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oil choice


c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 01:12 PM
hey i gotta change the oil in my s-10, is there a 'best' kind of oil for it? thanks

BlazerLT
02-20-2005, 02:27 PM
Engine? Year? Miles? Budget?

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 05:38 PM
i think its 4 banger, 95, lil over 110,000, dont know budget (i just started driving)

J-Ri
02-20-2005, 06:04 PM
I think most people agree that Adsoil is the best, but last time I looked it was about $20 a quart... but it lasts 12,000 miles. In my 86 Silverado 350ci, I use 15w40 Truckella oil (Advance Auto store brand). It's thick enough i don't worry about letting it idle for long periods of time, it's a high quality oil... even approved for diesels. In my 93 S-10 262ci, I use Quaker State High Performance Synthetic. As long as you don't go with Super Tech (walmart brand), you're probably ok. That stuff ruined 2 of my engines (a 4.3L Chevy, and a 1.5L toyota)

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 06:08 PM
I think most people agree that Adsoil is the best, but last time I looked it was about $20 a quart... but it lasts 12,000 miles. In both 86 Silverado 350ci, I use 15w40 Truckella oil (Advance Auto store brand). It's thick enough i don't worry about letting it idle for long periods of time, it's a high quality oil... even approved for diesels. In my 93 S-10 262ci, I use Quaker State High Performance Synthetic. As long as you don't go with Super Tech (walmart brand), you're probably ok. That stuff ruined 2 of my engines (a 4.3L Chevy, and a 1.5L toyota)\


you said you use 15w40 and you also said you use Quaker State High Performance Synthetic. which one do you think would work better?
thanks

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 06:09 PM
nevermind i misread, i understand

J-Ri
02-20-2005, 06:26 PM
If you don't burn/leak any oil, use the weight that is recomended on the oil cap/owners manual. A small leak, or a puff of smoke every now and then can be held off by a heavier oil. Both of mine use oil, S-10 burns, Silverado leaks, so I use slightly heaver oil than is recomended anyway, and it does help a bit.

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 06:27 PM
how can you tell if it is burnin or leakin

BlazerLT
02-20-2005, 06:28 PM
nevermind i misread, i understand

Woah woah woah there!

You don't use 15w40 in a 4 banger.

5w30 Castrol GTX if you are going with normal oil or Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic if you are going synthetic.

Also, do NOT buy a Fram or Penzoil oil filter. Anything else will be fine.

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 06:30 PM
whats the difference between synthetic and normal oil?

BlazerLT
02-20-2005, 06:41 PM
whats the difference between synthetic and normal oil?

One is made from oil from the ground, the other is synthetic from a lab.

DON"T PUT IN 15W40!

5W30 ONLY.

J-Ri
02-20-2005, 06:44 PM
how can you tell if it is burnin or leakin

When you change the oil, amke a mental note of where the oil is on the didpstick (should be right at, or right under full). The next time you fill 'er up, if it's lower than that, you're burning or leaking. A leak will show up on the ground where you park, burning it will give you bluish/grey smoke out of the exhaust.

J-Ri
02-20-2005, 06:46 PM
5W30 ONLY.

I can see not going all the way to 15w40 in a 4 banger, but why 5w30 only? 10w30 would be fine.

BlazerLT
02-20-2005, 06:59 PM
I can see not going all the way to 15w40 in a 4 banger, but why 5w30 only? 10w30 would be fine.

Although it would be fine, it would not be as good as 5w30.

5w30 is thinner when cold and would flow faster to the top end during cold start up for less engine wear.

In your trucks case, you should run 5w40 for proper start up protection, but a thicker oil when the engine is up to temperature.

XwYY

You should always go with the lowest number for X for better cold starting and faster warmup and enhanced fuel economy.

Take for instance:

10w30
5w30
0w30 (Synthetic Only Available)

The lower the number, the better the flow at a given temperature.

c formaldehyde
02-20-2005, 07:47 PM
thanks

BlazerLT
02-20-2005, 08:19 PM
thanks

Remember for you I said 5w30.

xtrememeasures10
02-20-2005, 09:26 PM
I run 5/30 synpower. "valvoline full synthetic". I use to burn regular valvoline. A good 2 quarts every 3,000. but ive changed my oil w/ synpower about 4 times now and i burn less than a quarter quart in 3,000.

dmbrisket 51
02-20-2005, 11:34 PM
i personally use the high mileage patrolium oil,my s 10,used up about a pint between changes, now that im usen the highmileage i dont have to add a lick of oil to it, my civic was usen up to 3 pints between changes, and now it takes barely any, and i lose it all at startup in the form of a puff, so i personally like that stuff, and like blazer said stay away from the ornge boxes in the automotive stores

BlazerLT
02-21-2005, 11:32 AM
The only real difference between the high mileage stuff and the others is usually the amount of moly in the oil and that it is usually a little thicker.

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