1990 Mustang oil recommendation

[MuzzleFlash40]

Hey fellas,

I'm buying a 1990 Mustang 5.0 with 71k miles and manual trans. It was owned buyan older lady so it wasn't driven hard. She said she changed the oil twice a year (spring & fall). She used the local quicklube shop. The filter is yellow right now. The only modifications on the car is flowmaster cat-back and a cold air intake.

I'm a fan of quakerstate. Would it be wise using QSUD or highmileage or even QSGB. Or maybe a pennzoil choice would be better? Since it will be a weekend toy that will probably only get 5k a year on it. I will probably stick the twice a year OCI. Also, would it be a better choice to go with a 5-30 over a 10-30 that it calls for? I'm a fan of using wix filters to.
Thanks

 

[Rob_Roy]

First off, you are buying a very fun car. I owned an '89 with the same configuration and it was great. I always ran 15w40 in mine, but it also had 130,000 miles on it and was never owned by an old lady.

10w30 should be just fine, and compliment it with a Motorcraft filter.

 

[electrolover]

Quakerstate would be a fine choice! i would try a 5/30 and if it doesnt make any noises stick to it.
i think QSUD would be my pick along with a Motorcraft filter
you should be able to do an oil change for less than $25 thats not too bad twice a year

 

[OVERKILL]

How do you plan on driving it?

I'd use at least M1 0w40 in it, if not M1 TDT 5w40 or Rotella 5w40 in it if you plan on beating on it.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

Well, I don't really race anymore. But, I plan on having a little bit of fun so the tires will bark now and then. I might go with the motorcraft filter, it looks good under the ford hood. I'm going to give it a tune-up with ford racing parts and have it dyno-tuned for 93 octane. I wonn't do any more modifications then that, it's pretty fast as it is now.

 

[OVERKILL]

Dyno tuned? Dude, it's EEC-IV

Just bump the base timing up to 14 degrees and enjoy the free power increase (and run 91 minimum).

Also, pull the silencer out of the fender for the airbox. That's another free upgrade.

The Motorcraft filters are excellent. I bought a pile of Donaldson P169071 filters for my 302's. I'm out of them now. They are probably the "best" filter you can buy for this application.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
Hey fellas,

I'm buying a 1990 Mustang 5.0 with 71k miles and manual trans. It was owned buy an older lady . The only modifications on the car is flowmaster cat-back and a cold air intake.


Sounds like my kind of older lady. Actually she's probably my age...

 

[electrolover]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
How do you plan on driving it?

I'd use at least M1 0w40 in it, if not M1 TDT 5w40 or Rotella 5w40 in it if you plan on beating on it.


he does make a good point. if your going to be raggin on it alot you should step up to a 40.

 

[Rob_Roy]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Dyno tuned? Dude, it's EEC-IV

Just bump the base timing up to 14 degrees and enjoy the free power increase (and run 91 minimum).

Also, pull the silencer out of the fender for the airbox. That's another free upgrade.

The Motorcraft filters are excellent. I bought a pile of Donaldson P169071 filters for my 302's. I'm out of them now. They are probably the "best" filter you can buy for this application.


I ran 14 degrees of base timing on mine as well; I think it was 8 degrees BTDC when I first checked it. The difference was very noticeable.

I will stand by the 10w30 recommendation if the engine is tight and it is a mild driver. If you are going to really hammer it and/or drag race, consider some sort of multiviscosity 40 grade. I assume this car will not see winter duty, so cold starts shouldn't be a concern.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Rob_Roy
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Dyno tuned? Dude, it's EEC-IV

Just bump the base timing up to 14 degrees and enjoy the free power increase (and run 91 minimum).

Also, pull the silencer out of the fender for the airbox. That's another free upgrade.

The Motorcraft filters are excellent. I bought a pile of Donaldson P169071 filters for my 302's. I'm out of them now. They are probably the "best" filter you can buy for this application.


I ran 14 degrees of base timing on mine as well; I think it was 8 degrees BTDC when I first checked it. The difference was very noticeable.

I will stand by the 10w30 recommendation if the engine is tight and it is a mild driver. If you are going to really hammer it and/or drag race, consider some sort of multiviscosity 40 grade. I assume this car will not see winter duty, so cold starts shouldn't be a concern.


Part of the reason I mentioned M1 0w40. It has a high HTHS, very robust, but is a very LIGHT 40-weight. And is quite affordable.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

So a 40 weight woul be better for mild use. No beating on it, but barking the tires now and then?

 

[oggb]

A 40-weight gives you that extra bit of protection when you need it. Mobil 1 0w-40 is very good, as is Rotella T6. T6 is a bit cheaper, if that matters.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
Hey fellas,

I'm buying a 1990 Mustang 5.0 with 71k miles and manual trans. It was owned buy an older lady . The only modifications on the car is flowmaster cat-back and a cold air intake.


Sounds like my kind of older lady. Actually she's probably my age...






Well, she's in her early 50's and i'm 26 so...lol sorry. She was cool she knew alot about the car, not you typical woman.

I'll have to get the timing gun out and bump the timing a bit. Thats alot easier than paying $400 buck for a tune. I'm just so used to the newer stuff I didn't even think about it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
Hey fellas,

I'm buying a 1990 Mustang 5.0 with 71k miles and manual trans. It was owned buy an older lady . The only modifications on the car is flowmaster cat-back and a cold air intake.


Sounds like my kind of older lady. Actually she's probably my age...






Well, she's in her early 50's and i'm 26 so...lol sorry. She was cool she knew alot about the car, not you typical woman.

I'll have to get the timing gun out and bump the timing a bit. Thats alot easier than paying $400 buck for a tune. I'm just so used to the newer stuff I didn't even think about it.


Make sure you pull the SPOUT connector (looks like a pill, near the distributor) to disable the electronic advance before you adjust the base.

 

[MetalSlug]

Grat on the mustang, not a mustang fan but I LOVE THAT 5.0L body style. I might buy one if I ever cross one with good condition. any pic ? btw autozone having mobil 1 HM and mobil 1 oil filter for 30 dollar, I would run that combo.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Also, pull the silencer out of the fender for the airbox. That's another free upgrade.


My guess is that she already did this as it is the FIRST THING anyone who knows about (or cares about) the performance of the foxes does as a 'free mod'.
(Especially if she bothered to do a cold air and Flow.

)

YES, MY KIND of 50 y.o. woman (I'm almost 56).

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Also, pull the silencer out of the fender for the airbox. That's another free upgrade.


My guess is that she already did this as it is the FIRST THING anyone who knows about (or cares about) the performance of the foxes does as a 'free mod'.
(Especially if she bothered to do a cold air and Flow.

)

YES, MY KIND of 50 y.o. woman (I'm almost 56).

Always a good idea to check however

A buddy of mine got one where it was still there.

 

[Rob_Roy]

Mine still had the air silencer as well.

Back to the oil...my '89 had 10w30 GTX in it when I got it. It did fine with it, but when it was due for a change I just got 15w40 out of the drum in our shop. The engine was a little quieter after that, and it ran more oil pressure...so I just stuck with it. I normally drove it until the first snow.

 

[Patman]

I owned two different 5.0s and the first things I did with both of them was bump the timing and pull the air silencer!

I'm not sure how much actual horsepower you get from those two changes, but you certainly get better throttle response! It's been so long that I forget the actual details, but there is another free mod you can do with the throttle position sensor to help out as well.

It might sound like a cheezy way to do it but if you don't have a timing light, you can adjust the timing by ear as well. Loosen the distributor and turn it very slightly clockwise and then go for a full throttle blast and listen for pinging. If you hear none, keep advancing the timing a little bit at a time until you hear it, then back it off a hair. We did that with a few of my buddies cars back in the day if we didn't happen to have a timing light handy (or if we were simply too lazy to hook it up)

I ran a bunch of different oils in my two 5.0s, the first one I ran Amsoil 10w40, then the second one I switched between Amsoil 10w30, Mobil 1 10w30 and for the last few years I ran Canadian Tire synthetic 10w30 (silly me thought it was Mobil 1 repackaged back then, oops!)

 

[qdeezie]

Originally Posted By: Patman
It might sound like a cheezy way to do it but if you don't have a timing light, you can adjust the timing by ear as well. Loosen the distributor and turn it very slightly clockwise and then go for a full throttle blast and listen for pinging. If you hear none, keep advancing the timing a little bit at a time until you hear it, then back it off a hair. We did that with a few of my buddies cars back in the day if we didn't happen to have a timing light handy (or if we were simply too lazy to hook it up)

This is EXACTLY how I set the timing on my truck. I bought a timing light recently, but to be honest, I am content with how it runs as is.