My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[DerekTheGreat]

That looks pretty cool. Although I'm not sure about the whitewalls with them though.

You'll never see those scratches unless the car is standing still and you're right on 'em. Although the car looks pretty damn nice, so I could see why you'd want to refinish them if you kept that look.

[Arquemann]

You'll never see those scratches unless the car is standing still and you're right on 'em. Although the car looks pretty damn nice, so I could see why you'd want to refinish them if you kept that look.

Yeah, but the black is so faded that they really need painting, and if you're gonna paint, probably should sand atleast the worst gouges away. The scratches from the wire covers are so deep and sharp they rip up a rag or sponge.

On the pics with the new center caps installed, the wheels are freshly waxed with Auto glym SRP, that's why they look passable, or atleast glossy.

[GM_Guy]

I'll have to feel around more. Those Ranger caps on GM_guy's first pic don't look half bad, whatever that middle pic is weird...
Mountaineer caps don't look too bad, even though I'm not a big fan of the flying M logo.

The 2nd pic is yet another style of ranger cap if you didn't catch it, which corresponds to the ranger cap you linked.
The middle pic with the M is the oem ones, the next pic is an aftermarket set of moutaineer caps with no logo in the center. Once you pic the style, you can then dig deeper to see whats all out there. Logo, no logo, textured middle, smooth middle. fully chromed, matte-chrome (my 2nd pic also came a few years in a matte chrome finish on some rangers). Theres also a couple more styles of ranger and mountaineer caps out there if none of these factory options are favorable. Attachment #3 is the ranger version of the flying M mountaineer cap. As you've probably noticed by now, there are only a handfull basic designs, but a couple handfulls of logo's and finishes.

One problem with those are my spacers, they are m12x1,5 so finding correct lugnuts might prove inconvenient. Unless I bash out the m12 studs and put in new 1/2" studs, which is a pain in the ass. The current studs also stick a lot through the lugnuts.
Would these work? https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

The same store also sells the Ranger caps, 20€ a pop. https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

Yes m12 would be a problem. Stock lug nuts, and collared lug nuts are 1/2"-20, they where only used with the rangers and cop cars 96ish model year and newer [edit:and mazda's over here. But I'm curious if the B-series was available in Europe, if the lug nuts where metric with a collar]. If you start looking into it you will find that the crown vic and the ford ranger have different part numbers for collared lug nuts. Don't worry about it, as long as you have a collared nut they will work. The difference is the ranger uses a 3/4" hex, the crown vic uses a 13/16" hex. Get whatever you find. I run the ranger lug nuts as I got a super deal on genuine ford ones.

The nut you linked to will NOT work. The collared nut ViccrownVic shows is what you are after by way of collar location, that raised ridge mates with grooves in the center cap retainer. Also note, some center caps have plastic finger retainers, some have metal spring "flower" retainers. Doesn't matter, I got both, never lost any yet.

Did you guys get Mazda B-series pickup trucks over there? You might find something locally thats cheaper, just need to do something about the logo.

[Arquemann]

Did you guys get Mazda B-series pickup trucks over there? You might find something locally thats cheaper, just need to do something about the logo.

Yup we do, more like did though. Most of them have been run to the ground and scrapped. There's like four B2500's for sale in Finland currently.
And every single pickup for sale or in a junkyard is 6-lug and with manual hubs.

[Arquemann]

I've gotta get the oil changed on this thing, I'm thinking 20W50... The engine makes some intermittent heyhoyhappygofuntime-noises at idle.
If the thicker oil makes a difference in the sound, I'd bet the bottom end is worn, cause that's where the fun sounds seem to come from.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xI2...ew?usp=sharing

[sly]

If it's currently using 10w30, try 10w40 first. 20w50 generally means start saving for a new engine/car.

[DerekTheGreat]

If it gets below 0C, 10W will be thicker than cold honey. You won't want that in your crankcase as it'll essentially be running dry for several seconds at a time each time you start it. Now, I ran that Valvoline VR-One stuff in my Fury. Think that was 20W-50. Bottom end on that car was loose and that oil helped cure it. But I only drove that thing in the spring/summer. Oil probably had the viscosity of tar below freezing.

[Arquemann]

If it's currently using 10w30, try 10w40 first. 20w50 generally means start saving for a new engine/car.

I put in 10W40 last year. Don't remember what was put in it before that. The noise has been getting more consistent year by year it'd seem. At first it'd clinkclunk sometimes when idling hot, now it does it almost always at idle, hot or cold.
I drive this only really during the summer, it might see a few +5C starts but probably nothing colder than that.

[friskyfrankie]

Could it be dirty lifters? Possibly use Marvel Mystery Oil or an engine flush and refill?

[Arquemann]

Could it be dirty lifters? Possibly use Marvel Mystery Oil or an engine flush and refill?

I dunno, the noise can't really be heard from above, ie hood open. In person it really sounds like it's coming from the bottom end, doesn't really sound like valve train problems either, more substantial than a lifter tick.
I would not be surprised if it is just the bottom end being totally worn out.
What's the famous "LoPo knock" that's been thrown around on these forums? Is it rods? What does it sound like?

Can't get the mystery oil in Finland. I have considered engine flushes, but the engine is somewhat clean inside, so dunno what that's worth. Probably would just cause the old crappy seals to puke out even more oil everywhere.

[gadget73]

sloppy bottom ends on a non-HO is very common. Something about the firing order of the 289/302 that beats the rear main bearing up. The HO and 351 doesn't seem to do this.

So long as the oil pressure light isn't on at hot idle its good enough.

[Mainemantom]

When doing an oil change, do you see shiny shavings mixed with the oil in the drain pan. If so, disaster is quickly ahead.

[Tiggie]

Don't do the 20w-50. I ran it once in an old worn out truck. It didn't help hot oil pressure or oil consumption enough to matter. Made cold starts REALLY slow and noisy lifters.

The owners manual says 10w-40 is okay from brand new, so you could easily run that.

[Arquemann]

Well, did the oil change, no glitter or anything fun, just black oil. It was last changed in April last year, this year's change got delayed so the oil did just under 5000 miles, which is way more than I intended.
In went a popular mineral oil, British Classic 20W-50, made by Comma. I'm not winter driving this, it'll be fine!

Idle still goes clicketyclack like before, oil filter was prefilled to the best degree and the oil light went away during cranking.
I should probably hook up an oil pressure gauge to see what's it do actually, but I guess I can't do much at this point. I'll throw in some RVS for funsies and just drive the car. I'll let it clicketyclack away until the "replace engine light" comes on or it does something else fun.
I did notice the occasional clacking a couple years ago, but it has gotten worse during the last two seasons. Not like I didn't see this coming, still bums me out.

[DerekTheGreat]

The "W" only matters if cold starts are a thing, so the lower the better. You primarily want to care about the number on the right. I've seen 0W-40 out there and would go for that if I still ran 40. Or well, whatever one provides the highest film strength. But thanks to some more reading on 5-40 Rat, I'm back to 5W-30, full synthetic Quaker State.

That 20w-50 VR1 oil kept the oil pressure light off in my Fury. Although it never made any noise back when the light came on. 10W-40 had the same effects you noticed on cold starts, hence my suggestions not to go any thicker than that if vehicle subjected to cold starts. Perhaps try 0W-40 in that case or 0/5/10W-50 if it exists. It got a few cold starts when I sold it- ::shudder:: I think the lifters tapped for up to a minute before that sludge made it's way through them.

I will say that in my current DD, I used to run 5W-40 Rotella T6. Since switching to 5W-30 FS Quaker State, the 40 weight T6 was good for an additional 5psi hot pressure @ idle according to the dummy dash gauge.

A good oil filter helps fight noise on start up. According to 5-40Rat, Motorcraft oil filters are amidst the best you can buy as they have a great anti-drain back valve. This seems to be most important. Another decent filter according to him is the bottom tier Purolater. I switched the 2002 Tahoe in the fleet to one of those + the Quaker State stuff and the 10-20 seconds of lifter tap it had on start up went to being either non-existent or less than 5 seconds and really quiet. I didn't think it would make a difference since the filter is already vertical, but it did.