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Oil, Synthetic or not Posted By: nic On: 01-03-2008 @ 03:16:28 Reply | Edit Juat wondering which you thought was better and why, also what should i put in my engine to make sure all that hard work lasts! -- 86 firebird == swapping v6 - v8 96 sunfire --parting out need partz? N!C  -- 86 firebird == swapping v6 - v8 96 sunfire --parting out need partz? N!C [ Edited on 10/04/2007 @ 03:16:50 ] Posted By: 84SEBird On: 10-04-2007 @ 23:10:54 Reply | Top | Edit If the engine is new or freshly rebuilt, then go with regular oil to break it in for a few thousand miles. After that, I would go synthetic. If it's a roller cam engine Mobile 1, Royal Purple, etc are good bets. If it's a flat tappet engine, then things get a bit more complicated. If it's a flat tappet cam, and it's a new engine, then you need to break it in with an oil that has lots of zinc and phosperous in it. The current crop of oils are murder on flat tappets, especially during break in. Shell Rotella T oil has tons of the good stuff in it. It's a diesel oil but is ok for gas engines as well. Run it with a good filter like a K&N for 20-25 minutes at 2000-2500 RPM and then change the oil and filter. Run it for a few thousand (changing the oil and filter at 500 and 1000 mile intervals) to break it in more and then switch to synthetic after about 4000 miles. If it's a flat tappet, I would keep something like Royal Purple in it as that synthetic has the ZDDP additive (zinc and phosperous) that the current oils are almost totaly deleting. Even Mobil 1 has little of this additive in it compared to what is needed for a flat tappet cam. If it's a roller engine, then any synthetic is ok as rollers don't need the high pressure additives the flat tappets do. Either way, I would go with synthetic after break in. Good luck. Brad -- Brad 1984 Firebird SE- cream-beige- the prestige color! 
1987 Corvette Posted By: 84SEBird On: 10-04-2007 @ 23:18:03 Reply | Top | Edit Oh, forgot to say why I think that synthetics are better. The facts are that synthetic has better overall film strength, longer life, more consistent molecular structure, cleaner engine internals with almost no possibility for sludge build up, and proven reduced wear over standard oils. You can see a bit of a mileage improvement, although admittedly not much. Longer life for the engine in testing done by Mobile and others has sold me and so far, running synthetics on the Vette, Bird and Grand Am have shown no problems with the switch over to synthetics. They do cost more though! So there's no free lunch and money may be a factor for some that may drive them to the regular oils. If so, then change it religiously with no more than manufacturer's mileage recommendations. -- Brad 1984 Firebird SE- cream-beige- the prestige color!
1987 Corvette Posted By: nic On: 10-08-2007 @ 03:56:12 Reply | Top | Edit Thanks Brad, btw whats a flat tapped cam? flat heads? may be a stupid question for some but i dont know... -- 86 firebird == swapping v6 - v8 96 sunfire --parting out need partz? N!C Posted By: Remdog On: 10-08-2007 @ 15:28:56 Reply | Top | Edit ive seen 8hp and 6ftp of torque gain in a motor being dynoed with royal purple 5w30 synthetic oil Posted By: Pocket On: 10-08-2007 @ 21:07:13 Reply | Top | Edit Maybe if the engine was running gear oil... Flat/Roller is the lifter style Flat is either a solid or hydraulic cylinder Roller has a small wheel on the cam side and can also be mechanical or hydraulic Be aware about switching old engines to synthetic and procedures for doing so. If you just switch you could dislodge too much sludge/buildup and kill the engine -- "If you have complete control over the damned thing, you're not going fast enough." - Carrol Smith Posted By: 84SEBird On: 10-08-2007 @ 21:19:35 Reply | Top | Edit Good point on older engines Pocket. Indeed it could prove to be a problem. I've switched engines up to 50,000 miles to synthetic with no problems. It all depends on how sludged up the engine is if it's high mileage. One thing to keep in mind is that synthetics have a tendency to clean the engine internals and in so doing, it there is some carbon deposits or sludge that are plugging leaks in the gaskets and it cleans that crud out... you get an instant oil leak. Just something to keep in mind. Brad -- Brad 1984 Firebird SE- cream-beige- the prestige color!
1987 Corvette Posted By: nic On: 10-16-2007 @ 04:27:09 Reply | Top | Edit thanks guys, thanks pocket, i love this site..keep on learning,,, -- 86 firebird == swapping v6 - v8 96 sunfire --parting out need partz? N!C
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