[TR] Synthetic Oil Engine Damage

[ZinkZ10C at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/8/08 9:34:42 AM Eastern Standard Time,
75TR6 at tr6.danielsonfamily.org writes:

<< One of the Hemmings editors had his engine seize and is blaming it on using 
 synthetic oil in an engine that had previously only burned regular oil. >>

That article is garbage written my a amateur that has no clue of real world
auto mechanics.

The oil pump didn't " clog " nor did the motor "suddenly lost oil pressure
and started knocking. "  Small block Fords are noted for clogging the oil picku
p
and due to their soft bearings, slowly losing oil pressure and increasing
bearing knock. The motor probably had a start up knock when he purchased it but
didn't realize it.   This occurs regardless if the owner switched to synthetic
oil and isn't "proof that you shouldn't convert old engines to synthetic oil,
. . ".

Through the 80's and 90's I had rebearinged countless ( 40 + ? )  small Fords
after the pickup clogged.  The soft bearings wore rather than the crank
making for a repair that would last.

Don't be fooled by the plies of sludge in the cam valley, it is obvious the
owner scraped the area near the head gasket before removing the head. ( the
lifter tops are covered in sludge and there isn't a path for the push rods.)
This scraping makes the situation look worse than normal.

I've seen _far_ worse heads, at least you can see the valve springs.

This motor failed because of lack of maintenance, to a lesser extent it's
demise was hastened by the seemingly longer trips regardless of the oil used.
Another possibility is he changed the valve cover gaskets early on and scraped
the head sludge in to the motor, this kind of repair is also a common oil
pickup clogger.

Harold
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