Oil For Older Cars

[Deleted User]

on another list there has been much conversation regarding what would the proper oil be for our older engine. here is one of the best opinions i have seen so far . . . just for your reading. of course your opinions would be more than welcome. i use non detergent number 30, period. valvoline has been my product of choice for many years. newer cars and hi-performance cars of course use detergent type, 10-30 winter, 10-40 summer. thats my 2 cents.



"I try to get straight oils when I can for the usual 50’s to 70’s classics that are my bread and butter, but these are not easy to get in Hong Kong. However, I can get Castrol GTX in its 10/40 grade easily and reasonably so I usually use this in engines (and Austin Healey overdrive gearboxes) and it does very nicely. I’d use 20/50 if I could get it as the temperatures here hardly warrant a weight as low as 10. Mind you, they sell 0/30 oils here too!



When I was in Australia I attended a seminar presented by the man who developed Penrite Oils.

He was a Classic and Vintage car owner and enthusiast and left a major international oil company to develop oils for older cars.

He was very clear on their needs not being met by then available commercial oils (1986); he was disparaging about the use of synthetics in older engines, and particularly on the corrosive effects of additives on phosphor-bronze components in older engines/gearboxes and differentials.



I tried Penrite products then with no problems on a range of Triumphs I then had (60/70’s cars and 50/60’s bikes). Of particular interest is a steering box lubricant that is neither oil nor grease and does not channel like grease would.

Not only does Penrite still exist, they are far more developed than 20 years ago – they must be doing something right.

Their relevant websites are:

http://www.penrite.com.au for their HO

http://www.penrite.us for the US market.



Select Recommended Oils and the site leads you to suitable product by category of vehicle; on the US site they even list cars and oils applicable –

Cheers, Richard Hawkins, Hong Kong"

Unknown

Have you ever stopped to think that ANYONE who is trying to sell you their product will tell you their's is the best and all others were no good and will tell you all about their impecable credentials also how they know it all. I have used detergent oils for over 50 years in various cars including model T's and splasher Hudsons as well as various stepdowns ETC. NEVER have I had a problem. There are others that have other ideas, so lets hear from them. This is a good subject for discussion. Lets go for it

Geoff

Oh dear, here we go again! I agree with Tom. I have used detergent oils exclusively in my '28 Essex, '29 Hudson, and '54 Jet for 50 years of motoring, and neve had oiling problems. The last thing a vintage engine needs is vintage oil. You know why so many engines were rebuilt? Because of inadequate oil, and build of carbon and sludge. Okay, lets here the usual aprocyphal tales of detergent oils loosening up all the deposits and flooding the internals with grit and dirt. It doesn't happen. Sorry to sound so cynical, but check Penrites prices as well won't you, these guys are in business to make money. Modern gear oils don't affect bronze bushings.

Geoff.

Unknown

!!!Yea!!!. you young guys better listen to Geoff. Us old guys know.

[Deleted User]

GEEZE i didn't mean to raise a rukus. i just sent the rant for reading purposes.

i should have further explained the the non detergent is only in my older cars. i also have never had any problems because of lube. sae 30 because we don;t drive them but a couple months of nice weather here. the penrite guy was referring to synthetics vrs real oil i believe...



im only "young" to the list..... my auto experience dates back to the 50's

rambos_ride

Late model engines I use the mult-vis oil 5w 30 mostly - anything older I pretty much use straight 30 weight - a high performance engine of any era I might run 50w



If you really want to "blow" the thread open (I'm surprised there hasn't been a passionate posting about this yet...) ask "What Brand" of oil people use!



My 90 Chev 4x4 (182,000 and going) gets whatever is available because it uses 1 qt every month or so - but for vehicles I care about I have always used Pennzoil or sometimes Castrol.



The 49 with the 454 will probably get straight 30 weight until I beef it up then I'll run racing oil. Whoops I mentioned rodding a Hudson!

Unknown

Lighten up . that was a joke.

dwardo99

On my vintage motorcycle list (Nortons) this is known as the "dreaded oil thread" and is avoided like politics and religion by most folks :>)

rambos_ride

Tom - what year is your Hudson? Is it a 32?

Geoff

Sorry, I didn't meant to sound agressive! However, this subject has been opened up many times, and each time you tend to get the same old arguments, and as dwardo99 says, is possibly best avoided. I have stripped engines down that have been totally filled with sludge build-up, which is completely avoided by the use of multigrade detergent oils, which also provide superior protection over a wide heat range. I won't go into brand names here, but no reputable company is going to market oil which is liable to leave them open to a claim of damage.

Geoff.

Unknown

Rambo. Its a 33 terraplane 8 coupe, I also have a black lab.

[Deleted User]

Rambo--- I might add that Tom's 33 Essex Terraplane was the only year that an 8 cylinder engine was offered by Hudson & quite rare.---Cliff Minard.

[Deleted User]

Clarifying my earlier post, 33 was the only year that Hudson offered an 8 cylinder engine for the Essex Terraplane. Cliff Minard.

rambos_ride

tombpa wrote:

Rambo. Its a 33 terraplane 8 coupe, I also have a black lab.

Sweet! That's a car I'd like to see someday and kudos on your choice of dog!