1952 buick straight 8 help

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Maryland
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!!!
 
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
 
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.
 
^ 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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
grin2.gif


Thank you for posting this, it may help dispel that myth.
 
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.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Quaker State Defy in 10W30 or 10W40, any 15W40, or SAE30HD would all be good choices

01.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Quaker State Defy in 10W30 or 10W40, any 15W40, or SAE30HD would all be good choices

01.gif



I have a 1956 Olds and I use 15W40 because of the zinc content.
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top