Cleaning and Longevity,Mix DuraBlend with MaxLife?

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Well, seems Castrol failed Quality test (Syntec = People dont recommend. Ive heard that.) So, now its Valvoline, sticking with it for brand choice. I desire to clean up my Motor some too, i think its gummed up inside, or the indications point to it. (Lifter Tick, Dipstick readings, car's past. Not performance specifically, but better to get it now and clean it up somewhat, then stick with one thing which yields further cleaning and protection with no more experimentation into Old Age, IMO.)

Going forward, i want to have the best of all worlds with the car. Seems it has sludge, and occasional Lifter Ticking, so it seems. This is the Probe. I am starting to question the MaxLife choice. Can i switch up DuraBlend (they both come in Blue bottles, but its not SynPower it seems) for MaxLife, or Mix Half and Half? As to grade, 10W-40 seems fine. The other route i could go im not so sure. If i mix half MaxLife FULL Synthetic 10w30 with some DuraBlend 10W-40 half and half, have i combined the best of the two?

I suppose it is between: 1) MaxLife Full Synthetic 10w30 which I can use all year no worries, 2) Synthetic Blend in the Red bottle of same and 10W-40 as i like to keep it a little thicker than 30 due to the lifter and engine so it does not consume Oil, 3) SynPower OR DuraBlend, or some Mix. It does not leak at this time even with MMO so thats good. This is my attempt to cover all the Bases with Just Oil and no Adds like Schaeffer's #132 which seems a one-time Treatment demarpaint spoke of, and certainly not another can of Moly.

I picked up a Filter today but i might as well change the whole Oil. Its a nice Dark color now and this has got me weighing my Options.

170,000 miles we are in Summer now, sure Start-Up is always a concern im more concerned about the Hot performance, i do in-city and Freeway driving and on a Normal day im using it pretty much all day, never sitting for more than two or three hours at most until night, so Starts and short sites it does see. I also drive a couple hundred niles Interstate sometimes, No real Predictability in Driving or what it will be doing at any time.

I desire Cleaning, yes, but also Engine Protection. Floated the Syntec idea, seems a step down. Castreol GTX High Mileage came to mind, but that too isnt as good as the MaxLife from what ive decuced.

Recommendation?
 
Buy a gallon of Mobil Delvac 1300 15W40 ($7.99 at Advance Autoparts) and mix it with 1 Qt of Marvel Mystery Oil.

Any other 15W40 HDEO such as Rotella, Delo etc will work just as well. Delvac just happens to be on sale.

The HDEO cleans well on its on and the extra viscosity makes up for the thinning effect of the MMO.
 
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Use your choice of oil and mix some MMO in with it. MMO will have it cleaned up in no time.
 
Forget mixing....just use a good 5W30...and you'll be fine.

Suggest one of these:

Valvoline MaxLife SYN or BLEND 5W30
Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w30 (now selling a WM for $21 for a 5 qt. jug)
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30
Motorcraft Blend 5W30
____________________________________
2003 Ford Focus SE (2.3L) / 86,500K
Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w20 / OCI: 1 year or 10,000K
Purolator PureOne Filter
 
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Have you had the car long? If so, why is there sludge? Poor oil? Poor OC habits. We need more info.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Have you had the car long? If so, why is there sludge? Poor oil? Poor OC habits. We need more info.


Previous owner. Of course i dont KNOW if there is Sludge without dismantling Engine, but it seems there may in fact be some. (Car was beater, raced, driven hard not necessarily kept up the best, engine held up well or so it seems, so im getting an Unknown health but great sounding and srong-pulling Engine to maintain its status, good or bad, i would not know.)

Unless the Moly in the Oil is just screwing with me and making the Oil look a Sludgy Color.

However, whichever one, i maintain my cars the best I can, and if a short 1000 mile OCI with PU will do the trick then back to MaxLife and MMO and then stop the MMO, thats fine too.
 
I wonder if Pennzoil Platinum is my answer. PU only comes in 5w30 or 10w30. But PP? 15W-50 sounds Wonderful if the Lifter Tick goes away, i wonder if i should do away twith the High Mileage Oils, particularly if no leaks form.

http://www.pennzoil.com/documents/Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oil.pdf

Now i need to ask myself if a High Mileage Oil is really necessary.

Or Mix half PU with Half PP, that would be mixing Grades as well. Im a Tinkerer.
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Is the oil low? Top it up with MMO and drive it for a few hundred miles before changing the oil.

Personally I'd just go with MaxLife and call it a day. But you could also try some of the other oils people say are excellent at cleaning (M1, anything Pennzoil, etc). No need to start mixing, remember the manufacturer's engineers already tried to balance out the product to give you an oil that cleans and protects (...and can be sold at a profit to them).
 
Originally Posted By: HangerHarley

Unless the Moly in the Oil is just screwing with me and making the Oil look a Sludgy Color.


You put MoS2 in your oil and then are worried because it turned dark? Do some reading you cannot judge oil by the color especially if you put some jet black insoluble additive in it.

You sound familiar did you used to go by the name JCCADILLACMOBILE?
 
For summer and mixing with MMO, you might want to use either the Maxlife 10W-40 or the HDEO 15w40. HDEO's have higher levels of certain anti-wear compounds like ZDDP, so that can help reduce further wear on this engine and help with the thinning effect of the MMO. If you have no leaks or high consumption, I don't see a big benefit of a using a High Mileage oil such as Maxlife. OTOH, if you do have leaks or consumption, it is probably one of the best for either issue.
 
Originally Posted By: lipadj46
Originally Posted By: HangerHarley

Unless the Moly in the Oil is just screwing with me and making the Oil look a Sludgy Color.


You put MoS2 in your oil and then are worried because it turned dark? Do some reading you cannot judge oil by the color especially if you put some jet black insoluble additive in it.

You sound familiar did you used to go by the name ?


No. Moly additive logically would get blended with the Oil, so if it is the Moly then that is Fine. Its color would be Irrelevant. Seems you have done that before? I havent, thats why i thought id post about an Oil Strategy. Hot and Cold, City and Highway, the Probe sees it all, and im considering a Piston Soak for it. Ill make a Thread about that in Maintenance Forum some time, not on Oil Forum.

I dont know who you are referring to there but To Each His Own. If Moly darkened my Oil, then now i know. Thanks lipadj46!

Quote:
Personally I'd just go with MaxLife and call it a day. But you could also try some of the other oils people say are excellent at cleaning (M1, anything Pennzoil, etc). No need to start mixing, remember the manufacturer's engineers already tried to balance out the product to give you an oil that cleans and protects (...and can be sold at a profit to them).


Very Sound Advice. I agree!
 
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Originally Posted By: Gene K
Buy a gallon of Mobil Delvac 1300 15W40 ($7.99 at Advance Autoparts) and mix it with 1 Qt of Marvel Mystery Oil.



Sorry, brain fade. That should be O'Reilly's that had Delvac for $7.99 Gallon.
 
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