oil

On my 50 Hudson what should the weight be? I think it is non deg, and on my oil filter, what is the number?  I have not changed the oil and filter, because I had just got the car.

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    6 or 8 cylinder?

  • 6 cylinder
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Any modern multigrade will do the job.  Depending  on milage and condition of engine whether you use a 10-40 or 20-50.  And be prepared for a hundred different opinions.  
  • what about 10w-30w dodgetruck
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    edited October 2021
    I’ve been using Rotela 15w40 Diesel oil, it has a higher zddp & is inexpensive too.  With no oil filter I change it at 500 to 750 miles on my 308 engine. 
  • Val
    Val Member
    As Geoff said be prepared for 100 different opinions, so here's mine, I also use Shell Rotela 15W40   
  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    500-750 mile oil changes? Is that all you drive seasonally? If that is your normal interval during a driving season, that really seems to be pretty short oil life. What does the manual suggest?

    Higher ZDDP is not a factor for our normally tuned engines. The spring pressures these engines run any multiviscosity modern oil has enough anti wear additives (including ZDDP)  to lubricate these engines. When these engines were designed ZDDP wasn’t even invented. 

    Regards, Tom
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    IMHO the only Hudson engines that need zinc are 1934 -47 6's and '34-52 8's, as these have solid lifters that do not turn, and there is a direct wiping action on the cams and lifters. I have seen horrendous wear on both lifters and cams.    Previous models had roller lifters, hence no friction between cam and lifter.   Step-down and Jet motors have revolving lifters, hence a  frictionless action between cam and  lifter.  
  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    Geoff, considering the relatively recent reduction in the ZDDP levels in oil, and the limited driving these cars now experience (yours is a happy exception) how did you determine all the wear you are seeing happened after the oil formulation was slightly changed?

    regards, Tom
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    The wear took place because of the inferior oils used.  I'm talking about high mileage engines that had obviously not been subject to regular oil changes, and the cams and lifters  were totally stuffed.   If Zinc additives had been  available back then I'm sure the  situation would have been better.   Here in N.Z.  cars of the '30's and '40's were still being used well past their  use-by date, right up until the 70's.   It wasn't until  around 1960 that  multi-grade oils were available, and the old 30 or 40 weight oil did not  cut the mustard with Hudson cams.   The last thing a vintage engine needs is vintage oil.  
  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    Well said.
    regards, Tom