oil recommendation for 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster club sport coupe

[hank2]

Beautiful! I believe those 216 engines are at least partially splash lubed. Babbit bearings. I would want something with a decent amount of ZDDP in it. Perhaps not one of the current spec 10W30 PCMO's. The VR1 10W30 previously suggested by a couple of people may be just right. There is likely a 10w30 conv. or blend motorcycle oil that may be suitable. Some of the Honda's used that lighter viscosity.

A good friend of mine had the same model '48 Chevy beginning in the late 1960's. Had many rides and drives in it. Sadly, he passed in 1973 at age 22. He had a two-one bbl. carbs intake and a split exhaust on his.

 

[Lubener]

That engine is a low compression, low stress engine. I would use either a 10w-40 or a 15w-40 oil. There's no need for anything fancy.

 

[ripcord]

10w-30 would be fine assuming it has good oil pressure.

I remember sitting with my grandpa and my mom's brothers when I was a kid listening to them talk cars and trucks, Ford vs Chevy, etc. According to them the old splash lube straight six Chevy bearings couldn't take a lot of fast highway driving and the flat head Fords would overheat. I read the same thing about the babbit bearing motors on the stovebolt.com saying to avoid sustained high RPM freeway driving.

 

[GaryMX5]

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