oil recommendation for corolla with tired engine

[NissanMaxima]

Hello all: I have a 1996 Corolla 4 cylinder 1.8 liter with over 250k miles. I bought it new and it has served well and is still in great condition but has developed some shift sensor and/or automatic transmission issues. It is just a matter of time before it will have to be sold as I have determined it is just not worth the expense of a transmission repair on a car that will likely need a engine rebuild soon especially when I'm looking for a AWD vehicle.

The other day when I was following behind the car, I noticed that there is puff of smoke when the person accelerated from a red light. The car has also been using about 1/2 qt of oil about every 1k miles or so.

Private sales here in Colorado require emissions test in hand to sell the car and they will fail the car for visible smoke. I have been using regular synthetic Mobil 1 5W-30 since the first oil change. Would changing to a high mileage Mobil product help with the smoke issue? I also see Mobil makes a high mileage synthetic and a high mileage conventional.

 

[Bandito440]

Mobil 1 10w-40 HM
Maxlife 10w-40
Defy 10w-40

One of those should reduce the consumption a bit.

 

[Nick1994]

A combination of 2 things:

 

[Dyusik]

20w50 with 2 qts of Lucas.

You only need it to run for a few hours to sell it, so...

 

[Mr Nice]

10w40 oil.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: NissanMaxima


Private sales here in Colorado require emissions test in hand to sell the car and they will fail the car for visible smoke.


I suspect this happens less than you think. You have intermittent smoke-- they'd fail for continuous eg from a blown head gasket.

 

[Ducked]

I had a car (Renault 5 Campus) fail the British MOT for "visible smoke".

I cleaned out the crank case breather, did an oil change with Castrol GTX (I think 20W50, which was probably what I was already using) and used a can of Wynns viscosity improver, which came out of the can like Tate and Lyle Golden Syrup.

It passed, but I'd also accidentally changed the MOT tester for the second test, which was probably the most important change made.

There's a lot of "testers judgement" subjectivity on the British test, and, (at least then, dunno about now) no objective standard for smokeiness.

I drained that stuff and kept it for next time, but it passed a few times after that without needing it again.

 

[Nissan101]

You all scream at 20w50, while here in the Caribbean even new cars (manual) states that its ok to use 20w50

 

[FCD]

Valvoline Maxlife 10w-40, it does wonders on old cars that leak /and/or burn oil.

 

[circuitsmith]

I wouldn't waste money pouring in synthetic.
Get some dino 10W-40.

 

[OPR4H]

Do a piston soak with a strong decarbonizer.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Nissan101
You all scream at 20w50, while here in the Caribbean even new cars (manual) states that its ok to use 20w50
Not all of us. Many are interested in what oils are recommended in places where mileage regulations don't affect oil grade. South Florida
and the Carrib have climates which are very similar, and owners might want to use your spec.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Since you've used Mobil 1 since new,you can always give Mobil 1 15W50 a try if you want a thicker oil that's a synth.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I would run MaxLife in it. Whatever weight you like.

 

[CELICA_XX]

My LS400 used to smoke a bit like you described, switching to Valvoline MaxLife solved it.

I use the full synthetic 5w-30 version in the gray bottle. I don't think you need a 40 or 50 weight oil.

 

[NissanMaxima]

Thanks all.

@ Nick1994

Perhaps I will take it for emissions and see if it passes rather than dump my M1 changed just 3 months ago and only 1k. They do give you another free shot at it if it fails.

One question ... since the manual specifies 5w-30, am I OK to step up to 10W on the lower end? I think I can understand that extending to 40W is OK since that extends beyond but still includes 30 weight, but is the idea here to use a slightly thicker oil? I just looked at a general viscosity vs. temperature chart and at least according to engineeringtoolbox.com, the lower limit of the 10W-40 is 0F vs. -20F for the 5W-30. 0F is still pretty darn cold so I guess that would still be OK for cold starts in winter.

PS when I was looking at choices at Walmart before posting, I couldn't believe Slick50 is still around.

 

[Cadha31]

I have a 1997 Corolla with a 1.6L and uses about 1 qt every 2k miles on 5w30. I'd stick with the original as specified.

I would say choosing a good oil filter for consistent oil flow and filtering is more important than the oil viscosity. At start up, the viscosities are too similar for then change and even when warm. I have no strange noises, just the ticks from the fuel injectors.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: Dyusik
20w50 with 2 qts of Lucas.

You only need it to run for a few hours to sell it, so...


Well, that's a complete ****-move...