Recent content by jcbcts

By no means an expert but my guess is that the lighter weight oils would not retain film on the engine as well during down times so the difference would be protection at startup. At operating temperature the thinner oil would lead to better fuel economy but drip more completely down into the pan...

That is a great example! Had no idea a dinosaur like the Crown Vic used 20 weight oil - I had to look up the owners manual. Those things are notorious for longevity and abuse. So let me ask this - are there so many high mileage examples because there were SOOO many in circulation or are they...

AzFireGuy - the reason is I am not sure the engineers have my best interest in mind in the design. They need the engine to outlast the PT warranty and get tremendous pressure to maximize fuel efficiency. I am just a guy trying to figure out if there is a trade off in fuel efficiency and...

Yep, I will likely go that route after next Winter. I just changed it to 5W-20 and will probably do one more change with 0W or 5W-20 that should take it through next Winter. Then I will likely switch to 5W-30 like the rest of my "fleet". I have been long sold on full synthetic (with a quality...

Thanks, does the VCM discussion tie into the oil viscosity discussion or just warning me of possible other issues with the engine? Appreciated either way!

Sorry for the ignorance here but what is "VCM"?

Just purchased a Honda Pilot with 36k miles. Does Honda have my best interest (from an engine longevity standpoint) at heart in recommending 0W-20 weight oil or is this a gas mileage play? I have an Infinity Q-50 as well and there is a range of recommendations for the 3.0l from 0W-20 to 10W-30...

Ran back across my old post here. Believe it or not - 2 1/2 years later this "fix" is still holding. No leaks from the heater core since. Truck is now at 175k miles on it. Sorry so long before reporting back...I would have remembered if it failed but it hasn't!

Originally Posted By: skyactiv Originally Posted By: jcbcts Hey it's a Colorado. Its barely half a truck! Kidding, I like the truck, but not quite as sturdy as a full size so no delusions that she'll run to 300k! It's a miracle it has 150K on it if it still has the original cylinder head...

Well, I executed this crazy idea last evening. I bought 3 feet of extra hose same diameter as the input hose for the heater core (hose closer to the driver side on my colorado). I disconnected both heater core hoses and connected the new hose to the input. Then I blew out all the old coolant...

Hey it's a Colorado. Its barely half a truck! Kidding, I like the truck, but not quite as sturdy as a full size so no delusions that she'll run to 300k!

OK, I am ready to get torched for this idea but here it goes... I have a 2005 Chevy Colorado (5cyl) with 150k plus miles, that I am 99.9% sure has a heater core leak. I am thinking of disconnecting the coolant hoses from the core input and output. Then I would route some coolant mixed with just...

Thanks - Love the BOIG forum...great concentration of knowledge here and spirited debates! I will post back with results!

The CTS 3.6L does not have a PCV Valve. It has an open ventilation system (for lack of a better term). Advice was to ensure there are no restrictions in the system so I tried solvents to loosen any clogs - time will tell. If I continue to experience high oil usage I will try something else.

Took some action on my CTS this weekend. I removed the air intake hose and inspected the throttle body and plate. Both were covered in oil – not sludge but fresh oil. There is a tube that connects to the intake hose that is part of the crankcase ventilation. It was clear that it was the source...