1969 sbc 302 oil
 

Picked up a 61’ longbed last week and motor looks pretty much stock. Odometer says 77k but more like 177k. Motor runs good. Frame has been swapped as well the engine with a 1969 302. Still has the good ol trusty quadrajet. Little build up of milky sludge on top of valve covers. Previous owner says he ran SHELL T TRIPLE PROTECTION 15w-40. Kind of smells like a little gas on the dip stick, might be my nose. I’m thinking a carb might have a little leak. Previous owner also didn’t drive it as much. Valve covers also need to be replaced. Please let me know your thoughts.

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

302... kinda rare. You sure?

A lot of cats ran Shell Rotella diesel oil for a while as it had more zinc in it. Not the case anymore. I would run an oil intended for a flat tappet engine with zinc additives already in it.

Gary

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

Numbers in back are 3970010
Behind alternator are V0599800
Cannot find anymore

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

More likely a newer 350.
Pop a valve cover off and check the head casting number.

One triangle on the front of the head might indicate this:
I Large triangle over rectangle 882 Large chamber (76cc), hardened exhaust valve
M One triangle 882 Alternative marking for 882; see I, above

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

Diesel oil still works fine. I run it in a motor that sees 8k RPM and the cam is atleast 5 years old.

An original 302 chevy would have a 780cfm holley carb.

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

Gas in the oil smell could be a leaking fuel pump.
Also might be a buildup of blow by and not being driven long enough for the oil to get hot enough to drive out the blow by products.

Not definitive but 60s motors had the alt on the driver's side, at least on AC vehicles. And a different set of support brackets. At least my 68 did.

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

If blue is the original engine color it's likely a 77 or newer.

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

The bolts holding the rocker covers on...are they closer together on the intake side or spaced the same on both intake and exhaust sides....

3970010 block should be a 350, not a 302....

:chevy::chevy::chevy:

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

010 block can be a 302, 327 or 350.


https://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm

The dimensions of the code pad is also a clue to what year.
Info here in suffix codes section.


https://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/..._Chevy_engines

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

Because all three have the same 4 inch bore and main journal diameter. Each has a different stroke.

Re: 1969 sbc 302 oil
 

And the chance of it being a 302 from 1969 are pretty slim. I agree with the above that the blue paint is also a giveaway that it is a later engine from the late 70's.

Gary