recommend an oil for this....

[askoop]

I've taken over the maintenance of my mother in laws car. It is a 1999 Dodge Avenger with the 2.7 I believe.

In the past, she usually took it to a walmart and had them use pennzoil. I think she used 10w30 in summer and 5w30 in winter.

right now she has Mobil 5000 (from my free batch) 10w30 in it. I will change that this week for her.

Here is the hard part. She barely drives. She walks to work when she can, and it is nothing for her car to sit in the garage for a week at a time between the 25 minute trip to church. When she does drive, work is less than a mile away. Her air filter is a K&N. We are located in Northwest PA, so summers between 70 and 95 and winters are usually in the 20s.

My thoughts are use a quality dino and change twice a year. I would be surprised if she even got to 3K in the 6 or so months between changes. 10w30 in for summer and 5w30 in for winter. Filter will most likely be a purolater of some kind, depending on what is on sale.

Recommendations?

 

[55Test]

Is this the 2.7 V6 that's so well known for sludge problems? If that's the case, I'd go with a good synthetic in the winter, and continue to run synthetic in the summer, or at least a high quality 15w40 diesel engine oil for the summer months. I may be overr-reacting a bit though.

 

[Gilitar]

Definately go with a synthetic in that car. That 2.7 is one of the biggest sludge monsters known to man. I would not recommend running an extended drain interval in that car either. Change it every 3,000 miles with a good synthetic 5w-30 (Mobil 1) and try to use Wix oil filters available at Oreily's Auto Parts.

 

[labman]

If you run dino, I would have it on the same 90 day OCI I use for my lightly driven truck. Chances are, she never flogs it. Stick to 5W-30 year around. Definitely in the winter. I grew up near where I 79 and I 80 cross. Even with ''global warming?'', you still see some cold weather spells.

I should add, batteries don't stay up when the car sits a week in the cold. Good argument for an 0w-30 syn.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Synthetic for that engine. I would go with Mobil-1 EP. Keep an eye on her mileage. She may only need once a year OCs if she's only driving 6K annually.

 

[askoop]

She has the K&N because my FIL thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He is the kind of guy that if he thinks it, it must be true. We have to go behind his back to change her oil, but he wont do it himself. (dont get me started) If he opened her hood and saw a paper in place of his beloved K&N, he would flip. He already flipped when he found out I changed a fog light bulb for her. Luckly he is too lazy to get on the ground and check that the oil filter is different.

Right now I just cant afford to use synthetic in her car too. I will use Mobil 5000 5w30 and a premium plus for the winter. Hopefully what little "cleaning agent" that is in there will "help" with any potential sludge.

Maybe in the spring, when it gets changed again, I will be able to afford synthetic for another car. Maybe I will find some on clearance between now and then.

Do you think I would be safe with a yearly change of synthetic and a PureOne filter? (It is mounted holes up, so ADBV doesnt matter)

 

[Gilitar]

If you can afford Mobil 5000 you could also afford Super-Tech synthetic oil from Wal-Mart. The stuff is like $13 for a gallon. Go synthetic with that 2.7 or you are risking it.

 

[LarryL]

I would use a dyno oil like Chevron Supreme and add Lube Control per directions on the bottle. Chevron Supreme is often available at discount stores by the case. Lube Control is available on this web site. Ask Jeff the owner for the bitog.com price for a gallon bottle. Put a shock dose in for the first dose, and 1 oz ever 1k miles after that and each oil change.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

quote:

---

Originally posted by askoop:

Here is the hard part. She barely drives. She walks to work when she can, and it is nothing for her car to sit in the garage for a week at a time between the 25 minute trip to church. When she does drive, work is less than a mile away. Her air filter is a K&N. We are located in Northwest PA, so summers between 70 and 95 and winters are usually in the 20s.

Recommendations?

---

Why does your mother in law, who barely drives, have a K&N air filter? I would get rid of that thing and go back to a paper filter, then use an inexpensive synthetic on 3k intervals and a high quality filter such as a PureONE, Premium Plus, Mobil1, etc.

 

[LarryL]

...oops, do 3-5k mile oil changes.

 

[KJA426]

I'd ditch the K&N for a paper filter and run a synthetic oil with a Wix or Pure One and change the oil once a year. Perhaps, you could take this car for a decent drive every month for her.

 

[Intrepid]

I drive a 99 Dodge Intrepid 2.7L.....and yes the 2.7L are prone to engine failure due to sludge. Don't play around with these engines, or you'll develop a knocking sound on startup if not a blown motor.

I run Mobil 1 10w-30 w/ a Napa Gold filter because of the excellent anti-drain back valve. But in your case, a Puralator filter will do just fine. But use snythetic oil....more lubrication, less oil changes. The dry start is the number one wear factor in engines....let's don't cause anymore harm than the 2.7L is already doing.

When you get some more cash, invest in LubeContrl LC20.....this will help with the sludge. And tell your lazy father in law to move out of the way and let the man of the house run things.

 

[DaveJ]

Like LarryL said, Chevron Supreme. The 5W30 should be good for year round use. I get a 12 Case at Sams Club for $14. At times the Checker/Shucks/Kragen Chain stores have it on sale and also have a rebate form so the cost is about $0.89 a qt. Any of the above recomended filters above will work, I like Napa Gold or Carquests best. I would do a twice a year change. You should do a AutoRx flush if you are too worred about sludge. DaveJ

 

[vad]

The car that is barely driven with a sludge prone motor!
Get rid of it before if fails!

Or use a synthetic!!!

 

[Hokiefyd]

We have lots of those 2.7L engines in Stratuses in our GSA vehicle fleet. No problems with engine sludge. Oil is changed, if lucky, every 5000 miles. I'd use a regular dino oil and change it a few times a year as you were originally thinking, maybe even every 4 months.

 

[Winston]

Quite the range of suggestions. The car does not need 10W30. As you noted that she probably drives less than 6k a year, and money is an issue. To me, time is always an issue too. So, my .02.

1. Change the pcv valve.
2. Option 1 Mobil 7500 5W30(grp III). Supertech filter. Annual oil changes. I would not waste the money on the Pure One filter. I would just go with the Premium Plus.
3. Option 2 Chevron 5W30 on sale. With with Purolator filter and semi-annual oil changes.

 

[Ugly3]

Stay with Wal*Mart twice a year.

 

[askoop]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. I changed it last night for her. She has the 2.5L NOT the 2.7L. That made me feel a lot better when I opened the hood.

At least now I will know how to take care of a 2.7 if I ever come across one (and am dumb enough to buy it now).