'04 Neon oil question

[DCorwin822]

2004 Dodge Neon SE SOHC 2.0 (5w30)

The girlfriend wants to know if she can use Mobil 1 0w30 Advanced Fuel Economy oil. Whats your thought? I've always used a PP 5w30 or M1-ep 5w30 with a p1 filter sense '06 when the girl and I meet.

Will it cause engine issues?

Upstate NY, just got done with a 100* heat wave and winters get pretty cold, will this oil be appropriate year round?

Will it improve the gas mileage?

I've always used a Penz Plat 5w30 or Mobil 1-EP 5w30 with a PureOne filter sense '06 when the girl and I meet. Just recently (within 2000 miles) did plugs, wires, o2, timing belt, and water pump. Other than the normal clickety clack of the engine its purring pretty good. Gas mileage is still under 26mpg for in city. Just over 30mpg on the highway.

Any other thoughts I could do to the car to improve mileage?

 

[HTSS_TR]

If most trips are less than 10 miles you can use thinner oil such as 5W20 or 0W20, also pump the tires up to 4-6 PSI above placard. If the car is more than 80-100k miles change spark plugs if they are original, change air filter if more than 50-60k miles. Change transmission fluid to synthetic too.

 

[UncleS2]

The Neons are very unfussy about motor oil, any decent 5w30 or 10w30 is fine, 0w30 should be A-OK also- can she use it, sure! xw20 probably OK too but I have no experience with it. Improved gas mileage? Well, if the 0w is enough thinner at start up, maybe on short trips as mentioned above. The xw20 might offer a better advantage for mileage, but I suspect it won't be much.

New plugs- what did you use? For real-world street driven Neons you won't improve on the OEM Champions or their copper core NGK V-Power counterparts. Neons have something called a waste-spark coil system- short version, means two of the 4 plugs will fire "backwards", which often causes problems with platinum spark plugs. People have spent hundreds of $$ trying to have driveability problems fixed("New Plugs just recently- couldn't be the plugs!"), when $8 worth of plain copper core spark plugs woulda fixed it. The one exception- plugs with both electrodes platinum plated(often called Double Platinum) may be OK. Gimmick plugs with multiple ground electrodes (+ 4's, etc)should be avoided like the plague.

Oh, FWIW- my 97 DOHC Neon always gave extra start-up noise with a Pure One filter, even with 5w30. Wix, the regular Purolator, or Puro-made house brands were much quieter at startup.

 

[Gary Allan]

I've got foster care of my son's 96 2.0. Great car. With his I had to play with the PCV plumbing to get consumption down. It's even had Bruce's 0w-10 in it briefly. One member did a severe endurance UOA on a sump where he towed with it using 5w-20.

I can't figure out why this engine isn't spec'd for 5w-20. Small displacement, 5 quart sump, rollerized cam followers, no timing chain... It would seem perfect for lighter oils.

 

[chet2]

i put any oil 10-30 or under in my 4 cylinders, focus and G5...just make sure she drives slow and steady to save gas...i am getting 38 mpg in focus 5 speed using 0-20 mobil one so buy a standard shift next time, it makes quite a difference in mpg

 

[JustinH]

We had a couple of neons a few years back, a 2000 and a 2001.

The motor would always sound smoother, and run quieter on a good 10w30 dino during the summer.

During winter, I went to a 5w30 for a bit faster startups.

I would use the supertech filter always with no problems.

I think your wasting your money with Mobil1 with this motor unless she wants to extend the drains a little bit. She will not notice any better fuel economy with a change in oil alone.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Any of the oils you mentioned would work fine.

 

[oggb]

It's a neon - put almost whatever you want in it (as long as it says "Motor Oil" and doesn't say something like "non-detergent" or "SAE60" or something like that) and it'll run FOREVER.

Guy at work had a 2000 Neon with the 2.0 (I guess) and it had 140k on the original timing belt (calls for 60k replacement) when it broke. His oil changes consisted of 6k OCIs using whatever Iffy Lube put in it and it ran smooth as butter (before the timing belt, of course).

That being said I'd run 0w/5w30 year round. For gas mileage you could consider some low rolling resistance tires next time they're due to be replaced, however small of a difference they make.

I have low rolling resistance tires (which does NOT have to translate into poor grip) but my right foot tends to negate their purpose.

 

[ArtDart]

Yes, M1 0w30 would work in
her neon year round.
Especially if it makes
her happy !
Tell her that it will
improve her mpg too
( in reality, not much...but
it won't hurt it either)

jringo

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I've got foster care of my son's 96 2.0. Great car. With his I had to play with the PCV plumbing to get consumption down. It's even had Bruce's 0w-10 in it briefly. One member did a severe endurance UOA on a sump where he towed with it using 5w-20.

I can't figure out why this engine isn't spec'd for 5w-20. Small displacement, 5 quart sump, rollerized cam followers, no timing chain... It would seem perfect for lighter oils.

I wonder the same thing about the 2.2L in my and later cavaliers. Though GM never did really get on the 5W-20 bandwagon, it just runs better on 5W-20. I'll be sure to start doing UOAs to see if wear is increased or anything, but it's the same deal. Roller cam followers, timing chain.....

 

[DCorwin822]

Gonna get it to make her happy. 0w30 here we come. On A side note I'm really pi ssed at that car right now. It decided to pop the lower radiator hose on the middle of a busy highway today. Thumbs up! Just thanking the car gods it didn't go on the g/f when she went on a road trip this past weekend.