Reply to "Oil Weight"

You all do realize that there is no engine that requires heavier then a 30?
I don't know any good reason to run a strait 50.
A 50 will give you a higher oil pressure reading on the gauge particularly hot at idle.
A 20 winter weight is thick enough in the severe cujd to cause scratching of the cylinder walls and scuffing of the bearings particularly if the engine hasn't been run for awhile.
I would think that one would give away about the same amount of HP due to drag running 20-50 as gained using synthetic 10-30.
There is HP to be gained by running it you know.
For an engine that lays for long periods of time between running, like many Panteras, synthetic would be the way to go.
You want to seat the rings before you run synthetic. That stuff is so slick that it will delay it.
Actually if the engine is built correctly, The rings will seat within the first five minutes of running.
You run the engine 500 miles to make sure that all of the assembly lube is washed off of the parts, not to seat the rings.