Re: what oil should I use in my 53 Clipper?

Posted by Joe D'Agostino On 2017/5/6 17:28:08

I believe you need to use oil with ZDDP in it (Zinc). From what I have been reading, the zinc helps the oil stay on the metal and bearings during the time when the car is not in use. So that when you start the engine after a prolonged period, the oil is still in place on critical components and there is less chance of engine wear. In the day, ZDDP was in most oils but was eliminated in most modern oils due to its damage to catalytic convertors. Since you don't have a catalytic convertor, I believe you are better off with zinc in the oil rather than not.
Most oils for diesel applications have zinc in them. A lot of enthusiasts use Rotella T4 which is a multi-weight and has the zinc in it. I have spoken to Technical support at Shell and Castrol and they both recommend multi-weight oil with ZDDP for older cars