Gentlemen, I'm pretty excited about things tonight. Today I bought a cherry 1986 Pontiac Firebird. It is a real clean, original, un-molested car with t-tops that don't leak. Has the powerful (ha ha ha) quadrajetted 305. Been looking for a nice clean original for a while now. Already thinking about what to use for it's life blood. So far PYB 5w30 is winning out. Comments??
Oil to use for my new to me used car
- Thread starter HM12460
- Start date
- Status
Any 10w30 dino.
I have driven GM vehicles for many years. I would put GC in it just to keep the valve covers and mains from leaking. And it is also a very good oil for old GM 8 cylinder engines.
I would use any OTC dino for that. The 305 may be an embarrassment in that vehicle, but overall it is a motor that didn't get the respect it deserved IMHO. I had (3) of them, all cast iron, and they were excellent long lasting utility engines.
Last edited:
5w30 in any brand. im fond of mobil super 5000 for a conventional oil.
Last edited:
Use Pennzoil for a few OC's, clean out any gunk that may have built up over the course of almost 30 years
GTX HM, Pureolator filter,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
10w-30 HDEO. Motorcraft CJ-4 rated 10w30 turned out fantastic UOAs in my L67 Pontiac Bonneville (supercharged Series II 3.8L) even using extended drains of 8-9k miles.
The Motorcraft oil might be hard to find but Shell T5 10w30 is an inexpensive semi-synthetic available at most Walmarts.
If you're set on a PCMO, I've always been fond of the ConocoPhillips oils, Trop-Artic and Kendall w/ Liquid Titanium. I've had great UOAs using Trop-Artic. I'd recommend 5w30 in winter, 10w30 for other seasons in that engine.
The Motorcraft oil might be hard to find but Shell T5 10w30 is an inexpensive semi-synthetic available at most Walmarts.
If you're set on a PCMO, I've always been fond of the ConocoPhillips oils, Trop-Artic and Kendall w/ Liquid Titanium. I've had great UOAs using Trop-Artic. I'd recommend 5w30 in winter, 10w30 for other seasons in that engine.
PYB 5w30 would be great.
Why is everyone suggesting 10w30?
Using 5w30 in winter and 10w30 in summer is funny, it has no basis in real science, since both oils are the same at operating temperature...and modern 5w30 is pretty robust to shearing.
Why is everyone suggesting 10w30?
Using 5w30 in winter and 10w30 in summer is funny, it has no basis in real science, since both oils are the same at operating temperature...and modern 5w30 is pretty robust to shearing.
Awesome car, I thought about buying one a couple years ago.
I don't know if I'd rather have the Camaro or Firebird, but I think the 3rdgen Firebird has my favorite instrument cluster of any car.
Some readily available options:
Valvoline VR-1 10w30 gray bottle conventional.
That oil doesn't exist in 5w30 which might be a bigger concern in Michigan than it is here.
VR-1 gray bottle can be mixed with a smaller portion of Valvoline white bottle to moderate the ZDDP level or to tweak the viscosity a bit.
Quaker State Defy looks interesting, and you can get that in 5w30 at WalMart for cheap.
I think a 1986 305 is a flat tappet engine but I could be wrong. ZDDP levels:
Defy 5w30 is 1000ppm
Defy 10w40 is 1200ppm
VR-1 10w30 is 1300-1400ppm
1000ppm might be plenty, some consider it minimum for a flat tappet. I'm sure everybody has a different comfort level.
Defy is a "high mileage" oil so if you have any leaks it might help swell seals.
Watch the oil pressure gauge, if it ends up real low when hot then I'd bump up to a xW40. Otherwise xW30.
I don't know if I'd rather have the Camaro or Firebird, but I think the 3rdgen Firebird has my favorite instrument cluster of any car.
Some readily available options:
Valvoline VR-1 10w30 gray bottle conventional.
That oil doesn't exist in 5w30 which might be a bigger concern in Michigan than it is here.
VR-1 gray bottle can be mixed with a smaller portion of Valvoline white bottle to moderate the ZDDP level or to tweak the viscosity a bit.
Quaker State Defy looks interesting, and you can get that in 5w30 at WalMart for cheap.
I think a 1986 305 is a flat tappet engine but I could be wrong. ZDDP levels:
Defy 5w30 is 1000ppm
Defy 10w40 is 1200ppm
VR-1 10w30 is 1300-1400ppm
1000ppm might be plenty, some consider it minimum for a flat tappet. I'm sure everybody has a different comfort level.
Defy is a "high mileage" oil so if you have any leaks it might help swell seals.
Watch the oil pressure gauge, if it ends up real low when hot then I'd bump up to a xW40. Otherwise xW30.
87,000 miles. It has been and will continue to be a winter stored in the garage car. I live in Michigan, these cars are worthless in winter weather. Being as such it is a vintage '86 model year and not being a tuned port small block, I am assuming it to be a flat tappet engine. I like the idea of Quaker State defy or Rotella 10w30 HDEO with their higher levels of zddp. Hadn't considered that previously.
Hey, neat car. But my opinion is Mobil 1 0W40. Outstanding oil and I try to use it in everything I can. Comments welcome.
- Status
Similar threads
