What would you do?

[ADFD1]

My buddy with the F-150 from [censored] and I were talking this morning, it appears he screwed up an oil change and is asking for opinions. I gave him mine. He has an 88 F-150 4.9L, a Ford engine that was not back spec'd to 5W20. He did an oil change over the weekend, and must have been a little hung over from Thanksgiving. Instead of putting in 5W30 PP, he used 3 1/2 qts of Pennzoil Platinum 5w30, 2 qts Pennzoil Platinum 5w20, and half a qt MMO. In his defense the bottles look exactly the same so the screw up is actually not that hard to do. He said it sounded OK but.............

I told him to dump it into a clean container and give it to me, fill it with 5W30 and a pint of MMO, leave the filter on. At the moment the oil has about 30 miles on it.

Lets here what you guys think. TIA

 

[nfs480]

I doubt it will do any harm.

 

[ADFD1]

My buddy suffers a little from OCD, says he thinks it "might" have piston slap. I haven't actually heard the truck yet.

 

[ottotheclown]

Maybe your buddy should look into joining the Secret Service,looks like a perfect fit.

 

[ADFD1]

?

 

[d00df00d]

IMO, he'll be fine. The most he'll have to do is change it early.

 

[Billbert]

Add a pint of STP oil treatment and call it a day

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: Billbert
Add a pint of STP oil treatment and call it a day


You got me thinking, I have a pint of Schaffer's #132, maybe I can talk him into adding that and call it a day. If he does that I'm out 5.5 qts of PP and a pint of MMO. LOL

 

[bretfraz]

I don't understand the concern. It's a 21 year old engine whose design dates back to the mid 1960's. At this point, does it even matter which oil he uses?

I don't see the screw up part. He used a top quality synthetic oil in an engine where it probably doesn't care what is used as long as its somewhat slippery. Seems all good to me. I'd tell him to run it and worry about something else.

 

[ADFD1]

I guess you have to know him. I really believe he suffers from OCD, and drives himself nuts. What surprised the [censored] out of me was the fact he actually mixed up the quarts, usually he checks, checks, then re-checks. His attention to detail will drive the average guy bonkers!

 

[addyguy]

It's not going to do any harm at all. Run it the length of time you usually would. As bretfraz said, top-quality oils were used.

IF he REALLY can't sleep with that, then yeah, the pint of #132 would thicken the oil back inot the low 30-weight range most likely, and 'smooth things out'......

 

[djlinux64]

If he is really concerned about wear with the lighter oil, just tell him not to heavily load the engine for hours on end in an engine designed for a thicker oil. That is the whole point of thicker oil anyway. Just running a thin oil in an engine will not cause problems. It is only when the oil film breaks that you have a problem. Again, minimize the load and you will absolutely have no problems.

 

[c3po]

I would just tell him to run what he has in there and in the future he needs to make sure he just buys the same weight oil, meaning decide on either 5W-20 or 5w30 and just stick with it.

 

[Gary Allan]

I'm pretty sure that 20w-20 was spec'd for that engine in the 60's when it was a 240ci. I don't see it being an issue.


..but since you can both benefit from the "fluid exchange" (

) then why not? He'll be eased from his obsessive self torture ..and you get some clean oil.

Here's how I'd approach him:

"Now if it was me (hand gestures - animated - but not too much) ..ABSOLUTELY ..no question in my mind. I'd drive along like a happy clam .... (now you wait for a response that shows some form of relief on his part ..then)

..but there are 12 other people that wouldn't touch this with a 10' pole....

 

[ADFD1]

I'll try again to convince him later. I had told him use it, as soon as I saw the OCD start kicking in I said drain it in a clean pan and give it to me. I honestly think that is what he is going to do. One mans junk is anothers treasure. Is that how the saying goes?

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: ADFD1
I'll try again to convince him later. I had told him use it, as soon as I saw the OCD start kicking in I said drain it in a clean pan and give it to me. I honestly think that is what he is going to do. One mans junk is anothers treasure. Is that how the saying goes?



I think AD is going to get some FREE OIL.

 

[[RT] ProjUltraZ]

if MMO is like a 20 wt, it's roughly a 5W-26 now. if MMO is sustantially lighter than a 20 wt oil, then it's less, but i'm not sure. it might burn more oil but it might do a good job cleaning too

 

[SilverC6]

Sounds like a recipe for fantasy fudge.

Just add pecans and 1/2 tsp of vanilla!

I don't really believe in the MMO unless you have a sludged up engine you are trying to bring back to life.

For a sound engine, the PP alone, in the right grade, should be enough.

 

[Steve S]

an 88 F-150 4.9L, a Ford engine that was not back spec'd to 5W20.???????????

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: [RT
ProjUltraZ] if MMO is like a 20 wt, it's roughly a 5W-26 now. if MMO is sustantially lighter than a 20 wt oil, then it's less, but i'm not sure. it might burn more oil but it might do a good job cleaning too


MMO is like a 5 grade oil, it is not a 20 grade. Not sure what the math is with that mix. I am 100% certain that engine was not back spec'd to 5W20. The MMO will probably do some great cleaning in an engine that old, I use it a lot. However I'm not sure if the combo in that engine is a good idea since it is spec'd for a 30 grade oil, or a 40 grade oil depending on climate.