best oil?

[joedaddyhenderson]

so just bought my 82 spider, 139,000 k. curious what kind of oil everybody uses?

[4uall]

you may have opened a can of worms with this topic

this may help http://fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php ... hilit=+oil

[spiderdan]

My 68 has 150k miles and I use any 20-50 that is on sale.
I figure it burns and drips a little slower than the 10-30

[KidDingo]

Hey Dan,

I'm using Rotella in the range specified by Fiat and according to the season, simply based on what some others have said on this site. I use thinner oil in winter (even though it's garaged all season) simply to make it easier and gentler to start when I turn it over every few weekends. I'll use the thicker stuff in summer.

Haven't tried synthetic yet, but might give it a try this summer.

[SunnySideUp]

"can of worms" is right. There are as many opinions about which oil to use as there are belly buttons. The big deal seems to be having enough zinc content to help reduce wear on the flat tappets associated with the valves. +1 for Rotella in my opinion.

[spiderdan]

Hey Micheal, I burn it too fast to buy synthetic!
Since I change it often (toping up often keeps it fresh ) I wait for CTC to have a sale.
I don't have the luxury of starting it up thru the winter. I store her at my sisters in an unheated garage. Once the salt is gone, I go over, reconnect the battery, pull the choke and slap that pedal a few times. After a few cranks, she catches a bit, then more, then (with a small cloud of smoke) starts to idle. Worked for me the last 10 years although I did have one year I had to boost the battery.
Such great little cars.

[KidDingo]

You're lucky to have such a loyal little beastie. Your winters are probably as brutal as ours.

Mine expects some pampering, probably because her PO had all the mechanical ability of a dyslexic donkey, so, despite the leaks (name an Italian car that doesn't leak), I'll feed her some good stuff and keep her happy until I can rebuild the engine... at a time of my choosing, not when she breaks.

knock on wood.

[focodave]

I don't mean to be one of the worms in the proverbial can of worms, but....
I am probably a little more sensitive to this because I live in what is slowly becoming the People's Republic of Fort Collins, CO and we have yearly emissions testing for cars of a certain age (mine):
Zinc will destroy a catalytic converter over time.
Now, theoretically, zinc from the crankcase oil should never make it to the converter, but we all know that these engines typically have a tendency to burn a little oil as they age.
Just something to think about ----not something to panic about ---- but just to think about.
I, personally, don't use oil with extra zinc because of this.
I stick with frequent oil changes of Castrol 20W50, along with the filter.

[KidDingo]

Can't find the cat on mine.... that is: it don't got one.

Maybe you should move to Canada?

[spiderdan]

No cat on mine, no resonator and no e-test up here on old cars.
Although I might be breaking some sound by-laws
Just straight to the Ansa...a little loud, but I like it

[bradartigue]

ANY automotive oil made today, even the store branded stuff you wouldn't put in your lawnmower, is better than what was available when these cars were new. That being said I've run Rotella (Shell) 15W40 in Spiders for a couple of decades and never had an issue. When it was made I used Castrol 15W40, but I never can find it any more. Pure Synthetics leak through our antique seals and gaskets, and they contaminate too quickly to make any financial sense.

Another note, even if you use a "extended life" filter you'll have to change the oil at 3,000 miles or so anyway (so don't buy extended life); these motors weren't so tightly sealed as modern ones, so oil gets nasty quicker, even with fresh rebuilds. The tolerances just aren't there. Use a good brand of filter (I use Mann or Bosch) and a good brand of oil (Shell, Castrol, Valvoline, Pennzoil, etc.) and you'll do just fine. The exotics are a waste of money.

And never listen to people who race on these topics, they change fluids and filters so often and treat their engines differently than a street - even a hot street - car.

[majicwrench]

Good advice, I'm pleasantly suprized!
Not sure I agree w Brad, would have to see something from a lab about 1970 vs 2014 oils, but that really doesn't matter to your question.
I will add one tidbit, thin oils, like 5w 30, lubricate so much FASTER on startup that thicker oils, and you get a tiny bit better mileage to boot. Thick oil is also harder to scrape off the cylinder walls, thus more of it gets burned!

Enjoy your car!

[bradartigue]

Good advice, I'm pleasantly suprized!
Not sure I agree w Brad, would have to see something from a lab about 1970 vs 2014 oils, but that really doesn't matter to your question.
I will add one tidbit, thin oils, like 5w 30, lubricate so much FASTER on startup that thicker oils, and you get a tiny bit better mileage to boot. Thick oil is also harder to scrape off the cylinder walls, thus more of it gets burned!

Enjoy your car!

You don't need a lab, just look a the specifications for engine oils over the years. I'm not saying they changed that much on the low end of the scale, but there has been a constant drive for improvement in fluids. Same can be said for coolants. Transmission fluids are something else though, since we have to use oil meant for a 1906 tractor in our transmissions.

[4uall]

http://video.canadiantire.ca/v/14583345 ... utomotive/

[KidDingo]

Nice find, Jay.