Hello!

I recently purchased a 1981 Z-28 camaro with just under 50,000 original miles. Well, the car is ready for it's first oil change and I'm not sure what oil I should use. The motor is all stock and has been run with normal, non-synthetic motor oil. I was thinking about switching to synthetic, but I'm afraid of developing oil leaks as well as any other potential problems switching to synthetic oil in a 26 year old motor. I'm wondering if it might be best to just go with a quality non-synthetic oil? I did some searching on this site and didn't really find any information regarding the best oil to run in an old motor. I'd appreciate any advice regarding the best oil to use in my car. Thanks, and I really do appreciate any advice!

Thanks again,
Tom

Run any ol oil your little heart desires. The engine isn't going to be that fussy and notice the difference.

Shell, Mobil, Quaker State, Penn, Castrol. It will all work just fine.

i've always ran pennezoil 10W-30.....always kept the motor clean on the inside on all my vehicles....just my two cents...

Hello!

I recently purchased a 1981 Z-28 camaro with just under 50,000 original miles. Well, the car is ready for it's first oil change and I'm not sure what oil I should use. The motor is all stock and has been run with normal, non-synthetic motor oil. I was thinking about switching to synthetic, but I'm afraid of developing oil leaks as well as any other potential problems switching to synthetic oil in a 26 year old motor. I'm wondering if it might be best to just go with a quality non-synthetic oil? I did some searching on this site and didn't really find any information regarding the best oil to run in an old motor. I'd appreciate any advice regarding the best oil to use in my car. Thanks, and I really do appreciate any advice!

Thanks again,
Tom


Congrats on your purchase, keep it original and out of the rain and salt!

My personal opinion.. others might not agree, but conventional oils have come a long way over the years and are almost as good as synthetic oil.. syn oils are only slightly better in lubrication quality as long as you stick to a good oil like Castrol GTX. I dont buy into the syn oil craze or syn oil 7500 mile change intervals and is too expensive for my taste, especially if you change it every 3k. I think it is hard to go wrong with syn or a good quality dino oil, just change the oil.. whatever oil you use stick to 2500 - 3000 mile oil and filter change intervals, this is the most important thing you can do for an engine. My personal preference is Castrol GTX, I do not care for Penzoil or Quakerstate oils at all, in the past they used an high ash content which caused them to turn dark and sludge easily.. don't know if they are still a high ash content or not, but years ago I did a comparison on my own car between GTX, Penz and QS and the GTX seems to stay cleaner inbetween changes. I tend to think GTX handles heat better and does not "bake" to metal, but I have no facts to support this.

As far as weight, you can pretty much run anything you want. 20w50 is too thick for newer cars with smaller oil passages and can actually cause a slight knock as oil does not flow as freely thru the smaller oil passages of the new cars.. ask me how I know lol.

Since the car is new to you, maybe you can change the oil and use 10w30 Castrol the first time and watch it so see if it consumes any oil within the 3000 mile change interval just to see if it does use any oil and then switch to the 20w50 GTX next time. I would say consuming up to a quart is considered normal, anything over a quart and I would be a little worried, assuming no oil leaks exist. Just my .02 cents.

1 vote here for the 15w 40 diesel oil for it's added zinc over automotive oils to aid in cam and lifter life.

I've always used Valvoline. Many, many cars. No engine failures.

I stay away from Quaker State, but not for any good reason. They just made bad oil a long time ago, so avoid it just out of habit.

If you change your oil every 2-3k I think it doesn't really matter what brand you use.

Synthetic is for your daily driver that might not get oil changes quite as often. You can run the crap out of it and it doesn't break down.

When syns first came out, meaning Mobil 1 you didn't dare put it into an older car. It was so slippery that it would actually push the old gaskets out and turn your engine into a sieve. I think they are better now, but just one more reason why I stick with the good ol' Valvoline that has always served me well.

btw, I change my oil as soon as it starts looking dark. Don't pay a real lot of attention to the miles unless I get over 2500, then I change it anyway just for the hell of it even if it looks pretty clean still. Maybe I'm a little anal, but like the old saying goes oil is cheap, rebuilds are expensive.

Your car doesn't care though. Use whatever you want. Just don't leave it in there too long.

Agreed, use what you want, just change it..

Isnt Quakerstate and Penzoil related or the same company or made at the same place? I seem to remember that from a while back.

i agree with the others, synthetic is not worth the price. i might considering changing grades as the temperature changes during the year. a thicker grade when its hot out and a thinner near the fall.

Valvoline VR1 racing oil is what I would use myself. The diesel oils no longer have very much zinc like they used to just a couple months ago because all 2007 and newer diesel trucks have emissions and zinc is known to mess up catalytic converters. Zinc is critical for flat tappet cams. Normal oil does not have zinc nor does the diesel oils now. Thats why alot of people have had cam failures alot recently.

Now as far as synthetic oils go I wouldnt bother in that engine. They are great in newer hotter running, better sealed up engines. On an older engine they tend to find ways out and causes leaks. For those of you that say synthetic isnt really any better than good ole dino oil you simply dont know what your talking about.

1. Synthetic oils tolerate heat better
2. They are slicker which reduces wear and increases power
3. You can go alot longer than 3,000 miles due to much less break down of the oil

There are other advantages of synthetic but those are the main ones right off the top of my head. I personaly witnessed an oldsmobile 350 being torn down for a rebuild after 350,000 miles. The engine ran like new but the owner figured it was a good time after so many miles. When the intake came off the lifter valley was so clean you could eat off of it. When the heads were pulled the cylinder walls had zero wear and still had the factory crosshatches. The main and rod bearings had almost no signs of wear. I am sure it would have went another 350,000 miles. The guy was the original owner and changed the oil every 3K with mobil 1.

I would stay away from quakerstate and pennzoil, other than that run what you like start out with a 10-30 oil and if you use alot of oil step up to the next weight oil.

Well, how about asking the previous owner what he used? Did he change the oil on a regular basis and did he have any problems with the oil he used?

To me that's where I would start. I do agree with the guys that said to stay away from Quaker State. If I remember correctly, in my younger days, I used QS and just really didn't care for it. I use Valvoline now in all of my vehicles and have had no problems!

79 Z28
79 Corvette
02 Jeep
06 Mustang GT
95 Rodeo

Now, I have a question about regular motor oil vs. synthetics.

Not to change the subject but this thread made me start thinking. As some of you may have read in a different thread I was asking for some help on my engine rebuild. Pulled my 350, having it bored .030" and putting a 383 kit in.

Got some great responses so here it goes again. With a brand new rebuild, would I be better off using Valvoline or should I switch to a synthetic oil???

For what its worth, my '79 350 has been using 5w30 full synthetic in the winter and 10w40 synthetic in the summer and its been working great. No new leaks either.

Gm Engine Oil Supplement (E.O.S,PN 1052367) is a additive alot of guys and gals are adding with each oil change for use with flat tappet cams.

Gm Engine Oil Supplement (E.O.S,PN 1052367) is a additive alot of guys and gals are adding with each oil change for use with flat tappet cams.


++++1 Thanks I forgot about that, it's suppose to help a lot.

With a brand new rebuild, would I be better off using Valvoline or should I switch to a synthetic oil???
Without opening a can of worms.....I'll recommend on a "brand new rebuild" run conventional oil in it for the 1st couple of changes (around 6000 miles) and then switch to synthetic of you want. ANY oil made today has tougher then ever standards to meet before it can be licensed and sold....so in this day in age, it's ALL pretty good stuff.