Need a stash opinion.

[DNVDMAX]

Okay I just rebuilt my 92 Yota Paseo's engine, 1.5L. I seated the rings per sealed power's recommendation. Then I dumped the Delvac after seating rings. I refilled with Delvac 15-40 again and have since put 150 miles on the engine. The issue at hand is temps in Alaska are about 43 in the morning and I'm thinking 15-40 a wee bit thick for the little four. I used 15-40 because I had it around and the Paseo has mechanical cams, no rollers. Should I worry? Is it too early for synthetic? Here are my stash choices:

5-30 valvoline nextgen conventional
5-30 PP
5-30 QSUD
5-30 G-OIL syn
10-30 QSUD
10-30 valvoline synpower

 

[spasm3]

40 degree f? any!

 

[qdeezie]

Are you running stock valve springs and a stock camshaft?

 

[DNVDMAX]

40F. Stock everything minus the .020 overbore, reground crank, and port and polished head.

 

[chubbs1]

You can run anything right now but plan for the future...how long is the next OCI, if you plan on going farther next, 5w would be better and I would just keep the 15w40 in a little longer and do a change with PP or QSUD before it starts to get really cold. You can run 15w easily to 20F and then I would start thinking about changing it.

 

[tomcat27]

I'd go with any of the 5-30's. how many miles were on the engine before the rebuild? what did it look like inside? I have the same engine in an 02...

 

[BobFout]

Having lived in FAI for 5 years, it's gonna get much colder, quickly. I'd go for any 5w30 or 0w30 that meets the specs for your engine. Anything thicker and good luck starting at -40 and colder without plugging in.

 

[jorton]

interior Alaska ohhhhhhhhhh. I'm not complaining about the hot again! In winter I watch Fairbanks temps, everyday life has to be life threatening. Especially for HVAC mechanics. Always on the road driving to emergency no heat calls.

What type is most popular in your climate? Conventional or synthetic. You should run that. I hope you can plug in your cars when they're parked.

Before the recent re-formulation to SN, Valvoline conventional had very good cold temp performance. It has probably kept that feature in the current blend.

 

[DNVDMAX]

Thank you all for the advice. I will pour the 5w30 once temp blips into the 20s. I'm gonna go with the PP and a NAPA Platinum oil filter and leave it for 5000 miles.

I was only supposed to take the engine out and replace the front and rear crank seal. It was running fine other than a little start-up smoke from crispy valve seals and leaking a quart every two weeks. I took it all apart and found the engine was sludge free, although it did have a varnished tint to the internals. Upon disassembly I found pitted valve faces and seats, ridged and tapered bores, stuck rings, and coked chambers. Overall it wasn't bad for having 286,000 on the clock I bought in 2007 with 173,000. Total rebuild was $400, used the military recreation auto shop to do the machine work, boring, valves, seats, decking, milling head, grinding crank, pressing rods, with the help of the machinist at the shop.

 

[jorton]

[thumbs_up] [thumbs_up] [thumbs_up]

 

[hardcore302]

wow, good for you! how's the body and the transmission?