I just found out after owning a 1997 geo prizm with now 80,500 miles on it , I bought it in 2001 with 20,000. That it is supposed to take 5W-30 oil. The original oil cap and service manual were gone. So all this time for the last 8 years or so, I have been changing the oil with 10w30 winter and 10w40 summer..So it light of all of this...have I done anything wrong or that I should be worried about??? PS...never had one problem with the car,,knock on wood...does burn a little oil about 1/2 qt. or so per 3000 miles. mainly use valvoline dino or quaker state dino.
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NEVER REALIZED...5W-30 /Geo prizm
- Thread starter lucerne06
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My Prizm cap says 10w30. I believe the manual suggests either of the two - 10w or 5w30. I've have been using 5w30 because that's what my other car takes. Shouldn't be a problem.
My 94 with the same engine specs 10w-30. You caused no harm what-so-ever.
I'd probably skip the 10w-40 though; 10w-30 is plenty fine.
I'd probably skip the 10w-40 though; 10w-30 is plenty fine.
I wouldn't worry at all. The Prizm is just a re-badged Toyota Corolla, and as you know, they are absolutely bulletproof. You could feed them used french-fryer oil and they'd STILL go 300k.
You might want to switch to 5W-30 for the winter, and keep using 10W-30 in the summer. If you will do that, you will most likely notice that the car will start easier on cold mornings. With the slightly thinner 5W-30, you 'might' notice slightly more consumption, but it still isn't a problem. Some people on here have this car, and it consumes 1 quart per 1k miles!
If you're not comfortable with switching, just keep doing what you are doing. Car will still make it to 300k easily.
You might want to switch to 5W-30 for the winter, and keep using 10W-30 in the summer. If you will do that, you will most likely notice that the car will start easier on cold mornings. With the slightly thinner 5W-30, you 'might' notice slightly more consumption, but it still isn't a problem. Some people on here have this car, and it consumes 1 quart per 1k miles!
If you're not comfortable with switching, just keep doing what you are doing. Car will still make it to 300k easily.
I don't see why you wouldn't run 5W-30 year 'round. Even though it's not "cold" in the summer, any cold start has the oil's viscosity much higher than optimal, and the 5W-30 is going to start the oil closer to being "thin enough" than the 10W-30 will.
Although my Dodge Dakota's 5.2L engine recommends 10W-30 for all temperatures above zero, and 5W-30 for all temperatures below 60 deg F, I run 5W-30 year 'round in it, with 173,000 miles.
For the Geo, I'd probably use a nice high mileage 5W-30 and settle in for a few hundred thousand miles.
Although my Dodge Dakota's 5.2L engine recommends 10W-30 for all temperatures above zero, and 5W-30 for all temperatures below 60 deg F, I run 5W-30 year 'round in it, with 173,000 miles.
For the Geo, I'd probably use a nice high mileage 5W-30 and settle in for a few hundred thousand miles.
Just keep using the least expensive 5w30 or 10w30 oil you can find and you will make it to 400K miles in that Prizm/Corolla.
BTW, what type gas mileage does a 5 speed Prizm/Corolla get ?
BTW, what type gas mileage does a 5 speed Prizm/Corolla get ?
I average 35 in town and a little over that on the highway.
This is a very interesting link with a LOT of information on Prizm's and oil consumption:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1247770&fpart=5
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1247770&fpart=5
Originally Posted By: addyguy
I wouldn't worry at all. The Prizm is just a re-badged Toyota Corolla, and as you know, they are absolutely bulletproof. You could feed them used french-fryer oil and they'd STILL go 300k.
You might want to switch to 5W-30 for the winter, and keep using 10W-30 in the summer. If you will do that, you will most likely notice that the car will start easier on cold mornings. With the slightly thinner 5W-30, you 'might' notice slightly more consumption, but it still isn't a problem. Some people on here have this car, and it consumes 1 quart per 1k miles!
If you're not comfortable with switching, just keep doing what you are doing. Car will still make it to 300k easily.
+1
I wouldn't worry at all. The Prizm is just a re-badged Toyota Corolla, and as you know, they are absolutely bulletproof. You could feed them used french-fryer oil and they'd STILL go 300k.
You might want to switch to 5W-30 for the winter, and keep using 10W-30 in the summer. If you will do that, you will most likely notice that the car will start easier on cold mornings. With the slightly thinner 5W-30, you 'might' notice slightly more consumption, but it still isn't a problem. Some people on here have this car, and it consumes 1 quart per 1k miles!
If you're not comfortable with switching, just keep doing what you are doing. Car will still make it to 300k easily.
+1
I ran 10w-40 in my pontiac junkbird that called for 5w/10w-30 for 60,000 miles before turning it over to my dad. It just turned 200,000. The prizm is good basic trans and will easily go 300,000 miles. No need to worry. My 97 prizm has 130,000 miles and I ran 10w-40 syn in it for one interval.
Get the M1 $10 coupon and try M1 0W-30.
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