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SAE 20 - Early CJ motor oil and filters

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Theodore, Feb 6, 2005.

  1. Feb 6, 2005
    Theodore

    Theodore Stumpcrusher

    Seattle, WA
    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2003
    Messages:
    12
    I was paging through my 1955 owner's manual the other day just AFTER I changed the oil and filter. I read that the recommended oil grade for an F-134 is SAE 20 weight for temperatures below about 80 degrees and that the proper fill ammount is 5 quarts if the filter is replaced. I've been using SAE 30 but will order some 20 weight from NAPA from now on.

    Does anyone have any input on the oil grade?

    Secondly...I had changed the filter, put in four quarts of 30 weight and ran the engine. Clean oil leaked briefly from both sides of the cam cover gasket, then down the head and accumulated/pooled around the spark plugs. I'll be replacing the gasket for the cam cover as the one in use is the "gasket-in-a-tube" stuff.

    Any chance there is something really screwed up and the oil came OUT of the spark-plug ports? Running fine now.

    Confused and second guessing myself...
     
    Theodore, Feb 6, 2005
    #1
  2. Feb 6, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    Its doubtful that the oil came out around the sparkplugs. There really isn't much oil in the combustion chambers, and even if there is, it burns off and goes out the exhaust when the cylinders fire. Also, with the cylinder pressure behind it, you'd probably have more oil on the underside of the hood than around the plugs!

    I would get the correct gasket and use some good Permatex gasket shellac to glue it to the valve cover. Then you put a thin coat of grease on the bottom of the gasket and bolt it into place. This way the gasket stays intact on the valve cover, and you can remove the valve cover as often as you need to an dit all stays together. The grease keeps it from sticking to the head.

    Hope this helps!
     
    w3srl, Feb 6, 2005
    #2
  3. Feb 6, 2005
    JAB

    JAB Member

    Genesee, WI
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2003
    Messages:
    101
    While I don't want to start one of those threads that never ends.............

    For all practical purposes todays motor oils, & lubricants in general, are way better than anything in use in 1955. I'll bet that just about everybody on the forum uses a multi-viscosity oil, probably 10w-40, in their jeeps, all year-round. I've been using 20w-50 in my V6 to help compensate for some extra clearance I have in my bearings thanks to a little silt getting in through the dip stick hole, but as soon as I take care of that I'm going back to 10w-40. I think the average motor suffers the most from oil starvation or even cavitation at start-up & the straight-weight oils, while they do have a good film strength, tend to be too thick to be pushed into the bearing spaces until the engine warms up a bit. This is where the multi-vis oils shine, besides the broader temerature related operating perameters. & yes, this does hold true for the older motors. One thing tho; if you weren't using a detergent oil before & switch to one now, you may disolve some sludge that's helping to keep the leaks small. This goes double if you go to the synthetics.
     
    JAB, Feb 6, 2005
    #3
  4. Feb 6, 2005
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,385
    I've been using 10/30 lately. Even though I use a multiweight I'm not a big believer in the advantage of it. In the winter one time I tried 20/50 in a 258 and made it slower to turn over when starting so I switched back to 10/40.
     
    Glenn, Feb 6, 2005
    #4
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