Spring is here and time to do the regular maintenance before starting up the engines. Every year I get a different story on the type of oil I should be using on the old stock 68 hemi. I have even heard that some guys are putting diesel oil into their big blocks. Some say to add a ZDDP additive along with the oil the normally use and others say to try to use ZDDP in it. What oil is everyone using? Maybe we can come to a consensus and help each javascript:void(0)other out. Any help would be appreciated.

Ah! Another which oil to use question! I use Brad Penn 10w30 Plenty of zinc/phophates.

you'll get many opinions! Brad Penn 20w50 for me!

Lots of ways to skin a cat... I believe regular oil + ZDPP is good, Brad Penn and some of the racing oils are good, Mobile 1 20W50 is good.

My choice is diesel engine oil + STP which is good also. Also readily available and cost effective. 7000 miles on moderatly fairly aggressive flat tappet and no issues.

What's best? I don't know...

You're not going to go wrong with the Brad Penn stuff.It has the correct amount of zinc for your engine.
You're also not going to go wrong with the Valvoline VR-1 racing oil either(which is far cheaper)
I use the Valvoline on my 383 'cuz it's cheaper,but would you really wanna "cheap-out" on a HEMI ?

Castrol GTX 20w-50 or Rotella Shell 15W-40, either and a bottle of Comp Cams 152 break-in lube.

I just changed my oil, used valvoline VR1 20w-50 with a bottle of Redline Engine Breakin lube.

From Redlines Web Page
"Bottle (16oz) contains:
33.8 grams total ZDDP (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate)
17,000 ppm, 7.8 grams Phosphorus (P)
20,500 ppm, 9.4 grams Zinc (Zn)
16.6 grams Sulphur (S)"

Increases of antiwear per quart by using one bottle (16oz.): Oil capacity:
Phosphorus Zinc
15 quarts 610 ppm 736 ppm
12 quarts 763 ppm 920 ppm
10 quarts 915 ppm 1104 ppm
8 quarts 1145 ppm 1380 ppm
7 quarts 1307 ppm 1577 ppm
6 quarts 1525 ppm 1840 ppm
5 quarts 1830 ppm 2208 ppm
4 quarts 2288 ppm 2760 ppm
1 quart 9160 ppm 11040 ppm

Half Bottle (8oz.) When Treating:
12 quarts 382 ppm 460 ppm
10 quarts 458 ppm 552 ppm
8 quarts 572 ppm 690 ppm
6 quarts 763 ppm 920 ppm
5 quarts 915 ppm 1104 ppm
4 quarts 1145 ppm 1380 ppm

I’d just find a good oil you’re comfortable with using and already has the proper blend of ZDDP or other anti-wear additives. Some already mentioned some good ones here.

Buying a properly blended and balanced finished product is different than dumping various aftermarket oil additives in to your crankcase. It’s a balancing act and you could be doing more harm than good by blending your own. Why do it with so many good options out there?

I don't know why anyone would want to play chemist with additives when there are correctly formulated oils available off the shelf.

I used Z-Alt for the first time in my cars last year. I was pretty impressed. Both cars ran well, sounded good, oil held up well.

I am always cynical about product claims, but the oil did seem to make the engines a little quieter, which is what they claim.

I use the oil that my neighbor drains out out of his diesel RV....

I use Crisco oil off the shelf at the supermarket.

Honestly, I've often wondered if it would work...

I use Redline's 10w30. One of the highest rated synthetics on the market formulated with the proper levels of zddp for our cars. The trouble with adding zddp to your own oil is you don't know if it will counter act with some of the existing detergents formulated in.

vr1 10w30 in the charger,much cheaper than the "joe gibbs" oil at the store...9.99-12.99 qt vs 4.00 qt! and others here have found vr1 cheaper at autozone,ect than the $4 i paid.. ..after i did a search on mopars... ..DUH!

brad penn in all my engines!

a friend bought a pallet and paid less than 4 bucks a qt. (that was last summer)

i thought the vr1 10 30 was SM rated.

Quote:

---

vr1 10w30 in the charger,much cheaper than the "joe gibbs" oil at the store...9.99-12.99 qt vs 4.00 qt! and others here have found vr1 cheaper at autozone,ect than the $4 i paid.. ..after i did a search on mopars... ..DUH!

---

15W40 Diesel oil (aka heavy duty oil) and a bottle of STP. Works for me.

Rotella 15/40 with STP also.