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Old 03-17-2021, 11:54 AM   #1
throwback
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Default Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder engine

Is there any concern with using Modern day oil such as 10W 30 in a 1951 Ford Custom 6 cylinder engine due to solid valves and lifters?

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Old 03-17-2021, 12:21 PM   #2
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Nope. Just stay away from non-detergent no matter what "they" tell you.
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Old 03-17-2021, 12:35 PM   #3
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

The only concern will be slug.

Even if the oil was changed regularly, with non detergent oil, slug will be present.

Detergent oil, will loosen the slug and potentially clog the oil pick up screen. It doesn't do the bearings any good if, it does get threw the screen, either.

That said, it would be hard to believe a car that old, would not have had detergent oil at some of it's oil changes, unless the previous owner attested to only using non detergent oil.

The only way to know if slug is present, is to pull the tappet cover or pan. Maybe pull the oil fill tube and run your finger around, below it.

I was a mechanic, in those transition days (62-70), from non detergent, to detergent oils. In my first years, I saw, and cleaned, a LOT of slug.
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Old 03-17-2021, 02:38 PM   #4
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

[QUOTE=frnkeore;1997194]The only concern will be slug.[QUOTE]


Yes, 'sludge' is a concern....
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Old 03-17-2021, 03:06 PM   #5
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

[QUOTE=petehoovie;1997235][QUOTE=frnkeore;1997194]The only concern will be slug.
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Yes, 'sludge' is a concern....
Maybe so but the last time I drained an engine that had been sitting for years

I think there was a family of "slugs" in there.
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Old 03-17-2021, 04:57 PM   #6
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

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Trust me. If the "sludge" has been in there after all these years, using detergent oil WILL NOT break it loose. If you have than much "sludge" after many years, you should probably consider an engine rebuild in the near future anyway.

BTW, does your engine have an oil filter? If so, how does it look?
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Old 03-17-2021, 06:28 PM   #7
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Thanks for the responses, yes it does have an oil filter. I have not drained oil yet. I just got it running. I need to change the oil since who knows how long it has been in the engine. I have put some marvel mystery oil in it to get some extra lubrication into the engine along with the unknown oil. I will be checking on the residual in the oil filter housing.

Thanks Again!
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Old 03-17-2021, 07:27 PM   #8
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

I don't believe this business one bit about modern oil loosening engine deposits. Probably not a bad idea to change the oil relatively often.
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Old 03-17-2021, 08:09 PM   #9
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

don't use synthetics, it will just leak out profusely. 15w40 rotella diesel oil is a good choice or I use 20x50 kendall both of these are good oils that will not run out of the engine as fast as you put it in. I would also use mmo in the gas and a little in the crankcase to help with sticking valves
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Old 03-17-2021, 08:33 PM   #10
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

I will take an unpopular position here and say that an additive package designed for use in diesel trucks may not be the best choice for use in a spark ignition automotive engine. I really have to believe that the chemists at the major oil companies have a pretty good idea of what they are doing.

Also, I have used 15-50 Mobil-1 synthetic in my '51 ford for the last couple of years (I had two cases left over from my racing days). I have had no problems with leaks. It is a fairly fresh engine though. Perhaps an engine with a bunch of miles may be more susceptible to leaks.
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Old 03-18-2021, 02:35 AM   #11
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Quote:
Trust me. If the "sludge" has been in there after all these years, using detergent oil WILL NOT break it loose.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't believe this business one bit about modern oil loosening engine deposits
The above quotes, are just wrong. I must ask if either were mechanics in the late 50's or 60's, when the change was being made from non detergent to detergent oils?

I was there, I saw it and had to cleaned that "sludge". In modern times, I doubt that there are many that ever saw real sludge. The deposits inside a engine today, even if the oil was rarely changed, are nothing like the non detergent sludge.

Sludge could be to 1/4 to 3/8 thick, it was as black as coal and could have the consistency of thick pudding.

Take a engine down, that had a blown head gasket and water in the oil, that got whipped around and mixed with the sludge and you'll wish, you never wanted to be a mechanic.

What I stated, in my first post, is true. People that changed their oil, often, didn't have as much but, about 1/2 or so, didn't change the as often as they should.
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Old 03-18-2021, 07:42 AM   #12
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

I use 20-50 in mine to slow down the smoke out the tail pipe, my motor is tired and need a rebuild someday.
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Old 03-18-2021, 09:48 AM   #13
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

I use 20-50 in mine from the local Family Dollar store .
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Old 03-18-2021, 12:52 PM   #14
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Quote:
Originally Posted by tubman View Post
I will take an unpopular position here and say that an additive package designed for use in diesel trucks may not be the best choice for use in a spark ignition automotive engine. I really have to believe that the chemists at the major oil companies have a pretty good idea of what they are doing.

Also, I have used 15-50 Mobil-1 synthetic in my '51 ford for the last couple of years (I had two cases left over from my racing days). I have had no problems with leaks. It is a fairly fresh engine though. Perhaps an engine with a bunch of miles may be more susceptible to leaks.
I totally agree.
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Old 03-18-2021, 09:39 PM   #15
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Just to be clear, when I talk about flatheads and oil, I am positing an engine in good shape, not one that is that is all worn out and on it's last legs. An engine that is so full of sludge that detergent oil has any chance of breaking it loose needs an immediate rebuild anyway.

It's not 1959 any more.
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Old 03-19-2021, 12:48 PM   #16
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

I was around when synthetic oil was starting to be used in the early 80s.Our shop used Amsoil and it did tend to leak.

They quickly found out that it needed a change to keep seals soft. They solved that problem and since then synthetic oil does not leak anymore than regular oil


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Old 03-19-2021, 02:20 PM   #17
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

If the engine burns oil, it will consume less running synthetic. Don't ask me why, just my experience with previous motors.
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Old 03-19-2021, 02:57 PM   #18
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

Quote:
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If the engine burns oil, it will consume less running synthetic. Don't ask me why, just my experience with previous motors.
Electric motors?
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Old 03-19-2021, 03:07 PM   #19
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

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Electric motors?
Haha, "engines". I do enjoy your humor Alan, i like technicalities. Its good someone holds me to mine own ideals.
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Old 03-19-2021, 03:33 PM   #20
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Default Re: Is there any concern using modern day oil say 10W30 in a 1951 ford 6 cylinder eng

opinions, are like a hole and elbows, every one has one or two so you choose.
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