Differet oil if cooler mounted??

[Alfonso]

Since I live in the north of Spain with temps ranging between 68-90 degrees, it's true that oil could not reach service temp? Engine is a Ford Racing 302-345 bhp. I'm really tied up with oil choice:

a/ I dont know which oil is into factory 302 and if I must to use the same or is only for first mileage

b/ Sinthetic or mineral oil?

c/ Lighter oil (if oil cooler mounted) for allow to reach service temp?

d/ Since nowadays oil's degradation is very low (my BMW recomends substitution every 18750 miles) dou you think is necessary to replace it every 3K miles in daily use?

Thanks

Alfonso

[Clois Harlan]

Alfonso,

I broke my orig Cobra which had a 302 in with 30 wt Valvoline for the first 300 miles. I then switched to Vavloline 20w-50 and never had a minutes trouble with engine oiling. Many friends around here are happy using Castroil 10W-40 in their engines.

Good luck with your choice.

Clois

[Alfonso]

Thanks Clois..... do you use to pumpe oil or empty it from the bottom?

[Lizard_King]

Do not use Sinthetic, it causes oil leaks, it is so thin the perssure forces it through the gaskets..... You should be using 20/50 until the outside temp drops to 65ish, then if it get colder than 65 switch to 10/40......

[madmaxx]

use 10W30 period, non sythetic for the first 5K miles. 10W40 should be discontinued. In a nutshell in order to get a multi-visosity oil, fillers must be added to the base stock, the greater the range the more fillers, fillers do not lubricate but take up space, so a 10W40 has less "oil" than 10W30 because of the additional fillers. 20W50 is way to heavy. Straigt 30 weight is to heavy, like i said 10w30 do not make a career out of it.

[jeffko]

I have quizzed several oil "experts" and the consensus was this. 30 weight standard oil for a 500 mile break-in. Replace break-in oil but leave filter. Strain break-in oil looking for metal fragments. Small amounts of fine powder type metal are no concern and actually expected. Check your magnetic drain plug if you have one. After 3500 total miles it's time to decide on synthetic or mineral. If you want to use synthetic, Mobil One 10-30 is what was recommended to me several times. Valvoline 10-30 was the favorite mineral. Most all agreed that synthetic is superior to mineral for one main reason. The oiling is immediate down to way below any temps driven in a cobra. Mineral oil needs at least 120 degrees to begin oiling at the top performance of the synthetic. NEVER hard accelerate any engine until operating temps are reached.

Oil coolers look great, but are not usually needed. Hot oil is essential to good lubrication. If you install a cooler you must use a thermostat. No different oil viscosity is required when using a cooler. If your oil temp is more than 20 degrees greater than your water temp there is likely a problem and a cooler may be the resolution.

[Alfonso]

Thanks Jeffko, your post is definitive, it's a good resume in the line of many I have read before....Wich code of Valvoline oil are you talking about? I dont know if my BD have any kind of magnetic drain...I think that is not installed...Could you inform me about magetic drains manufactures and installation?

Thanks a lot

Alfonso

[jeffko]

Standard Valvoline 10-30 in the white bottle. I have a Canton pan that has a magnetic drain plug standard. If your pan does not come with one you can get one here. Be sure to confirm sizes.

http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/...acc.html#plugs