MGB Oil Change

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Maintaining any car can seem like a daunting task. There are videos to help with things like rebuilding carburetors or installing a convertible top, but what about simple things like just changing the oil?
A few tips: Always make sure to locate and open the places where you fill the fluid back up. That's easy with an oil change, but the same goes for things like transmission fluid or diff oil. If you can't fill it back up, don't drain it out until you fix that. Next, keep the area clean. There's no sense in draining dirty oil only to replace it with the dirt and grime you left around the oil cap. Make sure you have the right fluid. Always use the manufacturer's original specification (meaning weight, such as 10W40 or 20W50). There's a little more latitude with gear oil, but that's for a different video.
Also, while we used Valvoline VR1--a higher zinc oil--in this car, it's worth noting that it's simply not necessary in your average MGB, Triumph TR, Spitfire, Austin Healey, Jag, or what have you. The logic is that the oil damages engines with flat tappet cams, which is only kind of true. The correct amount of ZDDP (not too much... just enough) IS necessary, but only for flat tappet cam engines with high valve spring pressures. In a stock engine found in a TR6 or a Healey 3 litre... the spring pressures simply aren't high enough to cause a problem. Use a quality oil right off the shelf of your local auto parts store. I usually buy something like VR1 for other peoples' cars entirely because they're paying for it and I don't have the energy for the argument... but the entire Midwest Motoring fleet (a 71 Triumph TR6, 64 Triumph Spitfire, 74 Leyland Mini, 67 Triumph GT6, and a 62 Healey 3000) all run on regular, modern oil with no special formulations. They're all driven thousands of miles, including highway driving and even autocrosses, each year with no ill effects. I'll add that the Jeeps built up until about 2006 or so often used a 4.0 straight 6. That engine was a carryover from AMC when Chrysler took it over, and it was a flat tappet cam engine. In fact, it was an evolution of the AMC "Torque Command" engine from 1964. Even in 2006, while this engine was in the Wrangler, Chrysler never came out with suggestions that different oils be used, and those engines did hundreds of thousands of miles. So... unless you have modified heads on your Chevy small block built for street performance... you simply don't need special oil in your MG Midget. It's a myth now, and has been for decades. Just change your oil in the fall instead of the spring so you don't leave combustion byproducts over the winter and you'll be fine, and drive your car so it doesn't sit in the first place. End rant. Next week, maybe we'll tackle ethanol in gasoline....

[@MGB-learning]

Outstanding video. I think you forgot to drain the oil cool up front. I unbolt the 4 mounting 7/16 bolts on the oil cooler and hang it from the hood lock assembly so it drain into the oil pan prior to draining the oil pan.

[@midwestmotoring]

Make sure if you do that to pull the wire off the coil and spin the engine a few extra seconds. Otherwise there's a void to fill by the oil pump on startup.

[@redbarchetta8782]

I prefer the hand down version for MGBs. Much easier and I use the Purolator PL20195 and do prefill it with VR1 20W-50, helps build the pressure sooner. BTW, prefilling isn't bad for the engine, new engine oil from reputable producers is already filtered clean at the factory. It's a myth that the oil has contaminates.

[@midwestmotoring]

All good points! Thank you for the comment.

[@jeffharrison5265]

Good coverage of the basics. What are your thoughts on a engine flush via the oil before adding the new oil. Not at every oil change obviously, but every few years? Love your lift. Man that would be handy.

[@midwestmotoring]

It couldn't hurt, but a lot of that stuff isnt necessary, and sone is just plain snake oil. Regular oil changes will do more help than flushing though. For an unknown car, I'd say go for it, and then just change it frequently afterwards.

[@fredlipton7771]

What's your take on what type of oil to use on these classic British cars? The formulation for standard and racing oils like the Valvoline VR1 you used has changed over 40 years. I've read posts where the zinc content mimics what we used to buy. Oils like Castrol Classic with formulations like that are available but a bit pricier. I've used all types/blends over the decades on my 76B, no apparent issues. So far.

[@midwestmotoring]

Oh boy... can of worms here. Short answer, I use something like a VR1 for other people's cars because I don't want the argument and it's not hurting anything. Long answer... having a certain percentage of zinc in oil is something like having a certain percentage of asbestos in your home insulation. It's a great insulator, and was phased out for health and environmental reasons... but that doesn't mean the new stuff isn't as good or that it's necessary for old houses... and it doesn't mean new oil is bad for flat tappet camshafts without some magic additive. First off, the zinc hasn't just been removed... it's been replaced with other technology that does the same thing and has done a good job of it for decades. (Yes I know there is still some zinc in new oil). Next point; the zinc additives today aren't the same as ones from years past, so the concentrations don't need to be the same. Joe Enthusiast isn't qualified to say how many parts per million of whatever additive is necessary, so be wary of internet research. Importantly, a lot of tests are run on new oils, and they need to be backwards compatible. Nearly all evidence that says engines are blowing up is anecdotal... so it's a "my friend the engine builder says this" vs testing in a lab. Science has to have repeatable processes and results, and saying oil needs higher zinc for old engines simply doesn't follow any testing or science. Now, it is important to note that some testing has been done, and it's been found that for high valve spring pressures, coupled with flat tappet cams, etc... some scuffing does occur. The reality though is that the engines that have the level of valve spring pressures we're taking about are race engines, or at least heavily modified street rod engines. A stock TR6 or Austin Healey simply does not need special oil. For my own fleet, I've only ever used oil off the shelf (actually I buy by the 5 gallon pail these days). My cars don't burn oil, I drive through multiple states, and I commute to work with the classics in the nice weather. We're talking 10 to 15 thousand miles annually in these. I've had the chance to check a cam or two while the engine was out for a clutch or replacing a timing chain. They were absolutely fine. Finally... what about all the big name companies that are producing specialty oils? Well... follow the money. It's not necessary to have special oil, but then again neither are a lot of things you can buy from an infomercial. The fact that something is available at a store doesn't make it necessary. Specialty oils are a multi billion dollar industry, so you can bet everyone wants a piece. So yeah... I use regular oil and have never had a problem. If I'm changing your oil, then I'll most likely use VR1.

[@fredlipton7771]

@@midwestmotoring You covered a lot of ground there, up-front and clear. Thnx.