Every 500 Miles!??
 

Today is it still necessary to lub/oil change EVERY 500 Miles ! I do agree they should be driven or they will rust -- wondering how many operational hours 500 miles is--
Hip arthritis makes it hard to get under my PicUp theses day.
Thanks

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

With an inserted engine and full flow filter using 10w30 detergent oil I change oil every 1500 miles. Everyone's situation is different regarding oil changes. Today's oils are much better then when the A was built. One thousand mile intervals will probably work depending on road conditions on a non filtered engine. If you are running an inserted engine I personally would recommend using a full flow filter. As far as operating hours go based on you average speed, divide the miles traveled by your average speed will give you the operating hours.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Your going to open a real can of worms asking this question.

My feelings on oil changes is like “Eating an Apple a Day”. It can’t hurt, and it might help.

I change oil and lubricate every year or 500 miles.

For the the cost, it’s cheap insurance. Plus it’s one of the last things that I can still do.

I have the car lubricated at local car dealer. He uses high pressure grease gun. Enjoy.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I do both once a year, about 2,000 miles. I run both types of engines, inserts and babbitt, wilh full-flow filters, and B engines.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Perhaps I should clarify: I've a stock engine, drive in the city only no Xpressways and am changin' oil/lub about every 6 weeks. That lub job is a killer for me, but not giving up my driving schedual. Engine has no oil filter/inserts, using Mobil 1 Synthetic 10W-40 High Milage. But it's not about the oil -- it's about the changing and lub.
Thanks Guys

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Does anybody believe that during the Depression and WWII that people did this every 500 miles?? Today with the modern oils and lubes (even 30 weight) that at 500, even 2000 miles it's necessary??
Paul in CT

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Opinions are like .... well you know, here’s mine. Roads were a lot different in 20s-30. Driving conditions different. 500 highway miles would be easier on a car than 500 1930 miles. I think I would still do 500 on a stock engine and maybe stretch it out a bit if the oil looks really good then.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Wrong oil ! :D

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I would think lube and synthetic oil every 6 weeks is over-kill, unless the car is driven a bazillion miles in that time.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Bad arthritis go to amazon.com. Search oil extractor pump.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Jiffy Lube..............

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Wonder what you would get going to one of those oil change and lubrication job joints for $29.99? Asked to wait till after lunch?

John

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

We have better oil now with better additives so the 500 mile mark is a little out dated. But them again oil is cheap compared to a new engine.


Nobody will take your car away if you do it 500 or 2000. And as you have read there are those that do that and everything in between.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Frequent oil changes are a lot easier then yanking an engine, taking a good look at your drained oil may save you a lot of work by spotting some "gunk" that could point to something failing. Pick an oil of your choice buy it on sale or bulk (55gal) with a friend. In a club? Perhaps a member has a lift they would be willing to share for some help when they need it. Just my opinion........

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Not running an oil or air filter filter, so my preference is every 500 miles. With detergent oil keeping all the contamination suspended in the oil, I agree with PalAl and Mike V..

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I have an engine that was rebuilt about 600 miles before we went on a 400+ mile tour. I changed oil the day before the tour. The engine didn't use a "drop" of oil, well I lied.. a few drops wound up on the ground but not many. However, the oil color has not really darkened up much at all. I think I have more than 100 miles on this oil change.

To the original poster, when it comes to all the other lube points under the car, We know that todays roads are better than 1928-1931, but the joints are not sealed and dust and moisture can really get into places like spring shackles and steering joints to name a few.

Frequent lubing drives old grease out and puts new grease in. Maybe the original 1928 guidelines don't need to be strictly adhered to these days, but then again, where do we extend that time to? I guess one has to be their own judge.

Maybe if you could find a garage where you can take the car and the lube chart to them, they might get a kick out of doing it for a slight fee.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I'm very leary of quick oil change places. We've caught them using reclaimed oil.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

It’s time to get a younger person involved! 500 miles with Mobil 1 is over kill IMHO, I use Mobil 1 and like it, I feel time is more important than mileage.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I rebuilt a Willys engine years ago that had never had any oil in it but the cheapest non detergent 30W that the little country store sold. It was the cleanest engine inside I had ever disassembled. There was NO sludge or build up anywhere in that engine.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

The love of money has ruined many.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Well, nice to hear this. I am the second owner of a fully out off body restoration. Including the engine and all mechanics. Who sold me the car told me all what he was using for lub, gas additive (MMO), oil engine and Differential/transmission

For the engine he was using ND 30W. The restoration was done 14 years ago and the engine had 9500 miles when I got the car on January this year.

All these months I have read threads like this one. Also I had people telling me to use detergent oil, others , do not change to detergent oil because it will free sludge because you never used it before, etc etc.

Finally i decided to keep it with ND 30W because my son, that works in a Firestone Service shop told me, as others, "keep the ND 30W because it was used for the last 9500 miles of the engine.

Then I was able to talk with the first owner who did the full restoration, including engine. He told me that the shop that did the engine suggested to go with ND 30W and do the oil change every 500 miles. And he did that.

I am not yet retired and I never was a mechanic kind off guy. I do not have the time, to do the oil change during the week, less the lub job. Weekends are always packed. So I take the car and the oil bottles to a mechanic shop nearby (they do not have ND 30W in stock). I paid $70 for the oil change including the 500 miles lub per Ford chart last month.

At the start of the season they changed oil, did the full lub job, changed transmission and differential oil, plus break calibration and wheels gears packing, for $180.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Just adding a little more fuel to the fire.

The difference between a war story and a fairytale, one starts with once upon and the other starts with this ain’t no shit.

This is a war story! I have taken old noisy Model A engines, cleaned the oil pan and pump screen, added high detergent oil to engine and MMO to the gas. Within a very short time, what a difference. Both in sound and performance.

I would not be concerned about changing to HD oil, especially in a low mileage motor. Just change it after a few hundred miles the first few times.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I average 500 miles per month driving, 800-1000 miles between oil changes.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

When we were young, we just kept topping them up with recycled oil and they went for-ever! Today, with an inserted engine and full flow filter, I change the oil at around 3000 mile intervals. If we did it at 500 mile intervals, on some trips we'd be changing the oil four times which to me seems crazy?
I grease the front suspension and steering more frequently to keep the steering smooth and relatively effortless

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I imagine the willies has an oil filter? The other post mentions 3000 miles, but is running an oil filter, does not mention it but most likely is running a pressurized oil system with the filter. This is quite a bit different than a stock Model A , no filter, little pressure/high flow.


Comparing Apples and Oranges?

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

This demonstrates my very low level of knowledge in the matter. Nevertheless, if the car have been using ND 30W for 14 years and 10400 miles I will leave it in that way.

Thanks

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I agree with you Wensum. I have full flow oil filter and large air filter and I use Mobil 1 Synthetic 15W 40. On long trips I change 3000 miles for oil and 6000 on oil filter. Oil is black but still holds viscosity. I know this because I test it hot and cold on a Brookfield viscometer. If I am doing lots of short trips I change at 2000 miles due to greater oil dilution from condensation and greater use of choke on starting more often. Long trips are rallies of several thousand miles with 250 to 300 mile days. Short trips for me are 10 to 20 miles or so.
I grease every 500 to 1000 miles, depending on dust, rain and rivers.
SAJ in NZ

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

Hi, normally, I drive my T during the year,
but with my A, I made a trip of more then 3000km in Juni and 2000 in September. Maybe I will make an oil cange now, but how can anybody change the oil every 500 miles ?

Willi

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I usually drive about 1000 miles a month...I have a stock engine and a full flow filter and I try to change the oil every 1000 miles with synthetic 10-30. You can buy the 5 quart synthetic Mobile 1 for under $25 most of the time. Oil is cheap...changing engines isn't.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

A full flow oil filter acts like a pressure relief valve,the oil pressure rises to push the oil through the media.When used with a lube line from the oil pump shaft galley to the center main bearing cap it will provide a few pounds pressure to the bearing.

Modern diesel grade engine oils has superior additives that help protect a model a engine.A high shear and load factor with these additives helps protect your engine bearings. Detergents keep debris in suspension in the oil,allowing it to be drained out with the change..Non detergent engines allow dirt and combustion by products to be deposited on bearings and some settles out of the oil to become sludge..its amusing that folks think non detergent oil is effective..

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

I hope you did not take my previous post as a recommendation one way or another, was trying to stay neutral. Oil is a subject that gets a lot of strong discussion, and ends up without general agreement. The post was an attempt to point out that those running pressurized oil systems and oil/air filters can greatly extend oil change intervals, and extend the life of the motor.


My opinion/belief is that back in the day, dropping the oil pan, removing the valve access cover, and checking/cleaning those areas and the oil pump screen were normal maintenance activities due to use of non-detergent oil. How often checked, do not know.


When resuscitating my A after it had sat for 50 years, there was so much sludge (inches in the oil pan) in the motor the sludge actually blocked the oil filter screen.


Oil today, detergent or non-detergent, is vastly superior to what was used in the 30s/40s. You should be OK with whatever you use as long as you change it, inspect - the oil for condition, drop the oil pan once every so often to inspect the bottom end, the oil pump screen, and the bottom of the oil pan.


I use a magnetic oil plug to inspect the oil for debris, and let the drain oil sit for a couple of days in a drain pan and pour it out very slowly to see if anything has settled onto the bottom of the oil pan.

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

All well taken. I was grateful that you pointed me those details. Since I have my A and joined Fordbarn I have learned a lot reading the threads. And I read several about engine oil and I agree with you, there is never a general consensus. That's why I wrote I will continue using ND 30W that has been using since the engine rebuilt.

Cheers and again, all well taken.... thank you !!!

Re: Every 500 Miles!??
 

To eliminate guessing, and opinions, find an oil testing lab and send them a sample of your oil with 500 miles on it. You will then be sure on mileage to change at. I believe you will also be very pleased to find you can easily extend oil changes.