Carver Owners Forum

Was curious as to what engine oil people are using these days.I have a pair of 1987 small block Chevies and was using Kendall that had zinc in it but it is no longer made.

If you have older engines you may need oil with ZDDP in it.

There are various off-road only oils out there with ZDDP in them. Expensive.

The only reason though, that you'd need it is hi-perf engines with Hydralic or solid flat tappet lifters with high valve spring pressures. Standard marine engines will not need anything special. Diesel engine oils typically have more zddp than standard gas engine oils.

If you have a manufacturer you like, contact them and ask them which oils are best for your engines. They will not steer you wrong.

I use Rotella in my Carver's 350hp 454 Crusaders. I add a can of GM EOS (the old stuff before they changed the formula) each oil change

I use Rotella in Plain Vanilla and add a bunch of GM EOS zddp additive. I have a few cases of GM Supplement which is very high in ZDDP. If I ever run out of the EOS, then I'll buy some off road racing oil, such as Purple or Mobil 1 motorcycle oils.

I have Mercruiser 350 Mags in my boat, and I use Merc's brand oil and filter...either in Mercury or Quicksilver branding (whichever we have at the time, as they're identical). The Merc product doesn't cost any more than good oils or filters from auto parts stores, plus, with the Merc brand you can get gallons.

Reading your posts here. I have Crusader 270s in my '81 3007 Aft cabin, and I just have to ask, what makes this engine require a different oil than any other older engine of its age? Can I not keep these babies happy with frequent changes of some good ol' Castrol 10W40?

Yes, you can. Marine engines don't need a combination oil (10W40), you are better off going with a straight 40 or straight 30. The value in front of the W represents the "winter" value, how well the oil flows in the cold. Since we boat in mainly summer (spring, fall - all the same), the first value is a waste. In the 502's that were in my 97 Silverton 42 convertible, I always ran straight 40, and changed it every fall just before haul out.