Do you use synthetic oil ?

I would not. I use any 20-50weight dino. others insist on Brad Penn because of needed zinc.

Brad Penn and Jake's Snake Oil have ZDDP, that's been taken out of most oils; which is needed for non roller lifters.

Another option is Shell Rotella for diesel, which is available in different weights.

Sorry but VERY bad advice. you MUST use a high ZDDP oil.
The oil will usually specify "for use in flat tappet motors".

I have used Brad Penn (the GREEN stuff) and Valvoline VR1 Racing oil (with ZDDP).

And you CANNOT trust "well I used Castrol for years and it works just fine".
The recipes have changed over the years.
What USED to work is NOT guaranteed to STILL work in these engines.

These engines need zinc and (green) Brad Penn has been my oil for years (in a 356 too).

We use the Rotella in all the 911 engines at the shop.

Don't listen to the southern boys with their recommendation to run 20w50 , you're in a cooler climate so at most I'd run is 15w40.

Shell Rotella T is OK for the interim, but it's not the oil it used to be, the good thing is it's cheap and you can get it at Canadian tire and wallymart.

Next time you're in Montreal pick up a 20L pail of Chevron Delo 400, it's cheap at about $80 a pail. It's diesel truck oil (as is Rotella T) so they may question it's use in a car, just because it's not good for catalytic converters.

CREVIER LUBRICANTS
2320 de la MetropoleLongueuil,
cpelletier@crevier.ca
Phone: (450) 679-8866

BTW this is the oil Henry at Supertec recommends in his high dollar /6 engines.

I can give you a Canadian supplier of Brad Penn if you like, but it's spendy and you would have to pay for shipping from Ontario.

Asking which oil to use is like asking what position you like at night.
What was suggested about Delo is good.

Thanks for the address I will look into it

And the vr1 was on sale last weekend at O'Reillys for $4.99 a quart.

Doesn't help when he's in Canada

valvoline vr1 20-50, has the mineral package, available at most flaps.

Kendall GT with Liquid Titanium has the correct amount of Zinc. It's what I run in the /6.

Things change over time. Including oil compositions.

An old blog article, take it for what it's worth, but it was written with an intention to care about the bottom line.

http://www.randbaldwin.com/index.php/914-and-oils/

SWEPCO 360 15w40.
It's what Tony at Translog GT, York Pa., put in after the engine rebuild and the 500 mile break in. He uses Brad Pen Break in oil for the first 500 miles, then goes with SWEPCO 360 for everyday normal use.


HEY....JUST NOTICED THIS POST IS MY 914TH MILESTONE!

Here's one thing I will say on cheaper oils vs the more expensive oils, pick the oil that you can afford to keep on the shelf and to change on time, every time.

If you are finding excuses like "well it's a good oil so I can get a extra 500 miles out of it" or "I know my change is overdue, but it's ok till my order gets shipped to me next week" or "it can wait till the end month when I get my paycheck... 10 quarts and filter is expensive on a /6 you know." then it might not be the right oil for you.

I never have less than a 20L pail of oil on the shelf.

What about a good quality oil and ZDDPPlus? My mechanic recommended that I use that with very oil change a few years ago.

Best oil, is new oil. Change your oil! Same engine for 40 years, in 4 differant cars. No internal failures.

Later this year that engine will be in its new home (5th), my 72 restoration build. Coming from my 73" 914 Challange Build, that will receive a 1.7 that I'm buillding up a bit.

Every change in season will cause condensation in your engine. I live in Michigan a 4 season state. Engine not run in the winter, so 3 seasons oil change. As a rule I change the oil twice a year, late winter, and early summer. I have only used 20-50, mostly Kendall, generic. Biggest concern has always been heat in the summer for me.

It's a 72 1.7 FI engine, that I have run since 78, in 4 differant cars, using the same electrics, and FI. I drive aggressivly through the gears with almost full throttle till at speed. I have slowed that down a bit over the last 40 years. But in the 70's this engine was the strongest of many that I had, that's why I'v used it. And it's still strong. At the Midwest classic 12 years ago driving through Hell Michigan, I was ask twice if I was running a 2.0, they could not believe it was a 1.7 FI.

I have never had any internal failure, valve adjustments about every 40 thou. Last month I had to replace the distributor due to a worn shaft. Valve tube seals, and oil cooler seals, I replaced one time. And there still holding oil.

Here it is (intakes painted white, and wrong heater hose) the rest stock.

Taken in 1999 In the 73.
Click to view attachment

Side note:
I had a customer in the 90's that drove a 70 ford. He insisted that I not change the filter, only the oil. He said, " the filter is fine, since I change my oil." He was still running with the factory installed Marked filter. Engine ran great.

I'm running Mobil One 15W-50 in my '73 2.0 because that is what is in our 993. What do you think?

I think Mobil One is a bit light in the zinc for the cams in our cars.
OK for the 993, it's made for modern auto oils.

So Chevron Delo 400 has a lot of ZN? Is there any downside to running Chevron Delo 400 in my 2.0? (questions from a non-mechanic) FYI I run Chevron Delo 400 in all my diesel tractors and the 7.3L in our Ford Superduty so I use it all the time.

Valvoline VR1 Racing oil (with ZDDP)

Is the new Porsche Classic oil any good or is that just re-bottled Castrol?

Konrad

There's more to it than just zinc, but in a nutshell things like ZN are hard on catalytic converters so modern auto oils no longer have the additives that are good for flat tappet cams. Most diesel oils still do, as well as some motorcycle oils and the older car specialty oils like gibbs and BP.
I run Delo in all aircooled and my Fiat diesel tractor, I think at least 5 years + with no issues.
A few new engines in that mix and I run it in my 2.6L T4 '67 bug, nickies, high buck engine.

BTW Swepco 360 is a 15w40 diesel oil. I've used it and it's good, but a bit spendy and I have special order it.
Swepco 101 grease I swear by it, I use it for wheel bearings, CV's, I just bought a case last week.

wow another Fiat tractor owner! Here is mine along with it's little brother the Landani:

Click to view attachment

Right now it is a White 2-60, but it really is a Fiat 640DT 4wd, it was just rebadged for the NA market. Anywhere you can see the paint scraped off it's Fiat orange underneath.
Fiat/NewHolland still make the 640DT 2wd in Pakistan so spares are no problem.

I have new fiat decals and I plan to repaint it orange someday.

What engine is in the fiat? I may have a line on parts for you.

It's a 4 banger. I'm in OH right now for a wedding but I'll give the specs when I get home. It's an 805c built in 1982. Only 1000 hrs on it. Runs great. Parts are still available from Italy. My mechanic is from Italy and buys direct. He just put all new clutch and brake plates in the Landini.

If you want science on your side I suggest you read this.

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

If you want science on your side I suggest you read this.

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

These guys also know a little about oil & ZDDP:

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news/dro/tr...c-in-motor-oil/

AND one of their oils (with ZDDP) ranked as one of the best in the ratblog article posted above.

And keep in mind, regardless of what you read on the ratblog, modern engine manufacturers STILL require a High Zinc oil for engine break in EVEN THOUGH they know they are damaging the catalytic converter.
Why would they do that if there was no benefit?


BTW - this other thread has already been over this:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=191853