Oil recomendation for '97 Geo Tracker 4x4

[oilpan49]

We are in the process of purchasing this Tracker from our neighbor. Believe it or not, it only has about 33K miles on it on both engine and tranny. It is motorvated by a 1.6L 4cyl engine mated to a 5spd manual tranny. My neighbor is retired and he just uses it for occasional around town stuff and once a year or more, he goes on vacations.

We have already test drove it, looked it over and asked the necessary questions and we really like it. We will be using it for pretty much the same reasons as my neighbor as a daily driver run around secondary car. It won't see long trips very often and daily run around town stuff. We want to go synthetic fluids everywhere including transfer case and differential.

I was thinking of going with either M1 or Amsoil 5w30 (maybe 5w40?) with use of LC, and a decent filter. Probably a Bosch Premium filter ($3.99 from AZ) with 10,000 mile OCI's Does this sound about right?? Thanks,,,,AR

 

[Drew99GT]

I personally think 10,000 miles is too much if your doing strictly short trip driving. I'd do a UOA maybe at, 5,000? Just to see where things are at such as fuel and moisture contamination, insolubles etc. Maybe this would be a good case for shorter dino intervals. Just a thought.

 

[Flimflam]

Airborne, I have a Suzuki Sidekick Sport with 1.8L inline 4-cylinder engine. One of the UOA's is in here somewhere already, but I have another UOA sample on its way to Blackstone, and it should be out in one or two week. I used to use Castrol GTX 10w-40, sometimes Castrol HD-30 monograde, but past 2 oil changes, have used Chevron DELO 15w-40 since people tell me it keeps the engine cleaner and is more shear stable.

I have messed with Suzuki Sidekicks since 1990. In those days, I used Castrol GTX 20w-50. Now, oils are better, so I don't need to use such heavy dino oil anymore. 40 weight multigrade suffices most times.

No need to go to Synthetic oil. The UOA's are no better than the UOA's you will get with a quality mineral/dino oil.

 

[oilpan49]

Thanks guys. Flimflam, not to bash what you said but I think I will stick with synthetics. I have had good luck with them, there tougher, and I like to go the extra mile (no pun intended) for engine cleanliness and longer OCI's.

If these little buggers require a thicker oil such as a 40wt, that's ok but, there is not 1 place in this friggn town that sells T&SUV or something. Thanks again,,,AR

 

[04SpecV]

I'd just put a 10W30 or 5W30 Synthetic in it. If you notice big consumption then I'd look to other solutions. Is there really any proof that Diesel oil cleans better than others in a Gasoline engine??

 

[oilpan49]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 04SpecV:
I'd just put a 10W30 or 5W30 Synthetic in it. If you notice big consumption then I'd look to other solutions. Is there really any proof that Diesel oil cleans better than others in a Gasoline engine??

---

Thanks 04SpecV,

My Dad and I got to talking about Diesel oils. He claims that diesel oils contain more ash content, is this true??? I'm not really nuts about Geo Trackers but hey, it 4x4 and it's manual with only 33K miles. Rides like dog **** and that's ok. Thanks again,,,,AR

 

[JHZR2]

short trips? Start wth M1 5w-30 (or 10w-30), which Im sure the manual will have a suggestion for, run it for 5000 miles of short trip use, and then do a UOA to see how things go.

If you get it during the heat of the summer, maybe do one OCI, even if a short one, with a HDEO to clena anything that may be in there.

JMH