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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / The Basics

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Posted By Discussion Topic: The Basics -- page: 1 2     Tev 12-04-2009 @ 5:56 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 24 Joined: Nov 2009 All, I just bought a 37 Deluxe Coupe with a stock 85 hp and a Columbia rear-end. It's running fine and I want to keep it that way. I joined the site today and purchased the 37 book. I've searched the site for the questions I'm asking below, but I see that this is a shiney new site and past info isn't available. So here are my questions: What are your recommendations on the basics for stock flatheads: gas, best oil to run - summer wt., winter wt., and brand. I would also like the same info. on plugs, any other lubricants, antifreeze, and standard maintenance/tune-up issues. I figure others will have the same questions, so this string should cover the basics. Thanks in advance for any information. ford38v8 12-04-2009 @ 10:15 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2758 Joined: Oct 2009 Tev, That's a good question, and a good title for a new string. The basics for any Ford of our era are pretty much the same, so this can be useful to many, as you envision. First, I'm glad your Ford is running well, so we'll see if we can help you keep it on the road. Number one issue these days is fuel. The gasoline that is available today is laced with alcohol of one kind or another, which causes three problems with our cars: 1) - Decomposition of gaskets, diaphragms, and fuel valves 2) - Rust in the fuel system 3) - sticky valves 1) - Fuel pump diaphragm; fuel pump valves; fuel pump flex line; carburetor needle valve (if not all metal); carburetor accelerator pump (if not leather); carburetor power valve; any gaskets not of fuel resistant material. These fail, and must be replaced as required with fuel resistant products, which must be specified when you buy them. 2) - Gas tanks have always been subject to rust as the tern coating wears off. Many tanks have in the past been coated with a sloshing compound to seal off the rust from the fuel. The older sloshing compounds are vulnerable to the gasoline of today, and must be redone to modern standards or the tank replaced. Fuel lines are copper coated steel, and will rust from the inside. These will eventually need to be replaced. Fuel filters must now be installed before your fuel pump. 3) - Marvel Mystery Oil® works wonders for many of us. MMO should be added to your gas tank with every fill up. It helps in the prevention of the previous two problems, and prevents the varnish that causes sticky valves. I wish I owned stock in MMO. All three problems are caused by the fuel available today. If you have a choice, and many do, purchase only Regular grade gasoline, never E85 or Ethanol or whatever else they want to name that junk. Do not empty your wallet on Lead additives, as they provide no benefit to your engine. Regular gas is what we use. Any car, not just Fords, will benefit from the use of Stabyl® in the gas tank if it is not driven regularly to use up old fuel. You may have heard of the reduction of zinc in motor oil. Zinc was reduced as it was determined to shorten the life of catalytic converters. The reduction of zinc is a problem to some older engines, but fortunately, the Ford Flathead is not affected, unless it has been modified with an after-market camshaft and stronger valve springs than the stock Ford has. Don't waste your money on zinc oil additives. I don't like to name suppliers as the only place to go, as there are many that are just as good who would suffer from lack of recognition. Don't go off half cocked and buy from just anyone, however. Research your suppliers, many are spoken of on this Forum, some in a positive, and some not so positive. I'll just say that anything you need is available, at a price. Offshore products are suspect and have been for many years. Heed that advice and buy only American made products. Join the Early Ford V8 Club, and join a Regional Group in your area. Both are sources of friends with similar interests, and for valuable information required to keep your Ford on the road and to make the most of your entry into our world of Fords. Welcome, and welcome to our Forum, where the only dumb question is the one that wasn't asked. Alan Tev 12-05-2009 @ 5:12 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 24 Joined: Nov 2009 Alan, Thanks very much for that welcome. Section one under fuel is now on my checklist. By regular gas, you mean the cheapest unleaded. When you say regular, I think of leaded gas from when I was a kid. It seems like all gas stations in Austin sell 10% ethanol fuel. As for MMO, I've got several bottles on my shelf (for a '38 GMC). I'll use it and Stabyl, as you say. Happy to hear zinc is not such a problem with Ford flatheads. I am aware of the benefits of treating gas tanks with a modern liner and will do so very soon. As for oil and other matters: I'm very happy to buy only American products for the Coupe - but I'd still like to hear recommendations on brand/wt. for modern motor oil in winter/summer. Based on my search of this site, the many forum entries on oil are in the old website and cannot transfer, so I’d like to hear recommendations – same for plugs or any other regular maintenance item. I have consistently heard to avoid detergent oils in non-oil filter engines and will do so in unless someone convinces me otherwise. Thanks in advance. Travis trjford8 12-05-2009 @ 5:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4214 Joined: Oct 2009 Tev, heres' what I haver done over the years with flatheads. I run 20/50 Castrol and change it every 1000 miles or every 6 months.I use Autolite 216 plugs and they have always worked well. Others use NGk B6L or NGK B4L. I am not a big fan of the later Champion plugs. I do use anti-freeze and I would especially recommend it if you have a motor with aluminum heads. I usually run 1/3 anti-freeze and the rest water with a small can of liquid Barr's leak.As for routine maintenance I just make sure I lube all the fittings periodically depending on how much I drive the car. I would say every 2000 miles would be sufficient. Fore gasoline I use regular 87 octane. In some states you are stuck with 10% ethanol. I would avoid at all costs the E85 which is 15% ethanol. If you are stuck with ethanol I would add a little Marvel Mystery Oil on each fill-up. I also recommend that you join the Early Ford V-8 Club. The 6 issues a year of the V-8 Times will not only help you with the maintenance of your car, but you will learn a lot about the flathead world.It's the best $35 you will spend. With the V-8 Club roster you will also find other V-8ers in your area to help when you have a problem. Tev 12-05-2009 @ 6:10 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 24 Joined: Nov 2009 Trjford8, That's just what I was looking for. Thanks very much. I also paid for a membership just yesterday, so I'm looking forward to the issues. Travis lightflyer1 12-05-2009 @ 6:42 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 107 Joined: Oct 2009 I am in Round Rock North of you with a 35 Ford. We should meet some time! David ford38v8 12-05-2009 @ 8:42 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2758 Joined: Oct 2009 Tev, Regular unleaded 87 octane is what we use. I've seen the Texas gas stations that sell the 10% ethanol 89 octane for cheaper than the 87 octane. They really push it, don't they? Definitely DO use detergent oil. I doubt that you'll hear otherwise from any of us here. For myself, I prefer Mobil 1 10/30, which is 100% synthetic, but everyone has their own favorites. (If I was in your area, I might use Mobil 1 5/30). With or without a filter, which for us is a bypass filter at best, most of us change our oil about every 1500 or 2000 miles, more often if your driving doesn't include highway miles. I haven't had a complaint with Champion H10 plugs, but many others have. Alan Alan Tev 12-07-2009 @ 9:22 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 24 Joined: Nov 2009 Thanks very much. BERTHA 12-14-2009 @ 7:32 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 129 Joined: Nov 2009 Point of interest, E85 is 75%-85% ETHANOL. The rest gasoline. supereal 12-14-2009 @ 9:20 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 DO NOT use E-85 in any vehicle not specifically designed for the fuel. We are seeing enough problems with the 10% alcohol blend, and there is now a move to increase it to 15%. E-85 is cheaper, but delivers very low mpg.

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