67 Father/Son project

mojo67

Active member
What’s a good spark plug to use for a 67 I6 3 spd coupe? And also what’s the best oil to use?
Take into consideration we are garaged from Nov- April (depending on weather)being from the north east in New York State
 
Howdy,

My 65 Ranchero 200 3 speed uses Valvoline Racing oil VR1, its because of the high zinc content, you want that. New oils dont use zinc in it, what zinc does it softens the contact, kinda like the lead in gas on the valves. Without the zinc you can wear out your cam real fast.

I personally use 10-30 but i could use 10-40. Either should work for your application

A stock autolite plug from NAPA or O'reillys should be fine. I use the expensive iridium plug since i have HEI but even thats not necessary. I just like to use the best.

Oil in general? Id use the 90w gear oil for the tranny and rear end. I personally use Lucas but yet again, i like to use the best.

Good luck,
Ryan
 
Howdy Mojo and All:

"Good" and "best"? It all depends. What condition is your engine in? How many Miles? What's your weather like?

Spark plugs haven't changed much since the forties. If you change plugs often, or at least check them often, it won't matter much. You will need to get close on the heat range- cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. IF you plan to buy plugs once in your life time than materials like iridium may be worth the extra bucks. Heat ranges and materials are the only real differences. I like to check spark plugs often. I buy whatever is on sale and check them often. I haven't seen alot of differences from one brand to the next.

On the oil, same thing. Oil is oil. The variables are in the additives and weight. lighter weight in the winter months and heavier weight in the summer months. Depending on your driving change at least ever 3,000 or 3 three months, which ever come first. A garaged engine that seldon get driven and only partly warmed up will suffer from oxidation way before the additives evaporate. If you are driving in winter climate with a lot of cold starts, choke assisted and/or idle a lot, change oil more often.

Change the filter at least ever other oil change.

The Zinc additive that Ryan mentioned is a good one for our old flat-tappet engines. It helps to lubricate the cam lobes. I use Rotella from Walmart.

For your particular uses, I'd like to know more about your driving habits to make a recommend for you. "Good" and "Best" are too subjective to ever apply to all. So, start by telling us about your situation; engine and driving habits and we can go from there.

Adios, David
 
StarDiero75":3cdjad2q said:
Howdy,

My 65 Ranchero 200 3 speed uses Valvoline Racing oil VR1, its because of the high zinc content, you want that. New oils dont use zinc in it, what zinc does it softens the contact, kinda like the lead in gas on the valves. Without the zinc you can wear out your cam real fast.

I personally use 10-30 but i could use 10-40. Either should work for your application

A stock autolite plug from NAPA or O'reillys should be fine. I use the expensive iridium plug since i have HEI but even thats not necessary. I just like to use the best.

Oil in general? Id use the 90w gear oil for the tranny and rear end. I personally use Lucas but yet again, i like to use the best.

Good luck,
Ryan
Ryan, stick with the Iridium plugs. NGK 7510 is perfect gapped at .045-.048". It takes less voltage to fire them & they produce a better flame kernal.
I like Brad-Penn 10W-30 racing oil. It is semi synthetic & contains all the good additive's previously mentioned. It also contains detergent qualities which help in street driving.
 
wsa111":2athx6kz said:
StarDiero75":2athx6kz said:
Howdy,

My 65 Ranchero 200 3 speed uses Valvoline Racing oil VR1, its because of the high zinc content, you want that. New oils dont use zinc in it, what zinc does it softens the contact, kinda like the lead in gas on the valves. Without the zinc you can wear out your cam real fast.

I personally use 10-30 but i could use 10-40. Either should work for your application

A stock autolite plug from NAPA or O'reillys should be fine. I use the expensive iridium plug since i have HEI but even thats not necessary. I just like to use the best.

Oil in general? Id use the 90w gear oil for the tranny and rear end. I personally use Lucas but yet again, i like to use the best.

Good luck,
Ryan
Ryan, stick with the Iridium plugs. NGK 7510 is perfect gapped at .045-.048". It takes less voltage to fire them & they produce a better flame kernal.
I like Brad-Penn 10W-30 racing oil. It is semi synthetic & contains all the good additive's previously mentioned. It also contains detergent qualities which help in street driving.
Oh i know. I only use the iridium on the Ranchero. I have them set at .045 with the HEI. But on my Studebaker which has the stock points distributor, i use the champions that Stude recommended. Those Champions are a butt to find at NAPA and O'reilly
 
DAVID,
Thank you for the feedback, took me along time to get back to you.
"Good" and "best"? It all depends. What condition is your engine in? How many Miles? The story we got is it has 47k on the odometer and this is original, but you never know. My mechanic said it seems like its original


We are in upstate NY and we don't drive it From November-April varies on weather. We start it once a week while it sits in an unheated garage. The rest of the year it could vary in temp from 40-90+ degrees. Maybe drive it twice a week on short trips.

We want to keep the engine running well and want to find a great oil to put in it. From what we have been reading you don't want to much or too little Zinc in your motor oil..

you guys are always helpful
 
mojo67":1ifwrspk said:
DAVID,
Thank you for the feedback, took me along time to get back to you.
"Good" and "best"? It all depends. What condition is your engine in? How many Miles? The story we got is it has 47k on the odometer and this is original, but you never know. My mechanic said it seems like its original


We are in upstate NY and we don't drive it From November-April varies on weather. We start it once a week while it sits in an unheated garage. The rest of the year it could vary in temp from 40-90+ degrees. Maybe drive it twice a week on short trips.

We want to keep the engine running well and want to find a great oil to put in it. From what we have been reading you don't want to much or too little Zinc in your motor oil..

you guys are always helpful
I dont think too much zinc is a prob. Just dont use an additive of zinc. That tends to separate and not work well, use oil like the ones previously mentioned since they come premixed with zinc.
 
what do you recommend for having it sit all winter?
We do start it up once a week or once every 2 weeks and let it idle for 15 mins. and also have it up on jacks and put it in gear and run it in gear for a minute. We use seafoam in the gas, so what we have been told.
 
the best thing, of course, is to run/drive ur vehicle. Clutch and breaks freeze up w/o use, etc. Just around the block or whatever.
2nd would be as U currently do, 10 - 20 min wkly/mothly. A 'battery minder' (keeps it at the proper volts) is a good idea too.

Not sure bout 'Seafoam' As a generic name, I use that product for cleaning intake/carb. Possibly they make a product like I use (under that company name but that is) for this 'new' hi ETHO gas. Today's gas has so much alcohol it is unstable, evaporates and gums up things. I, like ur self, run only (well not exclusively) seasonally (opposite x of yr, tho frm U). U can't fell saw logs spring to fall due to bavin 'the babies' (squirrels, birds, etc) in the trees (U kill them). So I put in Stable to keep the gas frm 'jelling'. Also put it in the saws, other equip.

I would also change the oil end of season when U put it up. After just a lill (100 mi?) of running in spring, change it again to get it right for the rest of the season (all summer'n fall). The reason they recommend "every 3 mo' is cuz there is a degradation (oxygenation) over the months U don't drive - time still marches on.

Sounds like U R generally doin the 'right thing'...providing the best care U can for ur vehicle. It's an interest or hobby so we don't mind puttin in time and money for longevity. HTH~
 
In NY there is 'upstate' and there is UPstate. Here in the Mid-Hudson Valley , with an unheated barn I rotate the battery trickle chargers on the cars and equipment but don't like to start any in single digits and usually wait for temps reach above freezing for a few days . I do pull the plugs and add a few cc'c of oil in the cyl's if not been started all winter.

I also use Rotella diesel and add ZDDP enforced STP with changes. Luckily non-ethanol gas is available in the area due to amount of (older) agricultural equipment here. I supplement storage gas with 'Stabil' but really not convinced of it's efficacy ...


have fun
(where ya at ?)

If you are anywhere nearby the Hudson Valley, the Rhinebeck NY Spring Dust-off is the biggest and arguably best way to meet other enthusiasts and talk the talk with them.
Rhinebeck has a swap-meet and car sale corral but best part is the non-pro, non big-buck cars and typically unappreciated four doors', wagons, 'works in progress' and never gonna be finished are all welcome.
May 4,5 and 6th - any cars on Saturday, pre-1993 on Sunday, Swap starts Friday.


http://rhinebeckcarshow.com/

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=77905
 
yes, that's rotella. Just don't go da odder way (gasser's oil ina diesel!).

Boy, U guys have all the fun over there (Reinbeck). My 90 y/o Mom usta go over there to show her pottery (3 decades ago) a 4, 5 hr drive frm E., MA. But the Dust Up makes it 2 ol vehicle 'shows' now.
I'm 1/2 way between Boston/Albany so may make 1 or the other of these 2.
Thank U both for the posts.

At this point I'd usually apologize for the thread jack but since U (MrSullivan Co) R the original poster (OP) it's skipped here. This site is pretty generous anyway (compared 2 several of my other regularly visited sites).
 
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