vehicle: 2002 dodge caravan SE 3.3L with 103,000 miles (166,000 kms)
location: atlantic canada
summer temp no higher then maybe high 80's F(25c), winter average is very close to 0 F (averaging a daily winter high of -20c, some nights are colder like -30c).
Driving conditions: 80% in city stop and go and short trips, 20% highway driving short distance (e.g. 10min highway drive). no towing, easy going, never hard accelerating, some idling but not over alot. i average about 500 miles per month total driving.
I purchased this van with 158,000 kms this past january from a used dealer, i changed the oil in april with quakerstate high milage conventional oil 5w30(which is the recommended grade for this van as per manual) and i installed a quakerstate oil filter.
mid august i changed the oil again to Valvoline maxlife synthetic blend 5w30 and put in a K&N oil filter. i've never done a UOA yet but will do it upon the next oil change.
I have a few oils i want to try next, the van does not burn ANY oil (from april to august i never had to put any oil in it and that was about a 3000+/- mile oci) the van also does not smoke or anything, its in pretty good condition, the ONLY issue i have is that i believe i have some valve noise, upon starting up the van (which always starts up easily) the valve noise will occur about 10-15secs after starting up the van and the "clicking" sound gets faster(not louder) as i accelerate. this is only if i have the hood open and listen in, the noise is harder to hear behind the wheel and while driving although i can still hear it.
so my question is which oil should i try to get rid of this noise and have a very very quiet engine (mind you i plan on changing the oil again around nov, right before the hard winter hits), the oils i have in mind are:
-just stick with valvoline maxlife 5w30 (although this oil hasnt really stopped the valve noise)?
-try valvoline maxlife full synthetic 10w-30 (5w30 is not available anywhere)
-try valvoline synpower 5w30
-mix in one quart of synpower 5w30 with maxlife synblend 5w-3?
-try castrol 0w-30?
-try pennzoil full synthetic 5w30?
-try this "new" mobil super 2000 high mileage synblend 5w30(only available in canada)
i like the idea of the maxlife since it has those addictives specifically for high mileage vehicles, but im willing to try something else if it will make my engine super quiet, budget is tight so i dont want to go crazy expensive and the pennzoil and castrol 0w-30 are the limit (1 quart of castrol 0w-30 is like $8 and no one sells the jug, pennzoil is about the same price, but oils like mobil 1 and mobil 1 EP are out of the question since they are like $11-$12 per quart and over $40 for a 4.4l jug)
i rather not be changing brands every time i change oil, im kinda trying to find one that i can stick with, the valvoline is the most affordable one, i purchased the maxlife synblend in a 5L jug at my local walmart for $19. so what do you guys think? (i will be using a motorcraft FL-1A oil filter next time)
location: atlantic canada
summer temp no higher then maybe high 80's F(25c), winter average is very close to 0 F (averaging a daily winter high of -20c, some nights are colder like -30c).
Driving conditions: 80% in city stop and go and short trips, 20% highway driving short distance (e.g. 10min highway drive). no towing, easy going, never hard accelerating, some idling but not over alot. i average about 500 miles per month total driving.
I purchased this van with 158,000 kms this past january from a used dealer, i changed the oil in april with quakerstate high milage conventional oil 5w30(which is the recommended grade for this van as per manual) and i installed a quakerstate oil filter.
mid august i changed the oil again to Valvoline maxlife synthetic blend 5w30 and put in a K&N oil filter. i've never done a UOA yet but will do it upon the next oil change.
I have a few oils i want to try next, the van does not burn ANY oil (from april to august i never had to put any oil in it and that was about a 3000+/- mile oci) the van also does not smoke or anything, its in pretty good condition, the ONLY issue i have is that i believe i have some valve noise, upon starting up the van (which always starts up easily) the valve noise will occur about 10-15secs after starting up the van and the "clicking" sound gets faster(not louder) as i accelerate. this is only if i have the hood open and listen in, the noise is harder to hear behind the wheel and while driving although i can still hear it.
so my question is which oil should i try to get rid of this noise and have a very very quiet engine (mind you i plan on changing the oil again around nov, right before the hard winter hits), the oils i have in mind are:
-just stick with valvoline maxlife 5w30 (although this oil hasnt really stopped the valve noise)?
-try valvoline maxlife full synthetic 10w-30 (5w30 is not available anywhere)
-try valvoline synpower 5w30
-mix in one quart of synpower 5w30 with maxlife synblend 5w-3?
-try castrol 0w-30?
-try pennzoil full synthetic 5w30?
-try this "new" mobil super 2000 high mileage synblend 5w30(only available in canada)
i like the idea of the maxlife since it has those addictives specifically for high mileage vehicles, but im willing to try something else if it will make my engine super quiet, budget is tight so i dont want to go crazy expensive and the pennzoil and castrol 0w-30 are the limit (1 quart of castrol 0w-30 is like $8 and no one sells the jug, pennzoil is about the same price, but oils like mobil 1 and mobil 1 EP are out of the question since they are like $11-$12 per quart and over $40 for a 4.4l jug)
i rather not be changing brands every time i change oil, im kinda trying to find one that i can stick with, the valvoline is the most affordable one, i purchased the maxlife synblend in a 5L jug at my local walmart for $19. so what do you guys think? (i will be using a motorcraft FL-1A oil filter next time)
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