94 Cavalier oil recommendation.

[wtd]

My fiancee's 94 cavalier uses about a quart between the 5,000 mile oil changes. She got the car about 2 1/2 years ago with 58,000 miles. It now has 91,000 miles on it. I've been using 5W-30 Trop-Artic blend in it most of the time with the last couple of changes with 5W-30 Citgo blend. I've been using these oils because I got them cheap and they are decent oils.

I was wanting to try another brand that may not burn off as quick. It does have an oil leak that is not too bad but I'm sure some of the oil is being lost there. I want to maybe go to a conventional oil instead of a blend.

What do you guys recommend? Thanks.

 

[SatinSilver]

The big three always work very well and I'm going to use one of them for my next change coming up here very soon.

Valvoline White Bottle

Pennzoil Yellow Bottle

Mobil 5000 - I already have three jugs of this I bought on sale. The Matrix is noisy on 0w20 full syn esp on start up. So looking forward to using 5w30 conv which should quiet the beast down.

 

[Rolla07]

Start with an HM 5w30 conventional oil and see how it does. You can always move up a grade if necessary. I like pennzoil and mobil.

 

[wtd]

Thanks guys.

 

[cronk]

You are loosing 1 quart in 5000 miles and you have an oil leak?
I would say the oil leak is probably where the majority of that 1 quart of oil is going.
Although on an engine that old, the valve seals are likely hardened.
I would try a high mileage oil, Valvoline Maxlife is pretty well regarded on this board.

 

[Powerglide]

You're worried about a quart of oil consumption every 5000 miles in a 22 year old car? Geeeez Loueeeeez.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver

Pennzoil Yellow Bottle

The conventional yellow bottle? The High Mileage yellow bottle? Or the Platinum yellow bottle? All Pennzoil stuff is in yellow bottles now.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

 

[CT8]

I doubt you have problem oil consumption. Fix the leak or first try some high mile oil.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

the cheapest HM you can find

 

[Chris142]

10w30

 

[artificialist]

You should replace your PCV valve if you haven't already. Sometimes they get stuck and let excess oil into the intake manifold.

Also, do you know how well the previous owner treated the car? Some engines consume oil if people waited too long between oil changes. The result would be stuck piston rings that don't control oil loss as well as they should. Searching for "MMO soak" if you suspect this is the case.

However, it isn't uncommon for certain cars to burn oil no matter what you do.

 

[wtd]

I don't know why anyone would think I'm worried about how much oil it's burning. It's just time for an oil change and I thought I might try something different. No big deal. The oil leak has never been bad and does not drip on the ground. I actually got under the car today and it actually looks like the leak has gotten better since things don't seem to be very wet at all.

I have almost decided to just keep using the Citgo since I have three cases of it. Thanks again for all of the input.

 

[gallydif]

Super Tech HM.

 

[bigt61]

Originally Posted By: gallydif
Super Tech HM.

Yeah, or just regular ST 10W-30. It's an old car - 1 quart in 5k is nothing.

 

[64bawagon]

Originally Posted By: wtd
I don't know why anyone would think I'm worried about how much oil it's burning. It's just time for an oil change and I thought I might try something different. No big deal. The oil leak has never been bad and does not drip on the ground. I actually got under the car today and it actually looks like the leak has gotten better since things don't seem to be very wet at all.

I have almost decided to just keep using the Citgo since I have three cases of it. Thanks again for all of the input.


Sounds to me like your winning already, no need to change especially since you have oil that's already paid for.

 

[xtell]

In the three Cavaliers I have owned since 1987, the only oil that would not burn off was regular white bottle Valvoline. I tried most brands and even synthetics but always came back to the Valvoline. The engines were 2.0 and 2.2.

 

[wtd]

My daily driver 92 Cavalier with the 2.2L with 218,000 miles does not burn any real noticeable oil and I've tried many kinds of oil in the last ten years Her car also has the 2.2L in it and burns way more than mine does. No blue smoke that I've seen on either car.

 

[addyguy]

Maxlife 10W-30.