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Topic: Oil, old engines, and "winter" (Read 2719 times) previous topic - next topic

Oil, old engines, and "winter"

I put winter in quotes because many of you would probably consider our winter to be your fall. :p

The last time the '86 V6 had fresh oil was just before Charley hit, and Charley hit on Aug. 13th. (a Friday.. go fig) Since we were in a hurry for obvious reasons, we had the super Wal-Mart do the oil change, and they put 10w30 in it. It's been 4 months and about 2,200 miles. Since then, I've lost less than a quart.. probably more like 1/3rd of a quart.. but most of that is from the rear main oil seal leak. (I park in a way that minimizes the leak.. but it still leaks a bit when I drive for long periods of time)

Well, this week we have to go on the road to deal with a family problem.. and I'm going to change the oil before we go. I have a 5-qt of Valvoline 5w30 I picked up for the '88 when I thought there was a chance it might need flushing out. Anyone think that 5w30 is too thin when I've had no problems using 10w30 in it? The 3.8 has 167k miles on it. I get a *very* faint amount of smoking with it on rare occasions, (you have to be looking for it to see it) aside from the smoking/steaming/whatever it does in colder weather.

BTW, this isn't a question I'm asking because I've already decided what to do and I'm just looking for support. If I have to go out and pick up some 10w30 (or different) for it, I will. It's not like oil is a huge expense here. I already have a filter from when I bought one for the 5.0, and AutoHole's site says they're the same filter. As for temperatures, it rarely gets below freezing here.. and I sincerely doubt I'd be starting the car at a time that it did drop below freezing, if it did.

Oh, a second little question while I'm at it: Should I bother picking up one of those $1.99 magnetic oil drain plugs that they listed on AutoHole's site, while I'm doing this change? (I think "Motormite" was the brand name listed)

This is a lot of text for an oil change.. but hey.. I haven't done an oil change myself in 12 years. Quickie oil change places are nice when you have an Escort-sized car and don't really feel like monkeying around under the hood.. or are in a hurry like we were before the hurricane hit.. but now that I have some time to do it, I might as well do it myself.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #1 –
I have always used 10w-30 in my 5.0.  I would say since it doesn't get too cold there go with 10w-30  I have no experience with the magnetic plugs but never had an issue not using it, and apparently you have gone 150K+ w/o one too.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #2 –
The 5W-30 should be fine.... I put it in my 5.0 back in the early summer, and have made a trip to Carlisle PA and 75-80 drag strip passes using approx a quart in 2000 miles. It's still fairly clean I'll won't change it till the spring.

The magnetic plug ain't gonna hurt anything, but not really necessary.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #3 –
I didn't figure the plug would hurt anything. My thought was whether or not it was worth the extra $1.99 while I was out getting different oil, IF I get something other than what I have. Like mjbtbird was saying, the car has made it 167k miles without one.

So we have one "vote" for what I have already, (the Valvoline 5w30) and one "vote" for getting some 10w30. Interesting. I'll give it a few more possible responses before I act on it. I really don't mind either way, just as long as I get it dealt with early this week. I have to put another 300 miles or so on it in a few days.

When I saw you had replied, I had it in the back of my mind that your response was gonna be something like "Just put straight 30-weight in it, it!".. :giggle:

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #4 –
Picked up a set of 3/8" extensions tonight.. think I may see if there's any oil pan bolts that need *careful* torquing down, while I'm under there. Considering some of the valve cover bolts were finger-loose when I took those off to paint 'em, and tightening down some hose clamps seems to have cured 99.9% of my coolant loss, I can't think of why it would be a bad idea.. unless I'm horribly unlucky and end up kinda like Nirvanagod.. :shoothead

Any other opinions on the oil selection? I'm hoping to do this Monday afternoon.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Bird351
...unless I'm horribly unlucky and end up kinda like nirvanagod.. :shoothead


Yeah definatly don't wanna do what i did  :disappoin. But if it helps, before you get under there, you'll want a 7/16, 1/2, and 9/16 drivers i believe. The small bolts are 7/16 and run the sides of the pan, the large bolts are one of the other 2 sizes and are at the 4 corners (front and rear main seals). As for getting to the bolts in the middle of the pan, i suggest a 1/4 in. drive ratchet and sockets. You need all the room you can get.
Temporarily Foxless? Ride the Bull...

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #6 –
Different bolts on the 3.8's oil pan, I guess.. because every one I could reach was 10mm. All my 3/8" to 1/4" drive adapters are broken, so I had to use a plain ol' wrench and just get what ones I could reach with it. (probably half of them, if I'm lucky) Only one was loose enough to move when I tightened it, though.

Gave it a little extra flushing out with about 1/3-1/2 quart of spare oil, after all the old  drained out. ("spare" = the stuff I keep in the trunk in case I get caught out on a road trip with low oil.. a half-used 5 qt. jug of 10w30) I went with the 5w30. Oil pressure seems to have gone up slightly.. around 62 PSI when I fire it up cold, vs. 58-60 PSI with the old oil.

A hard hand-tightening is all that's recommended with the new oil filters, right? (vs. using any sort of wrench to tighten it) Seems like the Wal-Mart goons  near welded it on.. had to use two wrenches at once to break it loose.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #7 –
Ford manuels recomend tightening untill the gasket just touches the engine block and then going one more 1/2 turn.  (I usually go slightly tighter)  UnTill it feel right.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #8 –
I just went as tight as I felt comfortable with, using a box-end wrench only slightly longer than the width of my palm. Not exactly a ton of tightening power there. :D

On the oil end of things, it looks like the 5 qt. jug overfilled it by about 1/4-1/3 qt. Checked it about a half hour after having driven it around the block. Is there any slack for an overfill before the crank is seriously slapping oil around?

It seems to be running a little quieter now.. *shrug*

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #9 –
Oh yeah, that reminds me.. unrelated topic, but also engine-related.. I just don't feel like making a whole new topic for it. I think my tensioner pulley is starting to chirp a little bit. Can that be silenced in any easy way, or am I stuck buying a new tensioner pulley to deal with it? (this is also on the 3.8)

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #10 –
Replace it.... but as a FYI

Most Ford tensioner pulleys use the same bearing as in the front of the alternator. So if you were real ambitious, you could drill out the rivits and replace it. Of course you better be sure to get it riveted back together securely.

Note.. this does not apply to the plastic pulleys.

Re: Oil, old engines, and "winter"

Reply #11 –
I'll replace it within the next month or two, then. It's only a slight, occasional chirp. It's not exactly screaming yet.