I have never seen 10W30 VR1. Autozone and Napa carry SAE40, SAE50, and 20W50. I have been running 50 in the summer and 40 in the winter, but I just recently put in 20W50 to see how it does.

 

I run 10W-30 VR1 in mine. 20W50 is a bit thick for the local temps, especially with my rhoads lifters.

Napa can get it (Valvoline #205). Whether any stores have it in stock is up to whoever decides what the store stocks.

 

Isn't you windsor roller?

 

on that note:
in the next half year i expect temperatures between 32F and 55F. does that call for 10w30 or 20w50 (which direction to go?)

 

Kalli, our winter temps are 28F-70F. I typically have run SAE40 with no issues. It behaves just like SAE50 does during the summer. I have just put in 20W50, so I cannot tell you how it does yet.

 

The W is the winter weight. A 10W-40, and 20W-40 both are SAE40 weight oils at operating temperature, but a 10W will flow like a SAE10 oil at colder temperatures. Generally, I see 10W-* being recommended until you get into sub-freezing temps. I've always run 10w-40 year-round in my cars unless otherwise specified.

 

This stuff is the cats meow!

 

Nick.. yes its a roller conversion and everything in the engine is new except for the crank and arms. Most people simply say if its a roller cam use anything. I've read and been told by a few people that since its not an original roller block that the block is used to the older conventional oils as well as the crank and journals. Whats true..? I doubt very few people actually know.

As for hype.. not at all. I understand the whole ZDDP thing and it makes sense to me however being an older block that always had the higher content oils and original crank I figured I'd give it what its used to. Certainly wouldn't hurt it at all. Price wise the VR1 doesn't cost much more then the newer oils at only 3.99qt.

I've been running AMSOIL (Pennzoil before) in my 03 Exploder for a few months now and it gets better highway mileage without a doubt.. haven't noticed with city driving yet. It does cost quite a bit more money though. I'm not cheap but I also don't like to spend it needlessly.

Mainly.. I live in south Jersey where the weather doesn't get below zero that often. The car sees maybe 150 highway miles a week on I295 and maybe 40 or so putting around town. Driving style is mostly conservative and no racing or track time for now. I want to select 1 oil and use it instead of picking a different one each change. I'd like to stick with an oil that still has the good stuff in it. If the VR1 20W-50 (in stock @ AZ, AA, Napa) is fine I'll use that however if the VR1 10W-30 would be better I'll have them order it in for me.

I've been told that 10W-30 would be best for summer but the 20W-50 would be best for colder winter temps (5*c and lower).

 

Keep in mind, with improved fuel economy, (especially with skyrocketing fuel prices), you are saving money, not spending it needlessly. Add to that the extended drain intervals and you are big bucks ahead of the game. I save about $200 a year using Amsoil. I couldn't afford to toss that kind of money out the window by using a lower priced, lower performing oil, especially in this economy. If someone provided me oil changes for free using a different oil, it would still cost me more to use than Amsoil. There is price, then there is cost and the two are totally different. Low priced products tend to actually cost us more in the end because they don't do their job as well, or as efficiently, or last as long as their higher priced counterparts that save money in more efficient operation, or lasting longer, saving money, providing lower cost of use and saving us money.

With the cost of an engine, it might more prudent to consider the performance/protection issues of an oil and not so much worry about a couple of bucks in price differences. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine.

It's the other way around. The ligher viscosity oils, i.e. 10W-30, will flow better in the cold and provide superior lubrication, whereas the thicker oils, i.e., 20W-50, thicken in cold temperatures and provide comparatively poor lubrication. Most engine wear occurs during cold engine starts and using a lighter viscosity oil that flows immediately to provide lubrication and reduce that wear is the hot ticket.

 

My 351C gets all kinds of lifter noise when engine is cold with 20W-50. Calif winter is
not really cold ~50s (F) so it's not much of a factor.
It runs great on 10W-30 Valvoline VR-1. Hafta special-order it from Napa.
I heard Roush now has a light weight racing oil with ZDDP too (made by Valvoline) check roushoil.com.