conventional oil is dead?

[The Evil Twin]

I'm not that old. Well, from my own perspective. I do recall being able to go damn near anywhere to buy a quart of 10w40 for a buck or two
Anyway....just rebuilt a 1000cc generator motor. New pistons, rings, valve stem seals and various other bits. The issue is not the rebuild. The issue is the oil. I can't seem to find conventional oil on the shelf anywhere! All I want to do is run the damn thing for 10 hours to break it in.
Now, Advance will sell me Fram conventional oil at $7 a quart. But it's ship to home. And I'm never using Fram anything since an oil filter came apart. (Wouldn't use their toilet paper for fear of a finger breakthrough).
FFS....all I want is oil.

 

[Russell King]

Here you go

Amazon.com

 

[Daren Todd]

I'm not that old. Well, from my own perspective. I do recall being able to go damn near anywhere to buy a quart of 10w40 for a buck or two
Anyway....just rebuilt a 1000cc generator motor. New pistons, rings, valve stem seals and various other bits. The issue is not the rebuild. The issue is the oil. I can't seem to find conventional oil on the shelf anywhere! All I want to do is run the damn thing for 10 hours to break it in.
Now, Advance will sell me Fram conventional oil at $7 a quart. But it's ship to home. And I'm never using Fram anything since an oil filter came apart. (Wouldn't use their toilet paper for fear of a finger breakthrough).
FFS....all I want is oil.

I hate to say it, but swing by the local deere dealer. They should have some break in oil in stock.

 

[jimh406]

You could try a grocery store or hardware store.

 

[Russell King]

Just thought about this…
Go somewhere and buy lawnmower oil. It may be too expensive that way.

 

[Lil Foot]

O'Rielly's still has several brands/grades/weights of conventional oil.

 

[RCW]

Tractor Supply had several conventional oil options a couple weeks ago.

 

[mikester]

general-vehicle-plp-template

www.canadiantire.ca

 

[The Evil Twin]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to hit O'Reilly today. They supposedly have some. The local mower shop uses break in additive which I could do (and have used before on motorcycle engines). That ain't cheap. It's just a little engine.
The post was more out of amazement that you can't just walk in somewhere and get such a simple thing.

 

[The Evil Twin]

general-vehicle-plp-template

www.canadiantire.ca

I like a road trip, but Canada is a little far

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Wally World ??
I've got a 5g pail of SAE30 (gas tractor)

 

[DustyRusty]

I used
BluePrint Engines Crate Engine Break-In Oil — 1 Quart when I was breaking in my Chevy engine. It is just a few pennies under $10 now, but it was what everyone that rebuilds engines was recommending at the time. Back then it was about $7 a quart. I would do as you have originally planned and use the break-in additive and a conventional oil.
Which do you prefer, a synthetic blend or a full synthetic oil after the break-in period?

 

[fried1765]

I'm not that old. Well, from my own perspective. I do recall being able to go damn near anywhere to buy a quart of 10w40 for a buck or two
Anyway....just rebuilt a 1000cc generator motor. New pistons, rings, valve stem seals and various other bits. The issue is not the rebuild. The issue is the oil. I can't seem to find conventional oil on the shelf anywhere! All I want to do is run the damn thing for 10 hours to break it in.
Now, Advance will sell me Fram conventional oil at $7 a quart. But it's ship to home. And I'm never using Fram anything since an oil filter came apart. (Wouldn't use their toilet paper for fear of a finger breakthrough).
FFS....all I want is oil.

NAPA.....
Several 10W-30 flavors.
Just bought 5 qts. ($17.99 - Valvoline) for my Duromax generator break-in.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I used
BluePrint Engines Crate Engine Break-In Oil — 1 Quart when I was breaking in my Chevy engine. It is just a few pennies under $10 now, but it was what everyone that rebuilds engines was recommending at the time. Back then it was about $7 a quart. I would do as you have originally planned and use the break-in additive and a conventional oil.
Which do you prefer, a synthetic blend or a full synthetic oil after the break-in period?

Ended up finding it at O O O O'Reilly Auto Parts. It is STP oil. Probably same as the Fram that I detest
It's a generator, so I'm skipping the additive and just using the oil for 10 hours or so. On race engines, I'll use conventional + Liqui Moly additive for an hour in the dyno. Then swap to synthetic. Everything we have gets synthetic oil. Even the weed whip and chain saw, blowers, mowers. Back in the good old days when I was sponsored by Amsoil, it was as cheap as conventional oil. Not so much these days, but I'm a believer in almost any good synthetic oil. Group 3 or 4 only for me.

 

[Flintknapper]

Ended up finding it at O O O O'Reilly Auto Parts. It is STP oil. Probably same as the Fram that I detest
It's a generator, so I'm skipping the additive and just using the oil for 10 hours or so. On race engines, I'll use conventional + Liqui Moly additive for an hour in the dyno. Then swap to synthetic. Everything we have gets synthetic oil. Even the weed whip and chain saw, blowers, mowers. Back in the good old days when I was sponsored by Amsoil, it was as cheap as conventional oil. Not so much these days, but I'm a believer in almost any good synthetic oil. Group 3 or 4 only for me.

That's what I ended up doing too (STP). Couldn't find just plain 30 wt non-detergent oil for break in.

Rebuilt my well used FH 721 Kawasaki. Had it bored .020 over and then I reassembled with new crank, rods, upper and lower crank bushings, new pistons and rings. Lapped the valves and installed new springs, push rods and valve stem seals.

Too hot down in my shop....so reassembled on a rug on the dining room floor. Wife unit didn't like that much. But she'll get over it.

Rebuilt my

 

[fried1765]

That's what I ended up doing too (STP). Couldn't find just plain 30 wt non-detergent oil for break in.

Rebuilt my well used FH 721 Kawasaki. Had it bored .020 over and then I reassembled with new crank, rods, upper and lower crank bushings, new pistons and rings. Lapped the valves and installed new springs, push rods and valve stem seals.

Too hot down in my shop....so reassembled on a rug on the dining room floor. Wife unit didn't like that much. But she'll get over it.

View attachment 138214 View attachment 138215 View attachment 138216



Rebuilt my View attachment 138217 View attachment 138218

That's what I ended up doing too (STP). Couldn't find just plain 30 wt non-detergent oil for break in.

Rebuilt my well used FH 721 Kawasaki. Had it bored .020 over and then I reassembled with new crank, rods, upper and lower crank bushings, new pistons and rings. Lapped the valves and installed new springs, push rods and valve stem seals.

Too hot down in my shop....so reassembled on a rug on the dining room floor. Wife unit didn't like that much. But she'll get over it.

View attachment 138214 View attachment 138215 View attachment 138216



Rebuilt my View attachment 138217 View attachment 138218

"reassembled on a rug on the dining room floor"

Brought back memories:
A Minnesota acquaintance overhauled his 9 cyl. Howard (radial A/C engine),
by removing his living room picture window.
Stuck nose of aircraft into window hole, and surrounded it with old quilts, and did the engine overhaul in comfort.
Project apparently took several months.
He musta also had a REALLY understanding wife!
Winter in Minnesota is very cold!

 

[The Evil Twin]

"reassembled on a rug on the dining room floor"

Brought back memories:
A Minnesota acquaintance overhauled his 9 cyl. Howard (radial A/C engine),
by removing his living room picture window.
Stuck nose of aircraft into window hole, and surrounded it with old quilts, and did the engine overhaul in comfort.
Project apparently took several months.
He musta also had a REALLY understanding wife!
Winter in Minnesota is very cold!

That is the reason my wife agreed to HVAC in the shop. She didn't want me bringing vehicles or engines into the house any more.