99 Alero Need Help With Reccomendations

[MontyD]

I recently purchased a 99 Oldsmobile Alero with the 2.4 ltr twin cam engine for my wife. The vehicle has a little over 66k miles. The car is in great shape with no leaks and looks like it was taken care of very well.

I was thinking about switching over to a good synthetic such as M1 or Castrol. I just ordered a bottle of ARX. I am a little hesitant to switch over to syn with the car at 66k. My question is, what synthetic would be suited for this car? The car is mainly driven 20 miles a day in mostly stop and go city traffic in downtown OKC. Also, will one dose of ARX be okay? Thanks

 

[darkdan]

Where'd this rumor get started that if your engine has more than 1963.234857238 miles you can't switch to synthetic?

If I had to choose between those two I'd go with Mobil1.

If I had others to pick I'd still be using AMSOIL. Great product, good price, and they deliver.

 

[benjamming]

Good idea to do ARX before switching to synthetic. I would only do a 1 bottle treatment.

I would pick M1 over Castrol if those are your only two choices.

 

[Islandvic]

MontyD Quote:
"I am a little hesitant to switch over to syn with the car at 66k"

My '96CrownVic was switched to Syn at 137k miles, and my brother's '95 Z-71 w/ 350 was switched at about 158k miles.

My Vic consumes LESS oil now and my brother's truck already had an oil pump seal leak and consumed oil (did not consume more or less after switch).

I don't think the old theory about higher milage cars and syn's apply to modern vehicles.

Olds Aleros are one of the few cars I actually like from GM.

Run your Auto-RX with conventional oil doing exactly what the instruction say (give or take a few hundred won't hurt) w/ cheap dino oil.

After that, if it were my car, I would use AC-DELCO filters and either M1 5-30, German Castrol 0-30, or Valvoline MaxLifeSynthetic 5-30.

Does the Olds have an OilLifeMonitor?

If so, do OCI's according to it with the SYN.

If not, 5000-7500 mile OCI's with SYN will be no problem at all.

I doubt an engine w/ only 66k miles would need more than one dose of the AUTO-RX.

Good luck and keep us posted on the auto-rx treatment.... Could you post pics of cut open oil filters?

 

[MontyD]

Thanks for the replies. I am not limited to only Castrol Or M1. However, those are probably the most readily available around here. Yes, it has the oil life monitor on the car. However, I planned on changing the oil every 4 to 5,000 miles regardless of the oil life monitor. As I have heard they are not that accurate.

So, let me see if I have this correct.
Change the oil and filter with dino and fill reccommended amount of ARX.
Cleaning Phase: Drive for 1500 miles
Rinsing Phase: Change oil and filter and add dino oil
Completion Phase: Change the dino oil out at 2-3k miles and switch over to your preferred oil be it syn or dino?

 

[oilpan49]

Sounds good to me man. Can't say much about the oil life monitors on GM cars as I don't know much about them. Enjoy your new Alero and

AR

 

[Islandvic]

MontyD quote:

"However, I planned on changing the oil every 4 to 5,000 miles regardless of the oil life monitor. As I have heard they are not that accurate."

This is partially true.

The OLM can not determine the condition of the oil by analysis of the oil itself (contaminants, fuel in oil etc etc).

It works by measuring cold/hot starts, hours on engine, distance traveled after each start, total revolutions, etc etc.

It uses an algorithm made by GM engineers, which is proprietary and tested fully.

It's not just a milage gauge and boom, OLM light turns on.

sorry for rant, I just would trust OLM especially w/ SYN.

I use the OLM on my '00 Silverado w/ only 21k miles.

I do 1yr OCI's unless the OLM comes on first.

If doing only 4-5k mile OCI's, Synthetic is a waste.

I would suggest MoCraft 5-30 SynBlend ($9.88 5qtjug at O'Reilys) or Valvoline Maxlife Dino ($8.48 5qt jug at Wal-Mart).

ValMaxLifeDino is about 15%PAO syn plus a lot of extra additives (so I had read here at BITOG) even though it is not marketed as a SynBlend.

I think you are correct about A-RX, though check with FRANK, the A-RX head honcho here.

God Luck.

Oh, can you cut the filter open and let us see after treatment?


I have used both and are great cheap oils.

 

[Islandvic]

MontyD, I forgot, welcome to the BITOG forum.

You will quickly learn that everyone has their own opinion, that is what makes it great!

No one here takes stuff the wrong way usualy....

 

[MontyD]

Thank you all for the welcome and the reccommendations. I am a Cummins certified diesel mechanic, however this stuff on the car side of things is new to me. I will be sure and cut open both filters and post pictures. Thanks again.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

We look forward to seeing those pix.

and...

 

[Bill in Utah]

Hi,

I'd trust the OLM with a good Blend as long as it's not 45 below zero or your racing the outfit.

Mobil 7500 or Castrol Syntec Blend are pretty good oils for around $2 a quart.

Take care, Bill

 

[MN Driver]

QUOTE = If doing only 4-5k mile OCI's, Synthetic is a waste.

The Alero OLM usually comes on in that 4-5k mile range. 5,000 miles isn't a bad range, but I'm pretty sure there would be no issues with extending it, being that it isn't one of the Alero's with the 3.4L V6.

 

[Islandvic]

Quote MNDRIVER:

"QUOTE = If doing only 4-5k mile OCI's, Synthetic is a waste.

The Alero OLM usually comes on in that 4-5k mile range. 5,000 miles isn't a bad range, but I'm pretty sure there would be no issues with extending it, being that it isn't one of the Alero's with the 3.4L V6. "

Your Alero or his Alero?

Yes, the 3.4l V6 does suck compared to the 3.8 V6

 

[MontyD]

So, how does the Maxlife 5W30 stack up against Castrol Syntec, Pennzoil Platinum in the same weight? M1 was my first choice but after hearing of all of the noise complaints, im not sure if I want to go that route. The Maxlife looks good but have there been any problems with the "extra additives and seal conditioners" it offers?

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Comparing Maxlife to Syntec or PZ Platium isn't a fair comparison.

I suggest giving Mobil1 a try before discounting it altogether. A few UOA's will tell the story which works best for your car.

 

[MN Driver]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Islandvic:
Your Alero or his Alero?

---

I don't have an alero, I was talking about two of my friends who have aleros and what I've heard from them. My Grand Am is also an N-body and it's surprisingly similar in regards to the OLM interval, even though the engine is different in my car(I have the 3.4L...sigh...)

 

[Islandvic]

montyD quote:

"So, how does the Maxlife 5W30 stack up against Castrol Syntec, Pennzoil Platinum in the same weight? M1 was my first choice but after hearing of all of the noise complaints, im not sure if I want to go that route. The Maxlife looks good but have there been any problems with the "extra additives and seal conditioners" it offers? "

Are you talking about MaxLife Dino or MaxLife SYN?

MaxLife Dino is supposed to have around 15%PAO syn, though not marketed as synblend.

MaxLifeSyn, is a great oil.

It meets multiple ACEA specs, and longlife specs from BMW, MB, and VW. Remember, MB and BMW like to spec oils for 10k mile OCI's or more!

Both Maxlife Dino and MaxLife Syn both state on the bottle "safe for new and rebuilt engines".

I would not worry about dumping either in a new car, a rebuilt motor, or any vehicle for that matter.

I used MaxLife Dino for a long time in my '96 CVic. Now it gets MaxLife Syn.

It consumes 1 quart every 1200 miles (odo reads 143k miles) compared to a quart every 1000 miles (50k miles ago).

There are other great oils out there, but I only make suggestions from my experience.

If going the Syntec route, I would go with GC 0-30, since it's Castrol's REAL SYN, and everyone here gives great reports on it.

 

[bobo]

My friend has a 99 alero and switch to synthetic in jan 05 and odometer read 150000 kilometers
dramtic increase in mileage