I just bought an old landyacht - 1973 Dodge Polara Custom - and as my first order of business, I'm focusing on the basics - I plan on changing the oil, plugs, belts and hoses. The manual is gone, so I can't reference the oil specs, which are likely obsolete anyhow.
Although this is my first post here, I know how the Internets work, and after searching for what oil I should use, I found plenty of posts on the muscle cars (Challengers, 'Cudas, Chargers, Darts, Dusters etc.) and performance oils for summer months, but not so much info for everyday street and highway use, so I created an account to ask for suggestions.
As previously stated, this is a 1973 Dodge Polara with a 400 ci engine: fender tag code E63, VIN code M, if that helps at all. I plan on this being a "daily driver," even in winter (closer to weekly or once-every-other-weekly driver - I live less than a mile from work, less than a mile from the gym, and only a mile-and-a-half from 2 grocery stores, so I still plan on walking or biking most places to save gas, since I can arrive within 15 minutes). I live in Columbus, Ohio where our winters are typically milder than the Appalachian regions in the south, or the Lake Effect Storm-afflicted regions in the north, but we still get into the teens often in the winter with about 2 or 3 major blizzards each season.
That said, should I use a 5W oil, or should I stick with the 10W oils I've used with my prior cars? Use 30 viscosity on the high end, or go with 40 given the car's age? Is "regular" oil like Castrol, Mobil, Valvoline etc. sufficient, or should a 400 ci Mopar motor always use the "performance" oil mentioned in the other Mopar threads?
I hope I've been thorough in explaining the car. I'm only in my mid-20's, so I've mostly owned cars from the 80's & 90's - I haven't had much experience with old cars yet (I do have a 66 Dart I'm working on, but still haven't gotten it fully restored and running). Please forgive any n00b tendencies and feel free to set me straight - I won't take it personally. Thanks for any and all advice!
Although this is my first post here, I know how the Internets work, and after searching for what oil I should use, I found plenty of posts on the muscle cars (Challengers, 'Cudas, Chargers, Darts, Dusters etc.) and performance oils for summer months, but not so much info for everyday street and highway use, so I created an account to ask for suggestions.
As previously stated, this is a 1973 Dodge Polara with a 400 ci engine: fender tag code E63, VIN code M, if that helps at all. I plan on this being a "daily driver," even in winter (closer to weekly or once-every-other-weekly driver - I live less than a mile from work, less than a mile from the gym, and only a mile-and-a-half from 2 grocery stores, so I still plan on walking or biking most places to save gas, since I can arrive within 15 minutes). I live in Columbus, Ohio where our winters are typically milder than the Appalachian regions in the south, or the Lake Effect Storm-afflicted regions in the north, but we still get into the teens often in the winter with about 2 or 3 major blizzards each season.
That said, should I use a 5W oil, or should I stick with the 10W oils I've used with my prior cars? Use 30 viscosity on the high end, or go with 40 given the car's age? Is "regular" oil like Castrol, Mobil, Valvoline etc. sufficient, or should a 400 ci Mopar motor always use the "performance" oil mentioned in the other Mopar threads?
I hope I've been thorough in explaining the car. I'm only in my mid-20's, so I've mostly owned cars from the 80's & 90's - I haven't had much experience with old cars yet (I do have a 66 Dart I'm working on, but still haven't gotten it fully restored and running). Please forgive any n00b tendencies and feel free to set me straight - I won't take it personally. Thanks for any and all advice!
