Interesting Find in Dads Shop

[SubyRoo]

Spent some time with Dad this weekend. Now that he is retired he has decided to sell the building he ran his business from for the last 50 years so we have been going through everything. Thought someone might find this interesting.

 

[rubberchicken]

I did not even know 5w20 existed back then

Put it up on eBay- somebody will want it.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Good find, and yes, the quality of engine oil has improved a bit in the last 47 years but the light vs heavy discussions still go on.

 

[FordBroncoVWJeta]

Im surprised that they recommended 6K oil changes in 71.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Nice find.

What would be even better, is if you found a minty 442!

 

[MolaKule]

When we lived in St. Louis for the first few years Dad had a 1954 Buick Century (White over Blue) and had it delivered from Flint Michigan with the Nailhead engine, in 322 cu in (5.3 L) with a bore of 4.00" and stroke of 3.20".

He used 5W20 in the coldest part of winter and 10W30 in the fall, spring, and summer.

 

[anndel]

Wow, straight 10W and 20W. I would have run 20W-40 in that car.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by MolaKule
When we lived in St. Louis for the first few years Dad had a 1954 Buick Century (White over Blue) and had it delivered from Flint Michigan with the Nailhead engine, in 322 cu in (5.3 L) with a bore of 4.00" and stroke of 3.20".

He used 5W20 in the coldest part of winter and 10W30 in the fall, spring, and summer.


Amazing the engine didn't blow on that thin of oil back then according to some here.

 

[CR94]

5W-20 was more susceptible to shearing back then, thus the suggestion not to use it for sustained high speeds.

Ford recommended 6000-mile change intervals several years earlier.

The "high-quality MS oil" recommended in 1970 was replaced shortly thereafter by SE, then by SF, etc.

 

[daves87rs]

Very cool

 

[ZZman]

I wouldn't have thought 6,000 mile oil changes were recommended back then. And 5w - 20 oil?

 

[Shannow]

Have posted a number of things before...
* including a 1960s Datsun manual that showed 5W20...again up to 18F, and not above.
* a '50s patent that described the issues with the current 5W20s and a means to improve them.

They are NOT what we consider 5W20s these days...different entirely, thust the temperature restrictions.

Also, an SAE 20 , a monograde has an HTHS of around 2.9...same as the bottom end of an ILSAC 30.
http://www.docs.citgo.com/msds_pi/10004a.pdf

Given that HTHS is the primary driver in things "blowing"....these oils (the monograde 20s) were anything but thin.
The multigrades were problematic, and limited in their temperature application.

 

[Rmay635703]

Why was 5w30 listed in two different temperature ranges?

 

[CharBaby]

Nice find!

My dad retired in 1979 at age 68. He owned a gas station/service center for 30 yrs(ESSO/Exxon). And the things that were in his business(FSM/Chilton, testing equipment) and old cans(yes, cans) of oil, gear oil, tranny fluids, p/s fluid, additives(Bardahl, STP, Rislone)could bring in a small fortune today if we would have kept them.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted by Rmay635703
Why was 5w30 listed in two different temperature ranges?


Style. It would have taken a 4th "bar" to explain just 5w30.

Appreciate that manual-- a pleasant mix of engineering, marketing, and writing abilities were given time to put some thought into it.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted by ZZman
I wouldn't have thought 6,000 mile oil changes were recommended back then. And 5w - 20 oil?


I didn't know 5w-20 oil was a thing back then, but 6000 mile oil changes seemed to be the standard for passenger cars.

I never knew that until I started going to bigger car shows that had a lot of restored vehicles. They have the oil change intervals under the hood somewhere. Seems that most manufacturers recommended 6000 miles as standard oil change interval. The 3000 mile thing was really perpetuated by the quick lubes.

 

[ChiTDI]

I think that MS designation stood for Military Standard, and required the oil to be tolerant of being blended/mixed with other MS classified engine oil.
Ah, the days of childhood. Our '56 Ford 4-door was white over buckskin with a T-bird V-8. I have no idea of the size.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Maybe the owner of this Vista Cruiser might want it!

 

[chainblu]

We had a Vista Cruiser for a few years in the early '70s . I was too young to know much about cars and engine sizes back then and actually, my dad wasn't much better. In later years, when I'd ask him about the car, all he knew was that it had "the big V8". So... who knows. It could have been a 400 or 455. But, I do know this: When it needed oil, it got Quaker State 10w40.

 

[Onetor]

Originally Posted by rubberchicken
I did not even know 5w20 existed back then

Put it up on eBay- somebody will want it.


Nor did I?