couse, you would run heavy oil, but have a block warmer before starting. That is what most big diesels do. Our family farm has any number of large diesels -- they get plugged in on a timer set to warm them up before the next time they are anticipated to be started. I am pretty sure that the big rigs also have block wamers for the same reasons. Having tried to start some of these engines without pre-warming, I can tell you, it ain't pretty. You can ether them, but it hard on them.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
[QUOTE=cdherman]Ford didn't spec 5w20 in 1965!!!!
no but they did spec 5w20 oil for the 300 all the way back to the early 90's
no but they did spec 5w20 oil for the 300 all the way back to the early 90's
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: La Verne, California
I use what "Olde Man" Johnson, of JMS Racing Engines stated I should use after he finished building my now 312 I-6, 10W-50 Valvoline. 
Either of these Diesel Engine Oils could rather well prove to be interesting though.
Either of these Diesel Engine Oils could rather well prove to be interesting though.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Albany, Oregon
All I use is Valvoline Premium Blue. That is diesel grade oil 15W 40. The Diesel grade oil has some aniti wear additives like nickel if I am not not mistaken, that eat cats. And it's not too thick a bit for where I live. (Willamette Valley) Our last snow was 2 years ago, and 8 yrs before that. If it's too thick, why do they use it in All of the big 3's diesels? Do they not need lube at startup? That is why I don't buy into it being too thick. Moreover, Why is diesel grade 15w 40 considered unsafe, but 10W 40 isn't? Seems like we're splitting hairs here.
- A former Brit Para-
- A former Brit Para-
Last edited by j41385a; Aug 27, 2005 at 09:51 PM.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
Originally Posted by 81-F-150-Explorer
I've ran 10w 30 motorcraft in my 300 for years. I now run 10w 40 motorcraft. My engine is getting close to the 500,000 mile range.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
Originally Posted by j41385a
All I use is Valvoline Premium Blue. That is diesel grade oil 15W 40. The Diesel grade oil has some aniti wear additives like nickel if I am not not mistaken, that eat cats. And it's not too thick a bit for where I live. (Willamette Valley) Our last snow was 2 years ago, and 8 yrs before that. If it's too thick, why do they use it in All of the big 3's diesels? Do they not need lube at startup? That is why I don't buy into it being too thick. Moreover, Why is diesel grade 15w 40 considered unsafe, but 10W 40 isn't? Seems like we're splitting hairs here.
- A former Brit Para-
- A former Brit Para-
nope no nickel. it has zddp,moly,boron,calcium and phos. keep in mind in a diesel the oil pressure is 20,000 psi in the enjector pump.