350 TBI Oil Recommendations?

Frontier4000

Frontier4000

Joined
Sep 7, 2022
Messages
62
Location
Mid Michigan
Hello fellow Oilers, my trusty Frontier was totaled in a hail storm up here in Michigan. It's replacement is a rust free, 200k mile 1990 Chevy C1500. It has a very good running 350 TBI. I recently learned that it's a flat tappet engine...I thought all small blocks were roller lifters after 1987. Oh well. Being a stock engine with low spring pressures, are they sensitive to Zinc in oil like hi-po builds? My first thought was Valvoline MaxLife 10W-30. Is it adequate l, or should I add zinc additive/look for another oil? Please share your stories/recommendations. I have one week before shes on the road.
 
The truck small blocks continued to use flat tappet small blocks for a few years. I would run a decent 10w30 or 10w40.
The MaxLife is a good choice. In my classics, with their original engines, I run Castrol GTX Classic High Zinc 20w50.
If it needs a little internal cleaning, Shell Rotella T 15w40 will do the trick.

Good luck.
 
Flat tappet will have nothing to do with the oil choice on that particular engine but any 5W ,10w - 30 or 40 will work depending on your start up temperatures would work. Winters can get cold. Those are nice p/u. Keep an eye on oil consumption.
 
TPI motors used the roller cams after 86. TBI continued with the flat tappets as they are not high output engines. Just about any x-30, 40, or even 50 oil will run just fine in a 350 TBI. They are not picky on oil and don't get good gas mileage anyway so the oil really isn't going to have any effect there. Best I ever got out of my 95 Tahoe when I owned it was 15 MPG and that was on a long distance trip. I always ran 5W30 in mine and it lasted about 250K before it finally blew a headgasket and went to the scrapyard. Really liked that truck but it was cobbled together from 3 different vehicles after a deer strike and the back end was almost nothing but rust when the headgasket went.
 
Frontier4000 said:
Hello fellow Oilers, my trusty Frontier was totaled in a hail storm up here in Michigan. It's replacement is a rust free, 200k mile 1990 Chevy C1500. It has a very good running 350 TBI. I recently learned that it's a flat tappet engine...I thought all small blocks were roller lifters after 1987. Oh well. Being a stock engine with low spring pressures, are they sensitive to Zinc in oil like hi-po builds? My first thought was Valvoline MaxLife 10W-30. Is it adequate l, or should I add zinc additive/look for another oil? Please share your stories/recommendations. I have one week before shes on the road.
Click to expand...
What about Rotella 10w30
 
LDM said:
TPI motors used the roller cams after 86. TBI continued with the flat tappets as they are not high output engines. Just about any x-30, 40, or even 50 oil will run just fine in a 350 TBI. They are not picky on oil and don't get good gas mileage anyway so the oil really isn't going to have any effect there. Best I ever got out of my 95 Tahoe when I owned it was 15 MPG and that was on a long distance trip. I always ran 5W30 in mine and it lasted about 250K before it finally blew a headgasket and went to the scrapyard. Really liked that truck but it was cobbled together from 3 different vehicles after a deer strike and the back end was almost nothing but rust when the headgasket went.
Click to expand...
My coworker said pretty much the same thing...they're not picky. He said the MaxLife would be fine, 10w30 in the summer, 5w30 in the winter. I haven't yet seen what my cold/hot oil pressure is but the engine is very smooth and quiet (except for the catless exhaust with glass pack!) I do change my oil frequently....I want my stuff to last a good while.
 
Frontier4000 said:
My coworker said pretty much the same thing...they're not picky. He said the MaxLife would be fine, 10w30 in the summer, 5w30 in the winter. I haven't yet seen what my cold/hot oil pressure is but the engine is very smooth and quiet (except for the catless exhaust with glass pack!) I do change my oil frequently....I want my stuff to last a good while.
Click to expand...
Max life has become uncompetitive. There are both cheaper and better alternatives. I'd use quaker state 5w-40 before it. But yes 30 grade hdeo is good too.
 
JavierH19 said:
Max life has become uncompetitive. There are both cheaper and better alternatives. I'd use quaker state 5w-40 before it. But yes 30 grade hdeo is good too.
Click to expand...
What are the better alternatives to MaxLife? I honestly know nothing about high mileage oils....I had just read a lot about ML and most everybody loves it.
 
Frontier4000 said:
What are the better alternatives to MaxLife? I honestly know nothing about high mileage oils....I had just read a lot about ML and most everybody loves it.
Click to expand...
They have a bit more seal conditioners and that's it. I've used HM oils with a pan leak and it did almost nothing so i changed the pan gasket anyway. They don't have extra cleaning or anti wear additives like some think and neither are they thicker. I've seen pds's of the HM version and some have been a tad thinner. Only that oddball fram HM filter did something. It had a little cartridge with calcium in it which is a cleaning additive. But they're long gone. I'd use any 0/5/15w-40. Either euro or diesel rated. I've mixed leftovers of both as well. I wouldn't bother with 10w-40. Owned 3 350 gmt 400's and one with the odd 305. Currently own two gmt 800's one new whatever nonsense naming scheme GM uses for my 2021.
 
Frontier4000 said:
My coworker said pretty much the same thing...they're not picky. He said the MaxLife would be fine, 10w30 in the summer, 5w30 in the winter. I haven't yet seen what my cold/hot oil pressure is but the engine is very smooth and quiet (except for the catless exhaust with glass pack!) I do change my oil frequently....I want my stuff to last a good while.
Click to expand...
Typically did around 3-5K oil changes on mine when I still had it, I generally just used whatever cheap oil I could get on sale. Semi syn and synthetic were both used and I never had any oil issues. I generally changed the oil every year regardless of mileage, but since I have 2 other vehicles that I drive during the good weather seasons I never really went over 5K in year with the Tahoe. Had a couple of long tubes on it with a dump exhaust after the old one rotted off. Rust is a pain around here in IL.
 
JavierH19 said:
They have a bit more seal conditioners and that's it. I've used HM oils with a pan leak and it did almost nothing so i changed the pan gasket anyway. They don't have extra cleaning or anti wear additives like some think and neither are they thicker. I've seen pds's of the HM version and some have been a tad thinner. Only that oddball fram HM filter did something. It had a little cartridge with calcium in it which is a cleaning additive. But they're long gone. I'd use any 0/5/15w-40. Either euro or diesel rated. I've mixed leftovers of both as well. I wouldn't bother with 10w-40. Owned 3 350 gmt 400's and one with the odd 305. Currently own two gmt 800's one new whatever nonsense naming scheme GM uses for my 2021.
Click to expand...
What do you think about the Valvoline HM 150K stuff? My Meijer has it, and I heard it has extra moly. $25 bucks a jug.
 
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