High mileage turbo engine, what to run?

[PulMax]

I just bought a 229k mile Volvo 740 turbo. The car has been kept really well, but is definitely in need of an oil change.

The manual says 10w30, but to use 15w40 in conditions where there would be more oil consumption, such as towing or mountain driving. 5w30 is allowable in really cold weather, but not needed, apparently.

I was just thinking maybe 15w40 in the warmer months, just because I'm betting that my high-mileage turbo engine does consume a little more oil than it did almost 20 years ago.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Do you know what the previous owner used?

Are you open to running synthetic in it? If so, I'd try Rotella T 5w-40.

 

[PulMax]

The PO was using whatever a local oil change place was putting in it.

Probably 10w30. It was low on oil when I bought it, and I found that the oil hadn't been changed in almost 8000 miles :\ I put oil in and it's not leaking a drop, so I suspect it burns a little...probably par for the course for an old turbo engine.

 

[Eddie]

I would do my first oil change using PP or M1(both Honda turbo approved) in the recommended viscosity, 5w30. Keep a check on the level and based your next oil change on the results. probably the oil change place, if a fast one, was using the cheapest bulk oil available. Your starting point should be what the manufacture recommended in my opinion.

 

[KLowD9x]

I also recommend Rotella T synthetic.

I used it in my old Volvo 244 Turbo (loved that car) year round and it was a great oil! Maintained oil pressures at high oil temperatures (2.5bar at hot idle over 1.0bar or less at hot idle with Rotella T 15w40, major difference!) and was a very clean oil. Also, I never had turbo problems and I sold that car with almost 300K miles on it.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

yes, volvos seem to love rotella. the 850's that i've been around seem to do just fine on almost anything though. i'd look at valvoline maxlife

 

[hooligan24]

M1 High Mileage 10w30 or 10w40?

 

[PulMax]

The car currently has Valvoline (dug the sticker out of the garbage can, it was a Valvoline shop) 10w30 in it, which is the manual recommended viscocity.

I was thinking of the Rotella 15w40, but winter is coming and now I'm thinking thats a bit much in the zero-degree temps we get around here.

 

[1 SX]

Haha, I thought the ASDFGHJKL was part of the page...

For the winter, I would use a nice 10W30, then in the warmer weather, 15W40.

With the high mileage, i dont think the 15W40 would be a problem.

The thinner oil in the summer might make the car burn a little more, But still should not be crazy.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: PulMax
I was thinking of the Rotella 15w40,

Why not rotella 5w-40? Looking at the chart you posted, it would cover the entire spectrum of temperatures. As good as 5w-30 when cold (winter) and as good as 15w-40 when hot (summer).

 

[gfh77665]

Egads!!! That chart CLEARLY shows thicker oil providing better protection. The "thin is in" guys here are going to have a stroke!

 

[PulMax]

I may try the 5w40 Rotella. Or just the 15w40 in the hot months.

Though, it has just been brought to my attention that my dad's car, mom's car, and sister's car all need changes, and they all use the 10w30 dino juice...maybe I'll just tell my dad to buy two cases of the 10-30 and mooch the 4 quarts I need from it this time around

 

[PulMax]

After a week or two of owning the car, I've come to notice that it's a little ticky at dead cold startup. Nothing loud enough to suggest a problem, or even unusual for a car this old, especially a Red-Block Volvo.

I'm only mentioning it because once the engine (and I assume the oil) is up to temp, it quiets right down and sounds really good. I may try that 5w40 oil at the next change. I ended up with 10-30 this time around, because it was free.

Even if I believed in the whole 'synth causes leaks' thing, this car has had pretty much all of it's engine oil seals replaced in the last 30k miles, according to the receipts. I may put the synthetic in next time.

 

[JohnBrowning]

First order 1-2 bottles of Auto-Rx cleaning the turbo seals and housing and main oil and return lines could very well save you some huge repairs. Also it will clean the pick up screen and the rest of the engine.

Next I would run RTS 5W40 dureing the Wisconsin Winter and Delvac or Delo 15W40 dureing the warmer months. With 5W40 in this engine it will not matter if it gets down to -28 you will nothave any issue starting it. THese engines like 40wt.s a lot. If you wanted synthetics 5W40 and 10W40 and 15W50 synthetics will work great in them. Do not even consider a 5W30 it will not hold up. Review Pablo's olds posts the ones from before he started selling Amsoil he was a long time Volvo man and had a lot of good info on the old red block VOlov engines. I do recall his earli posts and UOA on his Volov as being very informative so you might check them out!I do not think he has owned the Volov in a while though but I am not sure I am thinking he got a Seqouia to replace .

 

[PulMax]

I have an extra bottle of Auto-RX already. Hadn't thought of using it. Maybe I will. Probably just a single basic application though.