1927 Buick 6 lubrication

[Guest Mike in England]

Help! I have just bought a 1927 Buick standard 6 and need some advice on oil grades as I want to change the oils in the engine, trans and rear axle before I use it. Also does anyone know where I could get a copy of an Owners Handbook. Mike:)

[Leif Holmberg]

There are a lot of 1927 books on E-Bay.

Leif in Sweden.

[unimogjohn]

Mike, what is the condition of the engine? Rebuilt? Cleaned?

If you do not know the condition of the engine I would drop the pan and clean out all the gunk. It is very important to start with a clean pan. You will be amazed at the amount of gunk. It is not tough to do, just a lot of bolts. Be careful taking it off so you can save the old gasket. If not, just make your own out of cork. Check the oil pump pickup screen to make sure that it is clean and clear. I use WD40 to spray it down and make sure that the screen is clean.

If it has not been rebuilt I would use 30 weight non-detergent. If it has been rebuilt, and has a modern filter retrofitted, I would use 15-30 wight detergent. If you have a rebuild, but no filter, I would use detergent oil, but plan to change it often, like every 500 miles at most.

Always change your oil when the engine is hot if you can to keep most of the gunk in suspension.