Need some (basic) oil advice

I apologize for this being a 5.0 question but maybe it can help out someone else with a tired engine.

I have a 1995 2WD F150 5.0/Auto as a Winter Daily driver.
I just got it used with 71k on it. The PO got it with 55K and told me it had sat for a long while.
I drove the truck and it ran dead quiet so I bought it. It has the torque converter chatter that these trucks get so I don't really want to spend cash on a 5.0 rebuild.
After a few days of driving it developed a random metal knock up high at idle. It became regular with RPMs applied.
Because it sounded up high I suspected a sticky lifter or busted valve spring I pulled the upper intake and the valve cover.
Turns out the engine is FULL of waxy sludge and the valve springs all looked in tact.
I recalled then the PO said he had replaced the oilpan because it was dirty inside.
(I bought it anyway because it ran so well)

I pulled all the rockers and pushrods and cleaned them up (blew out the pushrods). Also cleaned the valve cover insides.
I also grabbed a shopvac and scraped the head pretty clean and reassembled.

The clatter went away for the most part. It still pops up occasionally when hot.
The issue now the rockers are really loud. Sounds like a sewing machine inside the cab.
I added a oil pressure gauge. Hot at idle in gear it reads 17+/- psi. At highway speeds it reads 39psi.
It seems low to me but its consistent.

I used 5W30 Valvoline semi-synthetic thinking a thinner oil might lube whatever was knocking better.
*I use Valvoline Race 20W 50 in all my other cars except my turbo 2.3 stang. It gets Mobil 1

My questions:
1) Would a thicker oil do as good or better job lubricating my knock and maybe silence the rockers?
2) I am a firm believer in no additives to oil but maybe someone on here
likes a product and would like to recommend one in case my knock comes back? ie: Lucas, Marvel Mystery Oil, CW2, etc?
3) What weight oil might help with my oil pressure?

Thanks for your help guys

Must have been using Trop Artic or Pennsoil, the only oils I have found that did that inside the engines... I have seen them so bad all parts just had place to move and completely sealed in that Crap, it is like a Parifin (wax) buildup it is the Chits to clean out... good luck
as for oil PSI it is said you only need #10 per 1000 rpms so your oil psi is ok.... I would run a std 30 wt in it and run her till overhaul time....

Randy

As in 10W 30 VS the catpiss 5W 30?


Thanks for the reply Randy!

Phil the 5-30 is for tighter clearances. but from the psi you are stating it has I would be comfortable running it with 39 psi at running speed it may be turning 2500 rpm at highway speed so 30ish would be fine....

as for cleaning some of the crap out of the engine I would put in 4 qts of oil and put in a qt of atf and change it after a 1000 miles andf see if it cleans some of the gunk out..... then put a good 30wt in and run it....I would slso put a non bypass filter on it and watch the oil psi and when it starts to drop psi stop and change it immediately....



Randy

Much as I hate the "chemical tune ups", In '76 I bought a '64 Falcon Ranchero with a 260 V-8 that burned almost as much oil as gas, a quart in 200 miles. I was a TEXACO dealer at the time and my rep suggested I try one of their products. He explained that it was the detergent package equivalent to 5 Qt's of premium oil with enough 20 Wt. to fill the can. Over a period of 6 months, or so, oil consumption dropped to less than a quart in 3000 miles, after 3 oil changes and product use. Although that product is no longer available...the same stuff is in stores marketed as: CD-2 MAXX oil detergent, yellow plastic bottle with a red screw top. I recommend it to free up rings that are varnish coated and to clean out sludge (change oil filter OFTEN).

chuck stevens wrote:Much as I hate the "chemical tune ups", In '76 I bought a '64 Falcon Ranchero with a 260 V-8 that burned almost as much oil as gas, a quart in 200 miles. I was a TEXACO dealer at the time and my rep suggested I try one of their products. He explained that it was the detergent package equivalent to 5 Qt's of premium oil with enough 20 Wt. to fill the can. Over a period of 6 months, or so, oil consumption dropped to less than a quart in 3000 miles, after 3 oil changes and product use. Although that product is no longer available...the same stuff is in stores marketed as: CD-2 MAXX oil detergent, yellow plastic bottle with a red screw top. I recommend it to free up rings that are varnish coated and to clean out sludge (change oil filter OFTEN).

good Idea Chuck I have heard of it just never knew what it was.....great info


Randy

Oddly enough this thread popped into my E-warness today:


But 1st, here is the 5.0 head



And this BMW thread. 60K with NO oil changes

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?s=760316ce1562ebcd4e91a8f1c5327703&t=1281659&page=2





I still think I oughta leave it dirty. I don't want to clog the pickup or oil galleys.
I also don't want oil leaks. It has a clean pan on it but getting it off in the future won't be easy.
The exhaust crosses over right under it

phil i have seen this in some where people only drives short distances and the enegine never get up to operating temp or when it get to up they shut it off before the detergent in the oil has time to work most all oils has some detergents in them unless you get a non detergent oil and it will build up like that in a enegine

the Coug wrote:Phil the 5-30 is for tighter clearances. but from the psi you are stating it has I would be comfortable running it with 39 psi at running speed it may be turning 2500 rpm at highway speed so 30ish would be fine....

as for cleaning some of the crap out of the engine I would put in 4 qts of oil and put in a qt of atf and change it after a 1000 miles andf see if it cleans some of the gunk out..... then put a good 30wt in and run it....I would slso put a non bypass filter on it and watch the oil psi and when it starts to drop psi stop and change it immediately....



Randy

Rather than go the chemical overhauls like "Engine Flush"... which actually works too well, Randy's suggestion with the atf works well, and gradually. Changing the filter right away when you see fluctuations in pressure is extremely important. The miracle cures actually work well enough to remove the sludge... but it ends up in the pan and plugs the pickup screen and then starves for oil. Check the thermostat and put something in there around 190-195... chances are its got a 160 now... above the short trips were mentioned, which also contribute to this problem.

Randy mentioned standard 30wt... its getting harder to find, but it is a straight 30 wt, not 5w30 or 10w30... just 30w. Since you are in cold country, you might try some 15w40 if you can't find straight 30w for the wintertime anyways.

longroofracer wrote:the chemical overhauls like "Engine Flush"... which actually works too well, Randy's suggestion with the atf works well, and gradually.

"Engine Flush" is basicaly karosene. I remember seeing my dad doing an oil change, he'd drain the oil, leave the old filter on, put in 5 qts. of karosene, start the engine and let it idle for 5 min's. Then he'd drain it and install a new filter and the oil. You would have to turn the dipstick on edge to see the coating of oil on it when checking you oil level due to it being so clean. It took weeks before the oil started to darken. From what I can tell, it didn't hurt it due to the fact that he had over 300,000 miles on that engine before he sold the car and it never burned any oil.

I agree that the atf method is most likely the best, but just wanted to give you more info on "Engine Flush".

Oddly enough the rockers and pushrods were soaked for hours in kerosene.
The kero got brown but the parts still required some serious elbow grease with a brass brush to clean them.
It didn't break the stuff down at all.

Sea Foam is another great product that will help to clean out that mess.