Which oil '69 F100

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Oct 29, 2021
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Hello. This is my first post.
I just bought a 1969 F100 with a 360 engine with between 75-100k miles. There doesn't seem to be any issues, but there are no maintenance records. My plan is to drain whats in there now, send for analysis so I know what I've got and make a plan from there. Assuming I have no major issues, what would you use?
People have suggested everything from Motorcraft premium 10w30 with ZDDP additive for the flat tappets, to Rotello diesel oil though there is an argument that they have reduced the Zinc content. Some suggest a high mileage oil like Lucas Hot Rod oil, or Penzoil conventional HM. A lot of opinions, a lot of folks use what their Dad's used, but no real knowledgeable info.
The truck will not see any winter driving, mostly cruzing and truck shows and of coarse ice cream runs! What brand oil would you use, what weight would you use and why. Would you use a high mileage oil for the added conditioners? Would use a Zinc additive for the aging tappets. Thank you
 
I don't know anything about this valve train, but if you need higher ZDDP, I'd consider Mobil Delvac Extreme 15W40 because it has 1200ppm of phos, and it's only around $20/gal and there's usually a rebate available for $9/jug. There's also Valvoline VR1 you could use the straight 30 grade up to 20W50, it really doesn't matter since you only use it in warm weather.
 
An old school, low cam lift, FE block should do well with 10W30, an HDEO (diesel rated) oil would be good, but not absolutely necessary (unless somebody put a high lift cam in it). For summer only use, even a straight SAE 30 would be fine, along with thicker oils such as 10W40 (which is much improved over multigrades of the old days). IIRC, my brother's '68 F-100 Ranger with its' FE 360 saw a lot of 20W50, it was his construction work truck & was always hauling something somewhere.
 
There's nothing exotic about a stock (you didn't mention, but I'll assume so) Ford FE engine that would require ZDDP additives. Just because it has flat tappet cams doesn't mean it needs a fancy suped up oil. Flat tappets were used decades after your FE, well into the advent of low phosphorous, cat-friendly oils.

Run a 10w-30 diesel spec oil (CJ/CK), your choice of brand. The diesel stuff is more fortified with anti-wear additives & detergents, and tend to be of a higher HTHS viscosity, both good things in an older engine, IMO. There's no real negative to diesel oil as there are no emissions components to be concerned with. Personally that would be my starting point and then I'd let UOA, or engine health (burning oil, etc.) dictate viscosity from then on. But I'd certainly prefer a diesel additive package over the watered down modern gasoline engine variety regardless of viscosity.
 
There's nothing exotic about a stock (you didn't mention, but I'll assume so) Ford FE engine that would require ZDDP additives. Just because it has flat tappet cams doesn't mean it needs a fancy suped up oil. Flat tappets were used decades after your FE, well into the advent of low phosphorous, cat-friendly oils.

Run a 10w-30 diesel spec oil (CJ/CK), your choice of brand. The diesel stuff is more fortified with anti-wear additives & detergents, and tend to be of a higher HTHS viscosity, both good things in an older engine, IMO. There's no real negative to diesel oil as there are no emissions components to be concerned with. Personally that would be my starting point and then I'd let UOA, or engine health (burning oil, etc.) dictate viscosity from then on. But I'd certainly prefer a diesel additive package over the watered down modern gasoline engine variety regardless of viscosity.
Yes, as far as I know, stock and original. I have to say, most of what I've read has suggested ZDDP for older engines. I appreciate your input.
 
Mobil 1 0w-40FS could be a good option.

Might want to start with a few shorter intervals with some cheap oil and some MC filters.
An analysis seems premature at this point.

How about a few pictures of the truck.
My thought on the analysis was to see how bad or good the previous owners did maintenance over the last 52 years, and do get a base line on where I'm at. I like the idea of doing some short interval changes. I tried to add some pictures but the files are to large, I'll have to figure out how to shrink them. Thank you!
 
Yes, as far as I know, stock and original. I have to say, most of what I've read has suggested ZDDP for older engines. I appreciate your input.
The reduced ZDDP in modern oil is more of a problem on older performance cars, most stock trucks from that era tend to be designed for revving low and making a lot of torque at the low end and don't have very stiff spring or super aggressive cam grinds. Any oil should be fine, any good 5W30 all the way up to 20W50 or straight SAE30 or SAE40 should work fine in your application.
 
An old school, low cam lift, FE block should do well with 10W30, an HDEO (diesel rated) oil would be good, but not absolutely necessary (unless somebody put a high lift cam in it). For summer only use, even a straight SAE 30 would be fine, along with thicker oils such as 10W40 (which is much improved over multigrades of the old days). IIRC, my brother's '68 F-100 Ranger with its' FE 360 saw a lot of 20W50, it was his construction work truck & was always hauling something somewhere.
From what I know, the truck is stock with no mods. I think I'm leaning towards the 10w40 from everything I'm reading. I also read that some of the diesel oils are limiting the ADDP content due to DEF.
 
I don't know anything about this valve train, but if you need higher ZDDP, I'd consider Mobil Delvac Extreme 15W40 because it has 1200ppm of phos, and it's only around $20/gal and there's usually a rebate available for $9/jug. There's also Valvoline VR1 you could use the straight 30 grade up to 20W50, it really doesn't matter since you only use it in warm weather.
Thank you.
 
If it hasn't been messed with itis an extremely low lift and duration cam ( something like .444 lift and like 198 @.050 ) it has about 8.2 compression and tiny valves and dismal valves springs even new... it will be completely done at 4000-4200 RPM.

I'd steer away from "energy conserving" but literally anything else that is at least xW-30 will be fine. Mine (considerably warmer) currently has Delo in it probably soon to be Delvac 1.

Be aware they are fairly well known for wearing cam bearings which drops the idle pressure... also watch for chunks of nylon when changing the oil, they got nylon timing gears at some point, not sure when.
 
From what I know, the truck is stock with no mods. I think I'm leaning towards the 10w40 from everything I'm reading. I also read that some of the diesel oils are limiting the ADDP content due to DEF.
Diesel oils are limiting it, but the upper limit is 1.5 times that of gasoline oil, and also gasoline rated oil isn't all limited, Xw40, Xw50, and monogrades are exempt from the limit, for example mobil1 15W50 is API SN but contains like 1100 or 1200ppm (I don't remember exactly off the top of my head) of phosphorus, while resource conserving API grades are limited to 800ppm, dual rated diesel oil used to have an exemption but in the last few years the API and the major blenders agreed that in order for a diesel oil regardless of grade to be dual rated that it must adhere to the 800ppm limit of gasoline rated oil, some oils with existing CK-4/SN licenses before that decision may still exceed that limit, but Shell, Exxon-Mobil, and Chevron quickly decided to adhere to that rule, all new licenses must adhere to that rule.
 
Mobil 1 0w-40FS could be a good option.

Might want to start with a few shorter intervals with some cheap oil and some MC filters.
An analysis seems premature at this point.

How about a few pictures of the truck.

If it hasn't been messed with itis an extremely low lift and duration cam ( something like .444 lift and like 198 @.050 ) it has about 8.2 compression and tiny valves and dismal valves springs even new... it will be completely done at 4000-4200 RPM.

I'd steer away from "energy conserving" but literally anything else that is at least xW-30 will be fine. Mine (considerably warmer) currently has Delo in it probably soon to be Delvac 1.

Be aware they are fairly well known for wearing cam bearings which drops the idle pressure... also watch for chunks of nylon when changing the oil, they got nylon timing gears at some point, not sure when.
Good info, thank you!
 
10w30 would be fine if it can maintain oil pressure with it. A 15w40 HDEO would be good, too. As someone mentioned earlier they can tend to start losing oil pressure as they accumulate some miles due to worn cam bearings. I had a truck that kept running for a lot of years with low oil pressure where the oil pressure light would flicker at idle when warmed up if I didn't use 20w50. An oil pressure gauge would be a good idea.
 
10w30 would be fine if it can maintain oil pressure with it. A 15w40 HDEO would be good, too. As someone mentioned earlier they can tend to start losing oil pressure as they accumulate some miles due to worn cam bearings. I had a truck that kept running for a lot of years with low oil pressure where the oil pressure light would flicker at idle when warmed up if I didn't use 20w50. An oil pressure gauge would be a good idea.
Oil gauge is on the list for this winter! Whats a good pressure to have.
 
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