Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » changing the oil (for the first time)
| changing the oil [message #62616] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 20:46  |
cal clements
Messages: 18
Registered: October 2009
Location: athens, ga
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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tomorrow seems like the perfect day to change the oil. i have absolutely nothing else to do so i can spend hours on it--which might be what it takes, given that it's my first time. but i figure i may as well ask, prior to getting going, if there are any tips you might offer me. does the GMC have some special approaches i should follow?
i have a 403 engine (which has been driven 49000 miles). i was thinking of putting mobile synthetic 10w-30 in her. would that dislodge too much gunk?
your newest junior member,
cal.
The Green Pickle
1977 GMC Palm Beach
Athens, Georgia
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| Re: changing the oil [message #62627 is a reply to message #62620] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:19  |
Ron
Messages: 250
Registered: February 2004
Location: Conifer, Colorado
Karma: 0
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Cal..
Yes use 15 50..It has more Zinc which our flat tappet motors like.. Also.. Don't forget to grease the chassis.. Also if you don't have rear Pin lubers get those too.. You might still be able to save them with only 49K
Good Luck!
Ron
now a P.O.
Conifer, CO
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| Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil [message #62633 is a reply to message #62616] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:30 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Cal,
If you know what brand and weight oil the engine has been using you might consider not changing brands at this time -- but if you want to go to Mobil, Dan has already steered you to 15-50.
When you change the oil you should also change the filter, I like Mobil M1-203 but it may not be available to you.
To change the oil, get a decent oil drain pan, you will also need an adjustable wrench for the drain plug (I believe it is 1 inch) and a good oil filter wrench to remove the old filter. I don't want to be too basic but I am not sure of your experience. Be prepared to find an oil plug replacement or an oil plug washer if the old one is bad.
The filter hangs at enough of an angle that I can add oil to the new filter before I put it on -- speeds the oil to the engine upon restart. Directions for installing the filter are on the box.
The manual says 6 quarts with oil and filter change -- but many find that the first quart or 1/2 quart is consumed quickly and therefore only refill with 5 quarts. Perhaps put in 5, wait for it to drain down and then check your dipstick before adding more.
Takes me a lot longer than 10 minutes but I get to looking at "future projects". Clean up and disposing of old oil is time consuming also.
Good luck.
Dennis
Dennis Sexton
73 GMC
Germantown, TN
USA
-----Original Message-----
From: cal clements <calclements@yahoo.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 8:46 pm
Subject: [GMCnet] changing the oil
tomorrow seems like the perfect day to change the oil. i have absolutely
othing else to do so i can spend hours on it--which might be what it takes,
iven that it's my first time. but i figure i may as well ask, prior to getting
oing, if there are any tips you might offer me. does the GMC have some special
pproaches i should follow?
i have a 403 engine (which has been driven 49000 miles). i was thinking of
utting mobile synthetic 10w-30 in her. would that dislodge too much gunk?
your newest junior member,
cal.
-
he Green Pickle
977 GMC Palm Beach
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MCnet mailing list
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil [message #62650 is a reply to message #62616] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 01:36 |
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ljdavick
Messages: 3548
Registered: March 2007
Location: Fremont, CA
Karma: -3
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Senior Member |
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Good luck, Cal. It looks like you've got a bunch of us pulling for you.
I don't know if you have wheels while you are camping at the cold,
lonely, repair shop, but if you do I've found the 5 quart jug of
Mobil 1 15-50 at Walmart for $22.00. It seems like a good price to
me, but I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area, second only in high prices
to the New York area!
Larry Davick
The Mystery Machine
On Oct 31, 2009, at 6:46 PM, cal clements wrote:
>
>
> tomorrow seems like the perfect day to change the oil. i have
> absolutely nothing else to do so i can spend hours on it--which
> might be what it takes, given that it's my first time. but i
> figure i may as well ask, prior to getting going, if there are any
> tips you might offer me. does the GMC have some special approaches
> i should follow?
>
> i have a 403 engine (which has been driven 49000 miles). i was
> thinking of putting mobile synthetic 10w-30 in her. would that
> dislodge too much gunk?
>
> your newest junior member,
>
> cal.
> --
> The Green Pickle
> 1977 GMC Palm Beach
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
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| Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil [message #62659 is a reply to message #62650] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 06:46 |
klassic kampers
Messages: 93
Registered: July 2008
Location: greer,s.c./ellijay,ga
Karma: 0
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in addition to the good info above, I also raise the front of the gmc as high as I can( I have a large floor jack) before drainging to get as much oil as possible from the small front sump and then after a draining period lower the gmc to keep from retaining any oil in the rear section of the main sump.....
check the oil cooler adapter and see if it has been leaking or is loose.......some of us change the gasket frequently(it uses the same as the oil filter).....I use WIX filters as they are made nearby in Gastonia, n.c.............glad to have you on board.........
mike stewart
greer,s.c.
Mike Stewart
1973 GMC 26' Canyonlands /
1973 B.S.A. B50 street tracker-----
Greer,S.C/Ellijay,Ga
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| Re: changing the oil [message #62662 is a reply to message #62616] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 07:36 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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get a Wix 51248 from O'Riley's or a NAPA 1248 (same filter). these have the best check valve in them and have been highly recommended by most of the GMC community.
my 455 uses a 7/8" wrench for the drain plug; not sure about the 403. it takes a 1 1/4" wrench to remove the cooler adapter. it's easy to do if you take the wheel well liner out first and jack up the front end. take the rubber ring out of the old filter and put it in the cooler adapter.
often the dip stick isn't calabrated correctly so add oil to the new filter then the rest of the 6 qts. to the engine. crank it up to get oil pressure; shut it off and wait 20 minutes before checking the dip stick. mark the dipstick at the full level.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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| Re: changing the oil [message #62664 is a reply to message #62627] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 08:19 |
cal clements
Messages: 18
Registered: October 2009
Location: athens, ga
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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thanks everyone for these suggestions. i'll go out and find the heavier oil and then keep that type steady in the engine.
i've never heard of rear pin lubers. how does that work?
as i go through the process today, i'll be looking for the other items you all noted as important. at the moment, in honesty, i have no idea what a cooler adaptor is! but i'm sure once i'm under there i can put 2 and 2 together.
with cheer on a grey cloud day,
cal.
The Green Pickle
1977 GMC Palm Beach
Athens, Georgia
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| Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil [message #62667 is a reply to message #62664] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 08:35 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Cal,
Here is a link to bogie pin greasers for sale at Applied GMC, JImK.
http://appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/688
Dennis
Dennis Sexton
73 GMC
Germantown, TN
USA
-----Original Message-----
From: cal clements <calclements@yahoo.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Sun, Nov 1, 2009 8:19 am
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil
thanks everyone for these suggestions. i'll go out and find the heavier oil and
hen keep that type steady in the engine.
i've never heard of rear pin lubers. how does that work?
as i go through the process today, i'll be looking for the other items you all
oted as important. at the moment, in honesty, i have no idea what a cooler
daptor is! but i'm sure once i'm under there i can put 2 and 2 together.
with cheer on a grey cloud day,
cal.
-
he Green Pickle
977 GMC Palm Beach
______________________________________________
MCnet mailing list
ist Information and Subscription Options:
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| 403 [message #62681 is a reply to message #62662] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 10:59 |
bukzin
Messages: 840
Registered: April 2004
Location: North California
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Fred,
Regarding marking the dipstick...
Do you notch it with a file? Or???
Does the 403 also take 6 quarts to be full?
Thanks!
Bukzin
1977 Palm Beach
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| Re: changing the oil [message #62702 is a reply to message #62616] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 14:34 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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| cal clements wrote on Sat, 31 October 2009 20:46 |
tomorrow seems like the perfect day to change the oil. i have absolutely nothing else to do so i can spend hours on it--which might be what it takes, given that it's my first time. but i figure i may as well ask, prior to getting going, if there are any tips you might offer me. does the GMC have some special approaches i should follow?
i have a 403 engine (which has been driven 49000 miles). i was thinking of putting mobile synthetic 10w-30 in her. would that dislodge too much gunk?
your newest junior member,
cal.
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Oil wars. Here we go.
If you do switch brands, I suggest either Rotella Dino 15x40 or Rotella Synthetic.
First. If you do not know how much oil your engine is consuming (burning), I would think very seriously before switching to any synthetic oil. Synthetic oil burns without the usual blue smoke out the exhaust and leaves a deposit that literally needs to be chiseled out of the cylinders.
As an example one of the people at the airport was flying VW powered experimental airplane using Mobil 1. At about 700 hours he started using more oil that expected so he pulled the cylinders. All of them were filled with a deposit that we could not remove with a bead blaster. This deposit was like someone had poured epoxy into them. He ended up buying all new cylinders and pistons. He now believes the problem was caused by a bad PCV valve and of course synthetic oil burning.
I saw one of the cylinders before he threw them in the scrap heap. This stuff was unbelievably hard and just about impervious to anything. I will admit he only bead blasted and wire brushed them. He did not try sand blasting them. He was able to knock some of it off of a piston using a hammer.
My point is if your engine is using (burning) oil I would not go to a synthetic oil.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil [message #62707 is a reply to message #62702] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 15:28 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Ken,
THANKS!
You have provided some food for thought. I have been using Rotella T Dino 15
x 40 for the past two years as that's what Ken Frey put in it. I do burn oil
but have never bothered to quantify how much over what distance (mistake). I
decided to switch to Rotella Synthetic because someone mentioned that when
he switched his oil to synthetic his consumption stopped or dropped (can't
remember which but it's probably dropped).
When I get back next year I have to drop the oil pan to replace the gasket
as it is leaking and when I do so I will calibrate the dipstick. I will use
the Rotella Synthetic I bought and see what happens to the oil consumption.
If it continues then it's back to Rotella T Dino.
Rob Mueller
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion-The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion-Double Trouble TZE365V100426
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Ken Burton
Sent: Monday, 2 November 2009 7:34 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] changing the oil
Oil wars. Here we go.
If you do switch brands, I suggest either Rotella Dino 15x40 or Rotella
Synthetic.
First. If you do not know how much oil your engine is consuming (burning),
I would think very seriously before switching to any synthetic oil.
Synthetic oil burns without the usual blue smoke out the exhaust and leaves
a deposit that literally needs to be chiseled out of the cylinders.
As an example one of the people at the airport was flying VW powered
experimental airplane using Mobil 1. At about 700 hours he started using
more oil that expected so he pulled the cylinders. All of them were filled
with a deposit that we could not remove with a bead blaster. This deposit
was like someone had poured epoxy into them. He ended up buying all new
cylinders and pistons. He now believes the problem was caused by a bad PCV
valve and of course synthetic oil burning.
I saw one of the cylinders before he threw them in the scrap heap. This
stuff was unbelievably hard and just about impervious to anything. I will
admit he only bead blasted and wire brushed them. He did not try sand
blasting them. He was able to knock some of it off of a piston using a
hammer.
My point is if your engine is using (burning) oil I would not go to a
synthetic oil.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] 403 [message #62714 is a reply to message #62712] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 16:20 |
ldone
Messages: 34
Registered: November 2006
Karma: 0
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Member |
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If one quart remains after an oil change then switching to synthetic would leave a mixture of syn and dino oil.
Would it cause a problem mixing types of oils?
Would it be more advisable to drop the oil pan to evacuate all of the dino oil before changing to synthetic?
76PB
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| Re: changing the oil [message #62715 is a reply to message #62616] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 16:24 |
cal clements
Messages: 18
Registered: October 2009
Location: athens, ga
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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i applied myself to "matters GMC" all day today, but didn't succeed in the simple operation of an oil change.
well... first there was the matter of finding the right oil. the mobil 15w-50 was out (at a few places) so i went with rotella 15w-40 non-synthetic. it is a good deal less expensive... and my theory is that if i change the oil frequently (every 1000-2000 miles) that will be better than a better oil. then, secondly, i got caught on finding the right oil filter. none of the places i checked was stocking the mobil m1-203... so eventually i went to the library and looked up the equivalences (by going to NAPAonline and then pretending i was a 77 olds toronado). yes, the "gold" was listed as 1258.
so perhaps first thing tomorrow, up at the crack of dawn, i'll begin my mission again.
one discovery today that made me happy = i learned that the hoses connecting the oil filter adaptor to the radiator were 3/4 metal. that is, they are metal under a weave of fabric. the remaining 1/4 is a thick rubber that appears to be in excellent condition. does that sound satisfactory, or is there a hazard here?
with much appreciation,
cal.
The Green Pickle
1977 GMC Palm Beach
Athens, Georgia
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| Re: [GMCnet] 403 [message #62716 is a reply to message #62714] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 16:31 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Louie,
You will also have the oil in the lines to / from the cooler and the cooler.
IMHO:
1) No, the oil is compatible.
2) No, taking no 1) into consideration. Also to drop the oil pan you have to
take out the final drive and transmission!
Regards,
Rob Mueller
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion-The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion-Double Trouble TZE365V100426
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Louie Diamond
Sent: Monday, 2 November 2009 9:20 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] 403
If one quart remains after an oil change then switching to synthetic would
leave a mixture of syn and dino oil.
Would it cause a problem mixing types of oils?
Would it be more advisable to drop the oil pan to evacuate all of the dino
oil before changing to synthetic?
--
76PB
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GMCnet mailing list
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GMCnet mailing list
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] 403 [message #62717 is a reply to message #62714] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 16:36 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| ldone wrote on Sun, 01 November 2009 16:20 |
If one quart remains after an oil change then switching to synthetic would leave a mixture of syn and dino oil.
Would it cause a problem mixing types of oils?
Would it be more advisable to drop the oil pan to evacuate all of the dino oil before changing to synthetic?
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yes, you will leave a qt. in the pan plus whatever is in the oil cooler and hoses. i believe it is OK for them to mix and it will get less and less as time goes by.
you cannot remove the oil pan without removing the tranny first or unbolting the engine and move it over. ain't worth it.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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