case lube

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Shell Rotella was always our fall back when we needed an oil for an older engine, However, the 15W-40 rating was a little heavier than 10W-40. This wasn't a problem with older engines that were well worn in and allowed to warm up a bit before being worked hard.

Those diesel engine oils had ZDDP and other additives that are missing from newer oils (as was mentioned, ZDDP will contaminate a catalytic converter)
I have diesel oils in the shed. I know there is Rotella and Chevron Delo semi synthetic. I used to have a 7.3 and there is still the Kubota. I'll go read the labels. I won't admit to where I use the Chevron because some rocket scientists have insisted on putting cats in vehicles where they simply do not belong.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't run Rotella in a modern engine, the tolerances are way too tight these days. But for a early 1960's Chrysler big block, particularly one with some miles on it, 15W-40 will work just fine.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't run Rotella in a modern engine, the tolerances are way too tight these days. But for a early 1960's Chrysler big block, particularly one with some miles on it, 15W-40 will work just fine.
I think when the 413 and the 727 were pulled from the wrecked Imperial that had 64,000 miles on them. The 727 got a rebuild, the engine was used as is. When I do a hot restart there is a fair amount of smoke comes out of the breathable oil fill cap. But overall consumption is low and has actually gotten better now that I cured the over heating issue with a proper fan.

We drive this little spine compressor a couple thousand mile a Summer max. Fun to take out as cars like this are uncommon in our area and it draws attention wherever we go. The interior is, shall we say, compact? A runt like me fits pretty good. There were a couple of 6 ft. plus potential buyers before I got a chance to make an offer on it, but they simply could not drive it. Also requires left foot braking, which I have done my entire driving life.

I always got bitched at by State Patrol instructors at EVOC school, but when there was actual timed "competitions" the only guy that could beat my course times were, me. Instructors from the local Tech Criminal Justice programs were a bit less anal. Wanna have some fun? Put an instructor riding shotgun, a female reporter from the local TV station and her camera man in the rear seat. The Instructor just left me alone to do all the backing maneuvers with mirrors, palm the wheel, and flat out go! Clapped out Crown Vic with a good motor and fresh tranny, but steel belts showing through the rear tires and all the room needed for the course in an NFL stadium parking lot gated off for a few days. There you wanna talk about under steer?
 
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Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
Regarding 99% alcohol: That is the highest percent you can maintain because alcohol is so hydrophilic that as soon as you open a container of 100% it literally sucks water from the air.
You definitely don’t want to get 99% alcohol on your hands. It will desiccate the skin. That alcohol burn acts like a thermal burn.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Lross, avoid diesel oil. Modern compression-ignition oils are also formulated with ultra-low sulfur and zinc levels and fuel/engine systems are built accordingly. Diesel oil also contains additives which are typically antagonistic to yellow metals such as found in most spark-ignition engine plain bearings.

I'd run a quality multigrade, probably 10W-30 or a synthetic rated as such, and add Z-max or equivalent which is specifically advertised for older engines needing zinc compounds.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
Ian, he's running a early 1960's 413, I don't think there's anything in Rotella T4 that would harm that engine AND it has the ZDDP he's looking for.
 

Ian

Notorious member
T4 contains zero zinc as far as I know. It uses Ca Suphonate instead as an EP, corrosion-inhibiting, and overbasing component. It also contains a mega-load of ashless dispersants and antioxidants that aren't really needed in a gas engine except to suspend the sludge created by the shear breakdown of the viscosity modifiers, and is all in a mediocre base oil which is far too viscuous.

There are many reasons why lubricating oil for compression-ignition engines are formulated differently from that intended for spark-ignition engines, and why API, ILSAC, and SAE have specific (and vastly different) specifications for each. Best plan is to use the appropriate type for the application and supplement known deficiencies.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
why did I just understand everything Ian typed.

413,,, man that's what I had in the 65 New Yorker.
I really liked that car, I tried telling everyone that'd listen it was the ultimate family car.
room for like 9 dead hookers in the trunk, aaaand 8 accomplices to help bury them up front.
I juiced that thing up just a bit too much for a family ride though, the cam loped a bit [shoulda went with maybe a 110-112 degrees of separation and not 114] the nitrous was maybe the part that got me into too much trouble though.
just about every time I got pulled over the cop would walk up and just stand there looking down at me [it was lowered] shaking his head and ask uhh what the hell do you got in that thing?
just an old RB engine..... LOL
thing got 18 on pump gas and 22 on the racing fuel I run in the late model though if I just rolled the throttle, and run it steady.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Eerie, ain't it? It's almost like we've seen this material somewhere before. Perhaps in a different context. And other words like "thixotropic".

Ahh, the good old days:)
 

Ian

Notorious member
And now he powder coats 90% of his cast bullets. But, you guys are proof-positive that the effort wasn't wasted.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Most of us have a thixotropic liquid in our fridge.