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To beat a dead horse

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Tallyho

To beat a dead horse

Started doing research on changing oil on my new to me 84 f250 with 460. Previous owner has been using 15w40 mobile since it was 3 years old. But I wont have the advantage of a heated space as he has so I'm concerned about the cold weather up here in Maine during the winter.
I've been reading a lot about zinc and flat tapper cams in the 460. There is a lot of talk about this new amsoil 10w30 zrod oil. But I'm not sure about synthetic oil in an old truck....
Thoughts?
I did buy the wix 51733 two qt. Filter that looks to be a good mod.

Tallyho
1984 f250 4x4 460 4 spd
Raymond maine

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

You will need zinc (ZDDP) in the oil with a flat tappet cam, so if the Amsoil is loaded with it then that may be a good option. And 10W is better in the cold than 15W.

As for synthetic in and old truck, I don't see a problem. My understanding is that the main advantages to synthetic are that its viscosity improvers are inherent so don't go away with use the way that they do in non-synthetic oil. Second, that it can handle the heat much better, so doesn't break down. Third that it has less friction.

So I think the Amsoil should be a good solution. But, it is more expensive. And surely Mobil has a 10W or even a 5W in the same oil that has been in the engine. That would be less expensive, but the Amsoil would probably be better.

On the filter, will that big of a filter fit on the 460? I may want to go that way, but things are pretty tight with the big engine.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Tallyho

Re: To beat a dead horse

Thanks Gary! I'm leaning to the amsoil. I will let you know with pics how it goes with filter. I've read on posts that this filter is a pretty good upgrade on a lot of vehicles. It came on the f700 with the 429 back in the day...

Tallyho
1984 f250 4x4 460 4 spd
Raymond maine

1986F150Six

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Rotella T6 [for diesels and gas engines;available @ Walmart [inexpensive]

Synthetic; 5W40

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

A lot of guys are running Rotella, and I've heard/read good things about it. However, I've read fairly recently that even it may be seeing a reduction in ZDDP, so I'd suggest further research.

I've done a bit of reading have found a couple of references to the T-series of Rotella, but you have to make sure to tell your browser to give you the latest findings first or you'll be reading old news:

HAMB: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/zddp-again.1057854/page-3

NASIOC: https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2785176

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Tallyho

Re: To beat a dead horse

Did the oil change this morning. Chose Amsoil 10-30 zrod synthetic. The wix 51773 filter fit great with no clearance issues. Took 7 qts total.
While checking things out I popped off the air cleaner lid and rotor cap. It's due for a tuneup.
Not knowing what year the motor is how might I get the right parts for a tuneup? It doesnt have any sticker on the valve cover. The owner told me the motor came out of a mercury. Valve covers are gray..

Tallyho
1984 f250 4x4 460 4 spd
Raymond maine

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

Well, I thought that was an easy answer so I put the info up on the Cap, Rotor, & Adapter tab on this page: Electrical/Ignition. But, now that I look it at I find it rather complex.

Maybe someone can make it simple for me?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Tallyho

Re: To beat a dead horse

Thanks for the link Gary! I asked the seller about the motor and all he could say is that he was told it came out of a mercury monarch. I had done some research on mercurys. Monarchs didn't come with 460s but there was a marquis in 77.
Well the plot thickens because it's not clear but it seems that ford didn't start painting 460s gray until the 80s. Can anybody confirm this?

Tallyho
1984 f250 4x4 460 4 spd
Raymond maine

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

Can't truly confirm it, but Dad's '81 was blue and the '85 I bought had a gray engine. I know Dad's engine was the original, but the 85's might have been replaced.

So, some time in the mid-80's is my understanding.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Tallyho

Re: To beat a dead horse

St least it's being narrowed down. Maybe all the carb engines were the same spec wise and I can just say it's an 84...

Tallyho
1984 f250 4x4 460 4 spd
Raymond maine

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

If it came from a car then I don't know when they changed to EFI. But in trucks some went during '87 and the rest went in '88. So, if it is a truck engine, and the pan had to come from a truck, then it is probably '86 or earlier.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: To beat a dead horse

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In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary, Darth's engine is gray, and so was the 90 F250 engine. The new one is Ford blue, no more Gray Marine colored engines.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Gary Lewis

Re: To beat a dead horse

Administrator

Big Blue's is now black, so who knows what it was originally. But Huck, the 1990 F250's engine was gray.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile