Just had to register here and thank you guys (not that this will be a one and done thing, there's so much to learn here).
I have a 96 Windstar GL with the 3.8L, 138.9k mi. Started out this morning with an appointment to get new rear shocks put in by a friend with a lift. Less then $55 for the pair, and $40 for the 45min install with no wait. The new shop 5 blocks down the street wanted $165, and the guy assured me they would likely need new mounts etc to get the job done. $70+ saved. Afterwords, swung by walmart to grab some gear for an oil change and what I was low on for a general fluid refill. I didn't like the price differential between their cheap change, and what combo I had really wanted put on, so DIY time!
I picked up a gallon of strait antifreeze (Pennzoil something), a pint of Seafoam (I usually split em 50/50 engine oil/gas tank), a 5 qt jug of (what I thought was) 10w-30 QSHM, and a Fram HM filter.
Get home, take a 2hr nap, then start in to do an oil change. Let the oil drain for close to an hour (I didn't have it warm, didn't feel like getting burned). Just put the drain plug in and was looking for the 5qt jug to dip my finger in for the oil filter gasket, and realized, I'd bought QSHM 10w-20. I came in and asked the google, and somehow ended up reading a post from this site. That led me to the Motor Oil 101, which taught me a ton.
With the exception of this past oil change (shop generic), the only oil I had ever given it was QSHM 10w-30. Jiffy Lube used to sell the stuff years ago (no longer do IIRC), used them once or twice, do not know what viscosity they used (it was SoCal). After returning the HM 10w-30, I then went back into the automotive area again, and ended up selecting QS synthetic (whatever its called, its in the van) 5w-30. Have had that van for almost 9 years now. Never has that engine rolled over so easy.
I do currently live near the south shore of Lake Superior. We had perhaps 2 days this summer (about 3hrs one day, 6 on a separate one) where it felt like an A/C was needed in the house. We never hooked it up. I do occasionally drive aggressive--no correct that--I do drive aggressive, but I plan for it. It's extremely rare that I apply enough power to spin the wheels. (I have snow tires on the van ATM, they are so soft they want to slip, but I just lightened my lead foot to prevent it unless irritated.
After getting thru that, and reading a few even more hours from this site, I see that I likely should have gone with an even lighter oil then what the Haynes manual recommended. In what I have been able to absorb, a 5w-20 or 0w-20 would have been better options for my climate.
My van was flat out unable to start in temps colder then 10F last winter. I even scrapped a coffee maker for the heating element; which I epoxied a hard drive magnet to and would slap on the oil pan for 10-15min. Between unheated garage, and the coffee warmer, I could perhaps start it down to about 4F. (And no, while the battery is getting aged, it wasn't that.)
Even if I picked a suboptimal weight combo, this site likely informed me enough in about 2 hours to make my forthcoming winter much easier. And god help me, will make an even better choice next winter, should she still be on the road.
Just picked up a 2000 Buick Century 3.1L about 2 weeks back. Load sharing between the 2 as DD will lighten the load even more. Will definately be picking a better oil for that one as it is having cold (55F) not starting, but likes to die if not given a few minutes to warm up. I'm thinking that it's plugs tho, and not the oil as that looks nice. Plus gas age/octane rating seems to have no effect. It looks like coil/wires/plugs are what should be in the works next for that.
Leaving later in the week to use the van to help my older brother move from ND to Alberta, was just making sure everything seemed to be in topped off shape. Had it's serpentine belt break last week... sure glad it happened last week and not in this next week.
Thanks again BITOG community, I'll likely be asking questions about Ford (perhaps GM) ATs and synthetics how to shift between Dino and Syn, but that's content for a different thread.
I have a 96 Windstar GL with the 3.8L, 138.9k mi. Started out this morning with an appointment to get new rear shocks put in by a friend with a lift. Less then $55 for the pair, and $40 for the 45min install with no wait. The new shop 5 blocks down the street wanted $165, and the guy assured me they would likely need new mounts etc to get the job done. $70+ saved. Afterwords, swung by walmart to grab some gear for an oil change and what I was low on for a general fluid refill. I didn't like the price differential between their cheap change, and what combo I had really wanted put on, so DIY time!
I picked up a gallon of strait antifreeze (Pennzoil something), a pint of Seafoam (I usually split em 50/50 engine oil/gas tank), a 5 qt jug of (what I thought was) 10w-30 QSHM, and a Fram HM filter.
Get home, take a 2hr nap, then start in to do an oil change. Let the oil drain for close to an hour (I didn't have it warm, didn't feel like getting burned). Just put the drain plug in and was looking for the 5qt jug to dip my finger in for the oil filter gasket, and realized, I'd bought QSHM 10w-20. I came in and asked the google, and somehow ended up reading a post from this site. That led me to the Motor Oil 101, which taught me a ton.
With the exception of this past oil change (shop generic), the only oil I had ever given it was QSHM 10w-30. Jiffy Lube used to sell the stuff years ago (no longer do IIRC), used them once or twice, do not know what viscosity they used (it was SoCal). After returning the HM 10w-30, I then went back into the automotive area again, and ended up selecting QS synthetic (whatever its called, its in the van) 5w-30. Have had that van for almost 9 years now. Never has that engine rolled over so easy.
I do currently live near the south shore of Lake Superior. We had perhaps 2 days this summer (about 3hrs one day, 6 on a separate one) where it felt like an A/C was needed in the house. We never hooked it up. I do occasionally drive aggressive--no correct that--I do drive aggressive, but I plan for it. It's extremely rare that I apply enough power to spin the wheels. (I have snow tires on the van ATM, they are so soft they want to slip, but I just lightened my lead foot to prevent it unless irritated.
After getting thru that, and reading a few even more hours from this site, I see that I likely should have gone with an even lighter oil then what the Haynes manual recommended. In what I have been able to absorb, a 5w-20 or 0w-20 would have been better options for my climate.
My van was flat out unable to start in temps colder then 10F last winter. I even scrapped a coffee maker for the heating element; which I epoxied a hard drive magnet to and would slap on the oil pan for 10-15min. Between unheated garage, and the coffee warmer, I could perhaps start it down to about 4F. (And no, while the battery is getting aged, it wasn't that.)
Even if I picked a suboptimal weight combo, this site likely informed me enough in about 2 hours to make my forthcoming winter much easier. And god help me, will make an even better choice next winter, should she still be on the road.
Just picked up a 2000 Buick Century 3.1L about 2 weeks back. Load sharing between the 2 as DD will lighten the load even more. Will definately be picking a better oil for that one as it is having cold (55F) not starting, but likes to die if not given a few minutes to warm up. I'm thinking that it's plugs tho, and not the oil as that looks nice. Plus gas age/octane rating seems to have no effect. It looks like coil/wires/plugs are what should be in the works next for that.
Leaving later in the week to use the van to help my older brother move from ND to Alberta, was just making sure everything seemed to be in topped off shape. Had it's serpentine belt break last week... sure glad it happened last week and not in this next week.
Thanks again BITOG community, I'll likely be asking questions about Ford (perhaps GM) ATs and synthetics how to shift between Dino and Syn, but that's content for a different thread.
