VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Lubricants

So I changed the transmission fluid, free wheeling fluid and differential fluid in our new 33 Master. I couldn't find any 90 weight gear oil. All I could find was a 85-140 weight gear oil. I'm assuming it was good to use.

Now I'm wondering what engine oil would be best for this car? I have no past information about this car. I bought it from a dealer who didn't know anything about it. The car had a restoration about 15 or 20 years ago. The engine sounds good.

Does anyone have any ideas about what engine oil I should be using in this?

Thanks,
Dennis

I've been able to find straight 90W gear lube at O'Reilly, Napa and Wal-Mart of all places. They also have the 85/140. I have run that in my trans of the '47 without any issue for years.

For motor oil, others may know more about this, but I run regular 10W-30 in my '47 with an original 216. Its clean and hasn't been sludged up so I'm safe in running a newer detergent oil.

My '55 Plymouth has never been apart and I don't trust it so I run non-detergent 30 weight and change it often. That way I (hope I can) keep from knocking old pieces of sludge around and clog a passage, line or pickup screen.

Just a thought. Happy motoring!

-D

Use 10-30 detergent oil in the engine. It'll be happy with that choice.

I used the 85-140 in my '34 for years with no problems.
I also used 10W-30 motor oil. You will need 5 quarts.

Agree wholeheartedly with that. Just be sure the engine is clean. If in doubt, it will save a lot of worry to remove the oil pan to examine. Any type of black sludge sticking to the pan or other internal parts would indicate a big no no in using detergent. You could clean everything you see, but without a full dismantle, you would never get it all.

I have often heard people claim they would only use straight non-detergent 30 weight, even on a new rebuild because the engine was designed to run best on that. I would say that a better way to phrase that is that the engine was designed to tolerate that crap.
John

Not only in this thread but nearly all others relating to lubrication 85/140 for gearbox and differential and 10/30 for the engine.
Tony

Thanks everyone. That is good advice. My engine oil "looks clean", and the car has obviously been restored at some point in the past couple decades. So I think I will take the advice and use a good 10W30.

The detergents will not clean-up a sludged engine. They will mainly keep the newly formeed sludge suspended in the oil (Most of it can not be filtered out) and prevent it from being deposite. It is a good idea to drop the pan and make sure the pick-up screen is clean if the engine looks sludged up under the valve cover.
The worst thig you can do is use kerosene or some engine flush that looks thing like kerosene as it can loosen sludge.

F/S has a 600 weight gear oil which is equal to the 160 used in the 30's. Good for summer.

I am using Penrite Transoil 140 in the transmission that I get from Restoration Supply Company.

All my vintage engines that do not have catalytic converters get Valvoline VR-1 Synthetic racing oil. The 1933 Chevrolet specifically gets 10W30. Oil like this will destroy catalytic converters in modern cars due to the Zinc/Phosphorus (ZDDP) level. The ZDDP is used to extend flat valve tappet life in older engines.

Don't skimp on the cost of oil. There is a reason old car engines didn't last long, the oil was of inferior quality compared to todays oil.

I have read numerous times that the reason that older car engines didn't last long was due to the oil not being as good as those today. While that is surely a factor, in my opinion the dirt mainly from roads and larger tolerances in the manufacturing process were larger factors to limit life. Air cleaners were only effective in separating the larger particles. Fine dust and dirt infiltrated both combustion chambers as well as crankcases. Today we have mostly paved roads and streets that are even occasionally swept. Also we have effective filters so ingestion of dirt is kept to a minimum.

Would I be able to use Penrite Transoil 140 in the rear-end also or only in the transmission?

Thanks,

Dennis

The penrite is a good gear lube.

Dennis
I would use the 140 oil in both gearbox and differential.
Tony

Thanks everyone for the advice. The car was sitting and not used for many years. I'm going to run it for about another week, and then I will change all of the fluids again. I will run the Penrite 140 in both the transaction and transmission.

Has anyone ever used Lubriplate SPO-288 in their transmission?

Dennis,

Please listen to me and ignore all the other so-called good advice of my opponents. I suggest the following:

a. Engine - 10w30.

b. Transmission 85w90

c. Differential - ditto

The thing is that as light an oil that is suitable for the purpose is always better. You don't need no stinkin 140 molasses based sludgy oil in your transmission or differential. The purpose of oil is to reach all places that metal comes into contact with metal. The contact creates friction which results in heat. The oil is to carry off the heat posthaste and replace it with relatively cooler oil. See?

Putting 140 or heavier oil in the transmission or differential may result in failure whilst touring. Will too! 37 and 38s produce enough "hook" action.

This advice is true but not cheap although it cost you nothing.

You're welcome,

Charlie

BTW: The notion that the heavier oil the better is owing to the phrase in "Oliver Twist", "Please sir, I want some more." Those promoting the 140 would never eat soup. if they can help it. Instead, owing to their notion that that thicker is better, they would much prefer a bowl of thick gravy and a hard biscuit. Would too!

BTW2: Gene is right. Switching to 10w-30 will not stop up your engine no matter the sludge in it. After market internal engine cleaners and kerosene and such will. Just as he said.

"Has anyone ever used Lubriplate SPO-288 in their transmission?"

Yes, in a '36 PU that has the same trans as your '33 but w/o freewheeling.

"Putting 140 or heavier oil in the transmission or differential may result in failure whilst touring. Will too! 37 and 38s produce enough "hook" action."

The above quote is the kind of unsubstantiated statement that is useless. The petroleum companies have tables that correlate SAE and ISO viscosities. It's well worth researching those tables to find an equivalent to SAE 160, a product that has not existed for decades. SAE 160 is equivalent to ISO 680 and that works great in the '32-'36 synchronized 3-speed.

It's hard to find in quarts but MSC Industrial Supply has them. The "600W" oil that The Filling Station sells is not even a gear oil. It's a steam cylinder oil. It's also not an SAE 160 equivalent. Why would anyone put any thing other than a gear oil in a transmission?

Bill, if you do some research you can verify what is stated above.

Ray W

Thanks, brino.

You're very welcome Bill. For the first time in owning my '36 PU for over 50 years it shifts properly into 3rd gear. The 3rd gear synchronizer is smaller than the 2nd gear synchronizer and simply doesn't have enough surface area in contact with the 3rd gear tapered surface to work properly with any other oil I've used including various GL4 and GL5 gear lubes and "600W" except when the trans is cold and the oil is very viscous. That was the indicator that a more viscous oil was required. The factory specified synchronizer clearances in the '32-'36 synchronized trans are pretty big and it takes a viscous oil to fill them.

So far SPO 288 seems just right. I'll have to wait and see what happens on hot Summer days.

Ray W

I'll give the SPO-288 a try.

"I'll give the SPO-288 a try."

Bill,

I sent you a PM about this.

Ray W.

Brimo,

I'm sure everyone appreciates you expert knowledge on the subject of what oil is best for the 1936. I do. Further, I would, by extension, believe you have great knowledge of lubricants for all other year Chevrolets, as well.

In the future, if I want to learn something on the subject, I'll know who to ask.

I just wish that you had posted before me so that I wouldn't have made a fool of myself.

Best wishes,
Charlie

BTW: About your quote taken from post; I intended as merely "tongue-in-cheek" humor. Nothing more. I hope you were the only one who took it in a way far from what was clearly intended. Further, if it was useless when I posted it, then, to me, it seems useless for you to repeat it. Nonetheless, I apologize for the statement. .

The following quote is from macsautoparts.com on 600W oil. I started using it because my tranny leaks were difficult to control. I did not want to pull my transmission. I've used this stuff for 5 or 6 years now. My car shifts better with oil in it than without oil, molasses, or steam cylinder whatever. When I recently had to pull the tranny for other reasons the internals were in perfect order. My experience and my 2 cents.

Macs Early F___d auto parts:
"This 600 Weight Oil Is Necessary For Many Early cars.
It Is Nearly Impossible To Find Locally
It Saw Use In Differentials, Transmissions, And Steering Boxes
Will Not Attack Brass Or Bronze Parts
One Quart
The lubricant used in the early days of motoring up into the thirties was a very heavy clinging type of lubricant known as 600 W Oil. In viscosity it is very much like today’s S. A. E. 250 Gear Oil but is easier on soft metals. It was used in differentials because full floating rear axles were not in general use, and allowance had to be made in the seals to allow the axle to move up and down as far as a quarter inch. To prevent the oil from leaking at the wheels the lubricant was made to cling to the gears. The same principle applies to transmissions and steering boxes.

In today's cars the seals can be made to fit very closely due to better engineering and materials, therefore lighter weight lubricants are used. The main causes of oil leaking at the rear wheels are worn seals or bearings, but over filling and/or using a lighter weight lubricant than recommended can also cause leaks. This 600W oil comes in a quart bottle, and it contains no additives that could attack brass or bronze parts. Using this weight lube will help eliminate oil seal leaks.

TIP: Leave rear axle 600W 3/4 inches below filler opening; overfilling is the main cause of rear axle leaks."

Here is the response from The Filling Station today:

Our gear oil is a steam cylinder oil 680 that equates as closely as possible
to the original 600W gear oil. It does not have additives that will attack
bronze or brass components inside the differential or transmission in early
Chevys. I have run this gear oil in my own early cars which I drive long
distances: 1931 Coupe with 45,000 miles since restoration; 1932 Pickup with
35,000 miles, 1932 Special Sedan with 25,000 miles.

What I will tell you is that you should definitely NOT use any modern gear
oils like 80-90 or 80-140, which will have additives that can damage the
bronze and brass components in early Chevys.

Kind Regards,
The Filling Station