2003 protege oil choice

[M6ser]

buddy of mine bought a single owner 2003 protege 2.0l with 67K miles, engine developed a valve cover gasket leak.... i quickly noticed that oil was overfilled by around 1/4 quart over max on the dipstick and oil was black burned out...

Would you recommend to add 1/2 bottle of seafoam to the oil , drive for 5 miles and than dump the oil/seafom and install freshpennsoil high millage... ?

 

[ottotheclown]

That car takes 3 qts I have a 99 and unless I put the oil in it is always over the line. With that mileage I would just put in either PP or PU both on sale at Wally. Keep it simple IMHO.Might want to use a Pure 1. It is #10612 I believe.

 

[M6ser]

99 protege has 1.6l engine, 2003 is 2.0l and takes 3.7 with filter... considering the leaks i'm sceptical to use synthetics...

 

[moviedave]

Is there any reason why you wont replace the valve cover gasket? It usually isn't a very hard job.

 

[ottotheclown]

The 99 has a 1.8 and a 1.6. Either way I have run Valvoline 5-30 and it stopped a pan leak on the 99. The 99 has 130,000 k still going strong. I am under the assumption that you have carefully tightened the bolts on the valve cover. They break easy, if that did not work give the NextgenI verson of Maxlife. You can get a rebate of $7. But read the fine print re. not being able to combine with other specials.

 

[M6ser]

thks all for advice... we will change the valve gasket

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: moviedave
Is there any reason why you wont replace the valve cover gasket? It usually isn't a very hard job.


+1

 

[M6ser]

we just found out that oil was 1/2 quart overfiled, and .... not changed for 10k miles ... looks really black and thick

we syphon pumped out 1/2 quart and added 1/2 botttle of seafoam , drove for 10 miles and car will be left overnight , in the morning afer another 5 miles drive with higher reving oil/seafoam will be dumped and fresh Pennsoil HM 5w30 will be installed... tranny was never flushed and that will be a next project