Absolute best sludge/varnish cleaning CONVENTIONAL oil..

[joshuawesl]

I see that Pennzoil Conventional is always mentioned when discussing cleaning sludge.

What about Castrol GTX? Is it as good or comparable? Or should I go with Pennzoil Conventional?

 

[buster]

I'd try GTX.

 

[Donald]

Do you know you have sludge? I would use a NAPA synthetic or Walmart Super Tech synthetic and change at 3K to 5K.

Add some Auto-Rx.

 

[joshuawesl]

Do you know you have sludge? I would use a NAPA synthetic or Walmart Super Tech synthetic and change at 3K to 5K.

Yes. It isn't heavy, but there's a bit under my valve covers, mostly building around bolt heads.

 

[spasm3]

I think any SN oil changed regularly will help. Mobil 1 High Mileage is advertised as a cleaning oil.
Other option is go a grade heavier and use kreen.

 

[SlavaB]

GTX ultra clean. It’s a blend now, still loaded with detergents. A no brainer option. Pennzoil Conventional is a blend too, but if you go for Pennzoil try Platinum, GTL based with good cleaning properties

 

[supton]

Do you have any actual problems? Or is oil consumption ok? I wonder if a change in oil brand is good enough--change a bit more often than what it was being changed, and call it good. Some engines get a buildup and still troop on--my 225k engine has some buildup, which I noticed at 140k, but 5k OCI's on decent oils since and it seems to either stopped or just hasn't been growing as fast. Maybe the "damage" was done long ago on my engine, from whatever was the norm in 1999-2000 era.

 

[wpod]

Most oils are pretty much the same . Look at the used oil analysis and the voas. Mobil 1 oils especially their high mile oils have a base stock blend that cleans.

 

[Urshurak776]

I think any SN rated oil will have good cleaning properties. Change a little more often. For $15 per jug, the Supertech synthetic should work fine.

 

[PimTac]

There is no absolute best. Shorter oil change intervals is a option.

 

[SatinSilver]

If it has to be conventional oil I’d probably get some Chevron Supreme on Walmart.com. Has a strong additive pac. and really a syn blend. Change out every 6 months or 3k miles for a few intervals. Don’t forget the air filter and pcv valve. Check fluid level often.

 

[AJB0009]

GTX ultra clean. It’s a blend now, still loaded with detergents. A no brainer option. Pennzoil Conventional is a blend too, but if you go for Pennzoil try Platinum, GTL based with good cleaning properties

I just put GTX Ultraclean in my daughter's Corolla. Too soon to know anything yet though.
I know that a lot of oils make a lot of claims, however, Castrol makes some bold claims with this oil.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd start by shortening my OCI. Then for the last 1,000 miles of the OCI during the colder winter months I'd add a bottle of Rislone or a pint of MMO.
That IMO will kick the cleaning ability of my favorite oil into high gear. I would do that if and only if I had legitimate concerns that a little cleaning was needed. EG: A peek down the fill hole or a valve cover gasket replacement indicated things weren't as clean as I'd like.

 

[Link]

How much percentage of synthetic blend oils like Castrol GTX HM and Pennzoil Conventional are actually synthetic? Is there a way to know?

 

[OVERKILL]

I see that Pennzoil Conventional is always mentioned when discussing cleaning sludge.

What about Castrol GTX? Is it as good or comparable? Or should I go with Pennzoil Conventional?

Is the requirement for conventional solely due to cost? Mobil 1 0w-40 has been advertised in the past to actually clean, which is a far different claim from most lubricants which claim to keep things clean. More frequent change intervals during this period are also necessary as the oil will get loaded up quickly if there are significant accumulations of soft deposits to be removed.

 

[csandste]

How much percentage of synthetic blend oils like Castrol GTX HM and Pennzoil Conventional are actually synthetic? Is there a way to know?

This has been brought up before. Aside from the Mobil group II base stocks, it's roughly half depending on whether it's 5w20 or 5w30. Rebranding to a blend results in complaints on Amazon from people feeling cheated because it's not "real" oil. If you want "real" oil most 10w30 and up is still labeled conventional.

 

[Link]

This has been brought up before. Aside from the Mobil group II base stocks, it's roughly half depending on whether it's 5w20 or 5w30. Rebranding to a blend results in complaints on Amazon from people feeling cheated because it's not "real" oil. If you want "real" oil most 10w30 and up is still labeled conventional.

Which Mobil oil still uses group II stocks?

 

[AutoMechanic]

I have found any Castrol oil will help sludge I have always kept my engines cleaned with it. Also have heard Mobil 1 will too but haven’t used that one so I don’t know. But for sure Castrol will.

 

[csandste]

I'd start by shortening my OCI. Then for the last 1,000 miles of the OCI during the colder winter months I'd add a bottle of Rislone or a pint of MMO.
That IMO will kick the cleaning ability of my favorite oil into high gear. I would do that if and only if I had legitimate concerns that a little cleaning was needed. EG: A peek down the fill hole or a valve cover gasket replacement indicated things weren't as clean as I'd like.

Poured a bit of MMO in during the last thousand on several occasions. Tried High Mileage Rislone this time. Actually seems to have shut down some light oil burning, something MMO (probably because it burned off) didn't.

 

[Donald]

If the sludge is gooey vs crusty & baked you might consider a flush like the Amsoil flush. Follow the directions.

Again if gooey how about a gallon of a solvent like mineral spirits in a pump sprayer spraying the area over and over let it drip into the oil pan which has the drain plug out and a catch pan below. Engine off.