Oil Change for Dummies

[prabjohns]

Hey there,
I just changed the oil in my Birkin and I had a couple of queries.
It's a Dunnell Zetec but I don't know what sort of sump it has.
The sump drain plug didn't have any kind of washer or gasket on it and had been leaking a little. I presumed it should have one and got a nylon one from auto-zone. I wanted to get a new plug but they didn't have the size.
Any ideas where I could go that has more selection?
Should it have a washer?

I looked at this forum and the Birkin forum to see if I could work out which motor oil to use. Having read all the opinions, I waited for my head to stop spinning and went and bought some mobile 1 fully synthetic 5W30.
Any other suggestions?

I changed the oil filter, (Fram PH16) and poured about the same amount of new oil in as drained out, plus what was in the oil filter, around 2.5 qts.

The car is on pretty level ground, I fired up the engine for about a minute, turned it off and checked the dipstick. Dipstick was dry! I poured a little more oil in, ran it for a minute. Again dipstick registering nothing.

How much oil, roughly should I use? I don't want to over fill.
I don't have a dry sump, I believe.
Does the oil need to circulate for longer before I can accurately read the dipstick?

Apologies for such rudimentary questions!
Paul

[Doug Liedblad]

Paul

I think your car has the Raceline wetsump. I'll check my photos to see if I have some of your sump.

5 quarts or 5 liters depending on who you talk to.

Whatever is the least you should have in there.

If it's a big blue drain plug it uses an aluminum washer, I have some.

[slomove]

Ha! Stop!

You need about 4.5 to 5 quarts/liters

Mobil1 is O.K. but a bit more expensive and newer formulations were reportedly not tested great.

I use Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic 5W-40 lately (Walmart a Gallon about 20 bucks). Rotella used to be a Diesel formulation with higher Zinc content but lately it is rated for all engines and I am not sure if it is really still better.

But, if you don't drive full willy on the track use whatever you want. In the range of 10W-30 or 5W-40.

[Doug Liedblad]

Gert

Read up on CI4 vs CJ4 motor oils. They reduced the ZDDP in the newer diesel oils.

Valvoline still sells the CI4 rated oil. This is different then ones rated CI4 AND CJ4.

The CI-4 rated oils by Valvoline still have older levels of ZDDP. They call it Classic I think.

Some of the racing oils have the higher levels.

Redline motor oil does not, you need the Redline racing motor oil to get the higher level.

I read up on this after I bought my diesel pickup.

I spoke to Paul, no damage and he's adding more oil.

[prabjohns]

Thanks so much for the advice guys!
Very much appreciated.
BTW Gert, you posted

if you don't drive full willy on the track.....

In England if you drive the full welly, you are putting your foot down and driving fast, as in wellington boot.
The full willy would be....er....the male undercarraige....the old wedding tackle...
if you know what I mean....
It cracked me up!
best,
Paul

[slomove]

The full willy would be....er....the male undercarraige....the old wedding tackle...
if you know what I mean....
It cracked me up!
best,
Paul

Hey, I am German. Sounds about the same?

[mopho]

Today i changed the oil, installed the aeroscreen, and rotated the tires.

Yesterday i couldn't even say mekinik, now I is one!



.

[slomove]

Morgan, you are on a slippery slope here.

Last February you started shooting guns and now even started wrenching on your car. I think we are bad company getting you the wrong ideas.

For that matter I thing I am getting the wrong ideas here myself. When I got the Seven I never cared to do more than topping off the windscreen washer fluid (sometimes).
Noe I have rebuilt the Seven several times.

[mopho]

Well I did pull the engine out of the car and even managed to put it back in, albeit I was being chaperoned :D

[V-Robb]

Wow, is everyone getting their hands dirty lately? Just did my oil/filter last weekend with Amsoil (my favorite for many years now) 5w-30. Had the Mobil 1 in there originally, but I'm not a big fan of it...