a situation with my vehicle.

[LovePacus]

I have a 2006 Dodge caravan with 242,000 miles on it.

It was used primarily as a courier vehicle until my In law gave it to me. It has the 4.2 Liter engine in it, and the vehicle was well maintained. Has original engine and tranny with no major issues. Just maintenance. It is immaculate condition.

But a question. He put a lot of highway miles on it, and now that I have it, it is getting a lot of short driving distances. Is there a particular oil recommendation for it? He used straight regular oil that was at Costco on sale up to this point. Just want to keep it running as long as I can, and dont want the change in driving habits to screw it up...

thanks

 

[Bill in Utah]

Just follow the manual for severe service with any approved oil and you'll be fine.

Bill

PS:

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

With mostly highway miles, the internals are probably in good condition. Unless there is some problem you want to address like burning, leaking, or sludging, I would stick with whatever grade oil the manual suggests. 2006 is probably API SM, so pretty much any name-brand conventional oil should work well for you. People here are enamored of Pennzoil at the moment. A couple years ago it was Havoline. Supertech synthetic blend gets good reviews as well. A high mileage oil won't hurt, but probably isn't necessary if things are working well. Use a decent filter like a Wix, Purolator, Motorcraft, AC Delco, etc. The Frams get a bad rap, and whether they deserve it or not, those orange cans don't look so good inside when they're cut open.

 

[LovePacus]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
With mostly highway miles, the internals are probably in good condition. Unless there is some problem you want to address like burning, leaking, or sludging, I would stick with whatever grade oil the manual suggests. 2006 is probably API SM, so pretty much any name-brand conventional oil should work well for you. People here are enamored of Pennzoil at the moment. A couple years ago it was Havoline. Supertech synthetic blend gets good reviews as well. A high mileage oil won't hurt, but probably isn't necessary if things are working well. Use a decent filter like a Wix, Purolator, Motorcraft, AC Delco, etc. The Frams get a bad rap, and whether they deserve it or not, those orange cans don't look so good inside when they're cut open.


I have been changing my own oil lately, but the first time it was changed after I got it, I had a good friend of mine do it. He had to replace the oil pan as well, because it has a pin sized hole in it. He said that the internals looked almost perfect like it was just off the factory line and he couldn't believe it.

That is why I want to try and keep it that way. I have changed it only once after that. I used a K&N oil filter and a Castrol High mileage oil. But that got me thinking do I really need a high mileage or would any name brand conventional oil work fine..

 

[wallyuwl]

Originally Posted By: LovePacus


That is why I want to try and keep it that way. I have changed it only once after that. I used a K&N oil filter and a Castrol High mileage oil. But that got me thinking do I really need a high mileage or would any name brand conventional oil work fine..




If you are having no issues, any name brand conventional will work. But a synthetic blend is a little better oil than a conventional, plus the addative package in a HM oil won't do any harm and might do some good. And since you can get 5 quarts of Valvoline MaxLife for $14 at Walmart (or depending on the month $19.99 for it with a Pureone filter at Advance or AZ or Pepboys), why not go with a HM blend?

 

[eljefino]

The K&N filter is overkill. A "good" wix is half the price at $5.

Find out what the costco oil was, probably formula shell or exxon superflo. Both are entry level but fine oils.

Focus on the transmission for your obsessive maintenance, maybe put another cooler on.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Just follow the manual for severe service with any approved oil and you'll be fine.

Bill

PS:

+1

 

[caravanmike]

Originally Posted By: LovePacus
I have a 2006 Dodge caravan with 242,000 miles on it.

It has the 4.2 Liter engine in it, and the vehicle was well maintained. Has original engine and tranny with no major issues.


the 4.2L wasn't an option.

is it the 2.4L 4cyl or the 3.3/3.8L 6 cyl? mike

 

[lexus114]

I think he means 2.4.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Just follow the manual for severe service with any approved oil and you'll be fine.

Bill

PS:

+2