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  • 1940 champion oil

    I was wondering what oil is recommended for my 40 champion. I had always used nondetergent oil in the past and changed it to a cheap detergent oil. After running it for awhile, I noticed a lot of foam in my oil? Is this a problem? What type and weight of oil should I be running?

    Thanks in advance,
    Brent

  • #2
    40 Champ? - why, 40 WT of course! [}] Just kidding Brent! Alot depends on the history of that engine. I HAVE heard that switching to detergent oil after years of non-det can cause problems in that it tends to loosen the accumulated crud that built up while using the non-det stuff. Foam is not good if it's excessive because it would cause a drop in oil pressure. What does the oil pressure gage indicate as you're driving along[?] Does it waver as they engine's running at steady speed[?] That'd make me worry.
    Is it warm where you live? That might be a consideration as to what weight you run in it.

    Miscreant at large.
    No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

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    • #3
      I live in Michigan, so its been packed away for some time now for the winter. Hopping to get her back up and running soon. I remember seeing the excessive oil foam when I packed it up for the winter. I didn't investigate it at the time but remember just switching to a detergent oil. I don't recall the oil pressure wavering at steady speed, but its been awhile since I've run it (I'll check that out when I start it up, hopefully soon). Does detergent oil have a greater tendency to foam? If so, should I change it out (back to nondetergent) before I try and start her back up?

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      • #4
        First of all, if you use a detergent oil, use a good brand. These good oils usually have an anti foaming ingredient in their detergent package.
        I use 20W-50 Castroll in my '59 Lark. It has basically the same engine in your car. Of course, oil pressure is most important.
        I wouldn't worry too much about using a detergent oil. It takes quite a while to clean up the inside of your engine. And the stuff that the detergent cleans up in held in suspension until you drain it.
        These are my opinions. Good luck.
        Rog
        '59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop
        Smithtown,NY
        Recording Secretary, Long Island Studebaker Club

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        • #5
          I would be concerned that the foam that you are seeing isn't oil foaming, but rather, coolant in your oil that is foaming. Are there any signs of coolant problems? Items such as loss of coolant, oil level rising, white smoke from tail pipe. Modern oils usually have enough anti-foam properties in their additive package to prevent any noticeable foam. If it is truly oil foaming, then I would be concerned that someting else is wrong in your engine, such as an air leak at your oil pump, or your oil level is so high (overfilled) that you are churning the oil and causing it to foam.
          Gary L.
          Wappinger, NY

          SDC member since 1968
          Studebaker enthusiast much longer

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