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Switching to Synthetic Oil???

RagTop

RagTop

Old Grumpy
I've always used Castrol GTX 10W-30 in my Mustang but the high ambient temperatures up here in Sacramento are causing the oil pressure to drop off as the engine heats up beyond it's normal operating range. I'm considering changing from dino oil to synthetic oil and also going up a level to 10W-40. I've also been warned that the Castrol could be a problem for a flat tappet hydraulic cam because it doesn't have enough zinc. Has anyone else changed over from dino to synth.? Has anyone got any opinions on doing this with a 49K engine?
 
As soon as my car gets a few miles on the new motor, I'll switch over to Redline 30 wt race oil. It's full synthetic and has the good stuff solid lifters need! I've used it for years.


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I used to use Red Line oil in my 2000 Z28 LS1, but I switched over to Mobil 1 because of price.
 
Look for Amsoil Z-Rod oil it's formulated for engines with flat tappets with a high Zinc content, 10w-30 or 20w-50. I've used Amsoil since 1988 in all my cars and use Z-Rod in my 70 Mustang.
 
Are you thinking synthetic will keep a higher oil pressure when it's hot, or are you just looking for more protection when it gets hot?
 
sportsroof69 said:
Are you thinking synthetic will keep a higher oil pressure when it's hot, or are you just looking for more protection when it gets hot?
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Yes to both. Hoping that a higher viscosity rating will tend to prevent the oil pressure from dropping so drastically when the engine is hot and that the synthetic will provide better lubrication for the engine overall. I have looked at Shell Rotella T5 and T6 as oils that have a higher zinc content, but Shell is really proud of their product. The stuff is higher than camel's nuts. Jeff mentions Kendall above. Haven't price compared that yet. Are there any oils with "popular" prices (like Mobil 1) that have higher zinc content?
 
How many miles do you put on your car a year? I ask because a few extra bucks an oil change isn't really that much given the big picture. I would be more concerned about using the best oil for the job than a couple extra dollars a quart.
Royal Purple HPS would fit the bill for what you need. It's (10w40) $8.30 a quart at Summit and usually available at local autoparts stores as well.
 
Horseplay said:
How many miles do you put on your car a year? I ask because a few extra bucks an oil change isn't really that much given the big picture. I would be more concerned about using the best oil for the job than a couple extra dollars a quart.
Royal Purple HPS would fit the bill for what you need. It's (10w40) $8.30 a quart at Summit and usually available at local autoparts stores as well.
Click to expand...
Good point. The car usually only gets one oil and filter change a year. I drive it <5,000 miles a year.
 
Full disclosure, I am not a chemist and don't work for an oil manufacturer...but am willing if someone wants to pay too much for an under-educated phony chemist.

Be careful using oils that are labeled "racing" products. These invariably are oils that will not contain (or minimally possess) many of the additives a street driven car requires. Unless you drive like me you probably aren't running at high RPM all the time. :cool: You're also more likely to do a lot of slow, stop and go, short trip operations. Typical street driven engines NEED the additives found in passenger car oils. Read this for more info.

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news...ld-you-use-racing-oil-in-your-street-machine/

Also, I have found through research on the web and such that a lot of oils are not really tested to meet their claims either. Especially some of the lesser known. Here's one video I found of a pretty basic but telling test of a couple well respected oils. Granted this test lacks of a heat variable and others but there is no doubt it shows a marked difference in performance as it would relate to a flat lifter application. Like all things today, ignore the marking BS on the label and find real test data to support the claims. For the subject of this thread (flat tappet engines) this is vitally important. Just because they claim a product has "zinc" is no where near enough proof.

 
Jeeze, do I have to post the Blackstone report on "race oil" again??


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