UAO or Good to Go

[cadfaeltex]

For the 1994 Jaguar XJS with AJ6 Straight 4.0L six.

Changed the oil in October with Redline 5W30. Still not consuming much but more than the M1 15w50 it had in it previously - maybe half a quart. Runs well except for a little noise on cold start - normal from what I'm told but still bugs me some.

I'm considering doing a UAO but the $50-60 is stopping me (pump purchase plus test). This beast takes a bit to fill with oil with it's 8.5 qt sump.

It doesn't see a lot of miles (even though it is my daily driver) so I was planning on a one year OCI. I'm thinking the UAO would help me feel a bit more comfortable with that interval in a 20 year old engine. It might also help me see if I stick with RL or go to something else (like M1 0w40). Or would I be ok to just go with the Redline and save the money for the next massive oil bill

So to UAO on not to UAO, that is the question.

 

[Rand]

uoa will just make you feel bad.

the first interval on an ester based oil usually involves alot of cleaning/scavenging so the uoa would most likely look horrid anyway.

Also uoa's are pretty much worthless unless you do them with same oil and 2-3 at least with same car so you have a baseline.

They would tell you about coolant in the oil and if the oil itself is depleted.. thats about it.

just my 2cents.

also you dont mention mileage or driving style for your 1 year oci.


10-15000 miles of 20miles highway is alot better than 8000miles where it say 3-7miles one way and never warms up.

 

[ahoier]

$50-60 for a UOA? Do you have any NAPA Auto Parts nearby? They got a kit you can order online, and pickup in store, for like $14.....for the pump....You can use a combination of a MixMizer 2 Cycle Oil Mixer, and some ice maker tubing

Check my posts, or do a search

Mixmizer siphon pump site:bobistheoilguy.com

on google

I outlined how I did it. though yea, if you intend on regularly OA, you'll want the [censored] or Oil Analyzers, Inc. (check around, I think OAI's is actually cheaper....and the exact same pump even) pump.....cause if you want truely accurate UOAs, the MixMizer is a "one shot deal".....since the oil gets into the syringe and such....sure you could probably soak it in gasoline, but then you got fuel vapors/molecules all over it that could affect the next UOA

Just an idea though.....

 

[cadfaeltex]

Should I got short OCI on the Redline then with the 'cleaning/scavenging' - say like 8 months (already at 6).

 

[cadfaeltex]

I drive 2.5 miles back and forth to work and home for lunch - so about 10 miles a day. Depending on the temp it usually is getting up to operating temp for the last .25-.5 miles. I try to drive it longer at least one time a month.

 

[Rand]

thats the water temp, not the oil temp which usually takes longer.

If it was my car and I wanted to continue using redline..

Id change this one abit early.. say 8monthes.. put in fresh.. then sample/uoa at 6-8monthes on the next batch to see how its doing.

I was just mentioning that redline may show a bad uoa from its cleaning properties.. not that your engine is actually wearing that much.

Redline is great oil.

If you want to switch oils.. switch oils do one shorter interval then sample/uoa the second interval.

sample/uoa= uoa when oil isnt actually changed.

I'd say you have fairly severe service conditions..

 

[Corvette Owner]

5w30 is what a 1994 Jag calls for ? Seems light weight to me. Why was 15W-50 in it?

4,000 miles/one year OCI, I think any synthetic can handle that easily. Save your $$ on UOA, unless you want to know numbers.

 

[HTSS_TR]

For mostly short drives I would put in the sump less than full capacity, instead of 8.5 qt I would use 7 qt that way the oil warm up faster, and check the oil level once a month to make sure it doesn't get below add line.

 

[CATERHAM]

The RL 5w30 being a low VI 40wt oil certainly wasn't the best choice for winter use although massively better than the M1 15W-50 for the way you drive your car.
Now that the weather is warmer I'd leave the RL in until October and wouldn't bother with a UOA.
In the fall, if you want to remain with RL go with their 0W-30.

 

[cadfaeltex]

The M1 15w50 was in it because I was looking for M1 0W40 and couldn't find it. My window to do the change in my schedule was closing and went with that because most of the old jag guys that I found were using '20W50 synthetic'. I've learned a little bit since then (why I went with the redline). When I talked with Dave at RL he recommended 10W30 and from the thread at the time I was steered to the 5W30 over the 10W30.

When the time comes in probably 3 months, how is RL 0W40 or is RL 0W30 what I really honest to goodness need?

That said I checked prices at the Post Exchange and it might be hard to pass up the price. Always forget the check there. They had PYB for 3.29, M1 0W40 for 6.29. That's without shipping or tax. The PYB is two bucks cheaper than what I got it for when I changed my wife's car out last weekend.

 

[cadfaeltex]

The more I think about it the more I wonder if the RL is worth it. How does M1 0W40 compare with RL 0W30?