Yesterday I took the 53 out for a spin. Shes been apart for about 3 months gettin the rearend and tranny rebuilt and upgrading to the 3.55 gears. I havent put on more then about 30 miles on it since getting it back together last week. So Im about 8 miles from my house and my oil pressure drops to about 7ish. I worry when it drops 1-2 when it only gets to 15 drivin... Temp is at 170 so im not pulling my hair yet.
I nurse it into my grandmas property and pop the hood. Looks like steam or maybe a little smoke coming from the valve cover.
I pop that off and the oil sitting in the top of the head looks like water.
Im not feeling so good now. Check the oil, comes out extremely thin and very transluscent black. Check the radiator and its about 2-3" from the top where it usually is. After letting her cool down I reluctantly nurse her the 10 miles back home watching the gauges the whole way. Let her cool down and change the oil.
The oil is thinner then water and clear black. I let it drain through my fingers feeling for texture and smelling it. As soon as my oil bucket was filled I popped a glass jar into it to see if water would seperate in it. Dumped in another 1/2 gallon of antifreeze thinking if it had a crack in the water jacket it would make a little white smoke with more antifreeze in it. Wipe down the filter, wipe off the valves as thoroughly as I can and replace with new oil. At this point I remember when I changed the oil before my test drive last week I noticed 2 of the quarts didnt look right, off color and looked thinner and the quart containers were REALLY squishy almost rubbery feeling. Of course didnt think anything off it.
Took off down the road with a renewed 18 pounds of pressure for about a mile. Stopped at the gas station, spent all my money and took off around town with a now quite happy 14/15 pounds of pressure and 7/8 while idling. Feeling better!
Last year my ford threw a rod hauling dirt and when I changed the oil in the 53 I used up the last few quarts behind the seat of that truck. Hmmm, me thinks it had something to do with the last oil change since I cycle the new oil behind the seat and use up the older stuff first.
So far the oil still looks brown and the radiators still full. No smoke either. A change of pants and Im set! The oil in the jar is thinner then vegetable oil and hasnt seperated at all. Anybody gotten bad oil before??? Its a first for me but very scary... Ill be feeling better when I have a few more rides around the block but for now Im feeling much better!
