What brand do you use and what is a good oil to break in with. I have been told to use Valvoline 30 weight and then 10w-40 after the first 500 miles. Any suggestions?

-Buck

 

I would use regular dino oil through your first oil change. Might want to change the oil and filter out after 1k miles or so to get an metal out.

After that, you should be good to run anything you want.

I personally use the larger 52 filters.

 

What is a 52 filter?

 

PF47 is the stock size oil filter

PF52 (UPF52 is what I use) are longer filters that will fit.

It holds approx. 1/2 quart more oil...so if you buy those 5 qt jugs, you don't have to half 1/2 quart sitting around.

 

Yes use conventional oil.
For the first time you start it up let it warm up all the way and load your engine, break it in so all the parts ware in under the conditions where your engine makes power.
Don't beat on it but drive it rough.
Load it hard, back off and repeat a lot.
Don't drive it at all untill you know it's running right.

 

Look at this also:
http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
It is what me (for a few years now), Air Force Technical Orders (like 40 years) and this guy (a while) have been saying how to break in an engine.
Hardly no one will listen.

 

Importkiller, I am a bit confused about your oversized filter. Is this for a 3.8? The filters for a 96 3.8 is 3387...I couldn't even find anything ending in 52.

 

Those PNs I gave are AC Delco #s.

And yes, for the 1996 3.8.

 

If it is the first time youre running this engine I recommend changing the filter after break in to have a clean filter incase there are any metal shavings in there. Cut it open and see what you find in there. I use Castrol 10w-30 and a NAPA Gold filter, those are what I use in everything

 

can you get the longer filter for the 3.4?

 

Alright, thanks. Any idea what the "typical" number for this filter is?

 

Straight from the box...here are the equivalent #s:

Fram: PH3980
Motorcraft: FL402
NAPA: 1036
Purolator: L24011
Wix: 51036

 

Awesome. So it's the 3980 as opposed to the 3387. Thanks again!

 

Is there anything like that for the 3.4??

 

If thats the case then most F-Body / Corvette owners were doing their car good right from the start and probably didn't even realise it!