1700 BDR engine oil

[mikestifel]

After 3 solid years of refurbishment I'm starting to blat about in my '87 BDR engined Caterham.  The car is running very well and I couldn't be more pleased given the work it's taken to get the car back into shape.  I'm currently running Castrol GTX 20-50 in the car and all seems well, oil pressure is nominal and the motor hasn't blown up yet.  However, BDRs are not common where I live and finding good information about them is difficult for me.

Does the Castrol 20-50 seem like the right way to go?  The car is road only (no track days) and is equipped with a wet sump.

I know questions about engine oil are apt to bring out a diversity of opinions and I apologize in advance but I really am curious as my usual sources of information are of little use in this particular case. 

[elan_fan]

Is the engine rebuilt or well run in? Where are you in the world?

Mark

[Tazio]

Mike, my engine has just been rebuilt by John Wilcox, for dyno work he fills all the engines with Castrol Classic 20/50,  but has suggested I use Fuchs 15/50 for normal day to day use, and like yours, mines a wet sump. 

[mikestifel]

The engine has about 3000 miles on it (4800 km). I’m located in the North Eastern United States.

[Philip L Anderson]

I have been running BD’s (street & track days) for 10+ years with a verity of different oils. Everybody has a favorite, but the most important thing is to use a quality oil of the correct weight, make sure there is enough in the sump, and change it every 3,000 miles or yearly. That said, I don’t have a catalytic converter, so I go for high zinc (ZDDP) oils. Zinc is the very best anti-wear additive. High zinc oils are not API certified (they destroy catalytic converters), so you won’t find them in your auto parts store. Don’t have any idea what may be available in the UK, but in the States, I have used oils by Joe Gibbs, Cen-pe-co, and for the past several years Brad Penn, Pen Grade 1 SAE 20W-50.   

[elan_fan]

I would go for Redline 15w50 

Mark