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zam

Joined
Feb 8, 2003
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Location
Idaho
I've done a search on the search page and I've looked all over the forum in the past weeks. I'm still confused.

Is it safe to run a synthetic or blend in a higher mileage motor. Facts are below.

1. Nissan Z24 (2.4 liter four cylinder, cross flow heads, 8 spark plug design.)

2. 155,000 miles

3. Does not burn an abnormal amount of oil. Drove from Idaho to Kansas and used less than a quart.

4. Shows no sign of any leakage except at the drain plug where its always had a leak due to the fact that I've been to lazy to replace the O-ring on the plug bolt.

5. Truck has ALWAYS had regular changes every 3000 miles with different brands of dino oil. Quaker state for its first 10 years of life after that whatever I felt like putting in.

I'd like to try a synthetic blend or a full synthetic but I don't want to create an oil leak.
 
heres the way i see it.... at 155K you have obviously been doing things right so why change? If anything run some Auto-rx in there and use a good filter and some mobil 1 drive clean oil. While you are doing work on it make sure all the other fluids still look good, maybe flush the radiator and put new belt and hoses. You have obviously kept it in good shape so why change?
 
Maybe you can try those Group III synthetics. They're also from hydrocracked petroluem. It would be a good idea to run an oil analysis, before & after, to see if it really makes any difference in wear protection.
 
No synthetic oil on the market today will attack any seals or gaskets. If you already have a bad seal or gasket, but there is a false seal of gunk/sludge, you will find the leak if you change to synthetic (or maybe another brand of non-synthetic).
If the engine is in good shape, you should be able to change without problem. I've change cars to AMSOIL with 200,000 on them. In the past 15 years, have had 2 or 3 develop bad leaks. They had all been poorly maintained before change.
 
I'll just add that I've also seen several high-mileage vehicles that began leaking with synthetic slow and stop after a few thousand miles. Assume the process began with cleaning of the junk that had been obstructing the seals. The seals had dried up, and once exposed to oil again began to leak. Over time the synth swelled/conditioned the seals enough to slow and stop the leaks. YMMV.
 
This car is a perfect candidate for Schaeffer Supreme blend. It's got enough PAOs to make it perform like a fully synthetic, but doesn't have enough to cause leak problems.
 
Well, based on my experience of switching at least 3 engines over to synthetic (lower mileage then yours) I saw seepage anywhere from a few months to a year after switching. Sometimes it goes away sometimes not.

If your engine is running fine and it is clean inside IMO, if it ain't broke don't fix it. You are doing fine the way it is. Don't bother with additives or toying around for the better oil. In your case you have found it and stay with it.
 
Let me explain why I want a better oil.

Its the cold starts here in Idaho. It freezes in the wintertime and the motor starts hard every time. Its driving me nuts. I want an oil that starts easier. I want to go for a mileage record on this motor. It runs perfect after this many miles. I'd like to double it at least and I feel like these cold starts are just killing my motor.
 
quote:

Originally posted by zam:
Let me explain why I want a better oil.

Its the cold starts here in Idaho. It freezes in the wintertime and the motor starts hard every time. Its driving me nuts. I want an oil that starts easier. I want to go for a mileage record on this motor. It runs perfect after this many miles. I'd like to double it at least and I feel like these cold starts are just killing my motor.


If cold start performance is what you're after, try this: Use Mobil 1 0w30 during the winter, then switch to Mobil 1 10w30 during the summer.
 
quote:

Originally posted by zam:
Let me explain why I want a better oil.

Its the cold starts here in Idaho. It freezes in the wintertime and the motor starts hard every time. Its driving me nuts. I want an oil that starts easier. I want to go for a mileage record on this motor. It runs perfect after this many miles. I'd like to double it at least and I feel like these cold starts are just killing my motor.


If you want to stick with a dino just change grades for the seasons in my opinion on this.Somewhat a lost art if you will. PPL want too much out of a dino oil these days,,a 5/50 is nearing ridiculous IMO for use all year round. Also,some OTC dino oils just flat outperform others in cold weather be it a PAO Blend or not.

Do you personally have some oils in mind to use?
 
For a lower cost oil, I think Pennzoil 5w30 has some pretty amazing cold performance numbers.

(hey, look at my post count, now I'm a GM truck V6 engine)
smile.gif


[ February 10, 2003, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]
 
I've thought about running a 5w30 but I was afraid too because that grade wasn't out when the truck was made. My owners manual says 10w40. I've been brave enough to run 10w30 but the car starts hard even on that.

From what I've read here I should be using an oil with Moly in it. I don't like castrol because it has poor pour point and ccs ratings. I'm trying to avoid cold starts. I would use penzoil but my mechanic told me every motor he's opened with pennzoil has sludge in it. Is it true that Pennzoil will sludge up a motor?
 
quote:

Originally posted by zam:
I've thought about running a 5w30 but I was afraid too because that grade wasn't out when the truck was made. My owners manual says 10w40. I've been brave enough to run 10w30 but the car starts hard even on that.

From what I've read here I should be using an oil with Moly in it. I don't like castrol because it has poor pour point and ccs ratings. I'm trying to avoid cold starts. I would use penzoil but my mechanic told me every motor he's opened with pennzoil has sludge in it. Is it true that Pennzoil will sludge up a motor?


Geez, I wish I had a dollar for everytime someone throws out this "Pennzoil causes sludge" thing. This is nonsense if the oil is changed and proper engine maintenance is done. If the folks who owned these engines only changed their oil whenever they remembered to, then there is a good chance the engines were sludged up, and that would be the case no matter what oil was used.

Pennzoil is a good oil.
 
Hey, thanks for that post on the Pennzoil. I remember when I was a kid I used to watch Indy racing on T.V. with my Dad. I always liked Johnny Rutheford's car the best because it was bright Yellow and had red Pennzoil letters on it.

So, if 5-30 is ok in my truck I'll try Pennzoil on my next oil change. Does anybody care to comment on the use of that light of a weight oil in my early 80's Nissan?
 
quote:

Originally posted by rugerman1:
zam ,
Read Johnny's posts here Totally oil confused now!?!?!
I wouldn't blame a SL grade Pennzoil for sludge
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Mark


Johnny is incorrect IMO in saying every brand of dino is parrafinic and totally wax free. It just ain't so
nono.gif
,,there is the Napthenic which has better pour points and less wax than Parrifinic Base oils. There are still a few around but will not be found with a SL designation that I know of

Back to the topic,if it is that cold and you do not want to use a synthetic blend or a dino that will outpump the 5/30 pennzoil have you thought about a block heater? There are OTC oils some that have better CCS Numbers in a 5/30 wt.

Another thought,Mobil 0/30 through winter only? Then back to dino?

[ February 11, 2003, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: dragboat ]
 
Yes, but I'm not much of a mechanic except for changing the oil. Is it difficult to install a block heater.
 
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