1939 Dodge Inline Six Flathead Truck Oil

[Sberry]

Gotta agree, pour some wet stuff in, ride like the wind. I got to admit I fuss with this a little but really cause its so easy today. Used to be committed to barrels but now buy off the sheld and a few jugs. One of the most interesting things I gonna follow up from here is price.
But, want too long ago there were lots of 10/30 engines. Before that 10/40 was the big deal. Doesnt look like something you are going to ramrod in the winter. When it was made it was a straight weight engine and used stored relatively warm. Be a common 10/30 or so for me. Whatever I had in stock from sale.

 

[PimTac]

If it's relatively clean would put a modern oil and new Wix filter in it and forget it, add some if it was needed.

Wix makes a filter for this engine? Does anyone? Does it even have a filter?

Nice looking truck. I remember seeing one like it on a road trip in California thirty years ago. Maybe it was this truck? This was around Redding.

 

[Astro14]

Yeah, try finding a filter for a 1930s anything...

 

[RateNate]

We have a 1939 Dodge 1 ton, 6 cyl, X-CDF (Cal Fire) brush truck. I have run 15w-40 in it since restoration, 21 years ago. Since it was state owned at one time, I assume it was well maintained for 10-15 years. Not sure after that, so went with short intervals. View attachment 51743

Thats just what mine looks like but its a half ton and green. Needs work, was a barn find but everything is there.

 

[Sberry]

They nuthin wrong with the 15/40 you are using. I might drive it till it needed a valve job. That is not that much a chore and likely never need it if it is working. Chances if it works ok today it will work ok tomorrow. I know guys restore and get old tractors and engines running, done it myself and all for an oil change once we get it loose and running but dont put a lot of real scientific effort in to it. The valve train too old and obsolete to really run the snot out of as a working concern.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Any 15w40 is my vote... no additives needed

For that Dodge, use any from this list:

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/additionalinfo/dieseloilsWSSM2C171F1.pdf

 

[Sberry]

We seem to think, we as in I mostly I guess and same with a lot of working mechanics think all this doesnt amount to much iun the grand scheme of things. I love extended changes, I hate doing oil and points and plugs. I was glad to see it go and wish I would have jumped on FI a little sooner. Dirty fuel and carbs and carb rebuild kits, all junk I not sad to see go. Same for valve jobs.
We quit putting hardened seats in when they went to no lead with LP fuel, simply used mostly stock engine and probably could/should have changes a few pistons for some advantage.

 

[RateNate]

Just pulled the dip will have a pic of that as well... looks really bad atm.

 

[RateNate]

I insert a full image, not sure if thumbnail is better or not.

 

[blufeb95]

That looks pretty sludged up, how easy is it to open everything up and clean the inside of the engine.

 

[zrxkawboy]

The 230 in my 57 Plymouth takes a NAPA Gold 1080 oil filter...not sure if yours takes the same, but it very well might.

If you need parts, check Vintage Power Wagons or Andy Bernbaum.

 

[ka9mnx]

Wix makes a filter for this engine? Does anyone? Does it even have a filter?

If it does have an oil filter it won't be a spin-on. Looks like an oil bath air filter too.

 

[wildcatgoal]

They make oil for classic cars. It's always a heavier weight - even up to Harley-Davidson oil weight like 20W-50 - and is heavy on the Zinc. But it also is supposed to have additives to help with the ancient seals and so forth.

 

[PontiacHO]

30HD and good to go. No high pressure valve springs there.

 

[ZeeOSix]

We quit putting hardened seats in when they went to no lead with LP fuel ...

Car manufacturers started putting hardened valve seats in heads when gasoline went to unleaded. I did an engine rebuild on a 1971 Ford 390 V8 and the shop that did the heads put hardened seats in it so I could run unleaded gas.

 

[blufeb95]

They make oil for classic cars. It's always a heavier weight - even up to Harley-Davidson oil weight like 20W-50 - and is heavy on the Zinc. But it also is supposed to have additives to help with the ancient seals and so forth.

But that's probably for later higher output engines that could rev higher and had stiffer springs and mere aggressive cam grinds. These engines ran on oil that at most had anti-foaming and maybe some additional anti oxidant additives what we would now put under API Service Category SB. This engine makes a whopping 70 horse power at 3000rpm redline with 6.7:1 compression and I've sure the valve train isn't very agressive.

 

[Dinoburner]

As suggested above pull the pan and clean out the lead sludge using gloves of course. Lots of ideas here on which oil to use. It should be easy to add an oil filter which would allow the use of HD oils. Top oil to replace the lead. Two stroke oil would work or 2 oz MMO

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Do these old flatheads have spin-on oil filters?

Cartridges? Here's from an ad on Ebay for $35:

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

For that kind of money maybe Valvoline VR1 racing 10W-30 full syn and an extended oil change J/K...

 

[ARCOgraphite]

She is a beauty! When I was looking for old cars last year, I found the Dodge 6 cylinder to be the best running of the flatheads.
It was so good it was used through teh Korean war up to the early 1960's.

No you have to pull that engine out and do a partial disassemble, You have to do that to clean the engine bay and detail it anyhow,
PLus you will want to put a rebuilt water pump and associated plumbing on her and clean and possibly rebuild the distributor.

Its a 2 1/2 hour job on a bad day.
Pull the pan and side covers and clean it and check it out.

Never dump oil in to a car hat has been sitting and not running for years.

Thats going to be a nice truck.