Mobil 1 Classic Car 10W-30
 

A new oil option that looks like a good fit for flat tappet engines.
It appears to only come in 10W30 weight (at least for now).

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/...sic-car-10w-30

Test results attached are from this review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3uXSI9wQv8

And a decent dose of moly . I’ll try it if I find it .

I have found any API SF-SL 10w30 engine oil is good for broken in classic V8 engines with flat tappet lifters.

I bought mine from AutoZone.

That fills a niche is its carried regularly. While VR1 is made in a 10-30, its almost never carried. Most stores only ever had the 20-50 on the shelves. So if the Mobil 1 gets carried in 10-30 that would be nice to have the option.

What area are you in that doesn't have 10-30 vr1?
Napa here carries vr1 in about every viscosity you could want, including the old straight weights.

Just about every walmart store in the midwest caries VR1 in 10/30 & other weights... the 5qt jug is the best value for it @ $5.39/qt vs almost $10/qt individually.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Valvoline...0&from=/search

100% honestly I go out of my way to avoid giving Walmart money, but they are ussually the only ones that have the Mobil 1 15-50 with the race flags on it that I like for the Firebird. So I believe they would have the vr1 too.

And I’m in the Midwest. I’ve never seen the 10-30 vr1 regularly on shelves. I was just in RK yesterday. They had the 20-50 but not 10-30.

That said, it’s not like I look for it regularly. So it could just be a small sample size issue. I use synthetic in the Firebird, and I care so little about the olds 455 in the wagon I would put vegetable oil from my kitchen in it.

VR1 10w-30
 

Honestly Amazon is where I usually get it from.
30-35 for a jug delivered.
I do support local Napa for filters and such since
I can get Baldwin thru them.

Gerry

I hear that from some people occasionally... 100% honestly, i have no problem spending my money at walmart for certain things that are a LOT cheaper than the exact same thing at other stores, boxed foods, oils, personal care items etc, they are always so much cheaper I cant see wasting money at other stores. For meats & produce & items on sale I do shop at local stores.

Walmarts in my city always have the 10/30 VR1 stocked & the 20/50 for those that use that.

I get the whole buy from a small business or locally thing, but when most those stores charge almost 2x as much for the same thing just to increase their profit, I chose not to throw my money away. Today buying local doesnt really mean what it used to, why pay more at auto zone for the same oil thats a lot cheaper at walmart? auto zone & other stores dont do anything special related to local markets. I know that subject can be touchy, but when its my money, I prefer to pay less for the same thing. ;)

I get it, and Im not standing on a soap box preaching, I buy from Amazon, and my toolbox has stuff from Snap On and Temu. I make practical decisions with my money just like everyone else. So I'm not a shining example of buying quality American made items. And I buy that Mobil 1 from Walmart because they always have it. Its just cultural for me, I just hate that store. On top of that their website is trash. If I could snap my fingers and eliminate Walmart and country music I think the world would be a better place. Im sure there will be dissenting opinions on that.

Anyway back to the topic so we don't get too far derailed, I have found that Jegs motor oil is also a really good value for classic cars. Im assuming its probably rebranded from another brand, but obviously its not going to be on locally available shelves.

I hear ya, no soap box here either, I just suggest them for things like oil since they are about the cheapest you can find, cheaper than many "sale" prices at auto stores. I dont like walmart in general either, just like the prices for some things. When I go there its in & out as fast as I can, parking on the automotive side avoids walking through the store to get to the oil, it can be entertaining though watching some of the "walmart people".

I live in northern Kentucky close to Cincinnati and I haven’t seen 10w30 vr1 in years . Just 20w50 . Autozone close by carried the 10w30 vr1 synthetic but I must’ve been the only guy buying it . That’s been atleast 12 years .

Relevant Motor Oil Geek video released this week:

https://youtu.be/a3uXSI9wQv8?si=Mawjsle-6T3RWd1j

I used to live near cinci, Amelia to be exact and then moved out to the country in hamersville.
Of course this was 20 years ago but grew up out there and always bought the vr1 from Hamlet which was a branch of KOI in northern Kentucky. They had 10-30 at that time.

Also just a heads up, this may or may not be current info but I was told a few years ago that 10-30 vr1 does not have as much of the zinc and phosphorous as the 20-50 does. Reasoning I was told was due to the fact that more people are likely to buy the 10-30 and put it in their newer cars with cat converters so the lighter weight was reduced per regulations.
I can't confirm because I haven't done an oil analysis on it but something to maybe check into, I know many go for the lighter viscosities and look at vr1 as a cheaper alternative.

Ironically I'm currently using the 10-30 vr1 in a crate engine because that's what blueprint recommended and since it's under warranty I'll play along for a while. Only thing I don't like about vr1 is the lack of detergent and additive packages that some of the better oils have so it has to be changed more frequently

I’m probably one in a billion but I can’t justify using any Exxon Mobile product after seeing so many camshaft failures while working at a Chevy dealership in the late seventies. 90% of those cars had Exxon oil change stickers. Maybe a coincidence… It was a running bet with us line technicians when a failed cam was diagnosed that the car had Exxon “Uniflo” oil in the crankcase. Valvoline VR1 or Castrol GTX for classic cars is a far better choice in my opinion. Flame suit on…

Excellent video.

Ha, just watched the video and he talks about what I just mentioned about viscosity and how much zinc phosphorous is used based on viscosity.
API approval is a go or no go as a result.

I haven't had the time to watch lake speed in a while but his upcoming test should be interesting.

Late 70’s Eh ? I hope that fire suit isn’t made from asbestos.

Hate to mention walmart again... but if you dont have an issue buying oil from there, I did a quick search for Cincinnati walmarts & 10/30 is readily available for $27/5qt jug, 20/50 too, also in most KY stores.

do any of these oils have an advantage over the M1 0w-40 full synthetic euro oil? Seems like the 0w-40 has plenty of zddp, flows quicker on cold starts, and is plenty thick at full operating temps.

The Walmart closes to me in Florence Ky never has it although it shows it does . Any further and it’s just as easy to Amazon it . I did try the 15w50 Mobil that I scored at Walmart but it made my rollers noisy and just kept my gauge pegged . Thanks for the info though !

But mobil is made by... exxon

Weird, usually the website shows if an item is available for store pickup up or not, says in stock at the store I checked & many others in teh Cinn/northern KY area. Also if you werent aware, walmart does free shipping on orders over $35.

I’m with i82much on the Mobil 0w40 . Oil pressure and valve train noise with it were great in my HR 400 . BUT the new SP formula lowered the ZDDP slightly . It dropped the phosphorus another 100ppm or so and I’m so brainwashed even with a roller cam , I don’t sleep well on it lol so I broke down bought a case of Amsoil Zrod

It’s a silly notion I’ll admit. Brand locality starts for some reason.

I'm still a frim believer in Valvoline oil only for my Focus and Jeep GC.
And only Valvoline 20w-50 in the 400 in my 66 GTO. As I was told by 2 long time Pontiac engine builders. With a Purolator 30005 1 quart oil filter only.

Now it will be with my new completely rebuilt 421HO, with Tri Power.

I have a quart of valvoline HD 40wt from 1970 that I’m thinking about sending off to blackstone and see just what the ZDDP was back then .

Please do, I would love to know.

Im a firm believer that oil zinc levels gets blamed a lot for cam wipes and lifter failures, when the reality is people run too much valve spring more often than not. Not that lubrication is never the culprit, I just don't think its quite as important AFTER a cam is broken in and work hardned as it is sometimes made out to be. Break in is a different story.

Just buy some Shaeffers and be done with it. That make a oil for whatever you need.
1,000,000+ mile gasoline engines and 4-5 more HP on a dyno. What else do you want ?
Just put some in my Tundra and it had Wall Mart synthetic in it. The engine was noticeably quieter with the Shaeffers in it.

I tried the Schaeffer 5w50 and should’ve done the 15w40 . I really wanted their 5w50 to be my oil - but it was just too heavy for my hydraulic rollers . Too much pressure too . I shouldve known better and bought the 15w40 .

I don't know why people use 15W-40 in gas engines. It is a diesel oil. I used it in my 79 Formula because it was free from where I worked. We had to carry a couple of gallons of it in the trucks we drove. It ruined the engine.

And you don't see truckers put 10W-40 weight oil in their trucks. It would ruin a diesel engine.

Nope, Shaffers makes a 15-40 for gasoline engines. Its a racing oil but has plenty of detergents in it.

https://www.schaefferoil.com/race-oil-15w40.html

I have been running Dello 400 oil in a old beater Civic work rig for years and years. 300K and still kicking.
People have run Rotella 15-40 in street and race cars for a long, long time. Never ruined a thing. Whatever 'ruined" your engine I doubt it was the oil. I ran Dello 15-40 in my 455 bracket engine for several seasons. Engine is perfectly fine.
I mean, is running diesel oil the best way to go about it ? Nope, better choices out there. Engines will wear "slightly" more with a diesel oil but its not going to destroy your engine.

I run 5-50 Shaeffers in my race engine. Solid roller deal, its all good.
But with straight 30WT break in oil my pressure was 95-100 lbs, too high. So I finished the break in with 10-30 Royal Purple and that brought the pressure down enough for me.
If I did not have .006 piston to wall I probably would just run their 10-30 or 15-40 racing oil.

Did your hyd roller lifter tick a bit with the 5-50 ?

Dedicated diesel engine motor oils are for low revving truck engines.

Yes , the HR’s ( older morels) where chattery and I had a slight tick at idle . It hurt to drain good Schaeffers with only about 150 miles on it ! I put Zrod 10w40 in it and all is good . Mobil 1 0w40 was quiet as well , I had that in over the winter . I’d probably be ok with 10w30 as well but my build sheet does say .003 on the rods . I remember the shop saying to use a 30 or 40 wt high zinc oil even with the roller he said .

I ordered a blackstone kit , we have to know now ! The can is dated 12-70 . I’m with ya , I think the zddp blame is over exaggerated for actual street engines but it’s sure burned into my mind lol I figure an HD oil should be higher zddp formula ? I’ll shake the heck out of the can before I pour the sample .