I'm about to change oil and was going to use Castro 10w-30 fully synthetic oil with Lucas oil stabilizer in my 57 chevy 235. The engine has about 3K mile since a complete rebuild. I drive this truck about every other weekend. Will this oil choice be OK with that engine?

Hi KenB . . .

I think that castrol makes good products - and not to bash - but I don't think I like the marketing. Castrol Syntec isn't what a chemist would call 'fully sythetic' oil: Motor Oil Viscosity in Layman's terms

As I understand it Syntec is a Group III petroleum based oil with sulfur and other impurities refined out. It still has viscosity additives in it - which means it remains effective until the additives wear out. I wish they would just market it as what it is. Highly refined longer lasting oil that as result costs a bit more:
Old forum discussion on Group III oil.

Frankly, I think it is hard to go wrong with modern oils in classic cars because we don't really push the enveloper in these 'leisure' driven cars. Most hobby cars get more frequent oil changes then daily drivers - and go way less miles. Begging the question why invest in long life oil?

As for multi-grades - if one is not cold weather starting then the second number is all that matters.

I run Traveller's straight 20 in my 216 all season. And store it for the winter with cheapest 10W-30 I can buy (for cold start ups through the winter) - as I usually run it up to operating temperature every two weeks. With salt on the roads during Ohio winters there are no short spins.

regards,
stock49

Thanks Stock49,
I do live in Texas/Houston so the cold weather is an issue. Just want to protect the cam and solid lifters from excessive wear so I'd like to make sure I put in good oil.

So no Lucas Oil Stabilized should be added?

I have never used Lucas oil stabilizer. If you are worried about cam/lifter break in then zinc is what to look for. Any additive containing ZDDP.

I haven't read an explanation of what an oil stabilizer does, and I'm wary of the term itself and any product making such a claim. Stabilize means "prevent from changing or moving", but what would the oil change to, and why?
Remember that for cold weather, if you don't need to use the car - don't, unless you can put some load into it. "Letting it warm up completely", even for an hour, leaves the oil at 100° or less, and doesn't boil out any water vapor or chemical combustion residue. Oil temperature follows horsepower, not water temperature.

Group III 'severely hydroprocessed' oils have characteristics much more similar to fully synthesized synthetics than standard Group I mineral oils. Group III and Group III Plus base stock oils also must naturally (before additives) have high viscosity indexes. I'm not sure the term "Synthetic" fully applies. In industry they are called hydrocracked or Group III oil and are respected for their additional performance. Note that Group II oil are also hydrocracked.



http://www.zddplus.com/TechBrief10%20-%20Oil%20Base%20Stocks.pdf
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/533/base-oil-trends

Bob the Oil Guy has a article on his website which discusses the Lucas product... I'm loathe to call it an oil stabilizer as the discussion shows that at higher temperatures and velocities, the product entrains so much air that it turns into a semi-solid and sticks to non-moving parts, effectively keeping the oil away from the moving parts.

Hi DougE . . .

I like Bob the oil guy's experimental science approach:
What About Additives?

stock49

I have a buddy who's a very experienced mechanic. has owned his own shop for many years. works on race cars, exotic sports cars, street rods, daily drivers & everything in between. he's done drag racing, dirt cars, motorcycles & gocarts.he was telling me about this s10 shop truck he's got with a gazillion miles on it that was still running strong & for some reason it had always had 20w50 castrol run in it. know what he said the best kind of oil was?..................clean oil.

robert

Some truth in that.
Fresh cheap 10W30 every 500 miles is better than almost anything left in for 5,000.

Agreed. And we're talking about a 235 here to boot. They'll run a 100K with lapping compound and gasoline in the crankcase.