Just took delivery of a 1964 E Type OTS with 3.8 motor that has just undergone a pretty extensive restoration. I have two questions that I'm hoping you guys could help with:

1) I know these cars leak oil and I notice a bit of oil already on my garage floor.
What is considered "normal" loss (quart per month...or week)?

2) I live in South Florida, so pretty warm/hot year round. What do you guys recommend for oil. Please indicate brand and type, regular or synthetic.

Thanks very much in advance

 

Congrats on your purchase. Most if not all E-types leak some oil from the rear main bearing rope seal. Mine makes about a 2" puddle in about 2 weeks of sitting. The older engines burn some oil when running, so take that into consideration as well. Keep fresh oil in your garage, check the car before every drive to be safe. There are some mods that eliminate the rope seal but requires work on the crankshaft. Take a look under the car to make sure no other areas are dripping (oil filter/casing, hoses, pan, etc.). I had a leak at the oil pressure sensor connection, only leaked when the engine was running so it took a while to figure out.
As far as oil, others will chime in but any 20/50 non-synthetic should keep your cat purring.

 

Having owned my Kat for 45+ years, I rebuilt the engine 30+ years ago. I use a non-synthetic Castrol brand 20/50, or so, here in the mid-Atlantic area. Yes, I have a few puddles, but, not to the extent it's embarrassing.
Welcome and "Happy Motoring"....

 

You will get all kinds of oil advice...Personally, I like a high zinc oil...My favorite is VR-1 Racing oil , 20w50...
It is specifically formulated for solid-lifter engines....
Edward

 

The E-type engine does not have solid lifters...........

 

Technically ,yes, it has no lifters....What it has is metal-to-metal contact between the valve tappets (cups), and the cams...The high zinc oil protects those surfaces better than ordinary oil, IMHO....
Any space between the tappets and the base of the cams, , will result in impacts. The valve adjustment leaves a space (which is why you hear the tappet noise).
The zinc will help protect those surfaces.
Edward

 

All engines new and old other than those with roller cams have solid tappets of some sort. Only 'old school' pushrod and rocker OHV type arrangements, either solid or hydraulic lifter, are at risk of suffering damage from today's oils with lower ZDDP.

Both SOHC or DOHC engines by virtue of low valve train mass are not at risk.

It will do no harm in using oil with high(er) ZDDP levels but to say they are required or of benefit is not quite accurate.

I use dual purpose diesel/gasoline oils with a CJ4 API spec in all my old school OHV engines. These frequently go on sale at Wally World or similar at a fraction of the price of specialty 'racing' oils.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. Appreciate it!

 

The guys talking about high zinc and phosphorous oils are quite correct. Any "sliding" surfaces like non-roller lifters or equivalent need these additives for long life. Of course they cannot be used on modern cars with CATS due to potential for poisoning of the Catalytic materials. One example I use is Lucas High Zinc Break-In oil.


Conversely on our newer cars where I want max CAT life I use Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 meeting Euro standards with only trace amounts of zinc and phosphorous.

 

Just to be clear, you're aware that even the latest Jag engines do not use roller lifters or equivalent? They have sliding surfaces, just like all OHC bucket and shim.

The present API SM oils have more than enough ZDDP for such engines, new and old.

 

Perhaps one of the reason the Jag engines don't seem to live very long ? Yes, you are correct of course. I know that the Alfa Romeo mechanics certainly recommend high zinc oils for older Alfas after rebuilds, and they have a similar arrangement. My Chevy truck motor uses roller lifters and roller tipped, needle bearing rockers to replace the old school flat tappets and plain bearing rockers as used in the old motors. Perhaps as you imply, the lower valve spring pressures used for OHC designs are more forgiving when sliding surfaces are involved.

 

And the flip side of course, as it applies to the specific vehicle
under discussion, is that without CAT's and knowing the benefits
of zddp, there is no good reason not use a zddp rich oil.

 

They don't? Damage from cam/bucket/valve stem wear? News to me.

 

Lots of good information on zinc and phosphorous levels in oil if you do some searching. Here is one of many discussions. For older cars the only downside I see is more deposits. http://www.acccc.net/images/stories/...aftandzinc.pdf


Many folks swear by the GM product as a supplement. Note the ratio suggested by this engine builder. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-EOS-Engin...455225&vxp=mtr

 

These "Oil Threads", are always the long ones....There are more opinions and articles than you can absorb...
Best advice is read as much as you can, and make the final decision based on your understanding of the subject....
Edward

 

You could also use a more modern oil like a 15W40 as I used to on my XJ6 (a 1980). Jaguar recommendations changed over the years as the oil companies developed better oils. The engine was in production from 1948 when one changed the oil about every 3000 miles !

The mod referred to, to replace the primitive rope oil seal at the rear involves machining the crankshaft to remove the scroll where the rope seal sits. This is to allow a lip-type seal to be used. There are kits for this, but clearly your car won't be in daily use, and I'll bet you don't want to strip the engine down to get the crankshaft out for grinding, so best to leave it alone, I reckon. Just get used to oil dripping onto the drip tray !