Oil Again! Oh No!

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby So Cal Mark » Fri May 12, 2017 1:10 am

Well it seems there is a new classification for diesel oil that took effect in Dec 2016. ZDDP ( the zinc we know and love for camshaft lubrication) has been drastically reduced. I've been trying to get specs from Shell on how this has affected Rotella T but haven't had much luck so far. Rotella T does have the new classification so it looks like it's time to find another oil to use in the TC engine. Most of the smaller boutique oil companies offer a hot rod oil for vintage cars, but the price is about double what the Rotella was selling for. For instance, Driven offers their HR oil for engines with flat tappet cams, but it sells for about $9.50 per quart
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

AriK
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 1148
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:58 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider
Location: Montreal Canada

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby AriK » Fri May 12, 2017 6:49 am

So does that classification make it a CK-4?

User avatar
kilrwail
Posts: 1099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:49 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
Location: Perth, Ontario

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby kilrwail » Fri May 12, 2017 7:05 am

Brad Penn is a little over $8 per litre (Canadian). It's used by all of us air-cooled Porsche guys, as well as lots of vintage North American cars. Another feature, besides the high zinc and phosphorus levels, is that it's green - so a leak is easy to identify. I've been using it in my Spider for years with no issues.
_____________________________________________________________
Peter Brownhill

1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider - original owner
1977 Porsche 911S - track car
2022 Ram 4 x 4 - hauler
PCA National Instructor and Motorsport Safety Foundation Level 2 Instructor

User avatar
RRoller123
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby RRoller123 » Fri May 12, 2017 7:32 am

I may stock up on a few gallons of Rotella, while we can, since I drive so few miles that it ends up being one oil change a year. Could stock quite a few years at reasonable cost that way. It won't go bad in the sealed container, stored indoors.

Or maybe just go to Mobil1 or another "standard" oil plus one of the many zinc additives that the various auto parts stores (and Mark here on the forum) offer.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby klweimer » Fri May 12, 2017 7:41 am

You can get VR1 Valvolene on Amazon Prime for $35/6 quarts.

User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby So Cal Mark » Fri May 12, 2017 9:56 am

Rotella T now has CK-4 classification and Shell is not offering much information as to the additive levels. Valvoline racing oil does seem like a decent alternative that has a competitive price. Most oil companies don't recommend racing oil for street cars though. Racing oil is designed to be changed frequently so it has a different anti-corrosion additive package than oil for street cars
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

User avatar
RRoller123
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby RRoller123 » Fri May 12, 2017 10:04 am

I assume that it would have to be marked CK-4 on the container? So there should be plenty of existing stock still on the shelves, given how few diesels there are out there. How long ago did this change occur, do you know?
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle

VAspider
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:14 pm
Your car is a: 1969 Spider 1970 Spider 2012 Abarth

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby VAspider » Fri May 12, 2017 10:52 am

Frank
69 Spider
70 Spider
12 Abarth

TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby TX82FIAT » Fri May 12, 2017 2:32 pm

May be less expensive to buy a 20W50 off the shelf at Walmart like Castrol GTX and add the zinc as some folks have suggested. The really good stuff can be expensive. Motul can cost twice as much!
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban

baltobernie
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 3466
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:00 pm
Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby baltobernie » Fri May 12, 2017 9:25 pm

TX82FIAT wrote:May be less expensive to buy a 20W50 off the shelf at Walmart like Castrol GTX and add the zinc as some folks have suggested.
Aftermarket additives "subtract" from the other properties refiners blend into their oils. For every ounce of additive, you're subtracting an ounce of lubrication/detergent/corrosion protection due to volume loss. If you're changing oil once or twice a year, $9/quart for 4½ quarts per change is the least-expensive maintenance item most of us regularly undertake. Compare this to the 6-7-8 quarts of full synthetic in our daily drivers :idea:

I'm using the Hemmings blend at $54/six-pack, delivered to my door.

User avatar
kilrwail
Posts: 1099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:49 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
Location: Perth, Ontario

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby kilrwail » Fri May 12, 2017 9:51 pm

All cheap options compared to 11 litres/quarts in an oil-cooled/air-cooled 911!
_____________________________________________________________
Peter Brownhill

1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider - original owner
1977 Porsche 911S - track car
2022 Ram 4 x 4 - hauler
PCA National Instructor and Motorsport Safety Foundation Level 2 Instructor

User avatar
So Cal Mark
Posts: 13839
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:45 pm
Your car is a: Fiat
Location: upland, ca.

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby So Cal Mark » Mon May 15, 2017 11:07 pm

I was able to buy cases of Rotella today that are still rated CJ-4 rather than the new CK-4 reduced zinc oil.
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

User avatar
RRoller123
Patron 2020
Patron 2020
Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Oil Again! Oh No!

Postby RRoller123 » Tue May 16, 2017 6:02 am

Same here, WalMart has it, bought a few gallons.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle


Return to “General Maintenance”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 47 guests