flathead guys - how often to change oil

I have a 53 f100 8ba with the stock oil filter setup with the canister. How often should I change my oil? I use the wix filter from napa with Valvoline racing 20-50. Also not sure last rebuild on motor but I assume not fresh.

Also any trick for getting the canister clean without making a mess? I used paper towels last time and it did okay just wondering if there any good tricks.

 

My Merc has no filter. I change the oil every 1000 miles with 30 weight non-detergent.

 

On old worn out flatheads I change it about once a year. My cars usually only get 2-3000 miles per year. On a new or fresh engine, I'd do it probably 2-3 times a year, or every 2-3000 miles if you drive it a lot.

 

I use pennzoil 25w-50 racing oil and change every 1000 miles.

 

I change my oil once a year with is about 1200-1500 miles, i use castrol sae 30 oil and a napa gold filter

 

221 cid, w/o filter: I change every 1000 miles with Mobil Delvac 15w40.

 

I run no oil filter and change the oil every 300 miles since most of my driving is 10 to 20 miles once a week. I use 4 qts. of Shell Rotella 15W40 for the high zinc content and 1 qt. of Marvel Mystery Oil. Makes the tappets sound real nice.

 

I change mine at around 800 to 1000 miles ,,no filter. HRP

 

so do you just add a tube were the oil filter use to be too run with no filter?

 

sae 40 c-4 filter between 1000-2000...or once a year which ever comes first

 

my car doesn't have a filter. I use 20-50, it gets changed every season, less then a 1000 miles. also add zddp for the zinc or lucas.

 

500-1000 miles w/o a filter, 1000-2000 miles with a filter.

 

That sounds about right. I probably have maybe 1000 miles since the last oil change, with no filter and my oil was pretty black the other day when I checked it. Looks like its time to change it

 

Even the Flattys that have filters don't realy have filters unless it is an aftermaket kit that comes off the oilpump, out the pan to the filter and back to the main oil gallery (in line full pressure) the stock filters on those old engines even the Stovebolts just bled a little oil off through the filter and back to the pan. As for the oil 20w-50 would be the best since it should still have the proper ZDDP although not for long, don't take a chance with your flat tappet motor use the addative in every change, and I would say once a year or 1000 miles witch ever comes first.

 

Just plug the holes with pipe fitting plugs. 1/8 NPT in the side of the block above the oil pan and I think 1/4 NPT (? correct)?at the back next to your sender fitting if you have one.

 

With a stock filter I've been changing every 500 miles. I just installed a pcv valve and am now anticipating 1,000 to 1,500.
Been using Castrol 20-50, but I'm thinking of changing to a racing oil or one with Zinc.

Rich

 

No wonder flatheads last! 20-40 miles a week! I could brag on a Yugo if I drove my car that little............restorers;not rodders. SBC's rule.

 

True enough, only a portion is "bled off" into the filter, but over time, 100% of the oil gets filtered. The stock filter is far better than no filter at all...despite its shortcomings.

 

The 1939 Ford Owners Manual, officially called "Passenger and Commercial Reference Book 1939", advises changing oil every 2000 miles.
Of course that would mean a bunch of guys would only be changing their oil every 2-10 years, wouldn't it?

 

I changed mine every 6000 miles, but I drove it about 200-300 miles a week. '49 8BA, mild mods, with a full flow oil system and napa spin on filter. The oil would still be pretty clean when it came out, but I built the motor when I built the truck. I always used Castrol 20-50 and had between 40-60psi oil pressure even on 100+ degree days in stop and go traffic (Melling hi vol pump). Never had a problem in 3 years then sold it. . .

Mike

 

I treat mine like it's in a regular car, every three thousand or so, turns out to be once a year. But I know a guy in a certain gray roadster I follow around once in a while. He just keeps adding more oil based on how much he sees splatter on the from of my car. Maybe that's why he calls it old smoky.........

 

Heck, I used to change the oil when I rebuilt it! which was about every 2.000 miles. Just old 40 weight

LOL

traderjack

 

every 100 passes or about once a year castrol 20-50 olberg screen filter

 

sbc`s suck I`d take a flathead any day been running mine hard for 19 years now and it still beats a few sbc`s now and then
and gives me no trouble god only knows how many miles it has on it now
and passes down the track

 

I've had a mildly modified flathead, and some SBC's as well....If your flathead has beat a few SBC's in it's day, there was something wrong with the SBC, or the SBC was powering a loaded wheat truck in low range.

Nothing wrong with flatheads, but there aren't very many streetable ones that'll out perform even the the mildest SBC in a comparable car.

Change your oil when it's dirty, or, if you store your car over winter, every spring to get rid of the condensation.

 

[QUOTE Nothing wrong with flatheads, but there aren't very many streetable ones that'll out perform even the the mildest SBC in a comparable car.

Change your oil when it's dirty, or, if you store your car over winter, every spring to get rid of the condensation.[/QUOTE]

Hey A Bomb I cant agree man.

If you have a nice strong FH in a light A/32 roadster and you take on a tri 5 or early 60s Bow Ties with a 283/PG.....all they'll see are the 39 teardrops hahaha.

Have you ever driven a nice, well built flathead in a light roadster or early coupe?

Streetable?

Define what is a streetable Flathead?

Rat

 

Hey A Bomb I cant agree man.

If you have a nice strong FH in a light A/32 roadster and you take on a tri 5 or early 60s Bow Ties with a 283/PG.....all they'll see are the 39 teardrops hahaha.

Have you ever driven a nice, well built flathead in a light roadster or early coupe?

Streetable?

Define what is a streetable Flathead?

Rat[/QUOTE]

You'll notice I said comparable car......and a nice strong flathead has about the same horsepower as a stock smog equipped 305. I understand the passion of flatheaders and all, but reality is reality.

My flathead was a mild 59AB, with dual 94's, red's headers, and a mallory ignition. It was in a 48 tudor sedan, so no I haven't driven one in a light car....but horsepower and torque figures don't lie.

You know what I mean about streetable, any flathead that's going to beat an SBC in a comparable vehicle is most likely not going to be normally aspirated, and is going to have cubic dollars holding it together.

A guy I know just built a .125 bore 4.25 stroke flathead for his 38 ford pickup. I'll BET my 2 barrel 264 ci bone stock nailhead will outrun it. I KNOW I could build a 500 HP SBC for the money he spent.

 

Abomb I hear ya man - but hell a mild FH in a 48 Tudor Sedan is gonna be a slug, even if the flatty is mildly souped.

Weight shifted HP is weight shifted HP - 150HP in a 2000lb ride is gonna be light years ahead of the same HP/TQ in a car that weighs double or more, all esle being equal.

Thats all I was trying to say.

BTW, I have both a nice strong FH in my 32 and a mild 283/PG/3.36 combo in my 57 wagon. No comparison in performance.

Weight shifted HP/TQ is usable HP/TQ...then again a FH in a heavy car compared to an SBC in a heavy car, well we'd know the outcome of that hehe.

As for streetable, I have a 4-71 blown FH - never overheats (runs no eng fan) runs like a raped ape, hell my Grandmother could drive it daily if she wanted to and was'nt cubic dollars to build.

With Flatheads there comes a point where the returns are diminished for the $$ invested, that much is true.

Mostly old wives tales trust me.

Oil...run 20-50W, change it depending on the miles/conditions.
Rat

 

lol, a flathead roadster vs my 58 chevy, ya, not shit hed prolly take me, prolly weighs in at half what i do. both roadsters? youd have to spend 25 grand to really be competitive against a sbc..... but that wasnt the original question. id just change the oil every few months, thats what i do with my cars....

 

hahaha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvwCWQp2EWw&feature=PlayList&p=2C5239E64F6F1BB9&index=4