oil weight

Will98D · 08-11-2003, 03:36 AM

What do you guys run for oil? Temps the car is likely to see are from 35 to 100F, with hardly any operation below 45F. Right now I have this 10W-40 'oil for high mile engines', and when it drips on the exchangers it smells even more nasty than regular oil (tried pushrod tubes, rocker gaskets, distributor o-ring, etc; think the front main is leaking and so it won't get fixed before an engine drop). In fact, when I stopped at the hardware store Saturday, the two guys getting out of the next car were saying 'oh, man, what smells like fish'. Anyhow, I was thinking of going with something on the order of Castrol 30W, 40W or 20W-50. Thoughts?

schwarb2 · schwarb2's Garage

About the only thing I trust down here in the sunny south is Mobil 1 and either 10w40 or 20w50. Haven't smelled it laterly since the six is not a drinker - but its hard to go wrong with Mobil 1.

Silvio914 · 08-11-2003, 05:34 AM

I wouldn't run any synthetic oil in a high mileage engine. Synthetic is thinner than conventional oil. This will cause new oil leaks in places where you never had oil leaks before, and since you have an oil leak right now that would just add to your problem. You need a fresh motor to run synthetic with all new seals, then you can run the motor with synthetic till it needs an overhaul.

Will, what brand of motor oil are you using? I'm using Valvoline 10W-40 and I just had a valve cover leaking oil on to the exchanger and it didn't smell like fish, it smelled like regular old burnt motor oil.

schwarb2 · schwarb2's Garage

Silvio:

I see by your address you and I are neighbors.

I have about 30,000 miles on the 2.2 motor in my six that I changed over to Mobil 1 in mid-stream. No leaks - and given our weather it sits in the garage most of the summer.

I do use turbo valve cover gaskets, but past that it stays dry.

Who do you use for serive up in your part of Florida?

Barry

Silvio914 · 08-11-2003, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by schwarb2
Silvio:

I see by your address you and I are neighbors.

I have about 30,000 miles on the 2.2 motor in my six that I changed over to Mobil 1 in mid-stream. No leaks - and given our weather it sits in the garage most of the summer.

I do use turbo valve cover gaskets, but past that it stays dry.

Who do you use for serive up in your part of Florida?

Barry

Yea 15k miles is still a pretty new motor. I'm talking high mileage like 60k and over. If you switch to synthetic on a motor with mileage up and over that range and you never had leaks before you will when you go to synthetic.

Silvio

Will98D · 08-11-2003, 06:45 AM

It was one of those new special oils for high mileage engines... I think it was Valvoline, came in a dark red bottle. I'm assuming the additive for the seals is what's making the smell... who knows, maybe there's a trout stuck up inside the HX. I'm decided a few minutes ago to get Castrol 20W-50 and use that. Thanks.