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oil change interval

I don't know what sort of oil it is, just that's what I was told to put in it because of it's age.

Reply to
Muggles
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5w20 or 5w30 was specified by the factory. Depending where you live 10W40 might be a good alternative in the summer if it has high mileage or is staring to use a wee bit of oil (not lose it) - and if in Texas or Arkansas or other hot place, even 20W50 for the summer.
Reply to
clare

No, actually it changes viscosity LESS than a straight grade oil. To put it simply - which means not 100% accurate - cold 5w30 oil acts like cold 5 weight oil, and hot 5w30 oil behaves like hot 30 weight oil. Oil behaves like corn syrup or honey. The colder it gets the thicker it gets.. The warmer it gets the thinner it gets.

The way it is done is using a thin base oil (like SAE5) and adding a viscosity index improver - which is a long chain polymer that curls and uncurls with temperature, thickening the oil as it warms up.

The hot 5w30 is still thinner than cold 5 weight oil - just not as much thinner

Reply to
clare

The mileage on it is 110,187. Is that considered high or low miles for a '98 van?

Reply to
Muggles

A while back I tried putting in some oil that is supposed to plug oil leaks, and it worked for a while. If I tried it again, do you think it'd work, or not help at all?

Reply to
Muggles

Around here, that's referred to as 'hardly broken in'. In a state where the towns big enough to have a Burger King are 100 miles apart, it adds up fast. Because of that most of the mileage is accumulated at 80 mph with very little stop and go driving or idling in endless traffic jams. A Boston van that never saw the other side of 128 and had 110,000 would likely be ready for the crusher.

Reply to
rbowman

Additives are a crap shoot. May work, may destroy the engine if it plugs the wrong holes. Nothing is better than the right fix. As you've already seen, it is not a permanent fix.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Below average. Most people put 10,000 to 12,000 a year.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I'd say about 80% is highway miles. The rest accumulated around town.

Reply to
Muggles

OK thanks for the info.

Reply to
Muggles

ahh so normal would be around 17K to 204K?

Reply to
Muggles

Exactly what van do you have, with which engine?? Generally speaking

110 thousand miles on a '98 would be low mileage for the year.
Reply to
clare

Don't waste your money - most of those oil stop-leak products just soften the rubber in seals and gaskets - which can effectively stop some leaks - at least for a while. Second time 'round unlikely to be anywhere near as effective. Some additives are really good for some problems. This is one additive that is not much good for anything - in my professional opinion.

Reply to
clare

'98 Ford Windstar with 3.8L 6cyl engine.

Reply to
Muggles

ok Thanks for the info!

Reply to
Muggles

That's what I was afraid of. One of Ford's "better ideas" that wasn't all it should/could have been - and the 3.8 is one of Ford's poorer motors. That said, it's still a whole lot better than anything "the general" had to offer at the time - and with any maintenance it is often good for close to 200000 miles. That engine suffered from timing cover and intake manifold leads as well as the oil cooler gasket problem - and if ANY antifreeze gets into the oil, stop right there and don't spend another penny on it. Antifreeze takes the bearings of THAT particular engine out in a jiffy - the engine starts to knock and there is NOTHING that can be done about it short of replacing the engine.

What kind of shape is the body in - and where are you located??

Reply to
clare

My 98 Blazer has about 265k miles. I do take it on service calls, not just to work every day.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Now that you mention it, the overflow container for the antifreeze is dirty like it has had some oil in it at some point, but I haven't actually seen any oil floating in it.

The body is in OK shape. A little worn here or there and a tiny bit of rust showing near the drivers side back.

Reply to
Muggles

I got about 140K km, on a Ford 3.8 in an 89 TBird, beautiful car, then stuff happened.

Reply to
FrozenNorth

Brotherinlaw had same car, block warped - crank and bearings replaced under warranty didn't last 50,000 km - when he tried to have it rebuilt good mechanic found the block was out of true and could not even be line bored. Threw it back together and traded it back in to the selling dealer who also did the warranty repair - - -

Reply to
clare

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