Valvoline Max Life SynPower For 5.2L Jeep??

[AWESOMO4000]

I found a whole bunch of this (10w30)in 5qt jugs at W-Mart the other night for 21.00 - before the dreaded price increase to $22.50. I also picked up a jug of the Max Life Blend (10w30) for $14.00.

Which one should I use for my next oil change? I recently picked up a 164,000 mile Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 318 (5.2L). Has QS 10w30 in it now. My thinking was Blend for this one and then Full Synthetic in November for Winter/Colder Weather. I have a quart of German Castrol 0w30 as well from my 07 Mustang GT....was going to scoop up some more bottles and possibly use that too for winter. I thought that might flow better, but isn't German Castrol closer to a 40 weight when cold?

Which would be better? Engine doesn't leak or burn oil. There are some wet spots and weeping by the valve covers, but it doesn't drip oil on the ground at all from the engine.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Use the blend Maxlife or full syn Maxlife now to condition the seals and gaskets some, then if you want to use the GC 0W-30 in the winter that would work out fine. The 0W part of the GC will help with really cold morning starts. Yes, when at operating temps, the GC viscosity is toward the heavy side of a SAE 30 grade, in other words, nearly an SAE 40. It will protect an engine well in the hot weather too, and has a high resistance to viscosity shear.

Is the full syn oil you bought Maxlife or Synpower? It is one or the other. Or it could be Maxlife Full Synthetic. Regardless run one that says maxlife in your next oil change to help with the oil seepage, then whatever oil next.

 

[AWESOMO4000]

I bought both a 5qt jug of MaxLife Blend in the red bottle and Max Life Full Sythetic in the silver bottle. I know that they allegedly don't sell the full-syn Max Life in the big jugs anymore, but one of my two local W-Mart's has them aplenty still.

 

[bmwtechguy]

One thing disappointing with the full syn Maxlife was the change from A3 ACEA rating to A1. Apparently this oil has gone towards lighter viscosity and lower HTHS.

 

[Nick R]

Does that mean that a 10W-40 maxlife is thinner than a regular Dino 10W-40? That could explain the valve ticking after switching.