What do you think will help my ‘73 340 get the max life on the street, on a budget, a flat hydraulic, or a flat solid? Any thoughts on oil system mods, oil, oil filters? Some say more lifter rotation is better—hydraulic. But I think the lash of a solid lubes better. The old slant-six solids ran for many a mile.
Marc Fulginiti
Brockton, MA
Marc
Unquestionably, the hydraulics will cause fewest problems long-term. This is primarily because you can use the bulletproof OEM stamped steel rocker arms. Main parameter affecting cam/lifter life: A proper break-in; the new engine must start instantly.
Unless you’re talkin’ 8,000 RPM and/or 600 HP, the oiling system requires no mods. If you can run a filter and exhaust setup that doesn’t require the 90-deg. adapter, that’d be an “upgrade” of sorts.
Again, I’m gonna assume reasonable bearing clearances. If they are close to OEM numbers, pretty much any filter will be fine. The court of public opinion seems to prefer Affinia Corp. (Wix) filters, and they are definitely good, but I continue to use the elCheapo Frams, mostly ‘cause WalMart sells ‘em cheap. The most important parameter in a filter is the bypass valve setting, and virtually all parts store and mass merchandiser filters bypass way too soon. The only nonpartisan test I ever was privy to was done at Chrysler engineering, and they wound up contracting with Wix to build filters with a higher bypass pressure, these are the Mopar SRT filters. But, again, if you engine’s oil demands are in the stock range, almost any filter will be fine.
hard time finding a more durable rocker system that the factory
stampings, whether for LA (left), B/RB, G, or Magnum (right).
Oil? I now use WalMart’s store brand (Super Tech) 10W-30 in almost everything. I believe Mobil 1 may be better in some respects, I’m just not willing to ante up. In hot weather or towing, though, I’ll usually add one or 2 quarts of Mobil 1 15W-50 to the mix.