Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

[Jim Marshall]

I had a shop rebuild my '74 Ford 302 and picked up some Joe Gibbs Racing break in oil. The owner said that it is formulated with zinc that had been removed because of damage to catalytic converters and the formulation was to the standard of the military who store vehicles for long periods of time.

He said that especially the older non-roller tappet engines work better and the oil holds in better over time and is perfect for hot rods and boats that sit for longer periods of time.

They also had regular and synthetic Joe Gibbs as well as the break in oil. Does anyone have any comments about this. The oil is more expensive but at one change a year it doesn't make a lot of difference.

Jim

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

We use the full syn in our racing engines. 8 bucks a qt. 11 qts per engine. Not for the faint of heart.
We started using it last year
I would not use it in anything but the race engines.
As for the claims you listed, I am not aware of any of those. Especially the one about flat tapet cams, as all the Nascar engines have rollers, why would they design an oil for something they dont use?
Our engine builder says it will last a full season but, we wont run it after sitting.

 

[Borchik]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

That is correct, most oil has no or little zinc anymore besides the gibbs break in oil or rotella t heavy duty oils. its worth the bucks.

 

[Jim Marshall]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Thanks for the comments. I had heard of Rotella. I saw it in a NAPA store today as a matter of fact. I used to run Castrol but I think for the little cost difference I will give Joe Gibbs regular or synthetic a try. My engine has flat tappets. Maybe he is right.

Jim

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I'm sure it's great, but the oil isn't available in any viscosities for boats (except older VP with engine oil coolers).

Heaviest it comes in is 10W30. They have a 15W50 but then they say Viscosity typical of SAE 10W-30. That viscosity would only recommended for boating in the winter in a Merc or OMC.

a Volvo Penta setup with an engine oil cooler can run 10W30

'74 Ford 302

or did you mean to post this in the Non-Boating Technical Topics? this is in the i/o forum

Ask the rebuilder what type of oil to use -It depends on what type of finish honing they did in the bores as to whether you need break in oil or not in a rebuilt engine.

 

[Jim Marshall]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

My comment was intended for the boat use of the oil. That is interesting comment regarding the viscosity. I used to run 20W-50 Castrol in the boat, although the engine temperatures on thermostats typically run at a low 140 degrees. I was going to run 10W-30. I got the impression that boat engines run at cooler temperatures.

It seems like modern recommendations seem to be in the 10W-30 or 10W-40 range. An auto dealer told me it was because the tolerances for building and rebuilding engines are tighter than they used to be.

Viscosities, additives, changes all seem to be a question mark now. I remember way back using STP in a truck engine. When we pulled it down it was covered on the inside with a slightly sparkling gray colored film. Was that zinc?

Is there anything definitive or is it all a matter of opinion?

Jim

 

[xeddog]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I just had the 5.7L in my boat rebuilt and the rebuilder talked this very same talk to me. When I picked up my engine when it was finished, he "threw in" 6 quarts of the Joe Gibbs Break in Oil so I was wondering about that too. In some ways, I hope he is correct because I like this guy. He has a nice shop that is clean, spacious, looks organized, and he seems to always have work. He and his employees seem very knowledgeable when speaking to them, and are very helpful with followup questions and advice. I have not needed any follow-up service, but I would hope they would be there for that too.

I told my mechanic that after the break-in I was going to use a decent quality synthetic like Castrol Syntec, or one of the others. He said that even those are missing the zinc, and he pointed out small containers of additive that could be added to any oil to replace the zinc. So if you would rather use some other oil, this is an alternative.

Wayne

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Delo 400 has zinc also

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Is there anything definitive or is it all a matter of opinion?

In a marine engine oil doesn't really matter much. Just about everything has been tried. Engines don't usually fail due to oil type. (wt/brand/etc)

Most or all of the "newer" marine engines are roller tappet engines too. (mine is a 97 model and it has rollers)........ Zinc (ZDDP) is really more a requirement for flat tappets. I'm not so sure that other additives have NOT been developed to replace it.....

If you want to read about "Marine" oil have a look at the following. http://www.nmma.org/certification/programs/oils/fc-w.asp

If you want to use what others "say" works for them, have at it. I'll quote my own statement above.......

Just about everything has been tried. Engines don't usually fail due to oil type. (wt/brand/etc)

Do a search for oil here you will see that every type/wt/syn/non-syn of oil is used and they've "never had a problem".

Nothing like a testimonial huh?

 

[sethjon]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Does anyone think Joe makes his own oil? Having said that, use a top brand oil and it will work great and you will know who made it. Joe probably has it done for the best price possible.

 

[Jim Marshall]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I think the oil actually makes money for Joe's racing. Maybe the rest is ego. Anyway, the boat doesn't take much per year and so I figured why not give it a try. Besides, if the engine goes bad I can take it back to my engine shop.

Jim

 

[hotrod80]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

We used it on a 632 with a solid flat tappet . It is a break in oil and worked good for thet application . Could have just added a quart of GM EOS from any dealer also . Just extra protection during the critical start up time .

 

[chaparall villain 2]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

i have a 383 stroker motor i built for mine and i have a flat tappet cam .. i had been running zinc additive but i am hearing the detergents in the oil now are getting so bad they even wash that off so i have gone to joe gibbs hot rod oil in mine and i am running 10w40 ... it seems to be running great and it claims to have the old style formulation with lower detergents and more zinc also has good specs for long time storage keeps cylinders on top end lubed ... i am gonna stay with it and hope not to trash my cam or lifters ... machine shop next to me has proven to me conventional oil after breakin isnt enough... seen to many cams wiped out on newer rebuilds

 

[Jim Marshall]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I think I will ask them to order in the 10W-40. Probably doesn't make a lot of difference, but I have been used to running 10W-40 over 10W-30. A point made before was it is just hard to tell. I guess with flat tappet cam I will just opt for the snake oil approach.

Jim

 

[OldNBold51]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I think I will ask them to order in the 10W-40. Probably doesn't make a lot of difference, but I have been used to running 10W-40 over 10W-30. A point made before was it is just hard to tell. I guess with flat tappet cam I will just opt for the snake oil approach.

Jim

FYI:Valvoline VR1 straight weight oil has zinc

 

[MBAKER]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Back a few posts someone mentione Nascar using roller cams, thats not entirely true, The nationwide cars do, BUT the Cup cars use flat tappets, which is the reason Gibbs started selling his own oil.

Its no doubt that any off the shelf oils have highly reduced if not compeltely eliminated levels of zinc in them. Mostly because it can harm cat converters on street cars. Since most new cars if not all use roller lifters its not a big issue, except for those of us with 'older' engines be it street, race, boat etc. Being heavily ivolved in racing I have dealt with this for several years, at first you could go to a diesel oil, like Rotella, but even now they have been restricted as well.

There is no snake oil in the gibbs oil. They make many different versions in different weights etc all the way from 0w20 to 20-50. (XP-4 or XP-5 i believe are 20w50's) They even make the hot rod oils that are a little less expensive than the race oils but still formulated to old standards with more zinc and antiwear properties. For a boat with a flat tappet cam thats prob what I would do, but any of them are fine. Gibbs is not the only choice though. There are several brands marketed to racers with increased zinc and antiwear additives, Brad Penn, Champion, Renegade just to name a few all have an oil formulated to old standards. They mark them as racing or off-road only and they dont have to adhere to new EPA regulations. They might cost a little more but when you are talking 1 time a year oil change it isnt that much. Like someone else mentioned you can also buy additives for street oils, but might not be as balanced as buying it in the correct formulation to start with.

 

[dakine]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Boats run such mild cams I can't see any flat tappet break in issue.
NASCAR flat tappet motors are typically run with break in oil and light valve springs to break in the cam.
The racing valve springs go in later after the cam/lifters are wear mated.

Synthetic oils have a much higher film strength than dino oils....this helps with the reduced anti wear package.
Change your oil and filter regularly and don't worry about oil.
If you are a worrier use an Amsoil EaO synthetic media filter which filters much better than pleated paper.
Synthetic media filters are the new thing in engine anti wear tech.

 

[Jim Marshall]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

I have really enjoyed this discussion. You always wonder about the oil you are using. Viscosity is another issue. I picked up several cases of Pennzoil High Mileage 10W-40 a couple of years ago on a closeout several years ago and wondered about that. I have been running it in my pickup with over 100K miles but would imagine it would work fine on other engines as well.

I have always used Pennzoil or Castrol in my engines and have never had a problem. I have been running synthetics in my later model cars.

I am sure the Joe Gibbs oil is good quality and know it will just do fine. It does make one wonder about all the claims. I wonder where one can find an Amsoil filter.

Jim

 

[MBAKER]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Even after ou put the real springs back in a race engine there is still a chance of knocking a lobe down with poor oil. The zinc additives help anywhere there is metal to metal contact and not a pressure fed oil supply and not jsut during breakin. Cam/lifters, piston wall, rocker arm balls, etc. some of the moly additives can help in some areas but overall the camshaft still suffers. If it wasn?t such a problem the cam companies wouldn?t make a big deal of using the proper oil or additives and being extremely careful on flat tappet breakin. I agree most boat motors are mild enough you prob be ok, but ive seen stock 350 rebuilds knock lobes off just as easy as a race engine. Nothing sucks worse than having a fresh engine knock down a couple lobes and you have to pull it apart and start over. To me in that case an extra 25$ on oil is well worth it to save the potential headache of a flattened cam.

 

[dakine]

Re: Joe Gibbs Racing Oil????

Amsoil EaO Filter Info
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eao.aspx

Cut one of these apart and there is a difference.
And no, I don't sell or represent them.