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factory recommended oil viscosity?


OilPatch197

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2007
Messages
1,400
Age
96
Vehicle Year
1984/87
Transmission
Automatic
for the old 2.8 motors.
 
Unless you just got one re-built, forget the factory recommended viscosity.

It was probably 10-30. I'd run it with 15-40.
 
10-30 if I rember right but I ran 10-40
 
Unless you just got one re-built, forget the factory recommended viscosity.

It was probably 10-30. I'd run it with 15-40.
Engine TOLERANCES are so close in these modern engines you really need to FOLLOW what the manufacturer says, so DO NOT listen to this person!!
 
Engine TOLERANCES are so close in these modern engines you really need to FOLLOW what the manufacturer says, so DO NOT listen to this person!!

Um.... 2.8L, modern......:icon_confused:.........:icon_confused:? It hasn't been in production for over 20 years. Tolerances in 4.6L, 3.5L yeah, even newer 3.0 and 4.0L maybe. The Coyote 5.0L definitely.

I'm a dealership tech. Spent 2.5 years working the lube rack while in school. I've torn down and put back together a handful of engines (something that you don't see done a lot in the shops anymore). I know about engine TOLERACES and when to FOLLOW or ignore the manufacturer oil specs. Ford even says that engines rated for 5W-20, after they hit the 100,000 mile mark, it is acceptable, and even recommendable, to run them with 5W-30.



What are your qualifications?
 
Um.... 2.8L, modern......:icon_confused:.........:icon_confused:? It hasn't been in production for over 20 years. Tolerances in 4.6L, 3.5L yeah, even newer 3.0 and 4.0L maybe. The Coyote 5.0L definitely.

I'm a dealership tech. Spent 2.5 years working the lube rack while in school. I've torn down and put back together a handful of engines (something that you don't see done a lot in the shops anymore). I know about engine TOLERACES and when to FOLLOW or ignore the manufacturer oil specs. Ford even says that engines rated for 5W-20, after they hit the 100,000 mile mark, it is acceptable, and even recommendable, to run them with 5W-30.



What are your qualifications
?

Common sense:icon_thumby: that is what qualifies me HOWEVER, I didn't realize the 2.8 was so ancient.
 
Common sense:icon_thumby: that is what qualifies me HOWEVER, I didn't realize the 2.8 was so ancient.

HAHA, Ok. I will grant you that if it had genuinely been a modern engine, you would have been very very right, and my initial advice would have been different.


The 2.8 became the 2.9 in 86, and then the 4.0 in 90. The 2.8 we are talking about hasn't been in production for almost 25 years.
 
Most of the early Tanus and Cologne engines were speced for 10-30. It was pretty much the oil of the day.
 
I would like to run 15W-40, is that too thick?

The Engine has over 200 thousand miles, it's had excessive cranking with no oil pressure(blown FIBER timing gears) had some "miracle" additives put in the oil(X1R)

Overheated several times, had to replace a cracked head(and the cylinders are worn when I had the head off, major ridges at the top of cylinders, but it does not smoke)

Only smokes on startup(valve stem seals)
 
Last edited:
Probably not. I know lots of guys here run that in their 2.9s, and the bearing clearances are similar.
 
me......I increase the viscosity until it quits clattering & smoking.......however I use the same guidelines to increase my med dosage also.......
 

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