How do you justify going so far away from the manufacturers' recommendations as to your choice of oil viscosity for these vehicles? I've been doing the maintenance on my own and some other's vehicles for about 30 years now and have never heard anyone recommend what you are doing. I'm not attacking you, just curious and I'm willing to learn from anyone I can.
Oh my personal vehicle is a '94 SL1 with 140,000 miles. Also nothing but straight 30 since it was 29,000 miles old. (when I got it) Also a '95 escort with 176,000 on straight 30 since 110,000 when it got it.
Thanks, Ken. I learned about a year ago that it does no good to insult people on the internet. Arguing on the internet is like running in the special Olympics, You might win, but you're still a retard....
Well, the way I figger it, is that we got by for about 50 years without the multiviscosity lubricants. No need to change. The only reason mfgr recommends them is because they are thinner and make for a millionth of a mile per gallon better. You take 700,000 things that make a millionth of a MPG difference and what do you get?? .7 MPG better! it all adds up. But that don't make it right. An engine spends 99.9999% of it's life NOT cold. And the oil all gets like water at running temperature. Why abuse it with thinner oil??
Just MHO. (and 30 years of engine building experience) I've seen it all believe me.
My previous car was an '88 Canry with 210,000+ on it... Maybe 220. Straight.... uh... 10W30 from day one. Drove it hard.
Front end let go and the alternator went at the same time so I gave it away to a local. Almost broadsided him last week as he pulled out in front of me. My new(er) Saturn would have died an untimely death at the hands of my previous tank IMHO, but the 103,000+ '95 SL1 I'm driving does okay except for the oil eating (working on it...) and the instability above 95 MPH on the highway (don't ask...)
I'll stick with the 10W30 and try to unstick the rings... Other than that, we shall see just how durable these little buggers are.
BTW - If I could get the Camry back, I'd do it. Not because it was a nicer car overall, but because it was a RARE car... 1988, black exterior, tan interior, loaded except for sunroof - factory options in most other body/interior color combinations, but this particular combo was only issued in/on 13 vehicles that yer... :( The SL1 is a lot more fun since it'sa 5 spd, but it actually has a lower top speed and much worse high-speed stability. Plus the horn really, REALLY sucks.
Joe - V#8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:
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I'm not a total idiot... I am after all, missing parts.
It might spend most of its time NOT cold, but in a cold climate it is critical to have lube there for those cold starts, or you will hurt bearings in a hurry.
I know a very good automechanic who uses straight 30 in his old Camry. He claims it runs smoother then with multiviscosity. Also he checked the oil in my 2002 SL on a finger and said that it is too thin (it was 5w30) and recommended to switch to 10w30 or better yet to straigh 30. Now I use 5w30 only for winter and
10w30 otherwise, but I am not braive enough to use straight 30...
A couple weeks back I asked my mechanic the same question with regard to running straight 30 in a 1995 Cirrus that is burning oil...his response was that while the engine may spend 99% of its time not cold that the bulk of engine wear occurs at startup (not operation unless you're talking really long haul) and that a blend with a small amount of the lighter-weight oil provides far superior protection at startup. He went on to say that oil consumption might be less with straight 30 in this vehicle, but that using it would be a "solution" that would make the problem worse, especially in a vehicle with that engine size (a not so large 6), and might make problems occur sooner in a newer vehicle with a similarly sized or smaller engine (like my my '01L and '02S). But in an older and/or bigger engine (like my 70's Corvette where I always ran straight 30) or in a fleet situation where usage might be heavier straight
So insulting millions of people in one fell swoop is okay. It's just the insulting of a single person that I should avoid. Thanks. I'll try to keep this in mind.
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