A friend has a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that he is restoring with a 265 cu. in. (8 cyl) 4bbl engine with an automatic transmission; the power pack option. The engine is stock and he just had a valve job done. He already has SAE 30 in it for his break-in and he had planned to use a PCMO 5w30; I am recommending that he use Rotella 10w30. He has no desire to use a synthetic oil. He is not going to race or modify it- it's just a cruising car. What oil would you recommend?
'56 Chev Bel Air, 265 4bbl
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Originally Posted By: ProfPS
A friend has a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that he is restoring with a 256 cu. in. 4bbl engine with an automatic transmission; the power pack option. The engine is stock and he just had a valve job done. He already has SAE 30 in it for his break-in and he had planned to use a PCMO 5w30; I am recommending that he use Rotella 10w30. He has no desire to use a synthetic oil. He is not going to race or modify it- it's just a cruising car. What oil would you recommend?
A 256,what is that? A six Cylinder?
A friend has a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that he is restoring with a 256 cu. in. 4bbl engine with an automatic transmission; the power pack option. The engine is stock and he just had a valve job done. He already has SAE 30 in it for his break-in and he had planned to use a PCMO 5w30; I am recommending that he use Rotella 10w30. He has no desire to use a synthetic oil. He is not going to race or modify it- it's just a cruising car. What oil would you recommend?
A 256,what is that? A six Cylinder?
I corrected the OP. The engine is a 265-8 Cyl engine. Thanks for catching the error.
The first displacement of the Chevrolet OHV V-8. Was only that size for a couple of years, then it became the 283 V-8....
Rotella 10w30 would be a good oil for it, or even a straight 30 HDEO like Delo 30-wt. If the engine is 'loose' or burns oil, he might want to go with a 15w40.
Rotella 10w30 would be a good oil for it, or even a straight 30 HDEO like Delo 30-wt. If the engine is 'loose' or burns oil, he might want to go with a 15w40.
I see no reason not to use a modern multigrade. When did they go 12 volt systems? No sense asking old stuff to crank a cold, thick oil. If past wear is a problem, you could go a 5W-40 or something.
I would say stick with your Shell Rotella oil recommendation and change both the oil and filter often. (Those old SBCs used road draft tubes to siphon blow-by out of the crankcase. Ugh!)
Depends on the tolerances the machinist set when grinding the crank and sizing the rods. Sounds like purely stock GM build to me. I would make sure to use a good break in oil for the hydralic flat and for the first 3,000 miles but there after, I would be fine with any 10w30 (summer) or 5w30 (winter).
My almost stock 283 with two thousandths clearance on the mains and 2.5 on the rods. It knocks down 10-15psi hot idle & 45psi hot, open throttle. Stock pressure & flow oil pump.
Cold, it's around 55psi.
I currently use Quaker State 10w30 SM (or virtually any 10/30 SM oil on sale). The cam is slightly larger than stock but nothing crazy so the valve spring pressures fail to dictate a high z & p oil.
I would get the build sheet from the machinist and post tolerances here for others to chime in on oil weight.
My almost stock 283 with two thousandths clearance on the mains and 2.5 on the rods. It knocks down 10-15psi hot idle & 45psi hot, open throttle. Stock pressure & flow oil pump.
Cold, it's around 55psi.
I currently use Quaker State 10w30 SM (or virtually any 10/30 SM oil on sale). The cam is slightly larger than stock but nothing crazy so the valve spring pressures fail to dictate a high z & p oil.
I would get the build sheet from the machinist and post tolerances here for others to chime in on oil weight.
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Heck Valvoline 10w30 would work too. 830 ppm of Zinc IIRC.
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Rotella T 10-30 is the cat's whiskers for those older engines, assuming any type of reasonable build. Good z/p, stout add pack - all the good stuff a growing boy needs..
Thanks for the responses. He plans to go with the RT 10w30 and then see how it runs on it. It is not going to be driven in during the winter months.
Originally Posted By: RWEST
Rotella T 10-30 is the cat's whiskers for those older engines, assuming any type of reasonable build. Good z/p, stout add pack - all the good stuff a growing boy needs..
Hi,
and the boy was typically fed that formula (at least viscosity) when he was born
Rotella T 10-30 is the cat's whiskers for those older engines, assuming any type of reasonable build. Good z/p, stout add pack - all the good stuff a growing boy needs..
Hi,
and the boy was typically fed that formula (at least viscosity) when he was born
Since it's a cruising car,(and I suspect it will be driven only occasionally) a HDEO with the superior additive pack would probably be best. Keeps the corrosion away while it's garaged.
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