which oil?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
which oil?
I must be terrible at searching, because I know this topic has to have been covered... but i can't seem to find it.
Anyway, what oil does/did Ford recommend for the 351m in 1978? general consensus to go with that or is there something better out there?
thanks,
Paul
Anyway, what oil does/did Ford recommend for the 351m in 1978? general consensus to go with that or is there something better out there?
thanks,
Paul
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,068
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From: western montana
yep...what Ford recommends isn't avaiable since the feds mandated changes in formula. Roller cams don't need the same formula and thats whats being produced currently- won't be long for all flat tappet cams to be antique. Rotella is certified for both gas and diesel and since diesel oil can still have more zink it's reportedly slicker. Can use it as a break in oil as well which has been as issue since the change in regs and formula. I use the rotella synthetic 5-40 which i used to buy for about 11-12/gallon- cheap sythetic thats probably better than syntec.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
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ive always liked castrol gtx. use tenw 30 winter 10w 40 summer, but sure here allot of people running the shell rotella 15w 40
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,561
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From: Earth
The problem with newer SM rated oils is that they have lower zinc contents. If you have a favorite weight of oil you like to use, then go with Shell Rotella or Chevron Delo 400. I have seen both offer single grade motor oils. The newer SM rated motor oils are defficient in zinc which is not good for an engine with a flat tappet cam. There are numerous threads on this in the oil forum. This thread should shed some light on this topic:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hlight=rotella
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hlight=rotella
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
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Well heres the reason ive ran castrol. When my dad was racing dirt track in the 80s at first he ran wolfs head racing oil till they stopped making it. Then he switched to valvoline racing oil. He put that in a motor he spent all winter building, was about half a lap ahead of everyone turning the track record when the motor went, rod went right up through the center of the motor. He tore it down and found that the rod had actualy seized to the crank and turned the crank blue, was like the oil broke down to easy. After that he switched to castrol gtx and never lost a motor , so made sense to me to run that.
I do understand what you mean though that oils have been changed and will probly make the switch though
just wanted to add in that little bit of detail
I do understand what you mean though that oils have been changed and will probly make the switch though
just wanted to add in that little bit of detail