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Oil choices for an Austin Healey BN1

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4wheelMC

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hi
i'm looking forward to exchanging emails about my first healey, a 1955 BN1. it's a pretty car, in pretty good shape, and seems pretty primitive now too, in design and build. my british motors experience is that, growing up my folks had a 1958 vauxhall victor, and later i had a 1954 ariel square four for a summer, that i rode out here to california.

my question is- what engine oil seems best for the BN1? my oil pressure is decent, 50 lbs underway, dropping to 20 at warm idle.

i am thinking of using a 15-40 diesel oil, which i understand has more ZDDP, and that without it, internal wear accelerates.

also, what experience is there with sticky additives like STP in this car?
 
is- what engine oil seems best for the BN1? my oil pressure is decent, 50 lbs underway, dropping to 20 at warm idle.

i am thinking of using a 15-40 diesel oil, which i understand has more ZDDP, and that without it, internal wear accelerates.

I prefer standard racing oils with a higher viscosity than you use now go to 30 or 40 weight.

also, what experience is there with sticky additives like STP in this . Just sticky costly and best left on the sellers shelf.
 
Hello 4wheelMC,

I used to live on the big lsland, Alameda, now I'm 7 miles down the road in San Leandro.
If you need any help with your car, let me know.
I have a BJ8. For engine oil I use Castro 20-50 and add a bottle of ZDDPlus.

Cheers,
Roger
 
I use Valvoline VR-1 20-50-it has the ZDDP as a component of the oil and it works fine. There are several racing oils that still use the ZDDP,Brad Penn etc-a little spendy but my car runs fine with very good oil pressure
 
roger
thanks for your note- i hope i'm hitting the right buttons for you get this reply.

yes let's get together and talk Healeys.

this saturday i'm taking the BN1 to the british cars show at cal state hayward.
never had a car or did this before.
see you there- mine is light blue over dark blue.
brian
 
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