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[Brynjaminjones]

Maybe a quick question, maybe a can of worms.
What oil should I use for the 360 in our Wagoneer?

The oil pressure seems good at startup but is a touch low when hot at idle (under 10), moving to just under halfway up the gauge when accelerating. I also sometimes get about a second of clatter at startup after it's been sat for a few days.
I would also like to mention though that I know the gauge isn't completely accurate - sometimes at idle it'll move up and down with the indicator!

I'm thinking about a thick oil (maybe 20W50) but I'm concerned that this might be too thick at cold startup in the winter. Alternatively, should I just use the same 10W40 that I put in the 4.0s and stop worrying so much?

What weight/type would you guys recommend?

[wildwood]

Others will be along that have degrees in this stuff but in the meantime 20/50 is what was around in the 60's and 70's as well as stuff for older cars that was40 weight or 60weight and you put the thinner stuff in for winter.
You have hydraulic lifters about the size of half your little finger length and they have a hole in them to allow the oil to get in and pump them to the correct size to act on the valve gear .....a few days of lack of use will mean they are not,full of oil for a few secs.

Back in the day I had a Buick (Rover) boat anchor that rattled so for not a lot I replaced the hydraulic lifters.....easy job.....
Result quiet as a quiet thing not a tap to be heard......
The old ones were coked up so oil was restricted to get in and the flat top surface was dished after 10 years of abuse.......
So there you go.....happy days.

[5536paulj]

Bryn,

I find 20/50 is best in mine, 10/40 a but thin and can lower oil pressure a bit. Low oil pressure at hot idle is fairly common on these engines but I wouldn't worry until you've checked it with a proper mechanical gauge, the original gauges should be treated as a guide!!

[Brynjaminjones]

Excellent, thanks for the advice guys. That's several recommendations I've had for 20W50 now. My only concern is that it might be too thick for cold starting in winter - do you have any issues Paul?

[wildwood]

Other thing with 'thin' oil or synthetic is it's designed for the close tolerances of today and a 30 year old engine regardless of condition will burn it as it is not thick enough for the looser tolerances of yesteryear.....

Had this once......changed to mono grade 60 weight in the summer and oil consumption went down.....
You shouldn't need to do that and 20/50 is fine......in my case it was a 1959 car so even looser tolerances.....

[5536paulj]

No problems with starting Bryn, and no need for fancy synthetic oils, just change it regularly as it's quite cheap anyway.

Mine doesn't use any 20/50 but if I use 10/40 it does use (or leak!) a bit.

Factory min oil pressure spec is 13psi idle and 37psi over 1500 rpm, but I would check with a proper gauge before worrying.

I use this in Jeep and Scimitar, cheap enough to change often
https://www.amazon.co.uk/COMMA-X-FLOW-TYPE-20W-50-ENGINE/dp/B06XFZZ69L/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504284860&sr=8-2&keywords=20+50+comma

[UKJeeper]

Irony. Bryn ASKING for oil advice on birty's, and GIVING oil advice on FB... ;-)

[Brynjaminjones]

I noted the irony too! I don't feel like I know much yet about this whole new world of FSJs...


Thanks Jez and Paul - it looks like 20W50 it'll be then. 

[UKJeeper]

I noted the irony too! I don't feel like I know much yet about this whole new world of FSJs...

Get thee hence to IFSJA...

[Brynjaminjones]

Get thee hence to IFSJA...

Already there! I feel less daft though badgering you lot with stupid questions 

[Bubba]

i always ran 20/50 in my amc v8s lots of them  proper crushed dinosaurs none of this modern plastic oil

[Brynjaminjones]

I made the switch this weekend to 20W-50 crushed racing dinosaur, with a Wix filter brought back from the US by another chap with a Grand Waggy.


The oil pressure seems much happier now - hovering around 40 once warm during normal driving, down to about 10 at low idle and a notch above 40 at high(er) revs.
A good few hours driving around the Peak District yesterday and all seems well.


I am however having an issue now in that the oil drain plug is leaking quite badly. I kept the original copper washer and tightened as much as I dare, but I'm getting an annoying drip. I'm sure this is simple, but what's the best course of action to sort this?

[wildwood]

New copper washer with every oil/ filter change......tis the 'bikers mantra'......

BUT if you can't get a new one at the time you can flip it over.....sometimes works......

OR
And you need a blow lamp for this .....heat the copper washer thoroughly......this has metallagy type things that I don't understand but put in English it makes the copper adopt it's original shape, sometimes referred to as re- annealing..... And then your good to go......

New washer is the best bet though.....l

[Brynjaminjones]

Heh heh, that's my mistake then! I'm used to the rubbery plug on the 4.0s. 
It looks like another oil change might be on the cards, unless I can somehow manage to swap washers and plug the hole with my finger.

[wildwood]

If your quick and the oil is cool ....
You could do a quick swap with an old wine cork ...... To get to change copper washer..

I seem to have a few of those around the house....... corks that is!

[Brynjaminjones]

Yup, us too. I seem to find them everywhere.

Cutting one down and popping it in might actually be a very good way of doing this, thanks! 

[gazjeep]

I seem to have a few of those around the house....... corks that is!

Cant think why

[Dave69]

read the manual for the sump plug torque setting and use that, guessing how tight can leave you with stripped threads.

then its a pain to fix, especially if its japanese aluminium which has more porosity than a sponge

[Brynjaminjones]

I forgot to update this:-


A few drives later, I went to replace the washer. I quickly tried the plug first, which now felt much looser than previously. I tightened it up until I felt a definite change in resistance and perfect, no leaks since!


I'm not sure how I was being quite so useless the first couple of times, but warming it up seemed to help and now all is well.

[harleykenn]

In my '81 Wagoneer  I always used plain mineral 20/50,  never had any problems.

[harleykenn]

You can try some PTF tape around the base of the threads, not all the way up!
  seen this on you tube lots even on fairly new motors.

[wildwood]

Might be of use.....

I did the oil in the Ram.....11 litres of it.
Turns out previous owner had a number of bodges and ptfe to seal the oil plug washer ....
I tried a Copper washer like normal and stip a drip.....

Quick ish week later delivery from Rockauto with 3 washers to take me a few years down the line and the new ones are steel with a neoprene covering......spot on and does the trick......
My fault for not getting a washer for the new oil.......
But worth the wait to get the correct piece for the Cummins in the Dodge.

[Brynjaminjones]

11 litres!! Is that in the 5.9 Cummins?

The original washer seems to be holding just fine now after I'd let it warm up a few times, so fingers crossed I'm sorted. I've got a spare washer too now for next time.

Ken, I've got mineral 20W50 "racing" oil in there now - seems fine although I've developed what seems to be some kind of lifter noise. Not sure of the cause yet.

[wildwood]

Tis indeed the mighty Cummins!

So tempting to up the power on it.....for not much coin......450 bhp for about the same in £

Only prob is the gearbox is at almost full stretch as it is.......and mods to them are in the realms of 4 figs