Synthetic Oil?

[SoCalCoupe]

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

>>>Any thoughts on a reasonable torque value to prevent weepage AND protect thread integrity?>>>


Snug. Not tight. Weepage is fine with me. Drippage, not so much. 8^)

Did the deed this weekend, changed the oil and put in 5w-40 Mobil-One European Formula oil. Not totally sure what European Formula means, best I can tell is different additives for extended oil change intervals. But, like RalphInCA said, everything today is so much better than what was available in the 1940's it shouldn't be a worry. Didn't sound poisonous to cast iron blocks.



Bought a new drain plug gasket only to find that it was about 3x the diameter of my drain plug. Must not be a stock oil pan. It has a much smaller diameter plug, maybe 5/8", but with plenty of threads in the pan, maybe at least 1/2". Since my new gasket wouldn't work, thought I'd make my own with a roll of Felpro gasket material.


Well, turns out there was a copper gasket on the drain plug that WAS NOT coming off. It turned, but the diameter was so small I couldn't engage it on the threads to turn it off. Gave up but did my best to clean it up and remove contamination along with contamination of the hole in the pan. Two gaskets are usually worse than one gasket.



Totally agree that ""Weepage is fine with me. Drippage, not so much." "Snug. Not tight" drives me crazy. I THINK that's what I did; I hope so. After 24 hours no drippage or weepage.



Been a long time but when I took my nearly new 1989 vehicle to a shop for an oil change three decades ago, there was A LOT of drippage. A lot of shouting ensued but they finally had to admit defeat and replace the oil pan. Snug, not tight didn't work so well for them.



Wasn't so lucky with another bolt in another part of the car. Have to buy another helicoil set this week, my second this year. Argghh!