do old cars need oil additive

Noticed newer, today's, oils appear to lack additives older oils had. Got a friend who just inherited a 1968 Ford pickup. Does he need to use 'additives' when he changes oil and filter? What product(s) should he add? Thx, s

Reply to
sdlomi2
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it shouldn't need any additive. The number of miles between oil and filter changes was less on the older vehicles. I am not sure what the recommended number of miles is, but I would change the oil and filter after about 2,000 miles on a 1968.

Reply to
boxing

One of the latest changes to motor oil has been the lowering of the amount of Zinc and Manganese to increase the life of catalytic converters. These additives were used for "anti-scuff". New cars have roller cams so the additives don't matter but their is some debate on the effect this will have on the older ones.

One of my cars clubs recommended using Shell Rotella diesel oil in the old girls and that is what I have been doing with mine for the last couple of years. The Rotella still has the old levels of these additives in it. I think a few companys are also offering a pour in product to replace them.

Google for "old car rotella oil" and you will find more opinions than you could possibly need.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

Zinc and Phosphorus (ZDDP) ZDDP isn't an essential additive, it was used as a cheap way to make the cheapest base stocks perform adequately.

Better to choose an oil that carries A3/B3 or A3/B4 european approval.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

A lot of folks don't agree. CompCams recommends the Rotella for the break in oil specifically because of the lowered level of these additives. In truth with the little bit I drive the old cars it isn't likely to make a difference in my lifetime but I'll stick with the Rotella or find something to replace it.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

Because it's easier for them to say 'use this' than it is to educate their customers on oil specifications.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

My personal philosophy at the moment is still NO additives, but I do use diesel engine oil (Shell Rotella-T Synthetic, but Mobil Delvac, Chevron Delo 400, and others should be just fine too) in my older engines with sliding-tappet cams.

There is now some evidence that even the new low zinc oils are better at protecting cams than we old car owners originally thought. A couple of flat-tappet engines are still in the API test suite for passenger car engine oils, but they are relatively low cam-to-tappet pressure low-performance engines. I'm still a little concerned about muscle cars with beefier valve springs and higher lift cams. I wouldn't worry at all about really low-compression pre-60s engines with soft valve springs, like flathead engines. In the first place, the oils they got when new didn't have the fancy high-pressure additives like 60s engines needed, and in the second place they don't have high cam pressures.

Reply to
Steve

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