Suggestions for oil in a 347 stroker

[mark p]

   The ONLY true way of telling if your oil choice is doing a good job for you is at teardown of your engine. if the bearings look like new and the rings are sealed , it's doing a good job.  Without a "CSI" , actual engine condition is a guess. My day job has me doing CSI on engine parts as often as once a week. Oil related causes amount to less than 10% of failures by "my" record keeping of failures "I" have looked at. "Oil supply" ( or LACK of) related problems are responsible for about 30% of what I see.
   Randy

^^^ so... "some oil" (any brand) seems to give better results that no oil?  might be a lesson in there!

[gt350hr]

  Great remark Mark.  YES oil IS required in the lubrication system , and YES there are those that despite a full oil pan have starvation issues. Same for people.
      Randy

[2112]

   The ONLY true way of telling if your oil choice is doing a good job for you is at teardown of your engine. if the bearings look like new and the rings are sealed , it's doing a good job.  Without a "CSI" , actual engine condition is a guess. My day job has me doing CSI on engine parts as often as once a week. Oil related causes amount to less than 10% of failures by "my" record keeping of failures "I" have looked at. "Oil supply" ( or LACK of) related problems are responsible for about 30% of what I see.
   Randy

How much is related to fuel (running lean or detonation)?

[NC TRACKRAT]

Add me to the list of Brad-Penn users.  I'm running 15W40 in the GT350's and my air-cooled Porsches year-round.

[gt350hr]

   The ONLY true way of telling if your oil choice is doing a good job for you is at teardown of your engine. if the bearings look like new and the rings are sealed , it's doing a good job.  Without a "CSI" , actual engine condition is a guess. My day job has me doing CSI on engine parts as often as once a week. Oil related causes amount to less than 10% of failures by "my" record keeping of failures "I" have looked at. "Oil supply" ( or LACK of) related problems are responsible for about 30% of what I see.
   Randy

How much is related to fuel (running lean or detonation)?

    Mechanical interference is #1 whether valve hitting the piston, dome hitting  the head or even the deck of the piston hitting the head. Detonation and rings "butting" are neck and neck for second and I feel the two are related in some cases. Fuel wash is less frequent than that. The important thing is to note changes in appearance and find out why those changes are happening. What "I" refer to as a "happy" engine will have virtually wear free parts despite making big power.
  NO I am not even suggesting a well running engine be taken apart "just to inspect it" but if you see a change in oil pressure  or operating conditions , you might save a catastrophic failure by doing so. Parts rarely fail for "no reason" or defective part as many assume. Failures usually have causes behind them.
     Randy

[2112]

    Mechanical interference is #1 whether valve hitting the piston, dome hitting  the head or even the deck of the piston hitting the head. Detonation and rings "butting" are neck and neck for second and I feel the two are related in some cases. Fuel wash is less frequent than that. The important thing is to note changes in appearance and find out why those changes are happening. What "I" refer to as a "happy" engine will have virtually wear free parts despite making big power.
  NO I am not even suggesting a well running engine be taken apart "just to inspect it" but if you see a change in oil pressure  or operating conditions , you might save a catastrophic failure by doing so. Parts rarely fail for "no reason" or defective part as many assume. Failures usually have causes behind them.
     Randy

[427heaven]

I learned it as the engines had poor tolerances or friction causing catastrophic failure. I am going to start using the term mechanical interference. Thanks Randy, my buddies will look at me with new found enthusiasm. im gonna splain to em that im hialee edjumacated. 

[TedS]

  Great remark Mark.  YES oil IS required in the lubrication system , and YES there are those that despite a full oil pan have starvation issues. Same for people.
      Randy

I think it's in the scriptures.."Let he that is without oil throw the first rod " well maybe in the automotive scriptures.

[gt350hr]

    One example that has bit a few guys lately is an aftermarket pan manufacturer. That company builds fine products , but has two offerings of "T" pans. The less expensive one is ( and should be) noted as an extra capacity pan. The other more expensive one IS noted as a "road race" pan . Using the econo pan on an open track car HAS led to some oil starvation related issues at our local track , Willow Springs. Turns two and eight specifically. The side Gs capable on those two turns for the length of time in them has allowed aeration with the econo pan . The road race specific pan does not suffer this problem. Unless the driver ( intenet on negotiating these two high speed , challenging turns ), has a low pressure light OR camera focused on the oil pressure gauge ( great idea) the drop to ZERO oil pressure could be missed. With this happening lap after lap , the bearings die a slow death. Plenty of oil , bad situation.
    Randy

[SFM5S000]

Not to venture too far away from the original topic of oil, I've been using Joe Gibbs "hot rod oil" 15/50 for the past 10+ years as it was recommended by Morgans (Randy I know you're not a fan of Tim Morgan as Tim can be Tim) but anyway. I use Joe Gibbs as it was readily available.
While on the topic of pans and oil starvation. My question is how far or how much distance should there be between the floor of the oil pan and the pickup screen?

Thanks,
~Earl J

[gt350hr]

  Earl you are right Tim is Tim but he has done WAY more than I have in my lifetime. Driving a top fuel car was never on any list I ever had , bucket or otherwise..

        Oil usage ( on ANY forum) is always loaded with opinions. What works for you is what you should be using , THAT is the bottom line. The factors involved in the decision are numerous. Type of use , operation conditions , cooler , clearances , oil pan , pump etc, all have an influence on what is best for you. Gibbs , Lucas, Amzoil, Valvoline , Redline , etc all make good products and have devoted users. Careful choice of the additive package and not "adding to it" is just as important. That is why suggestions are often "all over the map" and no one is really "wrong" when they make their suggestions.
     Randy

[rkm]

Okay guys. I have a new big problem. I have a solid lifter 9.5 to 1 CR 427 sideoiler in a 427 Cobra. For lo these many years (20+) I have used Pennzoil 25w50 Racing oil with never a problem.
I am told by every supplier that this oil is no longer being made. I tried the usual 20w50 street car oil then they took all the ZDDP out of it and ruined the cam.
So 1. Does anyone have 6 cases of the good stuff for sale and
     2. What is the best replacement?

Kim

[Bob Gaines]

Okay guys. I have a new big problem. I have a solid lifter 9.5 to 1 CR 427 sideoiler in a 427 Cobra. For lo these many years (20+) I have used Pennzoil 25w50 Racing oil with never a problem.
I am told by every supplier that this oil is no longer being made. I tried the usual 20w50 street car oil then they took all the ZDDP out of it and ruined the cam.
So 1. Does anyone have 6 cases of the good stuff for sale and
     2. What is the best replacement?

Kim

Why not add the ZDDP additive designed to supplement the oils that it has been removed from?

[SFM6S087]

Two oils to consider. Both come in 20W-50 and both have Zinc & Phosphorous.

****************

Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil
10W-30 & 20W-50

For the highlights go here:
https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/motor-oil/vr1-racing-oil

This sheet lists the Zinc & Phosphorous content:
https://sharena21.springcm.com/Public/Document/18452/18bdee61-0a7e-e711-9c10-ac162d889bd3/a61538b4-0cbd-e711-9c12-ac162d889bd1
Zinc (ppm) = 1400
Phosphorous (ppm)= 1300

****************

Brad Penn – PennGrade 1  Partial Synthetic Racing
10W-30 & 20W-50

https://penngrade.com/files/7126-7150-7144-7158-7419_PG1_MultiGrade_HP_Oils.pdf

The top of the page list the highlights.
The bottom of the page shows the Zinc & Phosphorous content.
Zinc (mass %) = 0.15
Phosphorous (mass %) = 0.14

Steve

[pbf777]

Why not add the ZDDP additive designed to supplement the oils that it has been removed from?

      In my own investigations, it has been explained to me more than once by several oil company representatives (and surprisingly, a couple of them actually seemed to know something about oil), that the idea of just adding some foreign formulation to the contents of something already deemed insufficient with intentions of brewing something truly capable, is perhaps for average individual (lacking a chemical engineering degree, facilities and familiar with the particular subject) a somewhat misguided quest, and perhaps only creating a somewhat Frankensteinish result.       

     Scott.