For those with high mileage. Do you switch the weight of the oil or do you still run what it asks on the oil filler cap? I’m a little over 190,000 and I did have that dreaded p0011 code. It was resolved after replacing the vvt solenoid the second time.
High mileage oil weight?
- Thread starter a4edwin
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I run 5w-40 Euro oil in mine. Amazon Basics.
A good (timeless) question where I suspect there are only opinions with little in the way of serious empirical data to support any given point of view.
My normal mileage profile these days is almost exactly two changes a year (roughly 10K). I may start running a little heavier range of synthetic in the summer (which seem to be getting hotter, at least this last one was a definite scorcher) and staying with 5W-30 synthetic for the cooler months. The good news is I don't have to make the change decision for quite a while now, as my next change coming up soon will still be 5W-30.
swathdiver
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The original oil was specified because of the narrow oil passages and tight tolerances. Additives in the oil can compensate for piston rattle or noisy lifters for example. Sticking with the original weight oil is less important if you do not have VVT or AFM. There is a reason that GM developed those Dexos specifications and we have seen engines on here fail when people did not use the proper oil.
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I took her for an oil change at one of those wash and lube places today and the guy recommended 5w40 because of the mileage. I told him to put in what it asked for. As that is what I’ve always done with all my vehicles. Castrol gtx btw. My dad always used it on a 71 Buick skylark that he brought me home from the hospital in back in 76’ and I took my girlfriend (now my wife)out on our first date in. But I’ve never had a truck with this much mileage on it. And needless to say dealing with that vvt solenoid problem was a pain in the ass.
Joseph Garcia
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My vote is for oil that is specified for the vehicle, but change the oil and the filter often (3k-5k miles) and consistently.
Where I used to work we often ran work trucks for as long as the bodies lasted, lots of high milers. Never used anything but the OEM recommended oils, and engine failures were rare.
My practice on older high mileage vehicles is to shorten the OCI as the rings etc allow more contamination into the oil. But I stick with the original weight for the most part.
For older vehicles that spec for example 10W-30 I don’t hesitate to use 5W-30 or even a 0W-30 in synthetic. I have the opinion a little easier cold flow can’t hurt.
My practice on older high mileage vehicles is to shorten the OCI as the rings etc allow more contamination into the oil. But I stick with the original weight for the most part.
For older vehicles that spec for example 10W-30 I don’t hesitate to use 5W-30 or even a 0W-30 in synthetic. I have the opinion a little easier cold flow can’t hurt.
swathdiver
Full Access Member
Bad advice from the lube guy, the VVT system is not going to like 40 weight oil over the long haul. That glorious Skylark's motor was not as tight in tolerances nor did it have fancy electronic technology using oil to operate them. Still have her, the Skylark?
That’s what I figured and just told him to put in what it asked for. And for the skylark No unfortunately my parents live on an offset intersection some drunk guy ran the light straight into the car T ***** it right into the light pole on the other side of it. That car was daily driven until that point.
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