My mom is a rural mail carrier. Coming to the close of her career delivering the mail. She has a 2010 Jeep Wrangler with the 3.8 that is absolutely gulping oil. Engine is ready to give up but trying to buy about 8 more months out of the old thing when she will be retiring. She runs about 100 mile route daily, it’s using about a half quart a day… it’s pushing 300k miles. It had been getting Cenex Autogold 5w20 every 3000 miles with a Wix filter. The barrel of oil is empty and with the job coming to an end my folks have opted against buying another barrel. It’s currently being topped off with any cheap 5w20 or 5w30 they can find, Harvest King, FVP, Kirkland, or anything heavily discounted on sale. Think 10w30 or even something heavier might be a wise move? Like I said engine is basically done for but just needing to baby it along a few more months for minimal expenses.
High Mileage Jeep-Oil Drinker
- Thread starter DanL13
- Start date
If there was ever a candidate for 20w-50 this is it.
Or the cheapest 15w-40 you can find.
I would probably try 10W-40 before 20W-50.
Let it drink!
Let it drink!
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
With some EC40 … not knowing ambient temperature …
That motor has to be filthy - get an extra oil filter ready …
I suggested the same thing to my folks. Dad is worried that’ll be too thick for the cold winter weather
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
How cold?
No puddles when parked, no signs of leaks. With as much oil as it’s going through a leak ought to be obvious
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Ok - so 5W-40 or 0W-40 are the logical thicker
oils …
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4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Quaker State synthetic 5W-40 is just $23/jug at Walmart …
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Ok, there are several others …
He has a favorite brand ?
Not really a favorite. Just a handful he hates. For example when he was turning wrenches for a living in the early 70s he saw issues with Quaker State and Pennzoil so now both brands are regarded as junk in his eyes. But with something like this Jeep about anything slippery ought to be good enough
If its still running fine I would try to find the culprit and fix it.
Has the PCV been changed?
Do a leak down test. If its rings you might do some good with Valvoline Restore and Protect. If its valve guides probably not much hope but in that case thicker would help some.
8 months @ 100 miles a day mail carry is still a long run. Your still talking like 20,000 miles / running all day. Keep this up and it may not make it.
Has the PCV been changed?
Do a leak down test. If its rings you might do some good with Valvoline Restore and Protect. If its valve guides probably not much hope but in that case thicker would help some.
8 months @ 100 miles a day mail carry is still a long run. Your still talking like 20,000 miles / running all day. Keep this up and it may not make it.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Okay - Walmart.com has choices you can show him …
Two jugs normally gets free shipping …