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The Best Oil

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KVH

KVH

Obi Wan
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What is recommended for TR engines?

20/50?
Mobile 1 Synthetic?
Non-Synthetic?
10/40?
5/50?
 
I've always run Castrol 20/50 in my TR4 (and TR6 before that) as well, though any quality 20/50 motor oil should work.

I will mention that I know of a couple of TR owners whoes opinions I greatly respect who will not use Castrol oil in their cars; however, I believe the vast majority of TR owners do use Castrol.
 
Castrol 20/50 definately.

But then I have this uncle who's been getting 200K+ miles out of GM heaps since the 60's who would disown his kids if they used anything other than Valvoline.

For some people motor oil choice is like a religion.

As an aside... I sure do miss that pleasant thhwunkk when you push a filler spout into the old metal-top cardboard oil cans....

When exactly did I get old?
 
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For some people motor oil choice is like a religion.

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You pretty much just summed up the entire motor oil debate right there!

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As an aside... I sure do miss that pleasant thhwunkk when you push a filler spout into the old metal-top cardboard oil cans....

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Me too!!! I always wanted one of those oily rag wrapped metal filler spouts that my dad used to send me to fetch whenever we ventured out to change the oil in the family Pontiac.

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When exactly did I get old?

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Not until you start wearing black socks and white tennis shoes with shorts. I've given my wife explicit instruction to shoot me if/when I start expressing that particular fashion statement.
 
Like Jim said, my father taught me to always use Valvoline in my GM cars. I had over 100,000 miles on 2 of them with no trouble.

I have always used Castrol 20/50 in my 4 cylinders (Toyota and Nissan trucks) both also with high mileage. The 20/50 Castrol is the oil of choice for my TR6. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
I too use Castrol 20/50 in my 73 TR6. In my Ford and Chevy everyday drivers I use whatever brand name is on sale. Oil is like gas now. Too Darn expensive.
 
[ QUOTE ]
When exactly did I get old?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not until you start wearing black socks and white tennis shoes with shorts. I've given my wife explicit instruction to shoot me if/when I start expressing that particular fashion statement.

[/ QUOTE ]

I forgot my belt while working on my car and got tired of my baggy shorts slipping off so I pulled them up to right below my ribcage when I went inside to fetch a cold drink. My wife and youngest son really got off on my haggard, old-man look. I'll be 60 next year but I really only feel 58.

Bill
 
Living in a state where it never really gets cold enough for a multiweight, I usually try to get a good straight 30, in Mystic, Vavoline, or Castroil. If I do run a multi in something its a 20/50, unless its someplace really cold, than a 15/50.
 
Triumph owners likely are getting on in age. But we're young at heart.

My brother-in-law and I have a few rules. One is never to fall asleep at any function where company is present. When that happens, especially if your head is launched back and your mouth is hung open, the contest is over right then and there. You just might not be cool anymore. So that's my benchmark at this particular time.

Enjoy good old British cars, stay young at heart, and never fall asleep in public.
 
You have to be old to fall asleep in company? If so than I'm in alot of trouble, my association with cars of my fathers and grandfathers generation, must be rubbing off on me in adverse ways.
 
Jim,
I'm old enough to remember all metal oil cans..no cardboard sides. I also remember buying oil out of a drum that you pumped into a mason jar with a screw on funnel. I will never have to worry about getting oldenough to wear black socks with white shorts....I can't get my foot high enough to get socks of any color on my feet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Oh, I use whatever brand of 20-50 is cheapest right now. The spitfire just blows most of it out anyhow.
 
I usually use 20-50w Penzoil or valvoline but I have tried Castrol 10-40w syntec. I'm sure Castol is a top quality oil but I have found a slight reduction in psi readings and a little more valve train noise whenever I use it.
I just bought some 15-50w Mobil 1 oil for the summer & want to see if it lives up to the reports I've read. I figure the motor heads at the LS6 plant like it for a reason. We'll see.
 
After years of running pure synthetics in my Porsche and BMW, I went to Redline 20/50 in my TR3. The results have been wonderful after the first oil change the engine sludge cleaned out and the oil pressure stayes up even on hot Florida days. It costs twice as much but worth every penny.
 
Re: The Best Oil - for carburetter piston damper?

New cars, new oil weights. Our old lbts take the weights you've talked about. My 2 cents is although a lot of these cars aren't driven 2000 miles a year, the oil changes at the first of the year and in the middle of summer are needed. A car sitting for the winter can develope water in the oil through condesation because of temp changes. Mid summer is just a good Sat moring project to check on the car. Damper oil, you can use any light weight oil, any multipurpose oil, my choice, automatic tranny fluid(ATF).
 
Re: The Best Oil - for carburetter piston damper?

I've heard that synthetic oil in the dampers is less subject to temperature change. I've also heard that some use ATF. But then again some wag said you could use extra virgin olive oil! :smile:
 
Re: The Best Oil - for carburetter piston damper?

I will only be using oil with ZDDP and Phosphorous at least to the levels of the Cosworth oil in this chart.
https://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/HRDP_0606_10_z+flat_tappet_cam_tech+zddp_content_table.jpg

After all the reports on the subject I am convinced that my cam and lifters depend on it.

I will especially avoid any oils marked API SM, API ILSAC and GF-4, which are reported to be the newer formulated and low ZDDP oils. Also any oils labled with the new "American Petroleum Institute Certified for gasoline engines" starburst label. These are all reported to have insufficient ZDDP levels for flat tappet engines like ours.

This information is widely available and included in this site; https://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/flat_tappet_cam_tech/
which was previously reported in this forum by 70herald

What it gets down to is that our old trusted and favorite oils may not be any more.

I was running Mobil 1 in my 46k engine with the original cam and lifters before finding it had three worn cam lobes.
 
Re: The Best Oil - for carburetter piston damper?

I have always used the same engine oil in my SU dampers that I use in my engine.
 
Re: The Best Oil - for carburetter piston damper?

I want to run 20/50 oil in my Motorhome
I`v been hard pressed to find 20/50 anything around here. So .............. where do Y`All get it?
 
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