Oil Analysis

[sidepipes]

I bought a 2.9 for $150 to replace mine because it lost oil pressure. The oil and the spark plugs look like they have never been changed but the oil is not milky colored and the plugs are not oily.

What do you think about doing a oil analysis to foreseen any problems there might be? Also I could just drop the pan and check for any metal shavings and make a determination based on that. I'll be dropping the pan anyway to replace gaskets and clean.

I don't want to spent money on gaskets etc. and time if the motor doesn't last at least a few thousand miles.

Thank you,
Dennis

 

[Andy D]

For 150 $ it is what it is. I would remove the pan and valve cover to degunk as much as possible. I would replace the rear main seal and maybe the timing belt.

 

[JoshT]

It sounds like you haven't installed and run this engine yet, correct? In that case an oil sample analysis will do you no good. Sure it may have oil in it, but you know absolutely nothing about that oil. For all you know it could have been run 15K miles or have been used when it was put in the truck. For an oil sample test you need to know mileage on the oil and/or engine, if any oil was added since last fill up, and oil type among other things. before you attempt an oil analysis, you would need to install the engine, do an oil change, and put some miles on it (2500-3000 IMO).

Way I see it you have two options. Forget the gaskets and drop it in as is, or dig into it and see what you've got. If you on lt want a couple thousand miles I say do the former. If you want to keep a 2.9L and have it run a long time, then do the latter. I'd say go on and open it up and do a visual inspection. Maybe pop a main and rod cap or two and see how the bearings look. Pull the heads and get check out the cylinder walls. If everything looks good put it back together with new gaskets, and be confident that it should last a while. If it needs work, go on and rebuild it.

 

[adsm08]

If you want to pick a good engine out of the junk yard using oil analysis instead of hearing it run, you might as well get out the dousing rods. It will cost less and be a bit more effective.

 

[AgPete139]

lol Nice, ADSM.

For a blind $150, put it in and cross your fingers. Why WOULDN'T you change a couple gaskets (like a rear main seal) while it's out?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

lol Nice, ADSM.

For a blind $150, put it in and cross your fingers. Why WOULDN'T you change a couple gaskets (like a rear main seal) while it's out?

I would, stupid not to so you can pull the engine and/or drop the trans right away because you didn't want to spend $20-30 when the thing was sitting on the floor.

I pulled the pan off my 302 to poke around in there to see what I had and change the gasket before I put it in. Changed the rear main and pulled the timing cover off (to replace the timing chain) and the front seal too.

For the analysis... some of the best looking oil can be in the worst engines. Guy runs it out, it makes funny noises and/or quits. Dumps in new oil desperately hoping for a quick fix but the damage is done.

 

[adsm08]

lol Nice, ADSM.

Well to be fair, statistics say that having "staffing professionals" and the person who will be directly managing the person being hired are both less effective methods of hiring for a job than drawing names out of a hat.

I figure dousing rods in a junk yard must be at least as good as drawing names out of a hat.