[matt0114]

This past sunday i changed the oil in my car, i was previously using 20w50 conventional oil, since its warmer now & that i have a full time job again i decided to switch over to synthetic - now using 10w40 full synthetic oil. This morning and at lunch today the car started fine and i noticed no problems. I went on a service call around 4:30 and the car was acting like it didn't want to start ( car is carburated so i blamed it on possibly being flooded and didn't think twice about it) i also heard a pinging in the engine at higher rpms ( also didn't worry to much about this b/c i had asked a mech about this issue before and he said it was most likely the lifters? {i think he said lifters}) anyways i was a little worried after it didn't want to start 2x times in a row ( going to and from the service call) when i go to work i parked the car somewhere i knew had no oil drippings from other cars and finished out the day ( 30 minutes or so) when i got back to the car i noticed a considerable amount of oil from sitting there only 30 minutes; two ounces or so i'd guess - and a steady drip every 5 - 10 seconds. So i took my time getting home and kept a watchful eye on the oil pressure gauge. The car is running normal after you get it cranked, and oil pressure seems to be what it always has been.... i'm waiting now for the car to cool down some before i double check the oil pan plug to make sure that both bolts in it are tight.... any advice?


Thanks in advance,

Matt

[PJC Racing]

Lifters don't ping for one. You say you switched because it is warmer now? You went thinner on viscosity, this is kinda backwards. You say the car is pinging, How many miles on the engine (valve seals)? What is the timing? What grade of fuel? When was the fuel filter changed and carb adjusted? What plugs and what are they gapped at? Any smoke from the tail pipes? (I'm tring to determine if the ping is detonation caused by oil getting in the combustion chamber) Now you say your oil pressure was fine, stock gauge or after market? When you check the pan plugs check for evidense of a rear main seal leak. Also check for valve cover leaks.

[matt0114]

ok, i didn't know the oil was backasswards
1) no clue on the miles on the engine, i bought the car used and the odometer doesn't work (i'd say less thank 50k miles ~ engine was bored to a 306 at some point in its life and the 50k miles is just a number i pulled out of the air... )
2) don't know what the timing is at
3) fuel filter hasn't been changed since i got the car ~ october of 2007 - New carb was put on January of 2008 - hasn't been adjusted since then
4)spark plugs gapped @ .44
5) no smoke from tail pipes (do smell gas vapors though - a little bit more than normal i'd say)
6)oil pressure guage is stock

~ going to go check the pan plugs now, how do i check for rear main seal leak?

[PJC Racing]

1) Look for oil running down the back of the pan or on the flex plate/flywheel to check for a rear main seal leak.
2) What heads? Where they reconditioned when the short block was done?
3) You NEED to change the fuel filter, honestly this should have been done when the carb was replaced.
4) What grade fuel are you running?
5) You need to check the timing.
6) You may want to clean the engine down and check for leaks when it is running.

There is a very good possibilty that you are dealing with 2 separate issues.

[matt0114]

*update on the oil leak* it seems that the plug was an oversized self tapping plug, i couldn't get a bigger size, but after replacing the o'ring it is no longer leaking... (i'm thinking it may be time to pull the engine and replace the oil pan / do an refresh on all gaskets)


1)Will do tomorow when i can see again.
2) Stock heads, not sure if anything was done to them
3) I'll call the place that put the carb on for me tomorow, i got it put on at a reputable shop, so hopefully they did this when they put the carb on.
4) 93
5) You need to check the timing. ~ i'll have to take the car somewhere for this - what should it be at?
6) You may want to clean the engine down and check for leaks when it is running. - what is best for this? it is a fairly nasty mess in there (power steering fluid leak) + (have a dirt / gravel driveway) can i spray on a good bit of degreaser ~ i'm thinking simple green ~ and then pressure wash on a low setting, with the washer not too close to dmg anything?

[alecracing]

you need to clean the top AND the bottom of the engine in order to accurately find any leaks. Remember, always look at the highest point that the oil is coming from. Sometimes oil will leak from valve covers, drip down and cover the oil pan and people will think it is the oil pan leaking.

I use a pressure washer and simple green to clean my engine, just cover the distributor cap and carburetor with plastic.

[dr.gonzo!]

When and if you did take off the oil filter was the gasket ring still in one piece on the old filter? My friend changed the oil in his truck one time and the little gasket stuck to the block and didnt come off when he removed the filter, he installed the new filter and started it up, and had a decent amount of oil in the driveway.

I have never used 20w50 so that is new to me

[PJC Racing]

Sounds like you have the leak under control. Now you need to get the "ping" under control. This is likely fuel/spark related.

[matt0114]

I let the car sit all night long, and when i got out this morning there was a small drop hanging from the oil pan plug, but i'm guessing that could have been from just oil kind of running to the lowest point of the car. I have seen no signs of dripping or anything since i parked at work this morning. If its still looking good by lunch i plan to take it for a drive and get the rpms high enough to take a video of the "ping" sound i hear.... will be so so quality b/c it's from my phone, but the best i can do so oh well

[matt0114]

Ok, so updates on whats going on now:

1. Car is starting fine now, but still has a slow oil drop. ( me, me cousin, and his best friend will be pulling the motor sometime next month to replace the oil pan, and possibly install new heads / cam!)
2. i pressure washed the engine bay on sunday and was amazed to see just how much gunk was in there. Hopefully i'll be able to spot any leaks / seeping anywhere so that can be taken care of when we pull the motor.
3. I took a video of the pinging sound i hear after driving at High RPM's. This is funny b/c it only sometimes makes this sound, and it kinda goes away after a few minutes of driving normal again. *note (the oil pressure goes up about 1/5 of the oil pressure guage when it starts making this noise, then drops down to about the 3/4 position when it stops making the noise)

YouTube - Matts engine making odd sound

YouTube - Matts engine making odd sound

sry about the quality, its from my phone

[flattusmaximus78]

I think your heads cam fund is going into your bottom end....

[matt0114]

why you say that?

[flattusmaximus78]

It sounds like it could be rod knock. It's hard to tell. Could be a lifter... but something seems up in the bottom end. I suggest you invest in a stelthescope.

[matt0114]

stelthescope? wuts that?

[flattusmaximus78]

Like what a doctor has to do checkups, but it's for cars.

[matt0114]

i think i'll just take it by a shop instead sounds a little out of my league!

[matt0114]

Took car to shop this morning, they weren't busy so they looked at it while i was there (for free!) he said it sounded like a combination of an bad header gasket, and bad valve cover gasket. He said that the reason that it gets louder after driving for a long time, and after driving at high rpms, is that the gasket is heating up and making a larger gap where it is not sealing good. I plan to drop the car off with him friday morning so he can give the car a good once over and check everything for any problems at all. Thanks for all the help to everyone who posted!

[MustangMatt96GT]

That heating up issue does not make since... Heat expands things, so as it gets warmer the noise should get quiter. I will listen to the video now.

[MustangMatt96GT]

After listening to it, I suggest you take a hose cut of, and use it as a listening device. Stick it to the oil pan. It sure sounds like a rd knock to me. The 20w50 should only be used in the summer, because it's so thick. Using it in the winter willcause premature wear, and could cause a rod knock.

[matt0114]

ok, so i take say a cut peice of garden hose, and put one end to the oil pan when the car is idling? what would i be listening for?