Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

[jsfinn]

Back in June I bought a 1995 Chevy 1500 Z71 pickup with a 5.7 V8 in it. Everything is original. It has 230,000 miles on it, but the price was right and it runs good and looks nice too.<br /><br />After I bought it, I took it to the shop and had them change all the fluids (including oil) and give it a state inspection.<br /><br />I've only put about 2000 miles on it in the 5 months that I've owned it. <br /><br />I checked the oil the other day and it's starting to look dark so I want to change it.<br /><br />What kind of oil should I be using in a truck with so many miles on it? Also, should I wait for the normal 3,000 miles, or 3 months (which will come first), or 2,000 if it's looking dirty?<br /><br />Winters get cold around here - maybe around 20 degrees but could drop to below 0 and summers get hot - could be around 100.<br /><br />Thanks, in advance, for the advice.

 

[Hunky Dory]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Controversy!<br /><br />I'm a believer. Been using Mobil one since 1974 or 75, whenever I first heard of it. Cranks great in cold, doesn't break down in heat. No sludge, will clean up the residue of past neglect. Pay for it by running longer. <br /><br />At high miles, you really need it!<br /><br />Is there anecdotal proof of its value, you ask? Why yes, says I! For example, an old rider mower stayed with the house when I bought it. Great! But it ran 20 minutes and then did the mosquito-fog thing to the canyon. Sudden, dense and sticky smoke the likes of which was heretofore unbillowed. Same next week, no fluke. So I made a $4 bet on M1 and used it without engine or smoke problem for another 8 years.<br /><br />After death of deck bearings and everything else but the engine I tore it down. Beautiful clean as new inside, even where there should have been carbon. One oil change per lucky year.<br /><br />Sold 91 Astro at 186k. Last trip included Mojave, Barstow and Vegas (saw 122 degrees at 5:00pm 75-80 with AC all the way) My personal oil change target is 7,500 miles more or less and the Astro never needed an interim sip unless way overdue >8k (my vehicles can't leave the drive without a complete warm-up -- nothing is nearby!) <br /><br />And how about a bonehead stunt like draining first M1 from replacement mower, getting distracted and then doing my yard and those of two absent neighbors before smoke from the surface of the engine gave me a hint that I oughta refill the thing (about 45 minutes of full power operation). Engine was heat seized afterward but it freed right up with a wrench and has run without using oil or knocking for the year and a half since (yeah, maybe I oughta think about changing it...)

 

[fseries]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

if you know the old owner i would ask what they used because it seemed to work fine with that kind of mileage

 

[JB]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

I'm with HD.<br /><br />Mobil 1.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Though I believe in the synthetics,with that kind of milage you may have an oil leak or two or at least some seepage.Using a synthetic WILL make any oil leak worse and may turn a slight seepage into a leak.If you are considering using synthetic I would first get the motor steam cleaned or the equivalent.Drive the vehicle for a month or so and check for any leaks.If you are clean at that point ,I would go synthetic.If you see any form of leak stick with a quality 10w40or50 oil .

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

I was thinking about a synthetic too but I'm worried about it creating a leak.<br /><br />I think it seeps a little bit right now because there is usually some oil on one of the skid plates in the front but it's hard to tell if it's coming from the transmission or the motor.. maybe the master seal.<br /><br />Either way, the oil level stays in the "good" range so if it ain't broke....<br /><br />What are the chances that steam cleaning the motor would create a leak? There must be 1/8 inch of crud built up in a lot of places.

 

[bryantjb3]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

I run synthetic in my vehicles and believe in them. Synthetics have more detergents in them and therefore will clean and breakup more sludge. If your engine is gummed up synthetic may not be a good choice. If you want to get hooked on a new forum, check out Bob is the Oil Guy.<br /><br /> http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Steam cleaning or gunking a motor wont make a leak.Leaks start from the inside.That 1/8 inch of crud isnt doing the motor any good.It can actually make it run warmer than it should.Charlie

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Sorry I took so long getting back to you.<br /><br />If your oil is getting dirty already, it may be a sign that the engine wasnt taken care of. I would suggest rmoving one of the valve covers and taking a look. Shouldnt be much of a job on small block. If its clean I would use a conventional oil in the 5-10W30 in the winter and probably a 15W-40 Diesel oil like Dello 400 in the summer. If you find sludge, I would just use what I could find the cheapest at WalMart in a 5-10W-30.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Originally posted by jsfinn:<br /> <br />What are the chances that steam cleaning the motor would create a leak? There must be 1/8 inch of crud built up in a lot of places.

I always clean my used engines when I get them, you can then spot where the leak is if there is one. As to actually causing a leak, it wont, like mentioned above, but it may actually make it appear that it did. Yop remove the crud and the oil has no place to absorb into anymore if its a small leak. All that crud came on slowly over the years. Oil, dust, oil, dust, etc.<br /><br />A synthetic oil will in fact leak more than a conventional, but if you still want to do it, use the full synthetic oil in the Walmart brand, its a group III and will not leak as much as a group IV or V, also, its a decent oil. Id only do it if the engine apears clean though.<br /><br />Syntheics actually dont have "More detergents" they just have more detergent action due to the esters if its at least a group IV.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Thanks for the input, everyone.<br /><br />I think I will pull one of the valve covers next weekend.. I've never done that before and it sounds like a might learn something doing it - and that's one of the reasons I got this truck. <br /><br />Without creating too much argument, If the internals of the engine look clean, what would your reasons for switching to synthetic be?

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Lubedude, or anyone else - what kind of oil for my old truck?

Originally posted by jsfinn:<br /> what would your reasons for switching to synthetic be?

Well, before someone else says it, You could switch just to see how big of a puddle of oil you could get overnight on you garage floor or your driveway. Or if you live on a dusty road you could see how long it takes to oil it to the point the dust isnt a problem anymore. Also you might ask if the county would reimberse you for oiling there roads for them..<br /><br /><br />Get the picture????<br /><br />If you have any leaks, you will have worse ones. If you have a nice tight engine, you can go about twice as long between changes with a good synthetic. 7,500-10,000 miles, which I do with Amsoil 15W-40.