Average 750 miles per year. What's the least expensive oil and filter to use for 1970 440?

[carguy300]

Well I didnt pay attention close enough, ive been using napa gold on all my cars, wasnt aware they werent made USA! I guess ill go with wix and watch where it is made from. I am a firm believer in changing oil every 6 months, once a year on the wifes Rumble bee. I usa Amsoil 10/30 full symthetic. I dont worry about the cost, but peace of mind.

 

[tbm3fan]

I have always used Motorcraft filters on all my cars ever since 1970. As for oil I have to break my cars down into two categories. Newest (4) get SuperTech oils from Walmart. Older (7) have been using Valvoline VR-1 10W-30. Mobil 1 Classic seems to be only in quarts for now. Given miles older cars get changed every 3-4 years. Newer cars get every 5000 miles. I pretty much don't care what they say about synthetic going 7,500-10,000 miles. The oil is cheap as are the filters. Had to clean off my valve cover and re-install on my 2004 Focus with 205,000 miles. Motorcraft and oil every 5K and like my Cougar's 302, only other engine under my total control, it looked great.

 

[Rustyrodknocker]

Less than two weeks ago I got 3 gallons of Rotella T4 and two wix 51515 for just under $60 delivered from Walmart. I was googling for deals and that's about half what Oreillys wanted, the filters were $6.00 and the oil math's out to $3.99 a quart. I did have to wait a couple days for the filters but oil was same day.

 

[Gerald Morris]

Well I didnt pay attention close enough, ive been using napa gold on all my cars, wasnt aware they werent made USA! I guess ill go with wix and watch where it is made from. I am a firm believer in changing oil every 6 months, once a year on the wifes Rumble bee. I usa Amsoil 10/30 full symthetic. I dont worry about the cost, but peace of mind.

Don't kick yourself much over the now Crapa Gold filters bro. This change for the worse occurred just in the past couple years. Despite Mann & Hummel 's internationalization, all the Wix products I've purchased have been Made in the USA. Some folks consider Amsoil to be THE BEST, so I wouldn't worry....

 

[Toolmanmike]

Except for may be Fram (never did like those) any filter is good or bad now days. Not long ago Wix was top of the line until they got a new owner and went offshore with some of their manufacturing. If some of them are still made here in the states, who's to say they are as good as they were a few years ago. Drop the oil, screw in a new filter and go on with the rest of your day. Hell, I only put 500 miles on each of my cars last year and didn't even change the oil.

 

[chilsam]

Rotella 15w40....WIX 51515 ....MOTORCRAFT FL-1A

 

[BigWally]

FYI, I have read that the Motorcraft filters are made by Puralator. I have had two Motorcraft filters fail on me recently on my 6.7 diesel and have switched to Donaldson. The Donaldson's are made of tin foil apparently so I will switch now to Baldwin. There's tons of conterfeit stuff out there now, especially Motorcraft, so good luck figuring it out.

 

[noah300g]

Since you only need to change oil infrequently, I'd go the other route and not go cheap, but rather the best you can get. I'd give the engine Valvoline VR-1 20w50 with the extra ZD DP whenever I changed it. I'm not sure what the best filter is anymore. I grew up using PH-8A Fram, but I think the Motorcraft Ford ones at Walmart are better now.

Hi. I bought an abused and forgotten about 300 Hurst and did a low budget "restoration". I thought engine would need a rebuild soon, so I usually bought whatever oil and filter was on sale..... but 20 yrs later its still going, starts great and runs pretty smooth. I put about 500-750 miles a year on it, so I change the oil every 2 yrs. Oil is always dark and smells like carbon, so rings are probably shot, (compression test wasn't the best). I don't notice it burning any oil, but a spark plug fouls out (bad valve) and needs cleaning about every 5yrs.

Anyhow, my question is:

I'm still too afraid to try sub $5 filters. If anyone used these, please advise any issues I could have and remember I change oil and filter every 1500 miles.

I noticed Wix 51068's are low cost at $8.75. Anyone use these?

Am I correct to think even the cheapest oil sold today (rated at GF5) is way more clean and refined then what was used in 1970? Or think any brand oil is good for 1500 miles? Only issue is these cheap new oil brands don't include amount of magnesium and other ingredients older engines might need....but my Hurst doesn't seems to mind...yet.

Sometimes I get lucky and find Synthetic Blend below $3 qt...but we all know "Blend" could be only 1% Synthetic.

Thanks.

View attachment 726828

Hi. I bought an abused and forgotten about 300 Hurst and did a low budget "restoration". I thought engine would need a rebuild soon, so I usually bought whatever oil and filter was on sale..... but 20 yrs later its still going, starts great and runs pretty smooth. I put about 500-750 miles a year on it, so I change the oil every 2 yrs. Oil is always dark and smells like carbon, so rings are probably shot, (compression test wasn't the best). I don't notice it burning any oil, but a spark plug fouls out (bad valve) and needs cleaning about every 5yrs.

Anyhow, my question is:

I'm still too afraid to try sub $5 filters. If anyone used these, please advise any issues I could have and remember I change oil and filter every 1500 miles.

I noticed Wix 51068's are low cost at $8.75. Anyone use these?

Am I correct to think even the cheapest oil sold today (rated at GF5) is way more clean and refined then what was used in 1970? Or think any brand oil is good for 1500 miles? Only issue is these cheap new oil brands don't include amount of magnesium and other ingredients older engines might need....but my Hurst doesn't seems to mind...yet.

Sometimes I get lucky and find Synthetic Blend below $3 qt...but we all know "Blend" could be only 1% Synthetic.

Thanks

 

[Don Ashby]

Hi. I bought an abused and forgotten about 300 Hurst and did a low budget "restoration". I thought engine would need a rebuild soon, so I usually bought whatever oil and filter was on sale..... but 20 yrs later its still going, starts great and runs pretty smooth. I put about 500-750 miles a year on it, so I change the oil every 2 yrs. Oil is always dark and smells like carbon, so rings are probably shot, (compression test wasn't the best). I don't notice it burning any oil, but a spark plug fouls out (bad valve) and needs cleaning about every 5yrs.

Anyhow, my question is:

I'm still too afraid to try sub $5 filters. If anyone used these, please advise any issues I could have and remember I change oil and filter every 1500 miles.

I noticed Wix 51068's are low cost at $8.75. Anyone use these?

Am I correct to think even the cheapest oil sold today (rated at GF5) is way more clean and refined then what was used in 1970? Or think any brand oil is good for 1500 miles? Only issue is these cheap new oil brands don't include amount of magnesium and other ingredients older engines might need....but my Hurst doesn't seems to mind...yet.

Sometimes I get lucky and find Synthetic Blend below $3 qt...but we all know "Blend" could be only 1% Synthetic.

Thanks.

View attachment 726828

I use the Wix oil filter and am quite happy with them, they're a good filter. However on the oils today, you're also likely to miss the zinc levels necessary with a flat tappet cam. Solution, just add a can of STP oil treatment. It restores the levels of zinc and other additives for these older motors. Then you are pretty much safe to use any regular good quality oil no matter the weight.

 

[Gerald Morris]

I use the Wix oil filter and am quite happy with them, they're a good filter. However on the oils today, you're also likely to miss the zinc levels necessary with a flat tappet cam. Solution, just add a can of STP oil treatment. It restores the levels of zinc and other additives for these older motors. Then you are pretty much safe to use any regular good quality oil no matter the weight.

STP doesn't tell folks how much ZDDP one gets with a can. There's some consensus that it isn't much. I recommend Lucas' break-in lube, just 2 fl oz, or maybe Eastwood's. One can always buy diesel engine oil also.

 

[cudamark]

How about show correct Mopar filters? Are they still available? Who makes them, and are they a decent filter? Does anyone make a decal to put over a Wix like they do with batteries?

 

[ynst]

I don't believe Shell Rotella uses zinc anymore. It went out the door when trucks got fitted with DEF systems.

I used Rotella years ago but quit when I read an update regarding the substantial lowering of the zinc content in their diesel oils.

With a flat tappet cam you'll need to, either, add ZDDP from an aftermarket source or switch to something like Valvoline VR-1 (which has the highest zinc content of any commercially available automotive lubricant) but DON'T use it in anything with a catalytic converter because the crankcase ventilation system will pump the fumes into your cylinders and, eventually, foul your converter.

 

[Sir Dodge alot]

Thought I should chime in as well, in the recent years I've been using Shell rotella T4 15W-40, it's got zinc in it, but not much, but better than the abysmal amount of zinc in Conventional oils.
Here's a third party oil analysis from petroleum institute of america, they do alot of oil analysis, and the Shell rotella T4 is one of them.

Shell Rotella T4 SAE 15W-40 Heavy Duty diesel Engine Oil:​

Shell Rotella T4 SAE 15W-40 Heavy Duty Engine Oil | The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

There is another oil that I have been considering to try out, but it's slightly more expensive, has ALOT more zinc and molybdenum in it.

Lucas Hot Rod & Classic SAE 10W-40 Motor Oil:​

Lucas Hot Rod & Classic SAE 10W-40 Motor Oil | The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

But sometimes a balance must be struck, if there is too much detergents and not enough zinc in the oil you may wipe a cam lobe, the other is oppositely true, too much zinc and not enough detergents will make the oil "caustic" and have detrimental effect also.

Lucas Oil analysis. \/

Shell rotella T4 oil analysis. \/

The screenshots were what I was more interested the most, you can see the whole breakdown of each oils in the links above.

Regarding the oil filter, I'm using the Mopar brand #M0-090

 

[69PHOENIX]

Hi Fellas
Just a Comment in Passing,
Quite Some Time Ago I Owned a Lovely Old 68 Valiant V.I.P.
Top of the Range 318 V8 Auto.
As a Means of Economy I Ran Fuel From the Independents.
It Had a Reconditioned Motor When I Purchased It, But Within a Couple of Months it Had Two Burnt Valves.
We Figured Out That the Cheap Fuel Caused the Problem.
I Am an Old Man Now & I Have Come to Understand Saving Pennies Now Can Often Cost Dollars in the Long Run
Now I Run the Best Fuel (Brand Wise) Not So Much Price Wise.
But I Will Not Skimp on Fuel, Oil, Brakes or Tyres
One Lot Saves You Money, The Other Lot Saves Your Life.
Kind Regards, Tony.M
P.S.
As a Pensioner in the Mystical Land of OZ I Get Free Registration
However Third Party Personal Ins & Third Party Property Ins Still Costs Me A$1,000

 

[300George]

Honestly, buy the best you can get! Small price to pay for peace of mind!

 

[BrooklynBeer]

Geeze if your doing only one every 2 years what does it matter if it cost 100 each time ? Toss .50 cents a day in a jar

 

[CBODY67]

Here's one thought . . . IF you are only driving that few miles/year, you are doing more harm to the motor than if it sat idle, not driven. Why? Combustion by-products that get past the piston rings and into the crankcase. Plus condensates in the crankcase from hot cycles which are not long enough to cook them out of the oil. Think "acids". Motor oil additives can counter-act them to a certain degree, BUT it is that critical "cook out" time that is important.

Many people perceive that if the coolant temperature is at or above about 180*F, that the engine is fully warmed-up and all is well. That's the way we have been conditioned over the years. In reality, the engine is not FULLY warmed-up until the engine oil temperature is at or above the thermostat opening temperature. Which gets back to the "Severe Use" oil change interval recommendations in the vehicle owner's manual. That "10 mile trip" situation in particular. With the 1984 Corvettes, we also got an oil temp readout on the digital instrument cluster display. It might have been toggled with the oil pressure display, but it was there. I drove several of those cars back then and it took right at 10 miles of highway driving to get the engine oil temperature to 180*F or above. Keeping the oil hot is what cooks-out the moisture. Which also reduces the possibility of sludge formation in the crankcase. Also keeping the formation of any harmful "things" in the crankcase to a minimum. To a level the oil's additive package can keep things under control. When the additive package is depleted, then the oil needs to be changed. Which is why many high-mileage-accumulation fleet managers look to oil analysis to determine with the oil's "Total Base Number" (TBN) approaches a level of "2", the acid-controlling additives are nearly used up and an oil change is scheduled. In some diesel engines, this can happen at up to 25K miles. Of course, the more times the engine is shutdown and cools, the sooner the oil needs to be changed, especially in cooler and cold climates.

SO . . . drive that car more and it will last longer and everybody has more FUN! Quality motor oil of your choice with an oil filter of OEM-spec, too.

CBODY67

 

[300George]

Use the best oil available. Unless you are doing regular oil analysis testing, all this is totally subjective. Not based on actual data. Heck, go to a mopar dealer and buy an "090" oil filter. It meets the minimum (cheapest) spec at the time of manufacture like pretty much any auto part. Cost v price are totally not related.
.