1952 buick straight 8 help

[Aungst52]

Hello I just picked up a 52 buick special. Looking for advice Oil weight? Best place to buy canister filter? What to add to fuel? (Lead substitute) ?? Anything else with keeping straight 8 running good? I feel I need to do coolant flush too. Any tips? Thanks!!!

 

[bubbatime]

Quaker State Defy in 10W30 or 10W40, any 15W40, or SAE30HD would all be good choices

 

[skellyman]

Any major brand 10W30 will exceed the requirements that GM had in 1952.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: Aungst52

Hello I just picked up a 52 buick special. Looking for advice Oil weight? Best place to buy canister filter? What to add to fuel? (Lead substitute) ?? Anything else with keeping straight 8 running good? I feel I need to do coolant flush too. Any tips? Thanks!!!

HDEO 10w-30. Some MMO in the fuel is a passable substitute for ethyl. Bigger issue is the ethanol, though. This should get you close on basic maintenance, including recommended viscosity ranges: http://oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/Buick/1953/Owners/index.htm But if you want the full story on maintenance, you can get a factory manual download here: http://oldcarshopmanuals.com/cars/1952Buick.html Best of luck with it. My father drove out a '52 Special to close to 200k, so they are sturdy beasts. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA...20Folder-04.jpg

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: skellyman

Any major brand 10W30 will exceed the requirements that GM had in 1952.

This^ is correct. In 1952 most oils were just group I oil no additives at all.

 

[eljefino]

^ They were at least trying to get TBN in the ballpark in 1938 which would mean some additives. I thought "true nondetergent" was done as of approx 1930. ad from 1938

 

[expat]

Does it have Torque tube drive? I understand the UJ's are a Bear to find.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

^ They were at least trying to get TBN in the ballpark in 1938 which would mean some additives. I thought "true nondetergent" was done as of approx 1930. ad from 1938

I have a sample of 20W Gulflube oil in a can from around 1952 something to about 1964. There is 224 PPM of Zinc 248PPM of Phosphorus. TBN of .2 TAN of 1.9. There is no calcium, sodium, or magnesium to boost TBN.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

^ They were at least trying to get TBN in the ballpark in 1938 which would mean some additives. I thought "true nondetergent" was done as of approx 1930. ad from 1938

Woo! I can only imagine what would happen if a company try to advertise like that today.

 

[Aungst52]

My car has the dynaflow automatic.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted By: dave1251

I have a sample of 20W Gulflube oil in a can from around 1952 something to about 1964. There is 224 PPM of Zinc 248PPM of Phosphorus. TBN of .2 TAN of 1.9. There is no calcium, sodium, or magnesium to boost TBN.

Oh, from back in the days when oil had lots of ZDDP. Thank you for posting this, it may help dispel that myth.

 

[dave1251]

When looking at vintage samples some name brands that I still recognize such as Gulf, Texaco, Castrol Wakefield, Quaker State, Esso and Pennzoil have everything from 0 PPM of ZDDP to over 2,000 PPM. I am willing to wager a coke standardization of additive packages where very different than today.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime

Quaker State Defy in 10W30 or 10W40, any 15W40, or SAE30HD would all be good choices

 

[nifty6]

Originally Posted By: Bamaro

Originally Posted By: bubbatime

Quaker State Defy in 10W30 or 10W40, any 15W40, or SAE30HD would all be good choices

I have a 1956 Olds and I use 15W40 because of the zinc content.

 

[901Memphis]

You can get the Fram C4P filter at Advance Auto or Autozone. although if they don't have it in stock you can site to store it. http://www.framcatalog.com/PartDetail.aspx?b=F&pn=C4P http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/fram-cartridge-oil-filter-c4p/3240827-P?zoneAssigned=1 Also available at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/FRAM-C4P-Oil-Fuel-Filter/dp/B000AS3D9C You might want to order a bunch of them and use one of the 40% off coupon codes they have sometimes on orders over $100. Your going to probably want to do some short filter and oil runs to clean her up. Also according to Ebay searches these are cross references. Fleetgard LF3358, Napa 1006, WIX 51006, Baldwin P41

 

[nifty6]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead

Originally Posted By: Aungst52

Hello I just picked up a 52 buick special. Looking for advice Oil weight? Best place to buy canister filter? What to add to fuel? (Lead substitute) ?? Anything else with keeping straight 8 running good? I feel I need to do coolant flush too. Any tips? Thanks!!!

HDEO 10w-30. Some MMO in the fuel is a passable substitute for ethyl. Bigger issue is the ethanol, though. This should get you close on basic maintenance, including recommended viscosity ranges: http://oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/Buick/1953/Owners/index.htm But if you want the full story on maintenance, you can get a factory manual download here: http://oldcarshopmanuals.com/cars/1952Buick.html Best of luck with it. My father drove out a '52 Special to close to 200k, so they are sturdy beasts. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA...20Folder-04.jpg

Great finds, Thanks

 

[redbone3]

The Buick Straight 8 had a long and "whippy" crankshaft. It did not appreciate long high speed runs on the turnpike in Pennsylvania. Back then my Dad had a Mobil station and the typical oil sold would have been Mobil Special 10-30 or Mobil TropArctic 20 weight oil. Avoid long high rpm runs and the old straight 8 will go a long, long, way.

 

[yvon_la]

Oil:shell rotella t1 sae 30 Coolant :any long duration without silicate Gas?0%ethanol (add 1%ethanol)(ethanol is good for engine in 1% .above 2% mechanic doesnt like

 

[901Memphis]

I'd use Defy 10w30

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: nifty6

I have a 1956 Olds and I use 15W40 because of the zinc content.

This is because mid 1950's oil at most had 300PPM of ZDDP. If it had any at all. With no dispersant/detergent package. That 15W40 is completely different then what that engine had when new.