1988 Dodge B250 oil choice?

[petes67bird]

Hi,
Just purchased a 1988 Dodge B250 Conversion Van with a 318 motor and 130k miles. I am receiving it tomorrow and plan on replacing all the fluids within the vehicle. My question is I believe the book calls for 10w30 but I planned on using a valvoline high mileage oil. Should I stay with 10w30 or up it to the 10w40. The car will be parked all winter in storage until the spring if that matters at all. Thanks

 

[jayg]

High mileage 10w30 won't hurt. The cheapest name brand 10w30 is what I would put in it. A 318 doesn't care.

 

[hemitom]

i had an 88 dodge that i ran valvoline conventional 10w30 and 5w30 for the better part of 160000k never any issues.

 

[petes67bird]

Thanks guys, does high mileage make a difference vs conventional?

 

[eljefino]

HM might be nice. A diesel 10w30 would be too.

 

[bullwinkle]

Hard to beat MaxLife 10W30, or 10W40, or even 20W50 if it has low hot oil pressure.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by petes67bird
Thanks guys, does high mileage make a difference vs conventional?



HM may have a few more seal conditioners, HM tend to be thicker in grade, and may have a bit more additives.

 

[petes67bird]

Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Hard to beat MaxLife 10W30, or 10W40, or even 20W50 if it has low hot oil pressure.

I planned on maxlife 10W30. Debating if I should have them check the rest of the fluids or just have them change them all regardless.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by petes67bird
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Hard to beat MaxLife 10W30, or 10W40, or even 20W50 if it has low hot oil pressure.

I planned on maxlife 10W30. Debating if I should have them check the rest of the fluids or just have them change them all regardless.



Just check. Some of the fluids may have been recently changed. Although I would do a transmission pan drop, change the filter, and add fresh transmission fluild if it's a automatic.

 

[petes67bird]

Originally Posted by dave1251
Originally Posted by petes67bird
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Hard to beat MaxLife 10W30, or 10W40, or even 20W50 if it has low hot oil pressure.

I planned on maxlife 10W30. Debating if I should have them check the rest of the fluids or just have them change them all regardless.



Just check. Some of the fluids may have been recently changed. Although I would do a transmission pan drop, change the filter, and add fresh transmission fluild if it's a automatic.

The guy said the transmission was rebuilt at 104k miles, it now has 128k miles. Do not know if that should be good enough for awhile or if I should still drop the pan. i know he said they just put new brakes, calipers, brake lines and tires on so I am guessing the brake fluid is good. Luckily I am purchasing from the original owner who bought it back in 1988 and had it customized for his wife. She then drove and took care of it for the last 30 years. She was telling me that she took great care of it and made me promise that I would as well. They are in their late 80's.

 

[wdn]

Slightly off topic but related: Why did Dodge quit making the 318, anyway?

 

[dave1251]

That is a nice van then. Yeah a pan drop and refill every 40K would not hurt any thing and it would help. Congrats this is not a common find.

 

[wrcsixeight]

If it is an overdrive transmission use only ATF+4, any brand will do.

Add a drain plug to the pan when you have it off. Add an external TX cooler inline after the radiator cooler, and keep it out of overdrive climbing hills under 55mph

it will go into overdrive at 28mph under light throttle

My 89 has the A-500 transmission rebuilt at 130K

My rebuilt LA 318 is running nice and quiet on Pennzoil platinum 10w-30, quieter than on mobil 1 0w-40 anyway

I am very familiar with my 89 and yours is extremely similar, so you can hit me up with questions when you have issues.

 

[petes67bird]

Originally Posted by wrcsixeight
If it is an overdrive transmission use only ATF+4, any brand will do.

Add a drain plug to the pan when you have it off. Add an external TX cooler inline after the radiator cooler, and keep it out of overdrive climbing hills under 55mph

it will go into overdrive at 28mph under light throttle

My 89 has the A-500 transmission rebuilt at 130K

My rebuilt LA 318 is running nice and quiet on Pennzoil platinum 10w-30, quieter than on mobil 1 0w-40 anyway

I am very familiar with my 89 and yours is extremely similar, so you can hit me up with questions when you have issues.


I use pennzoil platinum in my Outback and was thinking if I used synthetic in this older engine, some leaks may appear. This is going to be my travel van, so it will have very low mileage, maybe 2-3k a year

 

[wrcsixeight]

I wasn't suggesting you use PP 10w-30, just that my 318 seems to enjoy it, noise wise.

Roadtrips aside, thats my average yearly mileage too. I an usually in 13 to 14 month oil change interval range regardless of mileage though my one UOA revealed plenty of TBN left after 13 months using m1 0w-40

 

[ka9mnx]

I would stay with the recommended 10w-30. I would use a HM oil because it sits (not used) for a long time. Look at my sig and see what I use in my B2500. I leave the oil in until analysis says to change it. Mine is a home made camper van and sits like yours. Oil changes in mine can be a couple of years.

 

[dave1251]

Let's see the pics when your ready. I would like to your ride.

 

[petes67bird]

Originally Posted by dave1251
Let's see the pics when your ready. I would like to your ride.

How do you post photos here, I don't see a way to attach photos

 

[petes67bird]

Found it. Here are some pictures. The only interior update I plan on doing is replacing speakers, the head unit for Bluetooth, and replacing some bulbs with led. I plan on keeping the tube TV as I think it's just awesome. I can always have a flat-screen I plug im while camping as I will have an exterior plug.

 

[dave1251]

This sir is a nice van. Thank you. It's a keeper.