Jeep 4.0 Oil Valvoline VR1?

[jeepthing07]

I have a 1994 jeep wrangler with a 4.0... I have read about the whole Zinc thing and the 4.0's having flat tappet cams. First off the cam is stock as is the rest of the motor internally. I use the jeep as a daily driver and thrash it when i get the chance.

So i want to know whats the best off the shelf easy to find and fairly cheap oil i should use. I see that the Valvoline VR1 has a lot of Zinc in it but it dont come in a 10w40... Could i run 20w50 or the 40 weight in it which would be better?

I see that Valvoline sells Conventional Racing Oil to in the same weights but its for offroad use only... we don't have emissions testing here so it don't matter.

 

[rg200amp]

First, Welcome to the forum!!
Second, Very nice Engine, the 4.0 is built like a rock.
Third, I would stick to a 5w30 or 10w30. You can run any SL or SM rated oil that meets your weight and get that engine as far as you want to go. The use of a racing oil like VR1 would work, but the oil lacks detergents. So I would not go over 3000 miles with that oil.

I ran pennzoil dino 10w30 in my Wrangler at the time I had it. When I buy my next one I am going to use Pennzoil Platnium 5w30.

If you like Valvoline, check out there Synpower. It is a great synthetic that will, like all SM synthetics, get your engine as far as it can go.

 

[gmctodd]

Here might be just the info your looking for http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1403625&fpart=1

 

[jeepthing07]

Cool thanks for the fast replies... I have been running Castrol Syntec blend 10w40 in it for years. Now that I'm browsing the forum seems like no one here likes castrol. Is the Conventional Valvoline stuff good? Is the blue bottle any better than the white? or you think i should run Rotella or some other diesel oil in it?

Edit: to rg200amp I have always herd bad stuff about Pennzoil but i am no oil expert that's why i came here lol. so im not slagging off your suggestion on the Pennzoil Platnium just looking for other options.... I always herd good stuff about Castrol and Valvoline but it seems Castrol isn't all that great.

 

[Eddie]

The 4.0 is not a flat tappet cam like high performance high lift cam engines so no problem. I ran my 4.0 on Mobil 1 5&10w30 for 154,000 miles and sold it to my nephew who beat the [censored] out of it for another 45,000 miles. The engine was never torn down but, did have new rear main seals every 90,000 or so-cheap fix. OCI was 6-7.000 miles with a PureOne or Fram filter. Yes the Frams did well and never a problem. Grand old engine that is difficult to break if you kept oil and water in it.

 

[mstrjon32]

I just changed the oil in my 4.0L today. 4 quarts Quaker State 10W-30, 2 quarts GTX HM 10w-30. The 4.0 is not a modern engine that requires specific oil or excessive maintenance.

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: jeepthing07
I always herd good stuff about Castrol and Valvoline but it seems Castrol isn't all that great.


Castrol is fine oil! Syntec Blend is a good choice and is actually next in my stash for my YJ's 2.5L.

Originally Posted By: Eddie
The 4.0 is not a flat tappet cam like high performance high lift cam engines so no problem.


It may not have high lift, but it is most certainly a flat tappet cam. The same goes for my 2.5L.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: jeepthing07
I see that the Valvoline VR1 has a lot of Zinc in it but it dont come in a 10w40... Could i run 20w50 or the 40 weight in it which would be better?
The off road racing oil does not have proper detergents for a regular OCI, don't try it. VR-1 comes in 10w30, 20w50, 30, 40, 50, and 60. Can make a 40 wt by mixing 20w50 with 10w30 to get roughly a 15w40. Of course this is all academic unless you can get the desired weight. Store by me used to sell the 10w30, but not anymore. Maybe your local speed shop or NAPA would order the 10w30 VR-1 for you.

 

[SnakeOil]

I've seen these things go 300K on nothing but bulk oil from the likes of Jiffy Lube and still run well.

P.S. It will leak like a son of a b****, but it will run.

 

[FastSUV]

VR1 has less detergents and Valvoline recommends that oil's maximum interval be 3k FYI.

 

[EagleFTE]

I thought the VR-1 came in a street legal and non street legal form. I thought the street legal has a fairly adequate additive package with about 2000 ppm Calcium. The non street legal is more of a true racing oil and lacking in detergents as it is expected that it will be dumped after an event. I don't use it, just going off 3rd hand information.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
VR1 has less detergents and Valvoline recommends that oil's maximum interval be 3k FYI.
I don't believe it has less detergents and you will find they recommend 3k for any of their oils. VR-1 is fine for longer OCI of say 5000 miles.

 

[440Magnum]

I'll (yet again) proclaim the wonders of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 in the Jeep 4.0...

It seems very popular on the Jeep forums, also.

And...

 

[Greaser]

I recommend any brand name HDEO like Rotella or Delvac 1 in a thick 30W or thin 40W .The good Esso stuff is only for Canadians...sorry

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I'll (yet again) proclaim the wonders of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 in the Jeep 4.0...

It seems very popular on the Jeep forums, also.

And...

I would try it if it came in dino formula...I do not want to run a full-syn in my 4.0L

I suppose I could try Rotella 10w30 dino?

 

[addyguy]

If you can get it easily, I'd keep going with the Syntec Blend 10W-40. Its a great oil, and that grade will work fine in your 4.0.

If that stuff become scarce, I'd go with whatever 10w-30 HDEO you can get.

 

[jeepthing07]

Originally Posted By: Greaser
I recommend any brand name HDEO like Rotella or Delvac 1 in a thick 30W or thin 40W .The good Esso stuff is only for Canadians...sorry

Im a oil noob what exactly is a thick 30w or a thin 40w?

 

[addyguy]

30-weight is between a range of 9.3cst to 12.5cst at 100 deg. C.

40-weight is between a range of 12.6cst to 16.8cst at 100 deg. C.

so a 'thick 30/thin 40 weight' would be something between about 12cst and 14cst.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I'll (yet again) proclaim the wonders of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 in the Jeep 4.0...

It seems very popular on the Jeep forums, also.

And...

I would try it if it came in dino formula...I do not want to run a full-syn in my 4.0L


Why on earth not? Its got great viscosity index, its not all that expensive, and has super TBN retention so you can push the oil change intervals out more than enough to make up the difference in cost. If its fear of leaks- my experience in *all* my older engines is that the whole "synthetics will leak" bugaboo is just a myth that should have died years ago. Besides, Rotella is Group III+, not PAO/Group IV, which makes it chemically a little more like a conventional oil anyway.

Just food for thought...

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I'll (yet again) proclaim the wonders of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 in the Jeep 4.0...

It seems very popular on the Jeep forums, also.

And...

I would try it if it came in dino formula...I do not want to run a full-syn in my 4.0L


Why on earth not? Its got great viscosity index, its not all that expensive, and has super TBN retention so you can push the oil change intervals out more than enough to make up the difference in cost. If its fear of leaks- my experience in *all* my older engines is that the whole "synthetics will leak" bugaboo is just a myth that should have died years ago. Besides, Rotella is Group III+, not PAO/Group IV, which makes it chemically a little more like a conventional oil anyway.

Just food for thought...




Food for thought...the GP-III thing makes me feel a tad better...I switched from Castrol GTX to trop-artic syn-blend and my notorious Jeep 4.0 rear mail leak did get worse...I know syn doesn't cause leaks but it can make them worse...

Main reason I do not want to run syn is because I have to change the oil every 4k...that is the point at which the oil is visibly lower on the dipstick (but not "low") and I can't stand it. It is a mental thing, so why run a syn unless I am gonna push it longer? That is after all the main benefit of full-syn is to run longer OCI...