Oil Q's

So I just did my first oil change in the R/T. This time round, I went with casterol full synthetic, a quart of Lucas oil additive and a fram 7K mile filter.

I used the syntec because most of the engine was suposedly redone when the engine was apart for the t-belt/water pump work.

How well does the lucas work when it is mixed with full synthetic?

Despite being rebuilt and having an MLS head gasket, before it was burning a quart in less than 500 miles, so this has me a little concerned.

The shop that worked on the engine used a larger diameter filter, the equivilent of a fram ph/tg/xg/ect... 16. Would the larger filter help by ofering more filter material? Or could the larger filter not seal right and cause my oil lose. It was on good and tight, but it looked that oil was dripping from the filter.

I will keep a close eye on the oil level to see how things work out.

It is not normal to rebuild an engine when doing a t-belt and water pump so that has me concerned.

Lucas will work just fine with conventional or synthetic, it mainly just makes the oil thicker.

A quart in under 500 miles is not great and not terrible either. My Supra used to burn almost that much and there was no noticeable smoke from the tailpipe or anything. Who knows what this rebuilder did, did they just do the head? Was the bottom end worked on?

I personally like using large filters, clean the area around it and see if anything leaks, it could be just residue from the oil that leaks out when you change the filter.

Yeah - figure out exactly what was done, because timing belt / water pump, head gasket, and rebuild are all very different, with very different effects on oil consumption and oil needs.

The engine was apart because the betl wan't done in time, and a few valves were messed up. What I was told by the seller is that while things where apart, the cylinders where honed out. This has me thinking that at the least it has new rings.

And for the oil on the outside of the filter, that was before I opened anything up.

A "rebuilt" engine burning a quart of oil every 500 miles is terrible. I really don't think it was rebuilt, it was just slapped back together.

Oversized oil filters are not a problem as long as the gasket seats. Then it seals, and all the oily goodness stays inside.

I sure wouldn't bother with synthetic oil in an engine that leaks and burns oil. That's just a waste of money.

I'd avoid the Lucas additive and the Fram filters. What was the viscosity of the Syntec you used? Slightly heavier oil might slow down the consumption.

In any case, check out BITOG for more info than you could ever possibly use on anything oil-related.

02Pilot wrote: In any case, check out BITOG for more info than you could ever possibly use on anything oil-related.

*2

I use the bigger filter on my 95 DOHC, I believe it cross references the the XX16. NAPA filter pn#1085

If the memory serves correct, early neons originally came with the larger filter, but the spec was changed to the smaller style filter as it is (marginally) further away from the ground and other foreign objects that come in contact with the underside.

NO lucas.. it foams.

Are you sure the oil was at the full mark with the car on a level surface? I have seen guys chasing phantom oil consumption caused by the quickie oil change guys not putting in the full amount. Also seen them chase consumption and over fill from parking the car on a hill then checking the oil. I, of course never did such a thing.

10w-30, it was all they had.

As for frams, in the hundreds of thousands of miles that the cars and trucks in my family have driven, we have always used frams and never with a problem. Thoe I am considering a K&N for my moms new car because last time I had to pull the starter to get a good grip on the filter. or I could get a better filter wrench, but that is a different thread

I don't know what the Neon specs for oil vis, but you might try a 15w40 (or 5w40 if you insist upon synthetic). Rotella T or Delo are available at Wal-Mart for cheap and are highly regarded oils.

I've had really bad experiences with Fram oil filters in the last few years.

Between a 1982 Toyota Corolla, a 1981 Turbo Trans Am and a 1996 F-150 every Fram brand filter installed on them has ballooned and had the element come loose within a month.

The highest oil pressure seen is my TTA at 60lbs and ANY filter should be able to resist that. I run straight 30wt in the turbo car and 15W40 in the other two so it's not like I'm pumping really heavy oils.

Still, the case swells at the wrench end and if I take it off and shake it I can feel the element rattling around inside.

I buy Purolator filters now and I have no more problems, the sheetmetal is actually thick enough to keep the filter together.

You may have better luck but I'd be careful.

Shawn

I used to use Fram filter but have switched to Wix in the past year or so. Never had a problem with Fram just had trouble finding a custom aplication. Went right to the Wix one and never looked back.

this is why people should steer away from Fram filters:

Fram Oilfilter dissection and comparison

They aren't always a liability per se, they are built extremely cheaply and are not as robust as they would lead you to believe. Especially when compared to other manufacturers. They mostly tend to try and sell gimmicks instead of actually producing better products. i.e. not using cardboard endcaps, leaky anti-drainback valves and small inlet holes.