Eaton Expected Life

[Bacon]

Long story, im thinking of picking up a 2001 Lightning with a spun bearing as a project. Im planning to do a complete motor rebuild with a few upgrades. Just wondering what the expected life is on the OE Eaton blower - theres a few miles on the truck and I dont want to dump a few Gs into it just to need a Ken B a few months later.

Thanks

 

[walt460]

My 2001 had 120K on it when I bought it a few months ago. It had a pulley since new and was making 12 pounds of boost and the blower had never been off. We pulled the blower to put a stock pulley on it and clean it, once back on the truck it makes +8 pounds and the truck hit the dyno at 323 HP and 364 ft-lbs with a conservative tune for towing. If you change the blower oil regularly, should go 150K plus.

 

[Bacon]

Awesome. Exactly what I needed to know. Anything I can look for/check on the blower when I go check it out? Does it have its own oil reserve I can check or does it draw from the tranny like a turbo? (new to forced aspiration, can you tell?)

 

[fruhdaddy]

Im at 115k on mine and spinning 14lbs with no issues. Like said change oil often it will help last, but it does have internal parts like couplers and needle bearings which fail when not maintained properly. Cheap parts to replace just takes some time because of tearing the supercharger down. There isnt a way to check the oil since there is no view glass or "gauge". The oil sits in the supercharger, doesnt draw from any other source. There is a allen head bolt in the middle of the snout that you use to drain and refill. Holds 6oz of fluid, use either Ford/GM supercharger oil or Mobil 1 full syn 10w30 (other full syn 10/30 can work also just alot use Mobil including myself). Mobil oil cost $6 and Ford/GM about $30-40 since you need to bottles (only come in 4oz).

 

[owens42]

How often do you change the oil in them??

 

[Posi]

If it's been ported I'd do 15-20,000 miles.

If it's stock and nonported at least start checking it at 50,000 and adding oil to it or do a complete change.

 

[owens42]

Would 10w-30 work better than fords s/c oil?? What would you prefer??

 

[SID297]

I have 2 spare Eatons sitting around. One is in need of a rebuild, I'm going to tear them both down on film to show everyone how they wear.

 

[Posi]

Would 10w-30 work better than fords s/c oil?? What would you prefer??

No it does not but people have been running 10w-30 in their blowers for many years and thousands and thousands of miles. I know of guys with over 40,000 miles and still going fine. Just gotta put them on any type of routine oil check to keep up with them. If it's low either add or change.:beer:

 

[Robert Francis]

For the relatively infrequent oil changes you'll make on the Eaton blower, you should use the Ford supercharger oil. There is no comparision between it an a 10w-30 grade oil.

 

[owens42]

How do I change it?? where is the plug loctated if there is one..

 

[WhiTriCobra]

Look at the front of the SC and you will see a small black allen screw, unscrew it and you will need a syringe and hose to suck the oil out. Might as well pull the SC, change the oil, port it, clean your intercooler and bottom of the lower intake while you are at it. Also check the back rear lower intake hose, since they are junk and can create a bad vac leak.
I use RP 10w30 and change it every 10K miles. Same with my Cobra.