Oil Change

[SHO SWIFT]

Hey Everyone - Hope everybody enjoyed their weekend --- My SHO is due for her very first oil change since I bought her. I was wondering what you all reccomend for oil and oil filters. The place I go to in the town over uses Quaker State, I was thinking of either the high mileage version or the peak performance version of oil. I was also thinking of using a FRAM Oil Filter.

Thankfully, I only have one *known* problem with the engine. The valve cover is leeking oil ontop my 2nd cylinder's spark plug. The guys I know said it won;t deteriote the engine at all. I can pay the $500 bucks for the labor and parts or just keep replacing the spark plugs every so often. (Just Letting You All Know)

Any feedback on how to maintain my black beauty is greatly appreciated.

 

[yamahaSHO]

Please do a search, there has been many arguements over oil on this forum. Most use Castrol GTX or Molil 1. I use Mobile 1 my self, Quaker State will turn the heads brown.

I would replace the seals around the spark plug. There are many people in NY that would help, I am one of them.

 

[Bizzy]

Congrats on your car. Rule number 1 is maintenance.

I've used both Motorcraft oil filters and K&N filters. Both have good fitment. As for oil, I'd use either Motorcraft oil, but I currently run Castrol GTX High mileage in mine since I'm upwards of 169k on mine. Look around for other posts (there are a million of them) for other opinions in the oil department.

In regards to the oil in the wells. All you need to fix that are plug well seals. A cheap part that can be had at SHO Nut or FPN and a lot of auto parts stores. A very simple do-it-yourself fix and there would be no way I'd pay $500 to have it done. If you doubt your mechanical skills, look around in your area for a SHO member who knows SHOs and has worked on them in the past. It's such a simple fix....get a Helms manual, pick up a few tools and start learning. thumbup

BTW, oil in your wells can cause spark issues. Better to get it fixed before you experience problems. And.....before you take the plugs out, get all that oil and dirt out of there. You don't want to crap up your engine by letting it drain into the engine.

 

[Speedy_91_SHO]

I use valvoline for higher mileage engines. i am pleased, but i haven't seen my heads, so i don't know what they look like. shrug

 

[SHOZ123]

FYI Conoco makes Motorcraft oil.

 

[Dave Ladely]

My mechanic, who works on race cars, was amazed when he opened my 93 SHO to replace the valve cover and spark plug gaskets - super clean. Made him a believer in synthetic oil. I use Mobile 1 or Castrol FULL synthetic depending on availability.
I also use the Amsoil dual remote oil filter, but I use K&N or Mobile 1 full flow filters with the Amsoil large bypass filter. The remote set up is great, and no more drips on starter, which can ruin it. Also increases oil capacity by about 2 quarts, which is good. Oil is cooler also. Fram are not good.

 

[Blue-By-U]

Motorcraft oil filter, castrol gtx 10w-30, no problems or oil leaking....EVER.

 

[masho95]

To concur with the rest...Castrol GTX is an amazing oil. Along with Mobil 1 and Valvoline. I think they those 3 are rated about the same in my book.

 

[shojuan]

I use Redline 10W/30 motor oil. But I'm kind of a freak in that regard. Gives me peace of mind during "spirited" driving. The other BaySHO members here can tell you what that means. I also use the Mobil-1 M1-301 oil filter. It's the best stock mount oil filter for street driven SHOs. A bit on the expensive side. Just like the motor oil I run. A good bet on a more reasonable budget would be to use Castrol GTX 10W/30 and the Motorcraft FL-1A oversized filter. Not a great filter but it's dirt cheap at walmart. The Walmart Supertech line of oil filters is actually very good. I'm not sure that I've seen the oversized FL-1A equivalent at my walmart or not. That would be something to look into. The Walmart Supertech filters are made by Champion labs, the same people who make the Mobil-1 and K&N oil filters.

Fram filters are crap. The only one I would consider using in my SHO is the HP-1 filter. But at $8 it's very close in price to the much better Mobil-1 and K&N filters.

For serious oil cleaning nothing beats a bypass filter system like described a few posts above. In the absence of one of those setups frequent (like 3000 miles or so) oil changes with a good conventional oil like Castrol GTX will keep the accumulated dirt levels low without costing a lot of money. Hehe, if you decide to run synthetic oil you'll have a hard time throwing it out after 3000 miles. I certainly don't! That's why I'm using the better Mobil-1 M1-301 oil filter with my Redline oil.

 

[sdpatt]

271,500 miles on Castrol GTX. 'Nuff said.

 

[SHOZ123]

FYI.... The Castrol GTX has one of the highest levels of the additive Moly in it.

The new supersyn blend of Mobil 1 now has the similar levels.

<small>[ April 07, 2003, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: SHOZ123 ]</small>

 

[Bazooka SHO]

Is the Castrol GTX oil everyone is using synthetic or conventional?

 

[Chris Kauffman]

20-50 Max Life, I'ver never had a problem (yet), just my 50 cent

Oh, and fram oil filters, the X2 or whatever those are called, the ones in the can, LOL

 

[sdpatt]

Bazooka SHO:
Is the Castrol GTX oil everyone is using synthetic or conventional?

"GTX" is the petrolium based oil. "Syntech" is Castrol's synthetic oil.

Chris, 20W-50 is far above the 5W-30 (up to 100F ambient temperature) and 10W-30 (above 0F ambient temperature) recommended oil weights. Not good except in emergencies.

 

[LaTechSHO]

i use either wix or K&N for filters....motorcraft for oil...... but.... has anyone used or have any specs on the FL-1HP motorcraft filter?...it is there high performance filter..... i have considered stocking them and using them.... i would, however, like to hear some thoughts and or experience

Louis

 

[HopefulSHO]

I use 10w-30 Castrol GTX and a Motocraft FL-1A filter (you may not be able to use that filter on your ATX, though. Probably have to stick with the FL400S.) Every 3000. If I was using Mobil 1 or another fine synthetic oil, I'd probably change it around 5000.

As far as the oil in the plug wells goes, if only one of them are leaking and you really want to replace only the fronts, you can pickup a 3 pack of the plug well gaskets at Fordpartsnetwork.com for $64 after shipping. ($128 for all six). I belive Shonut or someplace similar has a package that includes all 6 plug well seals plus AND both valve cover gaskets for $150-ish. That's what I should have done

 

[sdpatt]

It doesn't make much sense to spend almost as much or more for the spark plug well seals than for the plug well seals AND the valve cover seals. I just looked up the Fel-Pro VS50378R set for a '91 SHO for $71.99 at AutoZone.com. The labor to install one seal is the same as to install all six plug well seals and the valve cover seals. Why bother replacing one or three seals when you can replace them all for less money and basically the same labor.

 

[SHO SWIFT]

The mechanics said they'd have to take apart the entire intakle manifold to fix the problem. So he explained to me the part is like $200 and the labor would be up to $300. Both mechanics that I talked to said this.

There is supposedly a SHO specialist at the Ford Dealership near here so I have to call him this week and see what he says. It doesn't really matter cause I have no money right now to fix it but I would like to get it fixed ASAP.

 

[yamahaSHO]

There are people like me who will do it for little, to nothing. You just have to ask around, it not hard to fix.

Good luck

 

[KentuckySHOoff]

LL-Cool-A:
Motorcraft oil filter, castrol gtx 10w-30, no problems or oil leaking....EVER.

Same here, but one leak when the oil cooler gasket went bad.