How Has Valvoline Dino 10W 40 Changed Over the Years?

[CosmicFlash]

Have a 71' Olds Cutlass Covertible with the Rocket 350 and 149,000 miles. Have owned it for 25 years and am the second owner. It's only had Valvoline 10W 40 it's whole life as I have all the service records since new. I recently had the engine resealed along with a frame up restoration. THe engine was basically like new on the inside. Still using the Valvoline All Climate 10W 40 and it seems fine--no noise or consumption.
My question is how much has the oil changed for the better or worse in 35 years? Is there a better choice out there for dino?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Better base oil for one. It sure didn't get worse.

I think Havoline or Chevron Supreme may be a better bang for the buck, but nothing wrong with AC.

 

[thinshavings]

I had a '73 olds Cutlass with the 350 many moons ago. Best engine in any vehicle I have ever owned.
It had a diet of 10-40 Valvoline.
I sold it in the mid '80s with 180,000 miles on the clock...motor used no oil between changes and oil stayed realativly clean between changes also.
I think todays 10-40 is probably better.

 

[CosmicFlash]

Thanks for the replies. And I agree it is a great, reliable motor. It's never really used any oil but after 33 years I decided to have it resealed as the main seal was quite dry and leaked a bit. Looks and runs like new now

 

[JHZR2]

My father still has some cardboard containers of 10w-40 AC valvoline in the basement, circa 1981.

If you want some older oil based upon good experiences... you can have it

valvoline gets hit a lot on here... but I for one cant recall any exceedingly poor UOAs or bad experiences from its use...

It continue using it... maybe even do an ARX interval with it!

JMH

 

[Winston]

How often was the oil changed?

How is the tranny? How often was it's oil changed?

How is the rear end? How often was it's oil changed.

BITOG'ers need to know!

As far as how Valvoline has changed over the years, you can look at the history of API ratings. The latest SM version is nearly as good as synthetic(or so we hear). However, there have been issues with cam wear on older engines with the new SM rated oil. However, that is usually with highly modified engines.

OTOH, if it was my car I would continue to use Valvoline, but I would use a nice 10W30 with a half bottle of VSOT added in.

 

[Winston]

Oops. Actually the best additive for the oil in your application would be Mola's wonderfull SX-UP.

 

[hominid7]

If your car ran great and lasted so long on the not so great 10w40's of yester-year, i would think that todays 10w40's would only be that much better for it.

Since your car seems to "like" 10w40, i'd stick with it!

My previous car lived on a steady diet of Val AC 20w50 in the engine and Val 80w90 in the manual tranny for 11 years and 225,000 miles and i never had a single problem with the engine or tranny.

Val AC oils have a decent base number, decently low ash content, and their quality control is very good, producing very consistant products.

Napa's house brand, along with i beleive CarQuest are re-packaged AllClimate.

 

[Winston]

quote:

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If your car ran great and lasted so long on the not so great 10w40's of yester-year, i would think that todays 10w40's would only be that much better for it.

---

It is not that simple. There have been plenty of reports of excessive cam wear on older "flat tappet" lifter engines. Although it usually occurs on modified engines, I personally would use an additive with most API SM oils if I had a flat tappet lifter engine.

Check out this thread.

SX-UP and older engines

Mola made this specifically for these types of engines.

 

[CosmicFlash]

quote:

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Originally posted by Winston:
How often was the oil changed?

How is the tranny? How often was it's oil changed?

How is the rear end? How often was it's oil changed.

BITOG'ers need to know!

As far as how Valvoline has changed over the years, you can look at the history of API ratings. The latest SM version is nearly as good as synthetic(or so we hear). However, there have been issues with cam wear on older engines with the new SM rated oil. However, that is usually with highly modified engines.

OTOH, if it was my car I would continue to use Valvoline, but I would use a nice 10W30 with a half bottle of VSOT added in.

---

I'd love to tell the BITOG'ers.

The oil was changed every 3,000 miles or so. I bought the car from the original owner in 1983 with 126,000 miles on it. It had the radiator flushed a couple of times and the tranny resealed at about 100,000 miles. The fluid was changed a few times as well before the reseal. With the complete frame up restoration I had the tranny rebuilt as it was fried from sitting for over 7 years. I had the engine resealed when it was removed and painted. Also had the radiator redone with a new shroud and fan. Rear end was never touched and I've never touched it

Of course had new fuel pump, water pump, alternator, master cylinder, battery, etc. Also rebuilt the carb. Same exhaust since 1984 though

I've also never touched the convertible top motor and it just keeps working--amazing after 35 years and sitting for years between uses...

It's pretty much like a new car and drives like one. I even get 18-19 mpg on the highway--better than most SUV's out there.

I spent about $22,000 on the whole body/mechanical restoration.