Guy i ride to work with just bought an '05 Malibu with the 2.2 Ecotec, 118k miles, for $400 from his brother. Nothing wrong with it, his brother just needed the cash. I just changed the oil today, it had about 15k on Pennzoil Conventional 5w30 form the local quick lube, the guy was not very good at maintaining it. Had a good bit of varnish buildup in the filter housing and i hadnt been changed in so long the filter was seized in it.(got it out with pliers) Drained maybe 1.5 quarts out of it and used 5 qts Valvoline 10w30 conventional and a Napa gold filter. Is this a good cleaning oil? Gonna do 4k ocis, its a work car, 50 mile round trip to work, 7 days a week, every other week. It runs fine despite the neglected oil change, those ecotecs seem pretty durable.
neglected Malibu
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Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
I would say the inside of this engine is full of sludge. I would pull the VC and inspec it before doing much else. It may require an upper end had cleaning. If it is full of sludge no oil will help. Maybe a lower end cleaning as well. Keep in mind, that the oil pump screen can plug up with sludge and ruin the engine. Happened to a frind of mine with an older Ford Crown Vic he purchased.
As with any 8 year old car with an unknown service history, I would change the coolant and power steering fluid.
If you access to ramps, I would change the transmission fluid also. 10 bolts out, reuse the gasket, replace what comes out, 10 bolts back. If you're up to it change the trans filter also, but 2 gallons of fresh fluid (my daughter's '03 Grand Am 2.2 took 7 3/4 qts.)goes a long way.
If you access to ramps, I would change the transmission fluid also. 10 bolts out, reuse the gasket, replace what comes out, 10 bolts back. If you're up to it change the trans filter also, but 2 gallons of fresh fluid (my daughter's '03 Grand Am 2.2 took 7 3/4 qts.)goes a long way.
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
As with any 8 year old car with an unknown service history, I would change the coolant and power steering fluid.
If you access to ramps, I would change the transmission fluid also. 10 bolts out, reuse the gasket, replace what comes out, 10 bolts back. If you're up to it change the trans filter also, but 2 gallons of fresh fluid (my daughter's '03 Grand Am 2.2 took 7 3/4 qts.)goes a long way.
100% agree..
And one fluid people commonly overlook..
Brake fluid.. It does need changing every once in a while..
As with any 8 year old car with an unknown service history, I would change the coolant and power steering fluid.
If you access to ramps, I would change the transmission fluid also. 10 bolts out, reuse the gasket, replace what comes out, 10 bolts back. If you're up to it change the trans filter also, but 2 gallons of fresh fluid (my daughter's '03 Grand Am 2.2 took 7 3/4 qts.)goes a long way.
100% agree..
And one fluid people commonly overlook..
Brake fluid.. It does need changing every once in a while..
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
Transmission fluid doesn't belong in the crankcase. Modern motor oil has much more detergent. Consider the environments where they reside.
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
Transmission fluid doesn't belong in the crankcase. Modern motor oil has much more detergent. Consider the environments where they reside.
I would typically agree but transmission fluid is much more aggressive. it wont hurt for a couple hundred miles.. Esp. When the car holds 5 qts.. Half to whole qt won't hurt..
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
Transmission fluid doesn't belong in the crankcase. Modern motor oil has much more detergent. Consider the environments where they reside.
This.
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
Transmission fluid doesn't belong in the crankcase. Modern motor oil has much more detergent. Consider the environments where they reside.
This.
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
I would typically agree but transmission fluid is much more aggressive. it wont hurt for a couple hundred miles.. Esp. When the car holds 5 qts.. Half to whole qt won't hurt..
but why? VOA has shown that transmission fluid does not have much detergent, and its only benefit is being thin. Using any 5wX oil would be much better.
I would typically agree but transmission fluid is much more aggressive. it wont hurt for a couple hundred miles.. Esp. When the car holds 5 qts.. Half to whole qt won't hurt..
but why? VOA has shown that transmission fluid does not have much detergent, and its only benefit is being thin. Using any 5wX oil would be much better.
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
I would typically agree but transmission fluid is much more aggressive. it wont hurt for a couple hundred miles.. Esp. When the car holds 5 qts.. Half to whole qt won't hurt..
If anything, it would weaken the add pack of the existing motor oil. Although it may not hurt his engine, it is certainly not going to help either.
I would typically agree but transmission fluid is much more aggressive. it wont hurt for a couple hundred miles.. Esp. When the car holds 5 qts.. Half to whole qt won't hurt..
If anything, it would weaken the add pack of the existing motor oil. Although it may not hurt his engine, it is certainly not going to help either.
To the OP.... Quaker State Defy.
Transmission fluid on average has about 1/10th of the detergent of a good cleaning oil like Pennzoil conventional. I would not be putting that in my crankcase. You would also be dropping your viscosity.
Short oil intervals are a good idea, consider the proper 5w30 for the next oci.
I would not consider the Valvoline conventional a top cleaning oil with its sodium based additives but it's certainly much better than what was in there. Valvoline conventional is known to produce good used oil analysis, but for a dirty engine I would look for high calcium products like Pennzoil conventional.
Short oil intervals are a good idea, consider the proper 5w30 for the next oci.
I would not consider the Valvoline conventional a top cleaning oil with its sodium based additives but it's certainly much better than what was in there. Valvoline conventional is known to produce good used oil analysis, but for a dirty engine I would look for high calcium products like Pennzoil conventional.
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
... for a dirty engine I would look for high calcium products like Pennzoil conventional.
... for a dirty engine I would look for high calcium products like Pennzoil conventional.
For cleaning, I recommend a 10w30 HDEO and Kreen
10w30 HDEO products would be a good choice too. Rotella T is very affordable for your 4k ocis.
Originally Posted By: Flareside302
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
This old wives tale had been around since the 60's...it just won't die....
Go about 2k miles and drain a qt or so out, replace with trans fluid, go couple hundred miles, drop and change filter and go with your planned OCI..
This old wives tale had been around since the 60's...it just won't die....
on my 70 coupe de ville the first brake fluid change was in the year 1999 when the master cylinder was replaced. i have since flushed the system the brake fluid was black in the lines car has super low miles and is in showroom condition
Good point but there is no such thing as "winter" in Lafourche Parish, LA.
I would put in some inexpensive oil like Supertech 5W30, replacing one quart with Gunk Motor Flush or kerosene. Run for 5 minutes, drain, add more cheap oil, run for 10 minutes, drain and change the oil with Pennzoil conventional.
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