Shying Away From Havoline 5w30

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Years ago I didn't like Havoline because it seemed to cause engine noises in my cars and/or motorcycles that I didn't feel good about. I think it may be doing it again but this time with my Ford Fiesta. I bought some Havoline 5w20 in the 6 quart box. I like the idea for the environment that the plastic bags break down faster than jugs, but this oil doesn't seem like it's going to work for me long term, When I accelerate from a stop, if I step on it enough, I seem to hear tappets or something sometimes before it shifts up. I didn't notice this when I got the car when it had Valvoline conv 5w20 in it, or with the NAPA SB 5w20 I ran for a while after. I would have been better off to keep running either of those oils but I wanted to give the oil in the box a try so I did an OCI with it, and I'm not pleased with it. I'm going to change it again (I "might" wait until Spring, or might not) with QS or ST, and I doubt I'll hear those noises with these oils. If I do, I'll switch to Castrol which I've ran in cars I put over 250k miles on with very good results. I don't think the Havoline would hurt my engine if I kept running it until mid March as I planned to do. If I don't accelerate too much too fast I probably won't hear that tappet noise. I could have got the 5w30 Havoline, or the synthetic Pro DS 5w20 but I don't plan to.

Now I will try QS conv or ST conv. If I hear the noise with either of them, I'm switching to the big three and will not look back : Castrol, Valvoline, or PZ conv.
It's just that I almost never listen to the radio or to music when I drive any more. I listen to the sounds the car makes. I'll try QS and maybe ST because they're about $5 cheaper than the big 3 I mentioned above. But part of me just says I should run Castrol right now and forget about the other brands. If I heard any noises like that with Castrol, I could pretty much be sure it's not what I think it is but I'm willing to bet I will not.
 
I've run Havoline in the past and never experienced what you are talking about. What you may be hearing is the notorious Ford Powershift (DCT) Transmission. The next oil change in my Escape will be Havoline Pro DS 5W30.
 
Gee it just gave me a totally different feel.


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Originally Posted by PimTac
Is this Havoline only in your sump or a cocktail of oils?


Havoline only.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Gee it just gave me a totally different feel.



But isn't this with Pro DS?
 
JohnnyJohnson yours is 10w30 and he ran 5w20. I ran 5w20 Havoline ProDs in the Caravan with same result. Noise on acceleration as well as noisier overall and my fuel economy dropped. I ran it for 6 months and had about 3k when I changed back to Valvoline Daily Protection 5w20. Everything returned to normal within a short time. I am just under 1000 miles with this oil and quiet can't even describe it more like silent. I wouldn't say that you aren't noticing this as I had same experience with 5w20.

2018 Grand Caravan
3.6
13130
 
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Originally Posted by tiger862
JohnnyJohnson yours is 10w30 and he ran 5w20. I ran 5w20 Havoline ProDs in the Caravan with same result. Noise on acceleration as well as noisier overall and my fuel economy dropped. I ran it for 6 months and had about 3k when I changed back to Valvoline Daily Protection 5w20. Everything returned to normal within a short time. I am just under 1000 miles with this oil and quiet can't even describe it more like silent. I wouldn't say that you aren't noticing this as I had same experience with 5w20.

2018 Grand Caravan
3.6
13130


Interesting that even the Pro DS 5w20 does that.

I could try 5w30 but that would be going against what Ford recommends for my car so instead I will switch brands and stay with 5w20.
 
If you liked the Valvoline, and you feel like it kept the valvetrain noise down, why not just switch back to it when you change the oil?
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
JohnnyJohnson yours is 10w30 and he ran 5w20. I ran 5w20 Havoline ProDs in the Caravan with same result. Noise on acceleration as well as noisier overall and my fuel economy dropped. I ran it for 6 months and had about 3k when I changed back to Valvoline Daily Protection 5w20. Everything returned to normal within a short time. I am just under 1000 miles with this oil and quiet can't even describe it more like silent. I wouldn't say that you aren't noticing this as I had same experience with 5w20.

2018 Grand Caravan
3.6
13130


My fuel economy didn't drop period. I know other BITOG users who are currently running this oil and have problems zero?
 
I have had no problems with Pro DS 0w20. No noises at all. The engine runs quiet and smooth. Fuel economy is excellent.

I think that Ford is ready to let go.
 
Didn't have any trouble when using Havoline in the past in various vehicles back when it was on clearance at O'Reilly.

However, when I put Pennzoil in a 1983 Chevy truck that I bought for $700 that had been sitting in a field for 15 years I did hear some engine noise so Pennzoil must be a terrible oil. ...‚
 
Originally Posted by Mr_Luke


I could try 5w30 but that would be going against what Ford recommends for my car so instead I will switch brands ...




Good plan. A different car will solve the problem for sure ... LOL. Oh, that's NOT what you meant ?

It's the CAR, not the OIL.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Gee it just gave me a totally different feel.


[Linked Image]



Nearly 7k - nice! And great report! I've got the Havoline 5w30 SB HM in mine right now and I regularly run Supreme 5w30 also. I'll run the SB in there 'till Spring and switch over to a 10w30 or I might run the RGT 5/30 next, just depends on what the overnight lows are like come March.
 
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I will say that Havoline Pro DS or semi synthetic blend Havoline runs great and quiet in my Nissan Altima VQ...

However it did not run as quiet in the lady's Camry 2.2 motor... Motorcraft 5w30 ran way quieter than Havoline or Pennzoil in that car.

In fact a mix of Lubrigold and Coastal 5w30 runs really quite quiet in her car...

Hard to explain how all that is the way it is... Though sometimes is can be really very obvious. The one time I put a mix of Super S semi synthetic blend and Cam2 in her Camry... It was Loud from the very beginning... When I changed it to the Federated Auto semi synthetic oil made by Warren Distribution as soon as I started the Camry it was loud for about a 1/2 second... Then way, way quieter... Like that was Helen Keller obvious.
 
Over time with the Havoline ProDS 0w20 I had in my 300 it seemed to get louder. Maybe it sheared down? Maybe it was just my imagination? I have no clue, forgot to take a sample and send it in. Silent now with the Castrol.
 
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