New User/First Post! ----> Oil Recommendation!?

[satellite]

First post, thought I would throw an oil recommendation thread out there to get things started...should be a decent one as there are a few interesting factors to the car.

1. What kind of vehicle you have?
1989 Plymouth Sundance RS w/ 189,500 miles (2.2L Turbo 1 - w/ MBC, 2.5" exhaust)...engine rebuilt about 30,000 miles ago

2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well?
I know for sure it recommends 10w30 every 3,000 miles in Schedule B (harsher conditions)...will check on API and etc. when it's light out.

3. Where you live?
Omaha, NE (Very cold winters...Hot summers)

4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)
Mix of easy driving/crusing and WOT bursts occasionally for fun

5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)
Mostly short city trips to and from work (about 20 minute drive)

6. Whether your car has any known problems?
Only some piston slap and minor engine noise (supposedly normal for these cars).


The main issue here is conventional vs. synthetic for me. As far as I know, the car has had conventional oil (Valvoline) for nearly it's entire life. The previous owner apparently hated synthetic oils and recommended I did not use them? I want to switch as I have had great luck with Mobil 1 Full Synthetic, but I've never done a switch with so many miles on a car.

Unfortunately, this winter I believe the car had 10w30 in it. When it was cold (below 0) out it would whine pretty bad on startup (oil starvation?). Now that it's warmer (50-70 degrees) the car runs great. Usually never sees above 200 degrees coolant temp, but I am running a little more boost than stock (currently about 13psi).

I actually have a Mobil 1 filter and a jug of 10w30 Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic oil in my garage and was going to use it, but I have also seen some interesting posts about the PP...couldn't figure out if people thought it was good or bad?

Anyway, great forum you guys have here. I'm very excited to be a part of it and learn all I can. Also hoping to get some oil analysis by Blackstone done in the near future.

Annnnnd....fire away!

 

[Colt45ws]

PP is good stuff. I wouldnt hesitate in using it.

 

[eoghan]

I live just south of you in Papillion!

I would go ahead and use what you have and not worry too much about it, just be aware that syn will clean up the engine and it will be very dark oil in short order after the change. At least that has been my experience whenever I changed from conventional to synthetic. Also keep and eye out for any seal leaks, not that the syn will make the seals leak but if you have a bad seal already that may be sealed with dirt the syn can clean it up and could make it leak a little bit. However since your engine was rebuilt not that long ago that should be a small chance of that happening.

Good luck!!! You will like the syn in the winter!!! I don't have to let our vehicle warm up in the winter anymore I just start it up and drive slow for the first couple of miles.

 

[satellite]

Originally Posted By: eoghan

I live just south of you in Papillion!

I would go ahead and use what you have and not worry too much about it, just be aware that syn will clean up the engine and it will be very dark oil in short order after the change. At least that has been my experience whenever I changed from conventional to synthetic. Also keep and eye out for any seal leaks, not that the syn will make the seals leak but if you have a bad seal already that may be sealed with dirt the syn can clean it up and could make it leak a little bit. However since your engine was rebuilt not that long ago that should be a small chance of that happening.

Good luck!!! You will like the syn in the winter!!! I don't have to let our vehicle warm up in the winter anymore I just start it up and drive slow for the first couple of miles.



Haha...always a small world.

I'm actually heading around there this morning to get my 2.5" exhaust all fixed up and sounding good (new pipes and muffler). Thanks for the advice. Currently, the car doesn't leak a drop (which is crazy rare for these cars) so I'll probably try the PP syn...I guess I can always go back if the syn opens up the flood gates...lol

 

[satellite]

Any other recommendations? I would try a high mileage oil...but I'm also concerned about the turbo and possible coking (which is why I want to switch to synthetic in a hurry).

 

[Colt45ws]

I wouldnt worry about synthetic doing anything like that. Thats a myth. Besides, with 30k on a rebuild it should be basically new.
There is always Mobil 1 High Mileage.

 

[NHHEMI]

PP would be fine as would any name brand synthetic.

 

[addyguy]

Any 10w30 synthetic would be a fine choice.

IF you wanted to save some money on the 3k changes, a 10w30 HDEO would also work well.

 

[Gator]

!989 with Turbo, if I used Conventional oil it would be a HDEO oil 15w40, Rotella, Dello or Mobil delvac which is on sale right now 2 for 3. If I went to synthetic it would be the T-6 Rotella 5W40. Both will be good for 7,500 miles.

 

[fsskier]

The turbo pretty much pushes conventional oil to the limit...
either the Pennzoil or Mobil 1 synthetics would be perfect for your application. 15W40 conventional oil may well leave you stranded on cold mornings.... 0W30 synthetic should cover all your bases year around... 0W40 is available for the "thick oil" crowd.

 

[mechtech2]

If given one choice, I'd use Mobil 1 0w40 for year-round use.
It is a factory fill on many turbo and high performance cars.
It will have very good flow when cold/cool.
It will have great viscosity when real hot [from that turbo].

 

[[RT] ProjUltraZ]

was it a good rebuild? did it feel like new or better than 160K or no difference?

i think any good 5 or 10w30 should be fine. for OCI try 5,000 and do a used oil analysis and post it here. HDEO 40s too but you should try both

 

[satellite]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
If given one choice, I'd use Mobil 1 0w40 for year-round use.
It is a factory fill on many turbo and high performance cars.
It will have very good flow when cold/cool.
It will have great viscosity when real hot [from that turbo].


Now that is an idea I like...

I loved the 0w40 when I used it in my SRT-4 year-round....annnd it was recommended by one of the SRT engineers on the srtforums.

 

[satellite]

Originally Posted By: [RT
ProjUltraZ] was it a good rebuild? did it feel like new or better than 160K or no difference?

i think any good 5 or 10w30 should be fine. for OCI try 5,000 and do a used oil analysis and post it here. HDEO 40s too but you should try both


Unfortunately, I have only owned the car for the last 1,000 miles or so...

The guy who owned it before me literally has like 5 of these turbododge-type of cars. He has an awesome 1985 Omni GLH-T as well. He definitely knows what he is doing and the car is the best running car with 180,000 miles I have driven.

There is a very small amount of black smoke on startup, but other than that no major issues or noises to speak of.

 

[satellite]

I'm very much considering the 0w40 after I use up the 10w30 I have in my garage. I think that will provide great oil to the needed places on startup and hopefully quiet the engine downa a little bit after it warms up.

Any negative comments on the 0w40?


Thanks guys for the opinions and responses. Good stuff.

 

[JSP]

Due to the cold winters, short trips, and the turbo, I would choose a synthetic. Since it is an older engine design with a turbo I think a 0W-40 or 5W-40 synthetic would be the most appropriate choice for year-round use.