VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 new car to me-need lots of direction

Hello, I have just purchased my first antique car, 26 chevy touring. Not sure where to get started but the car starts and runs and thinking I should change all of the oils, engine, tranny and rear diff. Can you please suggest the correct oils to use in each? Thanks, any info would be a great help to get me started.

Please look at the top line on your page. Use the "Search" to find many pro and con uses on "Oil and Lube". Good luck on your car.

The best thing to do is get a owners manual, service manual and the service news reprints for 25, 26, and 27. Most are available either from the filling station who advertises here or e bay. FS also sells the 600w gear oil that you will find as recommended for many of your requirements. Motor oil will get many different opinions my choice is 10W30.

Good luck and enjoy!

Service news may not be available for 25 and 26 seems like it starts at 27.

Welcome and congrats on the new addition to the family!

When thinking about changing lubes, don't forget about putting thick oil in the steering gear box, marine grease in the grease cup on the water pump, good bearing grease in the grease cup on the distributor, clean and lube all the steering joints, and fresh grease in the wheel bearings.

Cheers, Dean

Danielnewtoy; Please keep in mind that you have a splash lubricated engine. I wouldn't use anything heavier than 10W30 or you will be pulling that engine out for a rebuild before you know it.

Thank you everyone for your input.
I found the "search" function as recommended the other day and found a weath of info. Getting a service manual and with the info you guys have given me is a great start.

This is going to be FUN!!!!

You also have a great VCCA member in your community who can be a real asset. He frequents this site fairly often. Probably already has your contact info as he told us of the '26 that was for sale by one of his friends.

As mentioned by others, lubes and oils tends to be a real controversy with many opinions. If you go to www.theforgottenchevy.com and send me a message at the email listed I can give/send you a lot of info I compiled when I was first new with my 28 Coupe. It may not answer every question but it will give you a lot of data in one place. You can decide where to go from there.

600W is the lube of choice for trans, steering, rear end, but some mix their own. 600W incidentally is NOT an oil weight. It is a trade name owned by Mobil Oil, and the weight is around 40 or so. Originally 600W in the old days was heavier, and sometimes called Steam Cylinder Oil or something like that. Today they even refer to a newer 680W lube. Contact me and I will send you all my notes and docs on the subject and all the agreements and disagreements surrounding it. I can even tell you how I get it in and out of the different areas easily (some say it is a real problem because 600W is so thick). I have never had a problem with my method.

Another conclusion of mine from reading about oils and lubes is BE CAREFUL. Don't use synthetic oil in the engine. Use regular mineral grade 5W30 (I use Quaker State). Don't use any of the new miracle lube/oils as they can damage the old metal parts. Stick with the older products and research everything before you use it, including anti freeze - use the old green stuff. If you use the wrong stuff it may run fine for a year or so and then destroy your engine, but that's up to you to decide.

I'll wait to hear from you, and hope I can help.

Thanks for the information and the website for the forgotten chevy. A really great story on this car, I also enjoyed the pictures.
I have sent you an email with my email address for the additional information that you can provide.
Thanks to everyone on VCCA with all of your help.