oil change

[rlynch]

Hi
New 1968 C10 owner. How much oil and what type filter to go with on a 396 big block?
Thanks

[70STOVEBOLT]

You can use whatever brand oil and filter you want. Five quarts including the filter. I run 10W30 Valvoline in mine with a Fleetguard filter.

[davepl]

It's a religious question, but: Shell Rotella T Turbo 10W30 full synthetic plus one bottle of CamShield Single Shot for extra zinc.

[In The Ten Ring]

If you don't use a Purolator filter you will be damned to hell for eternity.

Good luck with your oil change. Be sure to wear safety glasses any time you are under a vehicle.

[Steeveedee]

Nothing to worry about, no matter which brand of oil or filter you use. You will get a little more filter volume if you use the equivalent of an AC PF-35. Do not use the even larger filter which is used on the really big trucks, which holds almost 2 quarts. It will be too close to the exhaust pipe, and tougher to remove and install.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

My 71 402 takes 5.33 quarts (WRONG) with the "A/C PF-35" size filter. By one oil change, my 72 takes the same. Five quarts as another suggested. See what that places on the dipstick.

I just started using Mobil-1 5W-30 (full synthetic). Was using Dura-blend 10/40 & 20/50.......Motor sure purred on 20/50. On another side note, Mobil-1 is kinder to the gaskets than Dura-blend.

Edit:, after all these years doing it the same, I've been doing it wrong. Somehow I thought it took approx. 5.1/3 qts., but I see that puts it near the "U" in FULL, above the mark on the dipstick. So I checked the owners manual............It reads:

Oil filter Type and Capacity: Throwaway type, one U.S. quart.
Crankcase Capacity (Does not include filter): 292 L6, five U.S. quarts. All other engines take four U.S. quarts.

[DarkFlounder]

My '72 350 gets 5 quarts of Havoline 10W40 with a new Wix 51061 every 3000 miles.

[70STOVEBOLT]

I thought this was interesting: my 1970 GM owner's manual says to change the oil every 3,000 miles and change the filter every 6,000 miles.

[rlynch]

Great,
Thanks for the advice.

[azle]

Add a little more capacity and filtration and use a WIX 51794 filter or crossed to any other brand. They fit all small and big block Chevrolets. they came on 67 3/4 ton big block trucks, hold about a Qt more +-
http://www.fleetfilter.com/mm5/graph...0001/51794.jpg

Azle

[oldchevynut]

Originally Posted by azle

Add a little more capacity and filtration and use a WIX 51794 filter or crossed to any other brand. They fit all small and big block Chevrolets. they came on 67 3/4 ton big block trucks, hold about a Qt more +-
http://www.fleetfilter.com/mm5/graph...0001/51794.jpg

Azle

Just keep in mind that an extra long filter will hang lower and could be a problem in a lowered truck or one driven in rough terrain.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by oldchevynut

Just keep in mind that an extra long filter will hang lower and could be a problem in a lowered truck or one driven in rough terrain.

This is the filter I mentioned earlier. It may end up being seriously close to the exhaust head pipe (about 1/8" away, at least on my truck, it was). That extra volume is nice, but not if the filter gets cooked.

[Alex V.]

I use Schaeffer's 7000 10w30 in my '85 454 and am very happy with it. Just changed it a few weeks ago after 6,400 miles and about 15 months and I don't think it was anywhere close to wearing out - just getting full of contaminants from a lot of short trips over that year. My hot-idle oil pressure was exactly the same as it was when the oil was fresh. I recently started using a Napa 1794 filter on it, too - that sucker swallows over a quart and a half of oil, making total fill 7 qts.

However, any good 10w30 or 10w40 and the regular smaller filter (Napa 1060) will do well for your engine. A HD oil (Rotella or the like) will have more additives suitable for the flat tappet cam, but if it's the stock cam it likely won't be a problem. Anything thicker than 5w40 or 10w40 is unecessary unless you live in a very hot climate or work the engine real hard.

I currently have Valvoline conventional 10w40 in my '67 'Burb's 350 and am pleased with it, too. It hardly gets driven and when it does it's not towing or hauling much so that oil is more than adequate - if I was using it for any tough stuff I'd put Schaeffer's or Rotella in it, too.