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Oil recommendations

U

Unclewolverine

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kansas
I've been running rotella for about a year, but now that it's getting cooler in the mornings my cold start lower end knock is coming back. I'm thinking about switching to a 10w40 or maybe something even lighter. Any suggestions? Gotta stay cheap, I have to change my oil every 3-4 weeks and redline or expensive synthetic would dig into my bottom line. I run a mobil one m1 301 filter and currently have 60 psi highway speeds, 18-20psi hot idle oil pressure.
 
What are you using now? 20/50?

3-4 weeks? Is that due to the current condition of the engine?

I run Castrol GTX High Mileage 10/30 (synth blend). Every other oil change I swap 1 QT for MMO.
 
Saudade said:
What are you using now? 20/50?

3-4 weeks? Is that due to the current condition of the engine?

I run Castrol GTX High Mileage 10/30 (synth blend). Every other oil change I swap 1 QT for MMO.
Click to expand...

This it what I run also.
 
I've always been wary of high mileage oils. I had a mercury villager once upon a time with 200k+ on it, changed the oil to a high mileage one and what had been a completely clean motor started leaking at the front and rear main seals! Ever since then I have never used a high mileage oil on anything.
 
Not sure you can do better than Rotella 15/40 or dex15/40.

Might try a synthetic but I dunno

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
Unclewolverine said:
I've always been wary of high mileage oils. I had a mercury villager once upon a time with 200k+ on it, changed the oil to a high mileage one and what had been a completely clean motor started leaking at the front and rear main seals! Ever since then I have never used a high mileage oil on anything.
Click to expand...


I'm wary of changing oil to fix problems. On my 98 I started adding Lucas oil for a knock that was probably a loose wrist pin or bad lifters and convinced myself I had a failing engine. Probably not, but now I have a rebuilt that has not great oil pressure at hot idle while my original engine probably needed at best a mild rebuild. Definitely gave me a new respect for don't mess with it if it isn't broke.
 
I used valvoline 10w 30 conventional for about 250k miles year round. I now run Rotella as that jeep has over 400k now lol

Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk
 
Rotella is well-regarded by most people. Why not go to the next lighter weight? Or are you looking to move to something less expensive?
 
Not looking to go cheaper, just not much pricer but a lower weight to see if it helps with my lower end knock when cold. With rotella on a super cold day the knock pretty much won't go away even at the end if the route.
 
Seems odd for the noise to not go away after the vehicle is fully warm in cooler weather while going away in warmer weather. Do you have an engine oil cooler?

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No. It had always knocked a little but once the ambient temp got in the 90s I would only hear it on cool mornings, bought 5-30 going to give that a try. If it's worse I switch it back out and keep the thinner stuff for the lawn mower.
 
OK, I have a MB 240D. I used to run Rotella 15W-45 in the warm months. I did have the problem of hard starts from say late October to Spring. Although I don't run it when it snows. Then I used Rotella 10W-30. Started nice. People on the MB Boards would run their mouths that it wasn't Diesel rated, MB didn't spec 10W-30 for the 240D, blah, blah, blah. Obviously, they could not read. MB user's manual does spec 10W-30 for temps below 70 degrees. Rotella does list it as Diesel rated on their website.
Not that all that matters in the XJ,MJ,ZJ world. I did run the Rotella 10W-30 in my XJ's for probably 5 years. Not issues. Since diesel rated, it has the 1100-1200 ppm of ZN that the 4.0L likes. I do run Rotella T6 now. Also, I'd run the T4 at least 4K OCI, unless you are wheeling.
 
The trade-off for the high ZDDP oils is reduced cat converter life. I run high ZDDP oil in my XJ, so just pointing out the trade-off.
 
maxbraketorque said:
The trade-off for the high ZDDP oils is reduced cat converter life. I run high ZDDP oil in my XJ, so just pointing out the trade-off.
Click to expand...

Yes, but on a pre-2004, I don't consider it an issue. I might on a 2000 Cali XJ or 2001, with the pre-cats. So, yes, a trade off between motor life or an $80 cat every X years. I hear the Subbie guys run the T6. They will sacrifice cats in favor of the motor. I think their cats are $$.
 
New fed emissions XJ cats are more than $80 now. I am considering replacing mine, so I was just shopping around. The lowest is around $200, and well known brands are $250+. No longer $80, but still not horrible.
 
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