Cary - your current engine oil favorites?

[Grench]

Valvoline 5w30 non synth with Wicks 51515 filter on my 80s. Valvoline full synthetic 5w30 with a wicks filter on the Z28. I change out all of my vehicles at the same time, every 3 months regardless of mileage. Its never over 2500 miles. Clean oil is cheap engine insurance. It may not be 'prudent', but I prefer to change it too often than not often enough. I am curious why everyone seems to be running such heavy oil. I've run 5w30 year around in Nebraska. Temperature range -20 to 105 F. I have no startup rattle, didn't understand what it was until I'd heard it on someone else's.

IMHO... No lubricant can do its job if it is being used as a hydraulic pump to push sand. Change it early, change it often.

 

[LandCrusher'70]

Don't waste your time with 3k oil changes. The LC is very easy on oil. Even with the Napa oil I would run 5k intervals.

So your recommendation is 15w-40 every 5 mos.

 

[RavenTai]

I am curious why everyone seems to be running such heavy oil. I've run 5w30 year around in Nebraska. Temperature range -20 to 105 F.

Because if it were not for the EPA Toyota would not recommend running 5w-30 in 105 degree weather. There used to be a link to a letter from the EPA that spelled out word for word what the owners manual and oil cap should say, these markings were not written by a engineer or technical writer in Japan but instead by a bureaucrat who had no idea what a 1FZ-FE is.

Overseas 30wts are at the bottom of the range for that kind of heat, and 5w-30 specifically is not to be used over 55F.

The reality 5w-30 works as does 20w-50.

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

Thanks for the tips, Cary.

I'm running the Chevron Delo 400 in both Cruisers right now.

 

[Grench]

I change the oil on 1/1, 3/1, 6/1 and 9/1 or as close as weekends will allow. So, if I understand right, I should keep the 9/1 and 1/1 changes using the 5w30 and go to something heavier for the 3/1 and 6/1 changes. What would be a recomended oil to use for 60-105 F? (Lows to highs over those months.) Would 10w40 be about right, or should I go even heavier?

 

[cary]

Drop the 1/1 and 6/1 changes and run 5w-30 winter and 10w-40. Believe it or not, the amount of wear that occurs decreases as the oil ages until the point the additive package of the oil is used up, then it spikes. You actually cause more wear on your engine changing every 3k vs. every 6k miles unless the oil is wearing out by 6k (highly unlikely). We are splitting hairs here and I would rather see you change to much than not enough, but that is what happens.

 

[cary]

So your recommendation is 15w-40 every 5 mos.

For the best value in your climate 15w-40 Chevron Delo every 6 months is the easiest. Just don't go past 7500 miles on it.

 

[LandCrusher'70]

For the best value in your climate 15w-40 Chevron Delo every 6 months is the easiest. Just don't go past 7500 miles on it.

I'll give it a try.
Thanks Cary.

 

[NW-sickboy]

no one running schaeffers ?

anyone.... cary you have to have at least heard of the stuff right?

 

[timmbuck2]

Welcome to 1980, don't go letting the 25 years of lube development get in your way. Are you going to pull the cats on the 80 and run leaded gas also?

Thanks Cary, will you replace my laptop screen now? I just spit my diet coke all over it when I read your reply.



Timm

 

[CreeperSleeper]

For the best value in your climate 15w-40 Chevron Delo every 6 months is the easiest. Just don't go past 7500 miles on it.

Cary- would you say the same for Portland, OR climate? TIA

 

[cary]

anyone.... cary you have to have at least heard of the stuff right?

Yep, it was really popular on BITOG for a while, some guys still love it. The problem for me was there was none easily available. One requirement for me with Oil is that I don't have to mail order it or drive to timpbuck2 to find it.

 

[cary]

Cary- would you say the same for Portland, OR climate? TIA

Portland is getting to the limit. Most of the winter time temps involve 35-40f starts which is where a 15w oil starts to get thick; then you get that odd cold spell or two with 20-25f temps. Assuming you don't do any trips to Hood or Bend, you are okay, but I would spend the few extra bucks and run Shell Rotella T Synth 5w-40 from walmart.

BTW, I lived 3 years in Eugene so I am pretty familiar with the Portland climate.