Re: Choice of oil

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2014/3/16 19:20:51

My sons have used both Rotella and Delo for years in their Caterpillar heavy equipment, so it was a familiar sight for us. But I was surprised when both BMW and Corvette forums started recommending it for use in older cars, mainly because of the zinc content. Prior to that, we used "dino-based "instead of synthetic, simply because of the economics of changing it every year, usually with less than a thousand mile (or less) interval. So far with the Packard V-8 no complaints, and it's the same diet that the previous owner used for the past ten before I bought it. He's owned a half-dozen Packard V-8s over almost fifty years, but he's also a paid diesel mechanic. The previous comments by more knowledgeable Packard owners probably says what needs to be said about zinc content in motor oil. Unless you're hot rodding (and Ultramatic will solve that problem quickly), these are generally low-stressed engines that would do just as well on any brand of SAE rated oil. I sleep well just knowing that it's relatively clean and properly filtered and routinely changed.

But, since my car is "low-stressed" all of the time, how many are still using Regular gasoline (87 octane) in them? I would have imagined that an expensive car like the senior Packards mostly heard their owners say "Fill her up with Ethyl" until they eventually became cheap used cars. So far, I cannot tell the difference between any grade of quality gasoline. Not a ping or a pop. Warm weather may make me change my mind, should warm weather ever appear.