Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I need to change the engine oil on my newly acquired 1948 Super Eight. I've searched the forums, and can't find anything regarding modern oils in a classic auto. I would guess that I should go with a 30W Non-detergent, as my 327 has no oil filter.

I have downloaded all of the service manuals, and they are very informative, but only mention lubrication products available at that time. It would also be helpful if someone would post a list of lubricants cross referencing the old ones with modern products.
Thanks!

Being in South Florida, you could certainly use a non-detergent SAE30, but even an SAE40 might be better, given your temperatures there. But why not take advantage of improved modern oils and go with a detergent type? SAE10-40 or better yet SAE15-40 light diesel oil like Mobil Delvac or Shell Rotella T - lots of us use that and I think if you search further you'll find motor oils a commonly discussed topic here, though not recently. I think the 15W-40 would be a particularly good choice for a hot climate. Try a search on Rotella. Or perhaps someone will give you some links to prior discussions on this topic.

But whatever choice you make, I'd strongly recommend you drop the oil pan and clean it and the oil pump intake screen first.

Perhaps this will help you with some of your other questions.

packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=15

Thanks for the timely response and input!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from my understanding, a non-filter equipped auto requires a ND oil so as to not suspend particulate. And the owner's manual that I have downloaded specifies a 20-W in climates above 32?. Seeing that this car has only 30,000 original miles, (from the report of the grandson of the owner "He never drove it!" and the odometer), do you think that removing the pan is necessary? And if so, do I need an oil pan gasket?

Actually, I wouldn't mind pulling the pan as long as I don't have to spring for some hard to obtain gasket. I'm sure it would be good insurance.

J

Dear Joey:

When your car was built the only oils offered were SAE motor oils. Later, three grades ML, MM, and MS (light duty, moderate, and Heavy duty) were introduced with MS being a detergent oil. MM and MS were authorized for Packard. The multi-grade detergent system followed in the mid-1950's.

If you use a non-detergent motor oil then Valvoline 30w (NAPA Part# VV265) or Kendall 30w are both very good oils. The recommended 20w is not readily available.

If you want to use a detergent oil but don't know what is in the car the the oil pan should be removed, cleaned, and heavy sludges removed from inside the motor prior to using detergent oil. 10w-30 most closely follows what Packard recommended. Heavier oils were recommended to reduce oil burning.

You can also remove the oil fill tube and shine a light into the motor. If has substanital sludges then it probably is not using detergent oil.

Another word of caution - switching to detergent may result in a rear main oil seal leak.

There is a lot of talk about ZDDP and such being absent from the current multi grade oils. You can buy this stuff directly from well known Packard suppliers or you can use a quart of Rislone. Exxon-Mobil guarantees their products are suitable for older motors, but Packard specifically advised against Zinc-Phophorous for the senior motors (especially the V-12) because they were in love with bronze bearings. Your car, however, is more modern and doesn't have a lot of bronze in it.

Hope this helps,

If you're going to use your car as a collector car and drive perhaps 1000 miles per year or less, just change the oil at that interval or annually in any case. The filter isn't all that effective anyway and not essential, especially if you have mechanical valve lifters.

And as far as the oil pan gasket set goes, commonly available.

Going in the direction of ND to detergent requires a sludge removal process, as I understand from your post. What if detergent was introduced at some point in the modern era (the owner may have topped it off), would it require cleaning the pan before changing the oil if I'm going to use a ND? I'm guessing not.

Thanks!

J

Thanks, I'll check on the availability of an oil pan gasket. NAPA probably has one!

I don't believe you'll have any luck at NAPA for an oil pan gasket set. But Kanter, Egge or Max Merritt will all have it, among others.

If memory serves, that gasket is now available as a one-piece gasket - much easier to install. Now if memory would only tell me where I saw that?
The suggestion to drop the pan and clean the pan AND oil pump screen is excellent advice from folks who have done all this before.

Good advice from all. Thanks! I saw the three piece ones from Merritt, and I was only joking about NAPA. But they do have some Packard parts there if you know a guy that's been there long enough and knows where the old parts books are!