Oil For 1969 350

[T69SS]

I just picked up my 1969 Camaro with a modified 350 in it ( badged as 350). I have some mechanical experience with cars, but not so much classics. The question i have is what oil should i be running in this car? From what i can see it has an Edelbrock air cleaner, edelbrock carb, edelbrock intake manifold, full exhaust, and what sounds like a mild cam. I want to due an oil change before i do too much driving and want to be running the right stuff. Also, does anyone recommend a particular ZDDP additive? A particular oil weight/viscosity for the modifications? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

PS- If anyone knows of a tag/badge on the block that will identify the engine as an actual 350 would be a great help as i am not positive it is a 350, and i will try and get some pictures up within the next week of my car!

Sorry for all the questions lol. I just want to learn as much as i can so i do this right!

[Oregonjam]

I use Redline Engine Break-in additive to supply the ZZDP to current oils. It is also the least expensive of the ones I have seen because one bottle is enough for two oil changes for a small block and runs about $12 a bottle. Summit Carries it. I also use Rotella 10W-30 as a base oil. My recommendation is based on reviews on websites that test oils. This oil was recommended for flat tappet engines and had a lot of positive feedback. I recommend you use the additive all the time and not just during break-ins.

[JohnZ]

Rotella (and any other diesel oil showing CI-4 or CJ-4 as the first-listed API service category in the API "bullet" on the back of the container, regardless of brand name) contains 1100-1200ppm of phosphorus/ZDDP, which is more than adequate to protect any OEM factory valvetrain without any additives. Aftermarket cams with more radical lobe profiles and Gonzo valve springs are a different animal entirely.

[T69SS]

Thanks for the help guys. I think i will definately do a little testing and start out with the Rotella. The cam is pretty mild so im thinking a 10w-30/40 with an additive will suffice. I really appreciate the help!

[ggtsvnv]

PS- If anyone knows of a tag/badge on the block that will identify the engine as an actual 350 would be a great help as i am not positive it is a 350, and i will try and get some pictures up within the next week of my car!

 On the front of the block on the passanger side beneith the head will be a pad that sticks out from the block it should be stamped with some letters and numbers, those letters and numbers will tell what the engine was orgionally, the other thing to look for is the casting number on the block which is located on the drivers side of the block by where the top of the bell housing bolts up.  The problem is if it has been rebuilt the letters and numbers on the pad might not be there because when a block is decked it will remove them most of the time. The problem with the casting number is that casting numbers were used sometimes with several different cubic inch displacements. Then if the engine has been rebuilt you still really won't know unless you find a way to measure the bore on the block or the stroke of the crank becasue either could have been changed and that will change the CID of the engine. Hope this helps even though it is not a deffient answer.

[T69SS]

Thanks for the help. Ill try and take a look at it. I do think the engine has been rebuilt, but ill try and find out what i can

[mrruffhouser]

Shell's Rotella T CJ-4 in 15W-40 has the zinc and phosphorous required for your engine.  It is the easest to find and not to pricey.  I use Brad Penn 20W-50 which costs more and you need to find a dealer.  Amsoil AMO 10W-30 for cold weather is excellent. Castrol Syntec 20W-50, Joe Gibbs Hot Rod Oil 15W-50, Mobil ! 15W-50, Valvoline VR1 20W-50, Valvoline Roush Racing 20W-50, and Valvoline Racing Synthetic 20-50 are all excellent.
STAY AWAY FROM STARBURST logo'd oil.  It doesn't contain the zinc and phosporous your engine requires.
Good Luck

[T69SS]

^ Thanks for the input. Right now she has Castrol 10W - 40 in her with Red Line Additive for the zinc and phosphorous. Runs good, but i think when the weather breaks im gonna try  the Shell Rotella

[olympic69]

The above post sums it up very well- the only other thing I can think of would be to look at the back of the crankshaft- they have kinda weird shapes, each one is unique to the stroke. Might be hard to see depending on the transmission/ flywheel/ flexplate and duct cover.

Thanks for the help. Ill try and take a look at it. I do think the engine has been rebuilt, but ill try and find out what i can

[z/27 camaro]

the info i have is not all mineral oils and synthetics are created equal any more as far as ZZDP is concerned and you should be careful. i was using Castrol syntec but found it has LOW amounts of ZZDP.
i have found that Royal Purple synthetics and mineral oils have kept there ZZDP levels. here is a copy of an e mail that royal purple sent me after i asked for more info.
the problem with Rotella is its a deisel motor oil and it isnt really formulated for gas engines.
heres the e mail info.......

Oils that you should stay away from for a flat tappet cam engine would be multiweight SAE 20’s (0W20, 5W20) or multiweight SAE 30’s (0W30, 5W30, or 10W30) that claim to meet the API SM Service Classification.  These grades with an API SM license are restricted to 800 ppm of ZDDP – which is a drop of over 25% from the API SL levels.
This is true for any conventional oils and synthetics.
But – they is nothing wrong with these oils – it’s a miss application to use these oils in your 69 small block – no different than trying to use a metric lug nut – nothing wrong with it – just not appropriate for the application.

Stay with an API SL rated oil in these lighter grades if that is what you want to run such as the RP 5W20, RP 5W30 or RP 10W30 which have 1100 ppm of ZDDP – or use a diesel rated oil of CI-4 or CI-4+ such as the RP 10W40 or RP 15W40 oil to get 1300 ppm of ZDDP.
We also offer a racing / street version called XPR – available in a 5W20, 5W30, 10W40 or 20W50 all of which have 2000 ppm of ZDDP.
RP has not reduced any levels of antiwear and we’ve got you covered – whether in our SAE street oils or the ultimate the RP XPR Series.
In addition to the stout robust antiwear additives all RP fully formulated motor oils also contain our advanced proprietary additive technology called Synerlec – which gives our products literally 4 times the metal to metal oil film strength of other oils.

I do not recommend using the RP Break-In oil as a concentrate / additive.  It is a 10W30 mineral oil.
It is not a boosted concentration – it’s actually two steps backwards from our standard product – not where you think you want to go.
The RP Break-in oil is not a synthetic base stock – as many end-users and engine builders believe that an engine cannot be broken in on a synthetic oil – we took that out.  Since piston ring seating is desired during the initial break-in of an engine – we also took out the Synerlec additive technology – to allow the rings to scuff and seat.
Using our street oil will give you 4 times better metal to metal than any synthetic 5W50 I know of on the market – of which there are not very many anymore – M! makes a 15W50 – who’s 5W50 are you using and why do you feel that you need such a heavy oil for a small block engine?  Do you have large main bearing clearances in a rebuild?

For a stock 302 / 350 – the RP XPR 5W30 or RP XPR 10W40 would be the trick oil to use.
In the SAE oils, the RP 10W40 or RP 15W40.
If you got a big block with larger main bearing clearances – (>0.003), stay with the multiweight 40 in either the RP XPR 10W40 or the RP 10W40 or RP 15W40

hope this helps.....

[click]

Amsoil publishes their additive levels with more than enough levels of ZZDP for virtually any engine configuration.

 http://www.carsbyjim.com/storage/MiscStuff/AmsoilZincLevels.pdf

[T69SS]

Heard through the grapevine Valvoline VR1 is some pretty good stuff When it comes to ZDDP levels...

[click]

It would be nice if all the oil makers would publish their ZDDP content, so as to eliminate all guessing or 'I heard' or 'it used to be'.  Oils are constantly changing with requirements from auto makers and Gov.