1984 Ford 2.8L V6 171 best oil

[MadMax_1984]

So, My engine is old and a truck motor. Im planning on rebuilding my motor later this year but in the meen time. I wanna to keep it running pretty good.

My engine has around 291K or something like that. It might only be 191K since its got a 5 digit odo. It does have blowby and a small oil leak. Nothing major.
It does show its age though. I am wondering what oil people with the same motor use. Ive heard people in the EU with this motor have used 20w50 oil.

I am just wanting to know what oil I should use to keep the motor last as long as it can until I get around to rebuild it. This will also be my first motor rebuild.

 

[ka9mnx]

Mobil1 HM 10w-30.

 

[CT8]

Walmart or Costco house brand oil.. Spend a few pennies more and get Walmart high Mile oil.

 

[MadMax_1984]

@ka9mnx

Right now Im running 10w40. I was thinking about switching to VR1 20W50 since summers here are REALLY hot and It shouldnt have an issue with that oil.

 

[MadMax_1984]

@CT8

Right now im running valvoline 10w40 and it runs good but that was for winter time. Id like to thicken the oil up for the summer as the heat gets around 95f average during the summers here in Southern GA. Plus humidity.

I was thinking of running VR1 20w50 since its high in zinc and should allow the engine life to be longer. Right?

On YouTube, Thunderhead289 has used 20w50 for help with blowby. Thats where I go the idea from.

 

[Lyman]

I had a 1990 Ranger with the 2.9 I used Mobil 1 10w30 exclusively. I sold it with 350k miles on it and it was running good. The only problem I ever had was a leaking oil filter adapter. It's very common for those to leak.

 

[MadMax_1984]

@Blkstanger Yeah, Ive got a oil drip/leak and I do belive its coming from the oil filter. Ive changed my valve cover gaskets today to rubber ones (Mainly because they are better when being removed and dont get hard and brittle like cork does. (I had to scrap the cork off with a flat head. It was BAD!)

Do you know how to fix or slow the oil leak from the adapter plate?

With the amount of blow by. I might go to 15w50. The last time I ran 10w30 A LOT of smoke (Oil burning off from the heat of the engine. I live in a hot climate area) came out of the breather.

 

[Lyman]

R&R the gasket. It's the only option.

 

[FCD]

In Europe we only use 20W-50 in the 2.8 Cologne.

I have several friends here in the Spanish Ford Capri club who all use 20W-50.

Valvoline VR1 20W-50 would be a great option.

 

[MadMax_1984]

Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
In Europe we only use 20W-50 in the 2.8 Cologne.

I have several friends here in the Spanish Ford Capri club who all use 20W-50.

Valvoline VR1 20W-50 would be a great option.


Those Capris are some awesome cars! Thanks for the suggestion! Do you run it year round or old in the summer?

 

[MadMax_1984]

Originally Posted by Blkstanger
R&R the gasket. It's the only option.


Im sorry, R&R the gasket? Im assuming remove and replace right? I just didn't know I could get a replacement gasket for there. Where would I find one?

 

[FCD]

Originally Posted by MadMax_1984
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
In Europe we only use 20W-50 in the 2.8 Cologne.

I have several friends here in the Spanish Ford Capri club who all use 20W-50.

Valvoline VR1 20W-50 would be a great option.


Those Capris are some awesome cars! Thanks for the suggestion! Do you run it year round or old in the summer?


I live here on a rock in the middle of the Mediterranean so i can run it year round no problem.
My only problem is i can't really open it up for too long without getting a huge speeding ticket or falling into the sea.
Mine is the 3.0 Carburetted "Essex" V6 version with 144hp , not the Cologne you have, European 2.8 Capris have K-Jetronic fuel injection and 160 ( claimed ) horsepower ( in reality 150-155 ).
The most i have gotten out of mine was 127Mph, my friend Tony's 2.8 can do about 130Mph ( stock ) , the 2.8 Cologne has about 15hp more than the 3.0 Essex, but also has 15 lb/ft of torque less than the 3.0 Essex.
*cough* This was obviously done on a private road with no traffic *cough*

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
In Europe we only use 20W-50 in the 2.8 Cologne.

I have several friends here in the Spanish Ford Capri club who all use 20W-50.

Valvoline VR1 20W-50 would be a great option.

That is anti BITOG group think.

 

[1978elcamino]

Its coming out in the next couple years for a rebuild I would be putting in supertech 10w30 @ 4k oci. No need to spend more than you need protecting an engine that will be gone through soon.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

MaxLife HM 15W-40...

 

[FCD]

Once you rebuild it.
Any decent 10W-40 or 15W-40 with a good amount of ZDDP will do.

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
Once you rebuild it.
Any decent 10W-40 or 15W-40 with a good amount of ZDDP will do.

Any 10w-30. It's what the engine was built around.

Edit: add "Any"

 

[MadMax_1984]

Originally Posted by 1978elcamino
Its coming out in the next couple years for a rebuild I would be putting in supertech 10w30 @ 4k oci. No need to spend more than you need protecting an engine that will be gone through soon.


Its hopefully coming out this year. Maybe early winter. Im just wanting to keep it running as long as I can. As the engine does have blowby and I live in a generally hot area. My thing is that idk for 100% sure itll be coming out this early winter. It might be longer. Like early next summer. So Im just wanting to keep the engine running as happy and as good as I can get it to run.