Oil Change
#1
04-03-2012, 04:16 PM
Oil Change
I change the oil & filter in my 2000 Chevy Blazer with 5W 30 Castrol oil. I know this sounds like overkill but I love my Blazer and want it to last as long as possible. Would it be ok to use 10W 30 oil instead since i change it so frequently?
#3
04-04-2012, 10:19 PM
why do you want to shift from 5/30 to 10/30 is it burning it leaking it or something. i got 195k and still use 5/30
#4
04-04-2012, 11:18 PM
I do not understand what you think is overkill to begin with, and I use 10w30, just for the fact that I have a valve seals that are bad and the thicker oil makes it harder for it to get past the seals, thus creating less smoke at start up. I do not see a point to it otherwise.
#5
04-05-2012, 12:51 PM
I like using 10-30 since the valve seals in MOST gm vehicles over 100k miles like to smoke lol.
10 30 wouldnt hurt a thing in the summer,id stick with 5-30 in the winter though if it gets really cold.
10 30 wouldnt hurt a thing in the summer,id stick with 5-30 in the winter though if it gets really cold.
#6
04-05-2012, 01:28 PM
- sigh-
would you guys kindly bother looking up what that first number means. I mean ACTUALLY represents.
I would not run anything but 5w 20 in a new car. But a car with 100 k on it in moderate climate zone .. like Lou'vul.. is not gonna be hurt by running 10w 30.
All else equal, of course.
Speaking of... if your valve seals are giving up at under 150K and it's not a mid nineties Ford 4.6L, I know who made the oil in the engine the bulk of the time. that's assuming you still have good oil pressure.
My brothers all had early-mid nineties GM 3.8 and 5.7 L, several of them and they never had a smoke problem.
would you guys kindly bother looking up what that first number means. I mean ACTUALLY represents.
I would not run anything but 5w 20 in a new car. But a car with 100 k on it in moderate climate zone .. like Lou'vul.. is not gonna be hurt by running 10w 30.
All else equal, of course.
Speaking of... if your valve seals are giving up at under 150K and it's not a mid nineties Ford 4.6L, I know who made the oil in the engine the bulk of the time. that's assuming you still have good oil pressure.
My brothers all had early-mid nineties GM 3.8 and 5.7 L, several of them and they never had a smoke problem.
Last edited by pettyfog; 04-05-2012 at 01:31 PM.
#7
04-06-2012, 11:10 AM
Petty, since we are on the topic (yes, I do know what the numbers mean on the oil)
what brand and weight oil would you suggest for my Jimmy than?
175k miles, less than to a 1 second puff of smoke at start up. Got the truck from a GM mechanic of 10 years and he said its the valve seals. Oil pressure is great ect. just curious on your suggestions. Drop some knowledge on me!
what brand and weight oil would you suggest for my Jimmy than?
175k miles, less than to a 1 second puff of smoke at start up. Got the truck from a GM mechanic of 10 years and he said its the valve seals. Oil pressure is great ect. just curious on your suggestions. Drop some knowledge on me!
#8
04-06-2012, 12:13 PM
The following is my opinion based on years of empirical fact and using common sense extrapolation:
- every time your engine cools it takes in air, including water vapor. The PCV system takes in air. A rainy cold front causes the engine to cool further and take in air.
- Water and oil dont mix, they make sludge.
- Detergents in oil go only so far, until the lubrication quality suffers.
- unless the water condensed is again vaporised which doesnt require boiling just heating for a sustained period.
- synthetic oils have a higher 'ash' point. That means they dont as easily create carbon on local hot spots, like a scratch or ridge on a bearing. They also lubricate better, partially because of the preceding.
all things equal, if your oil change and driving habits are typical, Valvoline or Castrol 10w30. 5w in winter if you wish, being in MN.
Dont fall for 'hi-mileage' hype. Funny thing is they really dont address what symptoms of 'high miles' they correct. If they did I wouldn't be so suspicious of it.
If you typical drive 20 miles or more per trip, I would {and do} just go Mobil1 10w30 in the jug from Walmart and double your mileage/time to change. Top off with Valvoline every other time you add, if you want.
Mobil1 in a clean engine, and 3 or more 1/2 hour drives a week can easily go 8000 miles. In northern climate, the most critical oil change is in the spring. MUST DO!
In areas like SW, with monsoon season, soon as it's over. In Pac NW {rainy}, I'd recommend 3-4 changes/yr no matter the mileage.
If you have piston slap, half bottle of Lucas each change. May help your valve seals, too. If your oil pressure at 1500 rpm then goes up, next time try a full bottle or mix in a quart 20w 50.
- btw: The peak reading on your oil pressure gauge with warmed engine, running 30 weight, is 57 psi, no matter what the needle says. Key is, because of the oil pump's bypass, it goes so high and no further.
Brands - Economy of scale goes only so far. Past a certain production volume there is no economy in volume. Building a second plant does not lower costs, per se. Thus the higher the marketing budget the less money available for quality.
At one point a few years ago I was tempted to shift away from Valvoline, for that reason.
So I neednt mention the name of the one I will never use.. or its Green Bottle sister brand.
- I was once threatened with a lawsuit for simply stating why I thought this, based on looking closely at results in a SBC with a S-W full sweep oil pressure gauge.
- I'm not advocating action of any kind, because I believe in Free Market. They DO tell you who they are by their actions.
And for lubrication accessories, the same applies. Certain famous filter ran a campaign "Pay me now or pay me later" Source of great mirth in car-freak circles: "Pay me now AND pay me later"
Purolator Pure One. Wix Looking at search results of oil filter review usually tells you what maker is best and who makes what brands.
- every time your engine cools it takes in air, including water vapor. The PCV system takes in air. A rainy cold front causes the engine to cool further and take in air.
- Water and oil dont mix, they make sludge.
- Detergents in oil go only so far, until the lubrication quality suffers.
- unless the water condensed is again vaporised which doesnt require boiling just heating for a sustained period.
- synthetic oils have a higher 'ash' point. That means they dont as easily create carbon on local hot spots, like a scratch or ridge on a bearing. They also lubricate better, partially because of the preceding.
all things equal, if your oil change and driving habits are typical, Valvoline or Castrol 10w30. 5w in winter if you wish, being in MN.
Dont fall for 'hi-mileage' hype. Funny thing is they really dont address what symptoms of 'high miles' they correct. If they did I wouldn't be so suspicious of it.
If you typical drive 20 miles or more per trip, I would {and do} just go Mobil1 10w30 in the jug from Walmart and double your mileage/time to change. Top off with Valvoline every other time you add, if you want.
Mobil1 in a clean engine, and 3 or more 1/2 hour drives a week can easily go 8000 miles. In northern climate, the most critical oil change is in the spring. MUST DO!
In areas like SW, with monsoon season, soon as it's over. In Pac NW {rainy}, I'd recommend 3-4 changes/yr no matter the mileage.
If you have piston slap, half bottle of Lucas each change. May help your valve seals, too. If your oil pressure at 1500 rpm then goes up, next time try a full bottle or mix in a quart 20w 50.
- btw: The peak reading on your oil pressure gauge with warmed engine, running 30 weight, is 57 psi, no matter what the needle says. Key is, because of the oil pump's bypass, it goes so high and no further.
Brands - Economy of scale goes only so far. Past a certain production volume there is no economy in volume. Building a second plant does not lower costs, per se. Thus the higher the marketing budget the less money available for quality.
At one point a few years ago I was tempted to shift away from Valvoline, for that reason.
So I neednt mention the name of the one I will never use.. or its Green Bottle sister brand.
- I was once threatened with a lawsuit for simply stating why I thought this, based on looking closely at results in a SBC with a S-W full sweep oil pressure gauge.
- I'm not advocating action of any kind, because I believe in Free Market. They DO tell you who they are by their actions.
And for lubrication accessories, the same applies. Certain famous filter ran a campaign "Pay me now or pay me later" Source of great mirth in car-freak circles: "Pay me now AND pay me later"
Purolator Pure One. Wix Looking at search results of oil filter review usually tells you what maker is best and who makes what brands.
Last edited by pettyfog; 04-06-2012 at 12:42 PM.
#10
04-06-2012, 01:06 PM
The following is my opinion based on years of empirical fact and using common sense extrapolation:
- every time your engine cools it takes in air, including water vapor. The PCV system takes in air. A rainy cold front causes the engine to cool further and take in air.
- Water and oil dont mix, they make sludge.
- Detergents in oil go only so far, until the lubrication quality suffers.
- unless the water condensed is again vaporised which doesnt require boiling just heating for a sustained period.
- synthetic oils have a higher 'ash' point. That means they dont as easily create carbon on local hot spots, like a scratch or ridge on a bearing. They also lubricate better, partially because of the preceding.
all things equal, if your oil change and driving habits are typical, Valvoline or Castrol 10w30. 5w in winter if you wish, being in MN.
Dont fall for 'hi-mileage' hype. Funny thing is they really dont address what symptoms of 'high miles' they correct. If they did I wouldn't be so suspicious of it.
If you typical drive 20 miles or more per trip, I would {and do} just go Mobil1 10w30 in the jug from Walmart and double your mileage/time to change. Top off with Valvoline every other time you add, if you want.
Mobil1 in a clean engine, and 3 or more 1/2 hour drives a week can easily go 8000 miles. In northern climate, the most critical oil change is in the spring. MUST DO!
In areas like SW, with monsoon season, soon as it's over. In Pac NW {rainy}, I'd recommend 3-4 changes/yr no matter the mileage.
If you have piston slap, half bottle of Lucas each change. May help your valve seals, too. If your oil pressure at 1500 rpm then goes up, next time try a full bottle or mix in a quart 20w 50.
- btw: The peak reading on your oil pressure gauge with warmed engine, running 30 weight, is 57 psi, no matter what the needle says. Key is, because of the oil pump's bypass, it goes so high and no further.
Brands - Economy of scale goes only so far. Past a certain production volume there is no economy in volume. Building a second plant does not lower costs, per se. Thus the higher the marketing budget the less money available for quality.
At one point a few years ago I was tempted to shift away from Valvoline, for that reason.
So I neednt mention the name of the one I will never use.. or its Green Bottle sister brand.
- I was once threatened with a lawsuit for simply stating why I thought this, based on looking closely at results in a SBC with a S-W full sweep oil pressure gauge.
- I'm not advocating action of any kind, because I believe in Free Market. They DO tell you who they are by their actions.
And for lubrication accessories, the same applies. Certain famous filter ran a campaign "Pay me now or pay me later" Source of great mirth in car-freak circles: "Pay me now AND pay me later"
Purolator Pure One. Wix Looking at search results of oil filter review usually tells you what maker is best and who makes what brands.
- every time your engine cools it takes in air, including water vapor. The PCV system takes in air. A rainy cold front causes the engine to cool further and take in air.
- Water and oil dont mix, they make sludge.
- Detergents in oil go only so far, until the lubrication quality suffers.
- unless the water condensed is again vaporised which doesnt require boiling just heating for a sustained period.
- synthetic oils have a higher 'ash' point. That means they dont as easily create carbon on local hot spots, like a scratch or ridge on a bearing. They also lubricate better, partially because of the preceding.
all things equal, if your oil change and driving habits are typical, Valvoline or Castrol 10w30. 5w in winter if you wish, being in MN.
Dont fall for 'hi-mileage' hype. Funny thing is they really dont address what symptoms of 'high miles' they correct. If they did I wouldn't be so suspicious of it.
If you typical drive 20 miles or more per trip, I would {and do} just go Mobil1 10w30 in the jug from Walmart and double your mileage/time to change. Top off with Valvoline every other time you add, if you want.
Mobil1 in a clean engine, and 3 or more 1/2 hour drives a week can easily go 8000 miles. In northern climate, the most critical oil change is in the spring. MUST DO!
In areas like SW, with monsoon season, soon as it's over. In Pac NW {rainy}, I'd recommend 3-4 changes/yr no matter the mileage.
If you have piston slap, half bottle of Lucas each change. May help your valve seals, too. If your oil pressure at 1500 rpm then goes up, next time try a full bottle or mix in a quart 20w 50.
- btw: The peak reading on your oil pressure gauge with warmed engine, running 30 weight, is 57 psi, no matter what the needle says. Key is, because of the oil pump's bypass, it goes so high and no further.
Brands - Economy of scale goes only so far. Past a certain production volume there is no economy in volume. Building a second plant does not lower costs, per se. Thus the higher the marketing budget the less money available for quality.
At one point a few years ago I was tempted to shift away from Valvoline, for that reason.
So I neednt mention the name of the one I will never use.. or its Green Bottle sister brand.
- I was once threatened with a lawsuit for simply stating why I thought this, based on looking closely at results in a SBC with a S-W full sweep oil pressure gauge.
- I'm not advocating action of any kind, because I believe in Free Market. They DO tell you who they are by their actions.
And for lubrication accessories, the same applies. Certain famous filter ran a campaign "Pay me now or pay me later" Source of great mirth in car-freak circles: "Pay me now AND pay me later"
Purolator Pure One. Wix Looking at search results of oil filter review usually tells you what maker is best and who makes what brands.
Always appreciate the knowledge you bring to the board.