'88 F150 302 oil suggestions

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Howdy. I've been reading quite a bit but am pretty overwhelmed with the amount of material on here.

I've got an '88 F150 302, 2wd, AT, 140k. I have to add oil (1 qt a month ?) regularly. Up until recently I assumed it was burning it, as there were no drips on the pavement under the truck. I have since discovered that it's leaking the oil from what appears to be the rear main (rear of the motor) and dripping onto the exhaust pipe and burning off.

It's my daily driver and not used for towing or off-road.

I've used yellow bottle Pensoil and Fram filters my whole life (because it's what my dad uses
blush.gif
). I've never really put much thought into oil/filter types. Reading on here had revealed that maybe I should.

Since the truck's been using oil, I've been buying Advance Auto Parts brand (cheaper) by the gallon and just topping it off. Truck calls for an SF 10W-30 or 10W-40. Because it uses, I've opted to going with the 10W-40.

Any thoughts or suggestions on doing things differently? I'm open to change, just don't know what direction to go...
Thanks for the help!
 
You can try a High Mileage oil for a couple of OCI's to see if that helps with the rear main seal leak. Also using 10W-40 should help slow your oil loss. Also using pennzoil and fram for your oil changes did not hurt a thing as long as you OCI was reasonable. I would use a motorcraft oil filter that is what I use on my f150. You could always replace that rear main seal if the high mileage motor oil route does not inprove the matter. But using advance motor oil is not a bad choice and more cost effective.
 
I'd try a HM dino oil and see if that helps with the leaking seal. I'd go with 5W30 HM if it were mine, you can always try a 40 grade oil if the that doesn't work.
 
Be careful with that rear main oil leak-I had an '83 Escort years ago that leaked so bad from the rear main onto the exhaust it once started to catch on fire!
 
Try going with a 5w-30 HM oil to see if it helps with the rear main leak. Regarding the filter, go with at least a Purolator Classic or Motorcraft. It's an upgrade over the Fram (assuming your using the Orange Fram) and it's more than likely cheaper too. AAP or Pep Boys should have the Purolator and Walmart sells the Motorcraft cheap.

I have a '90 F150 and it runs great on Pennzoil 5w-30 HM oil. I had multiple oil leaks when I first purchased it and since I've repaired all of the leaks and it's not consuming oil, I will be upgrading to synthetic soon.

Oh, and my truck has the 302 as well.
 
All the oil recommendations are good...make sure that your PCV isn't stuck (raising crankcase pressure and forcing the pressure to look for the easiest way out...in this case, a weak rear main).

How much are you using (a week doesn't tell me much, I used to drive over 1,000 miles a week, now it's about 150 a week).

My 1990 Toyota has had a slight leak in the Rear main for about, oh, 15 years...I add a QT every 1500 miles or so...and all the oil I've bought over the years is a whole lot cheaper and easier than pulling the transmission and transfer case from this 4WD to fix it...a QT every 1,000 is my threshold for going after consumption or leaks...
 
Originally Posted By: dave1251
You can try a High Mileage oil for a couple of OCI's to see if that helps with the rear main seal leak. Also using 10W-40 should help slow your oil loss. Also using pennzoil and fram for your oil changes did not hurt a thing as long as you OCI was reasonable. I would use a motorcraft oil filter that is what I use on my f150. You could always replace that rear main seal if the high mileage motor oil route does not inprove the matter. But using advance motor oil is not a bad choice and more cost effective.


+1 Exactly what I would do.
 
If it was mine I'd either use a high mileage 10w-30 or 10w-40 and a FL1A. I use this combo in my 88 F-150 and 89 Bronco and have never had any problems.
 
a high mileage oil would work good for this app. try GTX HM, Maxlife, and Pennzoil HM and stick with what works best. i would stay with the 10w-40 grade, it wont hurt a thing
i would use motorcraft filters as well.
 
just an aside, most of the ford windsor 'rear mains' that appear bad are actually the rear rope part of the pan gasket. remove your tranny inspection plate and see if the oil is in there, it not - pan gasket. in the 4x2 its not that hard to change, engine where it is
 
Valvoline Maxlife and for goodness sakes put a Motorcraft filter on it before you put another Fram on it! Probably cheaper and still a better filter.

Walmart has the best deals on Motorcraft filters and 5 quart jugs of oil in my area. Pennzoil High mileage would be another option since you already like Pennzoil.
 
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