Oil Change - Original 302 1970

[tonytony9]

I am about to perform my first oil change.

Right after purchase, I had my mechanic do an oil change. He used 6Qrts of Mobil 1 5w-30 conventional (I believe it has about 1000ppm of Zync??). New filter. 6Qrts was overfilled I believe by about half a quart. Also too light weight from my slightly uneducated opinion.

I am looking for recommendations for oil weight, brand and filter. I've been reading heated debates between 5-6 quarts. To save us another witty forum banter, I'll split the difference and go with 5.5.

My 302 is completely stock to my understanding...I have leaks (diagnosing right now if I need to replace the rear main seal or not).

With that being said, older motor, leaks, climate that will get down to about 30 degrees by next oil change, safe to go the following route?:

Weight: 10w-30
Type: Conventional
Brand: https://shop.valvolineglobal.com/pr...jCprGmiGQ5X85Hp4kUGK32DZ9yxVNP3WgF6gVIA3B8zof
Valvoline VR1 SAE 10w-30

 

[billh1289]

I run the Valvoline VR1 in mine. I use 10w-30. I run either a Wix 51515 or Napa gold filter.

 

[73azbronco]

Don't sweat the overfill by that little as long as you don't plan to circle track race it. Besides, now you will know how bad the rear main seal is.

 

[tonytony9]

Don't sweat the overfill by that little as long as you don't plan to circle track race it. Besides, now you will know how bad the rear main seal is.

Haha I can tell you my floor has seen better days

 

[tonytony9]

I run the Valvoline VR1 in mine. I use 10w-30. I run either a Wix 51515 or Napa gold filter.

Awesome. Btw they are having a buy one second 50% off sale right now on their website...

 

[Broncobowsher]

I am going to say you are overthinking it a little bit.

For the amount of oil, what does the dipstick read after filling it and running it for a moment? Stock Bronco pan with a filter change, 6 quarts. Cars of the same vintage had a different shaped pan and only needed 5 quarts to get to the same level of oil. Go ahead and do the 5.5 quarts, check the oil, what does the stick say you need for oil level adjustments?

Zinc is good. Breaking in a new flat tappet cam it is really needed. Once the cam and lifter is burnished in, it isn't as needed.

I think you are going the wrong way on the oil weight. 5W30 is a much better cold weather oil than a 10W30 oil. When cold a 5W will flow better.
Think about this fact, pressure is the resistance to flow. Great oil pressure just means it isn't flowing as much. The running 20W50 in a worn out engine to get the oil pressure back up is just running thick oil in sloppy bearings so it doesn't run out as fast. But a good engine that has good bearings in it, I would rather have the flow.

These old engines really don't care like many new engines do. It's not like new engines that will eat a phaser if you run the wrong oil.

 

[BronCowie]

I run the Valvoline VR1 in mine. I use 10w-30. I run either a Wix 51515 or Napa gold filter.

^^^Those^^^ are great filter recommendations. There was a thread on here a few years ago comparing oil filter performance and these two came out at the top. I've been using the Wix 51515 for years now and a 5w-30 since I live in a cold climate.

 

[tonytony9]

Thanks everyone! I went with VR1 10w-30 and the napa gold. Appreciate it

 

[gr8scott]

FYI, the Napa Gold 1515 filter is actually made by Wix.

 

[tonytony9]

FYI, the Napa Gold 1515 filter is actually made by Wix.

View attachment 930927

I am going to say you are overthinking it a little bit.

For the amount of oil, what does the dipstick read after filling it and running it for a moment? Stock Bronco pan with a filter change, 6 quarts. Cars of the same vintage had a different shaped pan and only needed 5 quarts to get to the same level of oil. Go ahead and do the 5.5 quarts, check the oil, what does the stick say you need for oil level adjustments?

Zinc is good. Breaking in a new flat tappet cam it is really needed. Once the cam and lifter is burnished in, it isn't as needed.

I think you are going the wrong way on the oil weight. 5W30 is a much better cold weather oil than a 10W30 oil. When cold a 5W will flow better.
Think about this fact, pressure is the resistance to flow. Great oil pressure just means it isn't flowing as much. The running 20W50 in a worn out engine to get the oil pressure back up is just running thick oil in sloppy bearings so it doesn't run out as fast. But a good engine that has good bearings in it, I would rather have the flow.

These old engines really don't care like many new engines do. It's not like new engines that will eat a phaser if you run the wrong oil.

^^^Those^^^ are great filter recommendations. There was a thread on here a few years ago comparing oil filter performance and these two came out at the top. I've been using the Wix 51515 for years now and a 5w-30 since I live in a cold climate.

Hi Everyone - revisiting this thread.

I have been using VR1 10w-30 and a Wix/Napa Gold 1515. Has been working well. I am dripping a solid amount of oil consistently. I believe I have tackled everything up-high. Intake Manifold, Oil Pan Gasket, Rear Main Seal. I noticed my crush washer is shot and its time for an oil change anyway.

Looks like the oil culprit is coming from the oil pan plug...and blowing back everywhere when I am driving. I will replace and do a thorough clean to see if I can identify any other culprits.

Has anyone had luck with Earl's Performance Stat-O-Seals. I ordered Part Number: EAR-178008ERL. Seems to be a solid solution for the plug that is.

 

[laserfish]

I know you said you checked everything up high, but did not mention the valve covers. That is where mine was coming from, but didn't look like it. Replaced the gaskets and no leak. Good luck!

 

[Brush Hog]

^^^ same with me. Chased oil leak for a long time. Finally replaced old stamped aluminum valve covers with some cast aluminum ones that are stiffer and don’t flex at the edges along with some good gaskets. No more oil running down back of engine. The way it travelled it looked like oil pan/drain plug but wasn’t.

 

[bronco italiano]

Hi Everyone - revisiting this thread.

I have been using VR1 10w-30 and a Wix/Napa Gold 1515. Has been working well. I am dripping a solid amount of oil consistently. I believe I have tackled everything up-high. Intake Manifold, Oil Pan Gasket, Rear Main Seal. I noticed my crush washer is shot and its time for an oil change anyway.

Looks like the oil culprit is coming from the oil pan plug...and blowing back everywhere when I am driving. I will replace and do a thorough clean to see if I can identify any other culprits.

Has anyone had luck with Earl's Performance Stat-O-Seals. I ordered Part Number: EAR-178008ERL. Seems to be a solid solution for the plug that is.

I use valvomax or fumoto drain valves. Just make sure the pan has drained for a day clean well and I use and alum crush washer with thread sealant and sit for 24 hours before adding oil.

 

[bronco italiano]

Oil weight depends on bearing clearances.
I have "2 on the rods and 2 1/2 on the mains".
In cold weather I can run 10/30 and hot climates 20/50 is fine.
If your engine is not a new build 5/30 or 10/30 is fine for cold weather.
I read an article a few years back about newer cars with lower oil pressures that run low viscosity, and is was more about putting volume on the bearings that pressure as Broncobowsher explained.
VR1 is good oil
Wix/Baldwin/Napa Gold (Wix rebranded)/fleetguard filters are all really high quality

 

[BronCowie]

I know you said you checked everything up high, but did not mention the valve covers. That is where mine was coming from, but didn't look like it. Replaced the gaskets and no leak. Good luck!

^^^This^^^ is where my leak originated (and it didn't look like it!)

 

[tonytony9]

I know you said you checked everything up high, but did not mention the valve covers. That is where mine was coming from, but didn't look like it. Replaced the gaskets and no leak. Good luck!

^^^ same with me. Chased oil leak for a long time. Finally replaced old stamped aluminum valve covers with some cast aluminum ones that are stiffer and don’t flex at the edges along with some good gaskets. No more oil running down back of engine. The way it travelled it looked like oil pan/drain plug but wasn’t.

^^^This^^^ is where my leak originated (and it didn't look like it!)

Unfortunately, I have changed the gaskets, using Fel-Pro. I have a very minimal leak that drips on the exhaust manifold but I believe this is coming from the Oil Fil cap rather than the gasket itself.

I had a mechanic tell me that I have a transmission leak and a transfer case leak. Could be. I have monitored both the T-case and Transmission oils very closely the last few months, no noticeable change in their levels.

I am stumped.

 

[DirtDonk]

The standard oil fill caps had a gasket the deteriorated fairly rapidly. When I bought my 71 in 76, it was leaking pretty badly and torn.
I made various gaskets from rubber and cork and paper gasket material to make it work. Sometimes I use two, just to make it a tighter fit.
Everything helped. I did actually find a replacement rubber one once, don’t remember where, but it worked great and was still on the engine When I sold it.

 

[tonytony9]

The standard oil fill caps had a gasket the deteriorated fairly rapidly. When I bought my 71 in 76, it was leaking pretty badly and torn.
I made various gaskets from rubber and cork and paper gasket material to make it work. Sometimes I use two, just to make it a tighter fit.
Everything helped. I did actually find a replacement rubber one once, don’t remember where, but it worked great and was still on the engine When I sold it.

Thats an awesome tip thank you! I'll get a bit creative

 

[DirtDonk]

Now that I think about it, I seem to remember finding that great rubber gasket (brown/orange color) at the local Ford dealer.
I wonder if they still have them for various applications.

 

[4xfun]

One other item to check is your PCV system. A bad PCV can cause leaks is odd places.