Oil Choices

[Jeff]

Guys, I know this is a topic with no real clear cut answers, but I have a few questions and I want to get the group's thoughts.

Things I have noticed when using 10w30 Mobil 1 (or 10W30 walmart Synthetic)

-Low oil pressure (Sebring, Van, Dynasty)
-Loud cold starts (Sebring, Van)

Is there any reason for this? When I switched back to Dino 10/30 in the van it starts much quieter and the oil pressure needle stays a full 1/4 higher. The Sebring shows a flickering oil light when it is run hard, it never did that with Dino oil. Should I worry about it?

Also, what weight oil do you guys run in the winter time? In the summer? I'm thinking about using 15/40 this coming summer and using the 10/30 in the winter. Would 15/40 be bad for the turbo for any reason? I'm just thinking the thicker oil might not flow or cool as well. Are there any general rules of thumb when it comes to oil choices?

[Mike]

i use 10w30 M1 year round in the s2000. i do a full flush every 6000ish miles or 6 months and just add when i'm low. the s2000 does suffer from loud starts, but i have nothing to say it is the oil and not the car.

in the civic i use 10w30 castrol high mileage. i fully flush it every 6 months or after two track events (never get the miles on it). no loud starts at all.

i've got no ideas regarding your low pressure. since the syn and dinos are the same viscosity, it doesn't really make much sense.

[Apoc]

If starts are loud why not run a 5w30? A bit more viscosity at startup can't be a bad thing.

I run 5w30 all year round.

[Evan]

do the cars have hydraulic lifters? Miatas have hydraulic lifters and usually clatter for a little while when cold until they pump up.
Seafoam usually clears it up or improves it.

[Jeff]

did we ever answer the question of seafoam with turbos? is it ok? bad idea?

Edit- Yes, they both are OHC with "hydraulic Lash adjusters"

[ScottyB]

that's a weird situation Jeff. i don't have scientific knowledge but i can offer my opinion, especially as my car also suffers from slightly low idle oil pressure and noisy hydro lifters.

just run a good quality oil of probably 5W30 or 10W40 year-round. thicker oils may actually increase oil temperatures due to the greater thickness of the oil. to be sure, you may want to look into doing a Blackstone Labs oil test on some oil after you run it, the results will be valuable and its only like 20 bucks.

as for dino vs. synth, i can't figure out what the heck would make your engines run so much "smoother" with the dino. my only guess is that the dino can't move through the engine as easily as the "slipperier" synth -- which keeps your oil pressure high (like blowing water through a straw vs. blowing molasses through a straw). that only makes halfway sense though, because the viscosities are the same, right?

as for myself....i use castrol 5W40 synth. my engine always runs relatively hot, right on 225 degrees, and never higher unless i'm really beating on it and then its only maybe 10 degrees more. my lifters have become sludged up over time due to using too low a viscosity of oil, so i'm now looking into a few different, time consuming methods to get this sludge out of my system. its not a common thing with engines, but it happens, especially in these days of extended oil change intervals. just keep that in mind.

[Jeff]

The van has several oil damaging issues. I think it needs rings and the turbo's center section oil seals are shot. So I leaks oil, and the oil blackens very quickly. I think the synthetic might just be tricking my sending units. The oil pressure may be lower, due to the "slipperier" oil, but the lubrication is better so this loss of pressure as the gauge sees it might not really be bad. The numbers on the oil are confusing to me. 10w30 and 5w40 what do the numbers mean? I remember having it explained to me once, something about the first number being its viscosity cold and the second as it warms?

[ScottyB]

I remember having it explained to me once, something about the first number being its viscosity cold and the second as it warms?

that's pretty much all you need to know. with dino oil i would not pick an oil that has a huge gap in cold/hot viscosity because its harder to do well on a molecular level than synth, i.e. 0-40 or something like that.

[Andy]

10w-40 means its has the equivalent viscosity of a 10W oil in the winter and/or 0*C and a 40W oil in the summer and/or 100*C.

Why don't you put the Daytona back together before you start on a new money pit?

[.RJ]

I've run everything from 0W30 to 20W50 in the integra, dino and synthetic..... I cant tell a difference in the way it runs, the gas I use, or the amount of oil that burns in it.

My strategy: use whatever is on sale and change it often

[D_Eclipse9916]

did we ever answer the question of seafoam with turbos? is it ok? bad idea?

Edit- Yes, they both are OHC with "hydraulic Lash adjusters"

Seafoams eats away grime yes, but can cause leaks because that grime builsd up around eroding gaskets and "seals" them. When seafoam eats it, it causes leaks. So you would only use it right before changing gaskets, and if your changing gaskets, you should be cleaning out that part, sooooo whats the use of seafoam? lol, unless you dont clean your parts, in which that is not the case because I have to 8) everytime there is an update on the daytona.

[.RJ]

Seafoams eats away grime yes, but can cause leaks because that grime builsd up around eroding gaskets and "seals" them. When seafoam eats it, it causes leaks.

How does seafoam cause a leak when used through the intake? There's no gaskets to harm, except maybe the intake manifold gasket - but those are generally composite and pretty tough to eat through.

[Andy]

Seafoams eats away grime yes, but can cause leaks because that grime builsd up around eroding gaskets and "seals" them. When seafoam eats it, it causes leaks.

How does seafoam cause a leak when used through the intake? There's no gaskets to harm, except maybe the intake manifold gasket - but those are generally composite and pretty tough to eat through.

He's referring to Evan's post about it quieting lifters when added to oil. I've done it and castastrophe has not ensued.

[.RJ]

I suppose if you leave it in the engine it might..... but... you should cycle it for 15-20 min and then drain the oil and change the filter.

[Mike]

My strategy: use whatever is on sale and change it often

changing too often actually does more harm than good. in addition, the 3000 mark is just marketing bs... current dinos are good until about 5000, syns are closer to 10000. since none of us really get to that mileage, 6 months is the best change interval since the oil does soak up water.

save some money, save some times, top it off and change it every 6 months.

[Apoc]

current dinos are good until about 5000, syns are closer to 10000. since none of us really get to that mileage, 6 months is the best change interval since the oil does soak up water.

save some money, save some times, top it off and change it every 6 months.

I'm not sure what you mean by "none of us really get to that mileage" but I'm guessing you mean in 6 months. I do just under 10k/year and I'm one of "those guys" that changes it when my car tells me... which is every 10k/year.

That said, I'm about 9k into my current oil and I had to add 2 quarts yesterday. That's the only time I've ever had to add but 2 quarts on 9k isn't that bad I don't think. Who knows, my engine may detonate tomorrow... which I'm okay with 'cause it's still under warranty. Even when I was having my oil pressure warning (gremins) the oil levels were fine.

[.RJ]

changing too often actually does more harm than good.

How?

If you are going 10k miles on an oil change *I* would change the filter at half that and keep going.

[Mike]

current dinos are good until about 5000, syns are closer to 10000. since none of us really get to that mileage, 6 months is the best change interval since the oil does soak up water.

save some money, save some times, top it off and change it every 6 months.

I'm not sure what you mean by "none of us really get to that mileage" but I'm guessing you mean in 6 months. I do just under 10k/year and I'm one of "those guys" that changes it when my car tells me... which is every 10k/year.

That said, I'm about 9k into my current oil and I had to add 2 quarts yesterday. That's the only time I've ever had to add but 2 quarts on 9k isn't that bad I don't think. Who knows, my engine may detonate tomorrow... which I'm okay with 'cause it's still under warranty. Even when I was having my oil pressure warning (gremins) the oil levels were fine.

yeah, i meant in 6 months.

[Mike]

changing too often actually does more harm than good.

How?

If you are going 10k miles on an oil change *I* would change the filter at half that and keep going.

too much change for your catalytic converter. if your car doesn't have one then ignore me

i wouldn't go 10k on an oil change, but plenty of people do (i think some cars actually have that as their stock interval?). i do about 6k miles every 6 months so i just do it then. the s calls for 7500...

[HAULN-SS]

My subies manual says 3000 miles in it