www.the351cforum.com

Kind of had the same deal with the better half's car. It had a solid flat tappet in it when we got it. It had been there for 6 or 7 seasons. We ran it for 3 or 4 more, and always used the same brand/weight of oil when I changed it. Then part way thru one season it slowed down and started making a bunch of rocker noise. I adjusted it, made a pass, it got way loose again. Stuck it on the trailer and went home. Pulled the intake and it had wiped out a lobe. I messed around with a flat tappet a little after that, but at this point, I would prefer to not have the stress of "is it going to wipe a lobe this pass or next" and probably will never buy one again.

Falcon67

When its dead nuts cold I keep the rpms up between 1200- 1500 to warm engine. It sits around the 75 area. Once the engine gets to 140 degrees it usually wants to behave itself and idle. My idle is 950-1000 with cam hit. Oil psi is still in the 70 range. Then after first T-stat cycle (180 degrees) I Will put it in gear and gauge sits above 55. Put in neural and goes around 60.

I had a VDO electric gauge before and replaced with the Autometer Sport Comp. The VDO use to read around 5psi higher everywhere. I have heard most electric gauges tend to read a little lower than mechanical gauges.

The summer of 2018 at the Motorplex I brought my temp gun and I never saw above 190 reading from multiple points on oil pan and oil filter. trans temp around 170-180.

The dragster is around 55~60 cold with 10w-30 and around 30~40 hot (180) at 1200 idle, 55 or so hot with some RPM. It's near zero in the shutdown LOL. It only start dropping after I lift, which is a bit odd considering the drag pan with all the baffles and such. A lot of oil is up top, will address that with Brent and some restrictor pushrods when the 427 is close to ready.

The door car is right at 70 cold, 35 idle hot (180) and 60 on a pass.

_________________
Chris - Merkel, TX
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
"Owner built, owner abused."

I run a 10w40 semi synthetic oil, roller cam with morel lifters and std oil pump, have the tmeyer cam bearing restrictors, cold is 75psi, hot idle 30-35psi and cruise mode around 60-65 hot.
The lifters are a little noisey until the oil gets some heat into it but otherwise no problems at all.

I got my 6 qts of PennGrade 20W-50 today. I'm so happy I ordered it instead of sitting in traffic. Ordered yesterday morning (Friday) at 9:30am and delivered around 4pm today. I also bought some new headlight assemblies for my 2003 Ram. Originals are done. Over the years I have tried cleaning them with headlight cleaner, baking soda,toothpaste and WD-40 - all the tricks and they are just done. Sometimes I forget this truck is 17 years old but hey I just turned 112,000 miles on it .
Anyways, so I have poured 3 qts in the engine now. Im not gonna put the other 2 until I see if my oil plug still leaks. I will tell ya what, this green stuff sure is alot thinner than that VR1 50 lol. So I think Brent or someone said this oil is thin when cold and gets thicker when at operating temp - am I correct? Well as long as there is no oil plug leak, I will go Thursday and get another new filter and check it out. Thanks to everyone for your experience, thoughts and input.

That is how all multi-viscosity oils work. First number is a low temperature viscosity and second number is a high temperature viscosity, usually measured at 100°C. When a 20W-50 oil gets to temperature, it will not be thinner than a straight 50W oil at that temperature.

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Brent Lykins, Lykins Motorsports
www.lykinsmotorsports.com
brent@lykinsmotorsports.com

Ok so here is how the new PennGrade 20W-50 reads on my Autometer Sport Comp electric gauge. Does this look normal to you guys running this multi-viscosity oil? Seems to fluctuate alot more than with the VR1-50. Also with the VR1 when I would rev it up it when warm or cold it would not go to 75 psi like it does now. First part of video is in park - then I put in gear to show the idle characteristics. Then of coarse some rev action.

https://youtu.be/oj-G2NYFB-E

There is nothing wrong with that at all, that's how it should behave.

_________________
Brent Lykins, Lykins Motorsports
www.lykinsmotorsports.com
brent@lykinsmotorsports.com

That's normal. I would be concerned when it didnt move, which is part of why I didnt like running that heavy oil in my 393 when it was cold outside.

Ok great guys. I figured with the "cam dance" it was gonna move more with the 20w-50 than the strait 50. Maybe these electric gauges are more sensitive than the mechanical ones? Then when I saw it go to 75psi I was like whoooo Nelly . I would hate to blow any seals out. I was talking to my stepdad yesterday and he said he has actually seen to high of oil pressure scar bearings. He said to much oil pressure can actually make the oil act as an abrasive with higher rpm. I'm definably not in the mood for any of that.