Ford recommended oil change mileage

[40 Deluxe]

Well, it's winter in Arizona. We just got about a foot of snow in Flagstaff and right now it's about 8 deg. above. So, more face time with the computer and Fordbarn. A question for you all: In 1940, what was the factory recommended mileage between oil changes for a car without an oil filter? What is it for a car with an oil filter? How often was the filter to be changed?
Note: I have the answers in front of me; just curious as to what you think.. I was surprised at Ford's numbers!

[Brendan]

in the owners manual for my 36 pickup is says every 1000 miles, i still change it every 1000 miles. thats with no filter. usually when i get 1000 miles on my 36 i have to change the oil in my 2003 ranger.

[40 FourDrDlx]

1940 Ford passenger & commercial reference book says "every 2000 mi." I don't go that far in a year & change once a year.

[Straightpipes]

Now, everbody knows that they never changed the oil in them old flatheads.............

[pauldeborr]

What about the oil bath air cleaners? Bet nobody changed the oil in those either.

[49r]

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I change mine every 6 months, every 6-800 miles. Air cleaner once a year.

[Bassman/NZ]

Originally Posted by Straightpipes

Now, everbody knows that they never changed the oil in them old flatheads.............

That's why they're full of sludge....

[40 Deluxe]

Change oil every 2,000 miles according to the Service Data Handbook that came with my '40 2 door. This is for cars without an oil filter. If you have an oil filter the change interval is 5,000 miles! And, the recommended mileage for changing the filter is 10,000 miles! So my '40 with 36,000 miles could have only had three filter changes in 71 years if the book was followed!
Anyway, I was surprised to see the 5,000 and 10,000 mile intervals. That's close to new car figures. I don't think that this was one of Ford's Better Ideas, though!

[Jack E/NJ]

Jack E/NJ

[40 Deluxe]

Jack E/NJ, I remember that Kendall advertising from the early "50"s. Probably first saw it in the Saturday Evening Post. They made a big deal of their oil being good enough to run for 2,000 miles instead of the then-standard of 1,000 miles. Thus the hand holding up two fingers. I was eight or nine years old then. So I was really surprised to read Ford's official figure of 2,000 or 5,000 miles in 1940!

[estout81]

My '48 Ford F-1 operators manual recomends engine oil change at 2500 miles, oil filter at 5000 miles. Oil bath air cleaner 2500 miles. Temp. +32* S.A.E. 30 oil, 5 quarts.

[40 Deluxe]

So Ford cut their recommended intervals in half from 1940 to 1948! They must have learned something the hard way!