Ford Viscosity Requirements - 1979 Continental

[Justin]

Well, I just got a new fixer-upper (free at that, but in good shape)...a '79 Lincoln Continental with the 400c.i. V-8.

Thought I'd share what its owners manual says to run (in light of current requirements of 5w-20 year-round).

All the following oils are listed on one page in a bar graph with the temperatures that you can use them at.

10w
20w-20
30
40
5w-20
5w-30
10w-30
10w-40
10w-50
20w-40
20w-50

[ May 03, 2003, 11:11 PM: Message edited by: Justin ]

 

[widman]

According to my Check-Chart book, most cars in the 80's recommended 20w50 and 15w40, including Mazda and some of the others who are currently on the thin oil rutine, although Ford and Honda were already on 10w30 by 1988 (maybe earlier, the book I have at home only covers from 1988).

 

[segfault]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Justin:
Well, I just got a new fixer-upper (free at that, but in good shape)...a '79 Lincoln Continental with the 400c.i. V-8.

Thought I'd share what its owners manual says to run (in light of current requirements of 5w-20 year-round).

All the following oils are listed on one page in a bar graph with the temperatures that you can use them at.

10w
20w-20
30
40
5w-20
5w-30
10w-30
10w-40
10w-50
20w-40
20w-50

---

Justin,
Care to share what temperatures the manual says you can run each grade at? Is it different from the current SAE charts?

Thanks,
segfault

 

[Justin]

Here ya go...

All temps Farenheit

10w: -15 to 60
20w-20: 10 to 90
30: 30 to Max Hot
40: 50 to Max Hot
5w-20: Max Cold to 10
5w-30: Max Cold to 60
10w-40: -15 to Max Hot
10w-50: -15 to Max Hot
20w-40: 20 to Max Hot
20w-50: 20 to Max Hot

"Max Hot" basically means you can run the oil in the hottest temperatures. Max Cold of course being opposite.


10w and 5w-20 are not recommended for sustained high-speed driving.

5w-30 is recommended for improved low temp. starting where temperatures are consistently below -10.

*When we finally get it running though, it's gonna get Rotella 15w-40 with a Purolator L30001 filter (for the Summer).

[ May 04, 2003, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Justin ]

 

[JonS]

Kinda makes me think that the engineers that speced out the oil in 79 did not put a lot of thuoght into the oil selection. They probably told someone low on the totum pole to fill in the area for the oil selection. I would use 10-40 first, then 20-50 if it burns or you are in the southern states.