What oil is best for 1989 Corolla?

[EAGLE777]

Hi,
First time posting here and I need some advise.
What is the best oil for my car and climate?
I know there is no best oil.
Here are all my specifications:
1989 Toyota Corolla 4A-F engine 260,000 miles
Owners manual says API SF/CC or SG
SAE from 5W-30 to 20W-50
OCI recommended 5000 miles under severe conditions
I drive a mixture of city and highway
I work from home so I don't commute
I have been using Chevron Supreme 20W-50 because I thought I needed a thicker oil for an over the hill car.
My eyes have been opened.
The car used to leak oil every 3000 miles or so due to bad gaskets and seals. When my mechanic replaced the timing belt he replaced all the necessary gaskets and 2 oil seals, now it doesn't leak at all or at least as much.(Has only been 1 month)

I live in Western Washington. Tacoma actually

I would like the opinions of the this forums memebers as to which oil I should be using in this car. Oh,It is my daily driver and only car. Maintainance is very important to me.

I have been buy the Chevron Supreme 20W-50 conventional oil at Costco with a coupon for about $15.00 a case.

I prefer over the counter oils rather than online.
I don't care if it's conventional, synthetic, or a blend.
Just want the best for my situation.
I have used Walmart's Super Tech in past,but that was before becoming Costco member.

That is all the info I can think at the moment , will answer questions when they come up.

Thanks in advance,
Jabe

 

[bullwinkle]

You can't go wrong with Valvoline MaxLife, since you live in a fairly cool/temperate area 5W30 would probably be the best viscosity to use, sure others will chime in. And,

 

[Spyder7]

Valvoline MaxLife syn blend would be a good oil to try. Having replaced your bad gaskets and seals, this is a good oil to swell them up and help reduce or eliminate any further consumption. I'm not familiar enough with your climate to recommend a viscosity. I wouldn't run it past 5k though, as posted UOAs are showing a trend toward Valvoline TBNs getting too low beyond that mark.

-Spyder

 

[eljefino]

If costco has diesel 15w40 oil that would be pretty sweet. I wouldn't go thicker than a Xw40.

 

[fdcg27]

Any dual rated 15W-40 HDEO would do well for you.
Delo, Delvac, Tection; it doesn't matter.

 

[Steve S]

oil is oil, if the rating is proper as is the viscosity, so is the oil.

 

[beast3300]

15w40 takes my vote.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
oil is oil, if the rating is proper as is the viscosity, so is the oil.


Wouldn't this forum be pointless if that were true? Maybe partly true, in that to meet a given certification (SL, SM, etc), there are minimum and maximum values for different wear metals, solvents, base stock performance, etc. But there's enough of a gap that two oils can be different enough for one to be better for a given application than another (even where both are same grade, same certification). For example, to single out two oils that are both API SM SAE 5W30 GF-4 Energy Conserving, and point out some of the bigger differences between them:


1. Cam2 Synthetic Blend 5W30

TBN 6.6
Viscosity @ 100C 9.26
Viscosity @ 40C 53.97
NOACK 14.7

Calcium 1887
Zinc 750
Moly 34
Boron 240
Sulphur 3,611
Sodium
2. Formula Shell 5W30 (dino)

TBN 8.1
Viscosity @ 100C 10.4
Viscosity @ 40C 59.36
NOACK 13.4

Calcium 2,042
Zinc 887
Moly 226
Boron 74
Sulphur 2,595
Sodium
Even though they are both marked and sold as being API SM SAE 5W30 and GF-4 Energy Conserving, I think the differences between them are significant enough that I would pick one in a heartbeat over the other (and pay extra for it as well).

I would want the Formula Shell because it has a significantly stronger TBN, is a little thicker and doesn't burn off as easily, and has more calcium, zinc, Moly (a lot more Moly), and a lot less sulphur. All of which is good. Cam2 has more boron, but not enough to offset the other differences between these two oils.

Does that mean I'd recommend Formula Shell in this particular application? No, but it clearly and easily demostrates that all oils marked as meeting the same grade and certifications are not the same.

-Spyder

 

[Merkava_4]

I'd either run MaxLife 10W-30 or 10W-40 is that Toyota; not sure which.

 

[crinkles]

I'd stick to a 20w-50 in that vintage automobile if you don't have any cold weather issues.

 

[Spyder7]

I think it'd be better to start with a thinner oil like a 10W40 rather than jump right away to something as thick as a 20W50. Especially since he's not racing it

. You want an oil that's just thick enough and no thicker than that. Where the gaskets were done, a good high mileage oil (like MaxLife) will help swell them up and condition them, so that you don't need a thick oil to mask an oil leak you no longer have.

I recommend MaxLife because it has a high flashpoint (doesn't burn off easily), good tbn, lots of Moly, zinc, and enough detergents to keep the engine clean provided you don't push it too hard. I'd keep the OCI to 5K.

Neither your usage nor the climate warrants something as thick as a 20W50. You might even be fine with a 10W30, but where the car is used to the thick oil you've been using before, I'd just go down to a 10W40. Thinner but still thick enough imho.

Edit: FWIW, once I get my engine clean (fairly recently bought used car) I will probably switch to MaxLife as well. Where mine has significant sludge, I'm using higher detergent oils (as of next OC) to clean it out first. Once its clean and the cause of my oil consumption is confirmed and corrected, I may switch to MaxLife but stick to 5W30. I see the switch as being inevitable, but I don't want to use an HM oil to mask consumption (I prefer to find and fix the cause first). In your case, this is already done, so I see no reason not to use it now.

-Spyder

 

[Cutehumor]

with 260k miles on the engine, I would look for a high mileage oil that has the extra additives like maxlife, pennzoil HM, or castrol HM. I would start with 5w30 HM oil at first. if there is consumption or noise, I would move up to 10w30 on the next oil change.

 

[1WildPig]

Yep, what bullwinkle and Cutehumor said ... I'd start with Valvoline Maxlife synthetic blend in 5w30 and go from there.

 

[Spyder7]

MaxLife has the majority of support so far (by far).

Viscosity recommendations are all over the map, but the majority of them fall between 5W30 - 15W40.

I think a 15W anything is a poor choice for the OPs car and climate (its not being driven in Mexico, or raced).

So tossing the 15W out (because they are objectively not the best choice just by looking at the car, climate, and temperature range that 15W is recommended in), it narrows it to 5W30 - 10W40.

Staying with the "thick as necessary," but no thicker, and adding in what others here have said, 5W30 MaxLife might be a good place to start. If there are any consumption issues, you can increase on the next OCI to a 10W30, and if necessary after that, a 10W40. But 5W30 may be all you need, and the only way to find out is to try it.

I think that's a pretty solid plan.

-Spyder

 

[Andyge]

good 5W-30 of your choice.

http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/motoroil/car_care/which_oil/WhichOilOption1.aspx


Andy

 

[EAGLE777]

WOW, really good replies. I didn't expect so many so soon.
MaxLife seems like a really good oil,but do I need it? The car is not burning or leaking oil.
I do need to get away from the 20W50 I have been using, what should I do with the remainder of the case I got at Costco? 8 quarts remaining. Can i blend it with something for Fall/Winter until it used up?
I would like to go to 5W430 or 10W3O. The amazing thing is i cannot see any signs of sludge,I know Toyota's are bad about this.

Really, my next big question is what to do about the 20W50 I have left over.

 

[Spyder7]

The HM oils like MaxLife tend to have more anti-wear additives, and seal swellers and conditioners to help stop and prevent gasket seal leaks. As seals age they become brittle and prone to leaking. The conditioners soften them up, helping them seal better.

You dont need it, but it can lesson wear and help prolong the life of your engine.

Blending oil viscosity is generally frowned upon. And the sludge thing with Toyotas is something that has been blown out of all proportion. The Corollas in particular have no documented history of being sludge prone.

Mine has it, but thats only because all the right precursors were there to create it. Its not due to a design flaw or defect.

You could use any approved oil, and strictly speaking, none of them would be wrong. But theres enough differences between the various oils, even within the same viscosity grade and certifications, to make some better suited for a particular application than others.

-Spyder

 

[Andyge]

Pat Goss from motor week says that you do not need HM oil unless you have a car that is burning and or leaking oil.

Andy

 

[Spyder7]

I guess you missed the sentence where I said:

You dont need it...

The rest of the sentence was that it can help prolong the life of the engine. Has Pat Goss from motor week said anything to the contrary.

According to his engine specs, he doesnt even need an API SM rated oil at all, since the spec didnt exist when his car was built - if you want to talk about need.

That does little to help the OP, though, since he did not ask what oil his engine needed. He asked what would be the best for it. Does Pat Goss from Motor week have an opinion on that - I would love to hear it if he does (even though I have no idea who Pat Goss from Motorweek is).

-Spyder

 

[Andyge]

Spyder,

you can say the same thing about Synthetic Oil.