Oil Choices

[tiger862]

I can't get the Havoline 6qt from Walmart as sold out everytime I go in so I was looking at sales. Same price is Napa Synthetic, Maxlife, and Valvoline Conventional. No Pennzoil comment please. Napa is loaded with Calcium and is not SN+. Conventional 5w20 is a blend that is Chrysler certified no Calcium and little better additive package. Maxlife is also a blend that is stouter than both. I will be running this in 18 Grand Caravan for 5k or year. I was going to run OLM but the Napa Synthetic blend 5w20 got dark pretty quickly and is a very dark brown almost black at 4k. Vehicle has 9000 miles at this time. It will be summer here shortly and most of drive will be 45 mph and under with low rpms. (1200 or less)
I bought a bunch of Mobil1 filters on clearance at Walmart for 3.99 so I am good there.

 

[Skippy722]

I'd run the NAPA synthetic.

Assuming you mean the Grand Caravan in your signature, I've got one myself as well as the 300 with the same engine. I'll be running M1 EP or AP for a year in both. The 300 sees similar mileage, about 5k a year daily driven.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Look online at Walmart and see if they have it. Two boxes of that Havoline mail right to your home for free. My store never has it in stock but they quite frequently have it online.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
I'd run the NAPA synthetic.


Ditto. It will do 5k without blinking an eye.

 

[tiger862]

Finally Walmart allowed Havoline DS 5w20 to be ordered. I placed the order and it will be in next week. I will go to the store for free pickup. Thanks for replies.

 

[Merek]

The clearance on Mobil 1 filters must be a location thing, in the stores and online for me they are $9.97.

 

[earlyre]

well.. napa oil IS valvoline...

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted by Merek
The clearance on Mobil 1 filters must be a location thing, in the stores and online for me they are $9.97.


I checked my local Walmart and it seems to be only on a few selected filters that I guess didn't sell well enough. On the bright side I used the Mobil1 oil/filter rebate and I'm getting 2 Mobil 1 102A filters for 4.97 each

. I'm set because I have 4 from last year's Spring/Fall rebates. And I do two oil changes with each filter, I know that's blasphemy here on BITOG

.

Whimsey

 

[BJD78]

Exactly, there was a picture of a jug of Napa oil on here about a week or so ago that someone posted and it is Valvoline. I don't recall exactly which forum sub group it was in.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

QSUD? Your problem statement does not really disclose what problem you are having, or what you're looking to improve. Hot weather and low mph/rpm is not a concern as long as the engine is up to temp for decent periods of time.

What exactly is the issue you're hoping to correct? What certs does your GC require?

 

[jayjr1105]

The new Havoline boxes are semi-syn only correct?

 

[DGXR]

When you say
Originally Posted by tiger862
the Napa Synthetic blend 5w20 got dark pretty quickly and is a very dark brown almost black at 4k. Vehicle has 9000 miles at this time.

are you talking about color of oil on the dipstick or the oil in the drain pan? Any idea why it's getting dark so quickly? With 9,000 miles on the odometer, that engine is just barely broken in and should be in perfect condition. I guess you can chalk it up to different engines having different characteristics, but am I missing something here? Both my vehicles still look pretty clear on the dipstick with 4,000 miles on the oil.

 

[tiger862]

Originally Posted by DGXR
When you say
Originally Posted by tiger862
the Napa Synthetic blend 5w20 got dark pretty quickly and is a very dark brown almost black at 4k. Vehicle has 9000 miles at this time.

are you talking about color of oil on the dipstick or the oil in the drain pan? Any idea why it's getting dark so quickly? With 9,000 miles on the odometer, that engine is just barely broken in and should be in perfect condition. I guess you can chalk it up to different engines having different characteristics, but am I missing something here? Both my vehicles still look pretty clear on the dipstick with 4,000 miles on the oil.

The factory oil was dark on the stick at 4500 miles and so is this change. I am putting it off as engine break in. Not trying to fix anything other than an oil change to get this oil out. I had a problem with QSUD on last car and my family is a Pennzoil loyalist so I have seen problems with oil but it always put off as something else. Heck I almost joined Pennzoil warranty program but with so low mileage and 7 year warranty figured I would wait. With low mileage and low rpm I am trying to find an oil I like that will perform to my expectations. Never ran Mobil1 synthetic filter before but with cost I took a chance it won't cause a check engine light. Summer is almost here and temperatures get high 90s.