5w-20 in a 1985 Dodge 600 Turbo?

[OceanRuns]

Picked up a 1985 Dodge 600 convertible, 96k miles, engine is the Chrysler 2.2 turbo.
Previous owner changed the oil shortly before selling it and used 5w-20 (presumably synthetic). Per his notes previous oil changes were 5w-30. He told him he didn't have the 30w on hand, so just used what he used for one of his modern cars.
So, should I change it or run the 5w-20?

 

[demarpaint]

I'd change it, especially since it is an old engine and a turbo.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Originally Posted by OceanRuns
Picked up a 1985 Dodge 600 convertible, 96k miles, engine is the Chrysler 2.2 turbo.
Previous owner changed the oil shortly before selling it and used 5w-20 (presumably synthetic). Per his notes previous oil changes were 5w-30. He told him he didn't have the 30w on hand, so just used what he used for one of his modern cars.
So, should I change it or run the 5w-20?


I wouldn't waste it, you can add something like STP or one of the Liqui Moly products like Oil Saver...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPL8WY8/ref=psdc_15718821_t1_B001CZKC2I

 

[sprite1741]

I wouldn't run a 20 in mine, especially since it's getting warmer outside. I stick with 10w30 year round. Older engines usually like a thicker oil. Turbos get hot. Change it.

 

[OceanRuns]

A Dodge Lancer Turbo. That's cool.

 

[Patman]

I wouldn't run 5w20 in that. I had a 1988 Dodge Shadow ES Turbo that I bought new and I know that those 2.2 turbo engines were not designed for 5w20. Stick with a 5w30 or 10w30 and definitely only a full synthetic, those turbos get hot.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by Jackson_Slugger
Originally Posted by OceanRuns
Picked up a 1985 Dodge 600 convertible, 96k miles, engine is the Chrysler 2.2 turbo.
Previous owner changed the oil shortly before selling it and used 5w-20 (presumably synthetic). Per his notes previous oil changes were 5w-30. He told him he didn't have the 30w on hand, so just used what he used for one of his modern cars.
So, should I change it or run the 5w-20?

I wouldn't waste it, you can add something like STP or one of the Liqui Moly products like Oil Saver...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPL8WY8/ref=psdc_15718821_t1_B001CZKC2I

Why would you add gunk to the unknown?

It's good practice to change the oil. That's the only sure way to know exactly what is in the sump. I would go with 5w30 as already suggested.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by OceanRuns
A Dodge Lancer Turbo. That's cool.

I had the 85 LeBaron GTS hatchback with the 2.2 Turbo, 5-speed. Was fun til it blew the 3rd engine and I gave up. Head gasket.

I ran 5w30 in it, there wasn't any 5w20 back then.

It's just an oil change, just change it.

 

[csandste]

Originally Posted by Jackson_Slugger
Originally Posted by OceanRuns
Picked up a 1985 Dodge 600 convertible, 96k miles, engine is the Chrysler 2.2 turbo.
Previous owner changed the oil shortly before selling it and used 5w-20 (presumably synthetic). Per his notes previous oil changes were 5w-30. He told him he didn't have the 30w on hand, so just used what he used for one of his modern cars.
So, should I change it or run the 5w-20?


I wouldn't waste it, you can add something like STP or one of the Liqui Moly products like Oil Saver...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPL8WY8/ref=psdc_15718821_t1_B001CZKC2I

I'm cheap and lazy. Everyone including me disses STP but this might be a place for it. A half can would get it up to 5w30.

 

[hemitom]

If he used a 5w20 synthetic, i'm sure its better than any 5 or 10w30 from 1985 and i don't think a short 3k run would hurt , instead of wasting it !

 

[blufeb95]

Originally Posted by hemitom
If he used a 5w20 synthetic, i'm sure its better than any 5 or 10w30 from 1985 and i don't think a short 3k run would hurt , instead of wasting it !

Drain out half of it, mix it with 10w40 synthetic, and mix the other half with the remaining 10w40 in the jug and use it for next time.

 

[csandste]

Originally Posted by blufeb95
Originally Posted by hemitom
If he used a 5w20 synthetic, i'm sure its better than any 5 or 10w30 from 1985 and i don't think a short 3k run would hurt , instead of wasting it !

Drain out half of it, mix it with 10w40 synthetic, and mix the other half with the remaining 10w40 in the jug and use it for next time.

There ya go-- even 10w30. Waste not, want not.

 

[skyactiv]

This was the oil to use in a turbo car in the 80's:

 

[BAJA_05]

Peace of mind -- drain it out and refill with 5W30 synthetic like others have mentioned. Back in the middle 90s I had a 1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z with the 2.2L Turbo 2 paired with a 5 speed. Yeah, again -- those turbos get real hot.

 

[CharBaby]

The owner's manual for those cars recommend against using 5W20 motor oil. But that was 35 years ago when 5W20 wasn't anything special. Today the 5W20 oils are great although I'd still use 5W30.

 

[Rat407]

Originally Posted by hemitom
If he used a 5w20 synthetic, i'm sure its better than any 5 or 10w30 from 1985 and i don't think a short 3k run would hurt , instead of wasting it !



This ^

Considering I'm running a 5w-20 in a 2002 Silverado 5.3 and tow a 4k trailer and the UOA's are just fine. No worries. Run it for 3k and change it out. Think of it as a nice cleaning period.

 

[92saturnsl2]

With summer temperatures approaching, I'd change it out if it were my car.

In the dead of winter, I'd leave it in there. To each their own.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
This was the oil to use in a turbo car in the 80's:

My dad ran that as well as Valvoline 4guard in the 87 Omni he bought my mom. Car needed bearings rolled in @ around 45000 miles!

 

[PimTac]

There weren't a whole lot of those made.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by OceanRuns
Picked up a 1985 Dodge 600 convertible, 96k miles, engine is the Chrysler 2.2 turbo.
Previous owner changed the oil shortly before selling it and used 5w-20 (presumably synthetic). Per his notes previous oil changes were 5w-30. He told him he didn't have the 30w on hand, so just used what he used for one of his modern cars.
So, should I change it or run the 5w-20?

Come on, a 2.2 L engine putting out only 146 hp and 168 lbâ‹…ft? You would be even fine with a 0W-16. There is absolutely no need to drain the 5W-20.

Any modern oil is fine for this 1980s engine. Back in the 1980s, they didn't have the HTHS requirement, which means 5W-30 oils of the 1980s were equivalent to the modern 5W-20 oils, with HTHS ~ 2.7 cP. That's why in the 1980s you would see 10W-30 being recommended but not 5W-30, as 5W-30 had lower HTHS than 10W-30 back then, not because of permanent oil shear but by design in those years. The table below shows the HTHS values for new, fresh oils of the 1980s era. The paper I linked also shows that for the used oils, KV shears but the HTHS remains constant because the oil thickening due to oxidation compensates for the permanent oil shear and makes up for the small drop in the HTHS due to oil shear with mileage.

Source: Investigations of engine-oil shear stability in laboratory tests and road tests

HTHS limits were not introduced until February 1992. They were not applied to the non-W part of the SAE viscosity until March 1993. 0W-40/5W-40/10W-40 oils still had a 2.9 cP lower limit (same as for SAE 30) until November 2007.

Source: Extending SAE J300 to viscosity grades below SAE 20

In conclusion:

• Any modern oil is fine for this engine, perhaps with the exception of SAE 0W-16.
• 5W-30 oils of the 1980s were equivalent to 5W-20 oils of today because the HTHS limits had not yet been introduced.
• If there is oil consumption due to bad valve-stem oil seals, a 15W-40 HDEO would help. A 15W-40 HDEO is also recommended for flat tappets because of its very thick base oil.