Break-in of Engines and ROTELLA oil

[Bruce_B]

What's the advice on breaking in a new engine? From what I've read, ROTELLA diesl oil,, (the older formulation) is recommended as it still has the ZDDP additive.

Are people running ROTELLA all the time?

I came across this list on MiniMania of correct oils:

Oils that may be correct for our cars today:

(As reported by manufacturers by 12-31-06, NOTE: many have changed their recommendations over the last three months!

Castrol: Syntec 5W-40, Syntec 20W-50, Grand Prix 4-Stroke Motorcycle oil in 10W-40 and 20W-50, TWS Motorsport 10W-60*, BMW Long Life 5W-30*

*= full synthetic, available only at BMW dealerships

Red Line: 10W-30, 10W-40 (Synthetic oils)

Valvoline: VR-1 20W-50 (Conventional oil)

Amsoil: 20W-50(TRO), 10W-40(AMO), 15W-40(AME) & 20W-50(ARO)

Mobil: Mobil 1 5W-30 and 20W-50 (Synthetic)

Chevron: Delo 400

Shell: Rotella

What are people recommending?

 

[jlaird]

Castrol 20-50 Period.

 

[John Kuzman]

Bruce,

I just did a start up on a freshly re-built 1275. I went with Castrol 20W-50 and 8 oz. of GM EOS. Ran the engine at between 2000-2400 rpm for 30 min. Drained the start up oil, changed the filter and re-filled with the same combination. Now have just over 100 mi. on the engine. So far, so good.

 

[Bruce_B]

Thanks for the info guys. I have heard about the GM additive.

John...are you going to run that combination as your standard oil?

 

[asoupley]

Why 20-50? Why not 10-30/40?

 

[John Moore]

Castrol GTX doesn't have the ZDDP anymore, I wouldn't use it on break in.

When I recently refreshed my B engine, I used Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil, it still has the ZDDP. I'm switching to it from now on.

 

[jlaird]

Cause it gets hot in Ohio??

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Street rodder magazine had an article last fall I think, and they suggested the racing oil or the rotella if it has not changed formulation.

 

[dklawson]

After reading the tech article at Mini Mania I did some googling about this. There is a readily available way to have ZDDP. As much as I was told over the years to stay away from it... STP contains ZDDP. I contacted them about it and they said for 4-cylinders use their product in the "red" bottle. If you can't find that, they said add 1/2 a bottle of their "blue" product to a warm engine. I'm sure I could go to the GM dealerships and buy EOS, but STP is usually in every parts store.

As for why 20W50... I seem to remember that was the recommended oil for most LBCs during the 1960s.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Maybe we should all switch to overhead cam engines?

 

[regularman]

I have had good luck with havoline 10-40 in about everything. That is what I am going to continue running. 20-50 is thick and I had a problem with castrol in a motorcycle that cost me an engine in cold weather, so I won't be using that any more. The trend is to go with thinner oil for better fuel economy.

 

[John Moore]

I have had good luck with havoline 10-40 in about everything. That is what I am going to continue running. 20-50 is thick and I had a problem with castrol in a motorcycle that cost me an engine in cold weather, so I won't be using that any more. The trend is to go with thinner oil for better fuel economy.

While econonmy is on everyone's mind these days, I would be concerned with running too thin an oil in these old engines. While not a sprite, my MGB gets 28-30 MPG which is pretty good.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

The zinc in the oil thing is changing all the time, uptil now I've been using Rotella 15/40 or Vavoline VR1 20/50 but I think you have to be cautious of anything simply sold on the shelf at your local parts store in the very near future, so I believe the GM additive or STP is the best way to go. Most synthectics don't have zinc and you would never want to break a motor in on that anyway, too slick, you could problem seating the rings. After the engine in broken in, then you don't have to worry about the zinc, use whatever you want, the cam and lifter need the zinc for break-in only.

 

[John Kuzman]

Bruce,

I plan on running this combination, Castrol 20W-50 with 8 oz. of GM EOS indefinitely.

In answer to questions from others, I run Castrol because it is my brand of choice. The internet is loaded with discussions and debates on brands, viscosities, etc. In the end, it's what I have been using for years, it works, I have cases of it in the garage, and I am a John Force fan!

 

[Morris]

Sooo... just for the slow witted (ie. me): run red STP for the first few thousand miles then I am fine to use regular ol' Castrol GTX. Is that correct?

 

[jlaird]

Ohoooo. I want a Jag one. Looks so cool.

 

[kcbugeye1275]

Broke mine in on Rotella 15/40, going to run Amsoil synthetic.

 

[dklawson]

Morris, Hap has the experience to know better than I. However, I'm nervous AND I didn't get this information until long after my engine's break in period (assembly lube and Castrol 20W50 w/o any added ZDDP). I'll probably run the red STP as part of each oil change just to ease my mind. I'll consider it cheap insurance.