Oil for flat tappet

[JimNolan]

I have been running Brad Penn 10W-30 in my cars and they went way up in price. So, I bought a case of VR1 30W that has about the same pour qualities of the Brad Penn and about the same Zinc content. Does anyone else run this oil and would you share your experience good or bad. Thanks, Jim

[blykins]

I think you're in pretty good hands with that oil.  After the cam is broken in, the drama is pretty much over, but I always recommend that my customers run the Brad Penn break-in oil or the VR1 non-synthetic race oil after they receive the engine.  Brad Penn is certainly expensive.

BTW, you have to watch about some of the Brad Penn oils.  Some of them are partly synthetic, and I just don't have a good feeling about using synthetics in a fresh engine. 

[blowrsnob]

Coincidentally; article from Engine Builder Mag published today.

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2015/01/picking-racing-oil/

[manofmerc]

Jim I have had good luck with Valvoline  vr1 .My 460 powered 67 comet has a solid flat tappet camshaft as well as my 427 66comet.The 460 has 380-385 lbs.open spring pressure and the 427 has just a bit less .My cam and lifters look great whenever I do maintenance to the engine I have 10-30 in the 427 and 20-50 in the 460 .I have been looking at Lucas products recently they also offer several different weights of oil for flat tappet engines .They have a 15-30 truck engine oil that isn't to expensive it has the zddp additive but I just keep running VR1 it has worked for me .Doug

[plovett]

I've run VR1 in both 10W30 (winter) and 20W50 (summer) or a mix of the two with no problems.  I've used both the regular and the synthetic types.  This is on a solid flat tappet cam with over 400 lbs of open pressure.  I also use Mobil 1 15W50 in the 5 quart jug from Wal Mart.  You can sometimes get this for less than $20.  More often it's around $25.

paulie

[bn69stang]

I use 10 w 40 semi blend , and a bottle of the additive zddp in my 28 and so far so good .. Bud

[Rory428]

The last 2 FEs in my Fairmont (1 428, 1 427), as well as the 331 SBF in my 85 Mustang, all have solid flat tappet cams, & I have used Brad Penn 10-30 in all 3, with no wear issues. I see no reason to change.