The K&N oil filters are junk. Use a Motorcraft FL1A. As for oil...I run Mobil 1 in just about everything. Buy the 5 quart jug at Wally World plus an extra quart. You aren't running anything hard enough where the more exotic oils will make any difference. I was the shop manager for an IMSA team back in the 90's and we ran Mobil 1 in the turbo'd Eagle Talons and it worked great. After seeing what the insides of an engine looked like after a 24 hour race, I see no reason to run anything other than M1.
I ran a K&N once.
Once.
Never again.
I actually had metal flakes on my dipstick. I thought I lost an engine. I dissected the K&N and it had come apart internally and it had metal shavings on the clean side of the filter. I changed my oil, when back to a Motorcraft and never had the problem again. My theory is that the K&N had machining debris in it when they assembled it.
Also, the Motorcraft is much bigger than stock.
If you really think you need the added ZDDP after the cam is broken in, then run the Gibbs oil. I have 215K on my engine and the cam is fine. In fact, every vehicle I have owned has had over 180K miles on it when I sold it and NEVER had a problem with a camshaft on any of them. Once the cam is broken in, it will live a long and happy life with ANY clean, quality oil. Changing oil and keeping it clean is more important than what brand in a street driven vehicle.
Personally I like oil that I can go buy at the local auto parts instead of mail order.
You asked for opinions. My opinion is that M1 will give more protection than you will ever need. If you already have your mind made up to run the Gibbs stuff, then do it. I'm not going to talk you out of it.
Yes, 10-30 will be fine. I run that in the winter and 10-40 the rest of the year.
One more question, right now with the break in oil my pressure is around 50 while warming up and then ranges from 13-ish to 25-ish depending on rpms once warmed up. Is this a normal range?
If you want ZDDP, look into Brad Penn. Current Mobil 1 oils don't have shit in terms of ZDDP. You want to read a good article?
http://store.forcedperformance.net/...Performance Recommendations for Motor Oil.pdf
Brad Penn is what I currently run in my DSM running a Borg Warner S256 ETT. Match it up with a Wix filter and you're golden.
What weight oil is in it now? Are you saying that after warmed up you have 13 at idle and 25 at cruise? It is possible that it is just the oil that is in it now.
If you still have those same numbers with fresh oil, then that might be concerning. Rule of thumb is something like 10psi for every 1000rpm as a minimum.
Valvoline VR-1 conventional, with extra zddp in my stroker, with a Fl-1A Nevermind the cat wear... 65psi on the freeway, 30psi at idle after an hour of freeway drive.
Russ Pottenger insists that we run VR-1 in our Strokers, and add cam break in additive with every oil change
If they hadn't changed oil formulas since these engines were designed yes.
They have however, and you have to add zinc to compensate.
If they hadn't changed oil formulas since these engines were designed yes.
They have however, and you have to add zinc to compensate.
I imagine after 30k miles or so you could stop, but I dunno. I only have about 4000 miles on my jeep and am on the third stroker.
Ah right. This echos what the machinist said who built my stroker. So how much break-in additive does Russ recommended adding when you change the oil?
How many 4.0's are in the world with 150K, 200K, 250K and even 300K miles on stock cams?
Okay, so why all the hub-bub then about zinc from guys that build engines (i.e. Russ P. and also the guys at South Valley Machine that built my stroker)? If it doesn't really make a difference (vs regular oil changes) then what? I mean there's nothing in it for them if I go with with zinc per their recommendation. (I'm talking after the CAM break in period here.)