Dan, we need more information. What kinda car are you talking about? Are the gaskets and seals made of modern materials or old? Could be anything from compressed cork to primitive rubber compound. For example, asbestos rope engine seals on the fintail M180 engines prevents the use of synthetics that bleed right through em. Even nylon seals in 114/115 power steering pumps can eventually leak if the wrong fluid with strange detergent additives is used.

Safest bet is probly *non-detergent* straight weight oil in recommended weight ie 50,60,70, etc that can best be found at Harley Davidson MC shops. And what kind of oil did they have at the time?

Does anybody remember The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck? It used to be required reading. Oaklahoma Jode family during the Great Depression heading West in their broken down pre-war jallopy. When they spoke of buying a decent used car for the journey, it was mentioned that sawdust dumped into differentials would hide a bad set of gears. And when their vehicle broke down and needed rings, they wrapped heavy guage single strand copper wire around the piston grooves. Soft metal copper would coat the scored bores. One of the greatest road-trip stories of all time.




This is a great topic, we need to hear more about pre-war cars.