oil change on 1970 plymouth

[19roadrunner70]

I just bought a 1970 plymouth roadrunner with a 440 and it needs an oil change and coolent i was wondering if anyone can tell me what kind of oil they recommend and what kind of filter I should use and if there is a specific kind of coolent these cars need.

and also if there is any plymouth clubs i can join in the south miami location.

Thank you..

 

[eagleone1983]

Nothing special just your standard stuff. However the WIX brand oil filters are superior to anything I have used. You should be able to pick one up at your local NAPA. The last time I changed my oil I just used Castrol GTX not reason why except I thought the commercials were funny. That's marketing for you.

 

[Donny]

Hold that thought...much of the modern oil today is better than the older stuff, but, lacks the zinc our old engines require for the bearings. Get a good Royal Purple stuff and some zinc additive.

 

[GTXKen]

I disagree with the above...correction, post #2

If you are using Dino oil you need a zinc additive like the one in the link below. Flat tappet cams need the zink and its no longer in oil like it used to be. Some use Shell Rotella oil but there is some question about how much zinc it contains.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/?keyword=CRO-86092&dds=1

You could also skip the additive and go full synthetic and then you don't need an additive.

Wix is a good filter, so is the K&N

Ken

 

[19roadrunner70]

is w10-40 ok to use
what kind of oil filter do you recommend

 

[GTXKen]

I'm guessing you have a stock or close to stock 440.

Go to a Menards or Walmart and get Shell Rotella 15w/40 in the gallon and get a Wix or Napa Gold filter at a Napa auto parts. Order yourself a couple bottles of that additive from Summit and you are set for a while.

 

[MarPar]

I've been using Valvoline racing VV851 (not street legal, it says) 20w50, i did a little research a few moons ago, and it has the highest zinc content i could find...above 1600ppm. modern oil doesnt have nearly the zinc our flat tappets need to survive. you could use whatever weight you like, but i've always liked a little heavier oil, just for some peace of mind...my motor isn't the freshest of rebuilds, but it still runs great and im trying to keep it that way!

 

[moparstuart]

20/50 valvoline , racing fomula has the zink you need must get hte racing fomula

I have always used 20/50 valvoline great stuff

 

[19roadrunner70]

I am not planning on racing with this car this is just for weekend cruisering, should i still use racing formula oil

 

[MarPar]

I am not planning on racing with this car this is just for weekend cruisering, should i still use racing formula oil

i would...it offers the most protection. i don't race mine, well, not @ the track, and i still use it.

 

[moparstuart]

i would...it offers the most protection. i don't race mine, well, not @ the track, and i still use it.

I agree i dont race mine either just great protection

 

[Revhendo]

I've heard rumours that switching to synthetic oil in an old motor can lead to problems. (Leakage and low oil pressure). Anyone got a handle on this?
Oh, and Valvoline Racing for sure. Although, I tend to lean more towards the Fram HP filters.

 

[Cranky]

I quit using Fram a long time ago after cutting a few of them open and seeing how cheaply made they are but...I've never cut open the HP filter. There are many sites on the web about filter studies and this is just one of them. http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
Also, I like to use the largest filter that will fit on the car. The Fram unit would be the PH8A (what should be on yours) and you can cross reference that number for other brands. When I pick up a new filter like a Mobil 1 and it weighs twice as much or more as a Fram, it made me wonder so I cut them open...and yes, switching to synthetic can find leaks but that can happen in any engine. There are pros and cons to synthetics. One being expense but there's also a lot of info on the net about that too. It just boils down to how much research you want to do to find what's best that will suit your needs. Keep in mind that synthetics are still made from 'normal' base stocks but with a very different additives package....

 

[19roadrunner70]

i changed the oil on the car and it is running much better, however i have a concern with the oil pressure. it seems to be a little high is this normal in these older motors.

 

[Revhendo]

i changed the oil on the car and it is running much better, however i have a concern with the oil pressure. it seems to be a little high is this normal in these older motors.

Could be your old oil was just really old and thinning out. Or, you are using a thicker grade oil than what was in there previously.

 

[Revhendo]

I quit using Fram a long time ago after cutting a few of them open and seeing how cheaply made they are but...I've never cut open the HP filter. There are many sites on the web about filter studies and this is just one of them. http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
Also, I like to use the largest filter that will fit on the car. The Fram unit would be the PH8A (what should be on yours) and you can cross reference that number for other brands. When I pick up a new filter like a Mobil 1 and it weighs twice as much or more as a Fram, it made me wonder so I cut them open...and yes, switching to synthetic can find leaks but that can happen in any engine. There are pros and cons to synthetics. One being expense but there's also a lot of info on the net about that too. It just boils down to how much research you want to do to find what's best that will suit your needs. Keep in mind that synthetics are still made from 'normal' base stocks but with a very different additives package....

Thanks Cranky.
That's some good info. I've been using the Fram HP1 filter on all of my BBs since I was, well, younger. I've never had a failure with or due to the filter, so I'm guessing I'm gonna hang with them. Just sayin.
In most filter catalogs, there is a chart of filters by size and thread pitch. It's possible to get really big filters. I used to have a list of AC/Delco filters for the Chevy motors that I had done years ago by capacity. It was fun info but kinda useless if the filter hung down below the chassis. Still, a 2 1/2 quart oil filter.....

 

[MarPar]

I've heard rumours that switching to synthetic oil in an old motor can lead to problems. (Leakage and low oil pressure). Anyone got a handle on this?
Oh, and Valvoline Racing for sure. Although, I tend to lean more towards the Fram HP filters.

Rev: I heard that too. Valvoline has two dif. racing oils, on syn and one not. the one i use is the non-syn, just to be on the safe side. IIRC the Valvoline VV850 is the syn oil, and the VV851 is the non-syn.


Cranky: i use the k&n oil filter (it's got a nut on the front of it, that makes for a really easy extraction) and on my next oil change i'm guna crack that sucker open and see what it looks like...i didn't even think to compare the weights of the two dif. filters. next time im @ the parts store im going to check that out!! Thanks!!

70RR: Rev is absolutley right, the thicker the oil, the more pressure it needs to push it thru the system. with 20w50, mine runs at about 40-45 psi. seems kinda high, but if the pump is new(er) and the motor is still tight, it shouldn't be a problem. IMHO

 

[Dennis H]

10-40 AmsOil or Royal Purple. Napa/WIX 1515 Filter.
Green coolant. 180 Superstat.

Don't forget your AAA Card at Napa for a 10% Discount.

 

[clemul]

Hi, following this thread with interest. I have a 318 in a 67 belvedere. Should i run with the 20w50 non synthetic year round? Any one know which chain store or other suppler carries Valv. VV851 20/50 racing oil in the NJ area? Also, is reduced oil flow to bearings a concern with this heavier weight oil?Thanks..

 

[morbidgoat]

as for the concern with synthetics causing leaks, here is the scoop as i was explained, switching to a synthetic will not CAUSE a leak but it may help expose one that is already their. the reason for this is that your regular oil can build up a layer of sludge around a gasket that would leak if the sludge wasnt plugging it. now when you switch to the synthetic oil this will actually break down the sludge thats built up, which in turn will expose that leak hence the reason people assume that the synthetic caused the leak