I started taking my 1994 Voyager to a dealer a few years ago. Since then, I have developed a coolant leak in the engine. Maybe a head gasket, maybe a cracked block, maybe whatever - it failed the pressure check.
Now with a car that has over 200,000 miles, not kilometers but miles, this could be expected plus its dozen years of age.
But, but all through its lifespan it had 10W-30.
The dealer uses 5W-30, specifically: Conoco Super All Season Synthetic Blend, 5W-30, Bar Code: 0 64229 09712
7, CB09712-02, Rev 8/4. [It's possible that the bulk that the dealer uses in large containers is not exactly this but it's in the ballpark. This is the quart size which may or may not be identical. Difficult to get really good information out of the Five Star Dealer but they try, kind of.]One size oil fits all. Every car gets this oil. BUT the dealer services relatively new cars, not my 12 year old beast. They are catering to the shiny, new, and expensive cars. So I doubt they decided on this 5W-30 for old cars with much thought. After all, how much is an old Chrysler worth after 12 years? Not much liability here, sadly.
At first I was not happy. If the car lasted 10 years on 10W-30 why change now? And why not inform me first? I asked otherwise I would have never known.
It's summer now and getting into almost the 90's soon.
Should I go back to 10W-30 and dinosaur instead of this 5W-30 semi-synthetic? Or just worry about some other world-shaking event?
Is it all a coincidence? I would think that a lighter semi-synthetic would make the engine work less and less likely to blow a head gasket.