Oil requirements for 86 2.4L

[Joecar]

So i was due for an oil change and i was wondering how much oil and what type of oil i need. The truck has a 4 cyl 2.4 

[Joecar]

Just now, Joecar said:

So i was due for an oil change and i was wondering how much oil and what type of oil i need. The truck has a 4 cyl 2.4 

Oh yeah and the torque requirement for the drain bolt

[Thomas Perkins]

I use 4.5 quarts in mine.I use Castrol oil 10W30 and a Wix 51515 oil filter.Been using this for a long time.The prices have went way up.Just use a copper washer and tighen the bolt real tight.I never torque mine in 28 years.It takes a 14 mm or 9/16 wrench or socket.Be careful and not tear up your wiring on your oil sending unit,it is so close to the oil filter.I messed mine up twice.I broke one of the prongs off the oil sending unit and had to buy another.My pig tail is home made.The original one dry rotted.Also check your transmission fluid.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Thomas Perkins

[Joecar]

20 minutes ago, Thomas Perkins said:

I use 4.5 quarts in mine.I use Castrol oil 10W30 and a Wix 51515 oil filter.Been using this for a long time.The prices have went way up.Just use a copper washer and tighen the bolt real tight.I never torque mine in 28 years.It takes a 14 mm or 9/16 wrench or socket.Be careful and not tear up your wiring on your oil sending unit,it is so close to the oil filter.I messed mine up twice.I broke one of the prongs off the oil sending unit and had to buy another.My pig tail is home made.The original one dry rotted.Also check your transmission fluid.

Thanks ill be checking transmission aswell

 

[datzenmike]

I don't know if Castrol has the correct ZDDP rating. ZDDP is a zinc anti scuff additive that over the last 20 years has slowly been lowered by oil makers to barely half what it was when your truck was new. Newer cars don't need it and it buggers the new catalytic converters. They say that it's compatible with older engines but my valve train too too valuable to take their word. You want ZDDP levels of 1,000 ppm or higher. Most oils today are around 600 ppm.

 

What is do is use a diesel oil that is exempt from this lower level. I use Shell Rotella T4 in 10w30 or 14w40. You can buy ZDDP supplements and add, but why bother when you can just slide farther down the isle and pick up a jug of T4 ready to go? There are other comparable diesel oils such as Chevron Delo 400 and any over the counter oil recommended for racing. Rotella T4 has 1,200 ppm ZDDP in it.

 

Diesel oils are far more detergent that regular gas oils so you may notice it gets darker faster for the firast few oil changes. This is the oil cleaning your engine.

 

 

This is an L20B cam that was given to me. Note the severe wear where the rocker ground into it. I urge you to look up the ZDDP controversy and make an informed decision. You've nothing to loose using an oil similar to those in the '80s and everything to loose using the oils they make today.

[bottomwatcher]

If you can buy diesel oil. More of the vitamins our old engines like. For some reason there always seems to be one diesel oil on sale cheaper than regular automotive oil. Which is strange since I have a diesel truck everything else seems to cost twice as much.

[bottomwatcher]

Just now, bottomwatcher said:

If you can buy diesel oil. More of the vitamins our old engines like. For some reason there always seems to be one diesel oil on sale cheaper than regular automotive oil. Which is strange since I have a diesel truck everything else seems to cost twice as much.

Mike beat me to it!😁

[datzenmike]

Manual transmission 2 liters (pretty close to 4 1/4 US pts.) of 80w90 GL-4. Don't substitute GL-5 for this.

 

Differential is about one liter of 80w90 GL-5 2 1/8 US pts.

[720_Jeff]

I buy it at WalMart, Shell Rotella T4 15/40.  About $17 for a 4 quart jug.  From what I've seen, zddp additives are $10-12 for each container.  So, just flat out cheaper to just by the Rotella, and it seems to have what what we need.

[datzenmike]

I don't know what a synthetic oil has in it for anti scuff additive but today's engines run less, so why would they have over 1,000 ppm???? I would never run it in a Datsun anyway. Conventional oil is more than good enough and the extra protection will never be used. It's declared that synthetic oil does not leak out of older engines any more than conventional oils, but my experience is much different. Going 20k (or what ever) between oil changes is asking for trouble on a non EFI old engine. The oil still gets 'dirty' and at best you will 'burn' a qt. every 5k so if you extend your oil change interval to 15k miles you will have put 3 qts. in so where's the $avings? Change every 7,500 miles, or less if severe use, ALWAYS change the filter, keep topped up. This is especially crucial if you burn oil.

 

I ran 15w40 for a few years but when I found out that 10w30 was available I switched. I only drive in the summer so 15w40 was fine up here. It never sees 100F.

[Thomas Perkins]

On my Jasper engine I got in 2009,Also that is what Jack Cadena installed when he put the engine in.I use the same oil as he used.But I have been using the same oil and filter foreverMy remanufactured engine now has 100,000 miles and used nothing but Castrol 10W30 from Walmart and use a Wix 51515 oil filters from Oreilly,s auto part.The best you can get to me.. I use Redline MT- 75W90,takes a hair less then 2 quart in my 5- speed. Everyone has there preference..My Dad was a Pennzoil man and he had no problem with it.Pump was 10 bucks at Harbor Freight.

Edited October 9, 2022 by Thomas Perkins

[Joecar]

On 10/8/2022 at 5:06 PM, datzenmike said:

Manual transmission 2 liters (pretty close to 4 1/4 US pts.) of 80w90 GL-4. Don't substitute GL-5 for this.

 

Differential is about one liter of 80w90 GL-5 2 1/8 US pts.

 

On 10/8/2022 at 5:06 PM, datzenmike said:

Manual transmission 2 liters (pretty close to 4 1/4 US pts.) of 80w90 GL-4. Don't substitute GL-5 for this.

 

Differential is about one liter of 80w90 GL-5 2 1/8 US pts.

Also my truck is a 4x4 so what oil should i use for the transfercase?

[datzenmike]

Same as transmission GL-4 rated NOT GL-5. 1.5 US qts.

 

You can use GL-4 in the steering box also.

[Joecar]

On 10/11/2022 at 6:20 AM, datzenmike said:

Same as transmission GL-4 rated NOT GL-5. 1.5 US qts.

 

You can use GL-4 in the steering box also.

Quick question, what are the torque specs for the differential cover?

[datzenmike]

Only the 4x4 has an C-200 differential cover, or do you mean the oil fill or drain bungs?

[Joecar]

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Only the 4x4 has an C-200 differential cover, or do you mean the oil fill or drain bungs?

 

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Only the 4x4 has an C-200 differential cover, or do you mean the oil fill or drain bungs?

I have a 4x4 and im replacing the gasket too

[datzenmike]

Put that in your profile, saves asking.

 

C-200 cover bolt torque is 8-10 ft. lbs.

[Buzzbomb]

If you want to go the ZDDP route with oil AND you don't run a catalytic converter, the two options for oil that I've used are VR1 Valvoline 10W30, and Rislone 4405 with your choice of newer dino oil. The Rislone is the real deal. It's not a molasses additive; its consistency is like 10W30 oil or even a little lighter. It works great.

 

That said, the general understanding for requiring ZDDP in older AMerican engines for instance is the spring pressure on a hydraulic cam that uses pushrods. I'm not sure if or how that would relate to old Datsun engines. I've used Castrol in my 720 since the ZDDP dropped and haven't had any issues with it FWIW.

[datzenmike]

The old 2 way catalytic converters worked with the old ZDDP level of over 1,000 ppm, it's the newer ones that don't and need the anemic oils of today. Old catalytic converters simply oxidized (burned) unburned hydrocarbons from less than perfect fuel mixtures caused by old school carburetors and all that was needed was oxygen, supplied usually by air pumps. Today three way converters with even more exotic catalysts are used but need extremely precise EFI fuel mixtures and O₂ sensors. 

 

It's the cam/lifter interface on the old engines that's at risk. On Datsun engines it's the rocker arm/cam interface. Both have the valve spring pressure bearing on the cam the Datsun ones just do it more directly. If anything the spring pressures are less today with multi valves that are smaller and lighter.

 

Other than Rotella T4 that has the correct levels, any 'racing' oil will also have the correct levels. VR1 is 1,300 ppm.

[bottomwatcher]

I am wondering if anyone can actually link cam damage to newer oils in a datsun. I run diesel oil myself in the KAe but this all seems speculation. 

[datzenmike]

It's a controversy for sure.

 

1/ One thing for sure is that the ZDDP levels ARE being reduced and are close to 1/2 what they originally were.

 

2/ ZDDP is an important anti scuff additive package that protects against cam wear.

 

3/ Original ZDDP levels are not as important in newer designed engines with roller cams and also harmful to the new catalytic converters is the reason given for the reduction.

 

Oil producers and engine makers have 'moved on' and left our collector engines from 40+ years ago more or less out in the cold as far as protection. I've heard it said that oil makers claim that the original ZDDP levels were too high to begin with and that the newer levels are reverse compatible with older engines. Still it's not their irreplaceable valve trains that they worry about. The wear is accumulative over time and by the time it's noticed it's really too late. Are today's oils safe on 40 year old Datsuns? Myself, I just walk a little farther down the aisle and grab a jug of oil that has the original levels and get a good nights sleep.