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My car’s requirement is 5w30, but I have tried 10w30 during colder months and seems like my car runs well with this oil. What other types of oil can I experiment with? Jiffy Lube has these 2 types of oil and a thicker one 15w30, would this be ok for a 300,000 mile car? It’s a 2001 Toyota Celica GT automatic.
I was told by Jiffy Lube the 15w30 cost more. I’ve never heard of this 15w30 before, it must be new?
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Just run what your car’s manufacturer specs and be done with it. The engineers that designed your engine made the choice of oil for specific reasons.
I was going to give the above advice too. Then I got to thinking – I’ve never driven a vehicle to 300K so what do I know? I’m not saying the above isn’t good advice, I just have no experience.
Well information changes all the time. I think Chevron just came up with the 15w30 engine oil this year and Jiffy Lube started selling them for a bit more than just the 5w30 or 10w30. My car seem to like 10w30 during colder weather.
I’ll preface this by saying I have an extreme dislike for Jiffy Lube and all ‘fast oil change places’.
That being said. An engine that reaches 300k miles on it–well done! I normally hear about that high miles from a diesel engine.
The engine is also worn and the clearances are probably a bit sloppy at this point. Depending on the temps in your area for the winter months–I would NOT advise running a thicker oil then the 10w30. Case in point would be my Bronco II. I run 10w40 in the summer/warmer months. When it gets colder–I change it out for 5w40. Reason is that the initial start up when the engine is cold–it’s harder for the system to get the heavier weight oil to the bearings quickly. So the engine sounds like it’s going to blow apart when it first starts. If I run 5w40-That problem vanishes and the engine is quiet and smooth. (edit: my 2.9v6 has well over 200k on it)
If 10w30 works for you so far, I would not jinx it.
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Any “oil” thread is destined to turn into battle of personal opinions…
According to The Oil Bible (Trust? no trust? anyone’s choice) site, one should always use oil with the LOWEST numbers difference. Hence, 10W30 is better to use than 10W40.
I second Tedybear. Use heavier weight oil when it’s warmer, and lighter weight oil when it’s colder. But it all boils down to where you live. All those stipulations are for COLD states. AK, Dakotas, Michigan, those…
300 000 miles is no record, we have guy here who has a million miles on his Civic. But indeed, the older the car, the heavier the oil is better.[quote=”DaFirnz” post=118246]Just run what your car’s manufacturer specs and be done with it. The engineers that designed your engine made the choice of oil for specific reasons.[/quote]
#1 on using the designed oil for the car. 🙂
The lowest number difference has some sound reasoning behind it. For example, 5W-50 oil contains a lot of additive in order to allow it to cover that range of viscosities. Oils with low number differences have less additive and more oil.
The maker’s hot weather oil recommendation for my car is 20W-40. I’ve had the car for 12 years but in that time have never encountered 20W-40 oil. However, the reason for the recommendation is lowest number difference.
I do not recommend using any oil viscosity outside of what is recommended by the manufacturer. In effect you may be causing engine damage by doing this. Engineers spend a great deal of time figuring out what oil viscosity to use. They know what they’re doing more than you or me. Stick with their recommendations and you’ll avoid trouble.
Unfortunately, we have a living example in my son’s garage. Infinity G35, 2006. TERRIBLE engine knock on cold start ups due to oil leak down and crappy lifters design. Has combination of tappets+lifters.
2 oil changes with Seafoam and switch from RECOMMENDED 5W20 to 10W30 fixed the issue. As in – FIXED it. Been good for about a year by now.
I’ll stick to “older car=heavier oil” principle. Unfortunately, 5W20 or even 0W20 are much thinner oils, more luiquidy, so to say. Flows easier. Same time, results in lower hydraulic pressure in the system. But on high mileage engines, clearances are definitely not as tight as they were off the factory. Thicker oil simply maintains higher oil pressure in the system, Worked on every car we owned, and I started in the country with used high mileage cars and it worked on every single one of them. This is why I like Lucas so much. Thickens oil.
With all respects. But, like I said – every oil thread is destined to turn into opinions battle.Not with all the goddamned recalls they don’t! LOL.
I don’t even know how my car lasted 300,000 miles when I am no mechanic. I guess I learned how to “feel” my car if it’s sick or not. If it’s sick I do not drive confidently. When I know it runs great, I feel great.
I’ll stick with what I know, I just wanted input. I’m still willing to try the thickest oil Jiffy Lube has 15w30. I still wonder why they never sell anything less than “30” or more than “30”? Are those no good?
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=118354]I do not recommend using any oil viscosity outside of what is recommended by the manufacturer. In effect you may be causing engine damage by doing this. Engineers spend a great deal of time figuring out what oil viscosity to use. They know what they’re doing more than you or me. Stick with their recommendations and you’ll avoid trouble.
“I still wonder why they never sell anything less than “30” or more than “30”? Are those no good?”
It is all about gas mileage.
As I said before, I have no experience with an engine with 300,000 miles on it. I’d also suggest the engineers that designed the engine have no experience with a 300,000 mile engine either.
The type of engine oil you use depends upon the manufacturer and the climate you live in. I would check your owners manual. There is usually a chart that tells what oils are acceptable and what temperatures they protect against. I personally would stick with 5w-30 because it protects better in colder temperatures. Also after starting the engine it takes a while to warm up and the 5w-30 would protect the engine better during this time.
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