high mileage oil ratings

**JayTA98** · 05-09-2011, 05:44 PM

Hi guys, I have a few questions and if you are out there Sarge let me hear your advise on this one. My wife has 06 nissan altima 4 cylinder. The car is in great shape and I keep up the maintenance on it. She has always done the oil change at valvoline. they used to charge her around $30 including oil filter. not bad.

The car is fixing to hit 90k and now they told her they have to switch to high mileage oil and it will cost $60 for oil change. I think that's way too high for a 4 cylinder car.

I'm doing my LS1 oil change with mobil 1 EP and with Fram XG filter I spend $38 at walmart. I know that Mobil 1 EP is way better than valvoline. im going to start doing her vehicle's oil change from now on.

So my questions are:

Is it okay to put synthetic oil on a car that had always used regular oil with 90k miles? or should I stick with regular version? I know that sometimes this causes leaks.

Should I run Mobil1 EP or Penzoil Platinum in this Nissan Altima?

Is it really worth this whole high mileage oil stuff? or is it better to stick with the regular versions or improved ones like mobil 1 EP?

Thanks.

**pajeff02** · 05-09-2011, 06:14 PM

I am not by any means a guru on this stuff, but my understanding of the "high mileage" oils are that they primarily compensate for two things: Dried out seals and increased clearances in the engine. Our '04 Stratus is currently the mileage leader in our garage at just under 120,000 on the odometer. I use the same oil and filters as I have always run on the car without any issues. Unless your wife's car is using oil or having other issues I am not sure if a change at this juncture is really necessary.

**JayTA98** · 05-09-2011, 06:52 PM

The car is not using oil. Thanks pajeff. I guess ill just have to wait until I get more information about these high mileage oils. I will like to switch it to synthetic but not sure if it is a good move.

**wileyCoyote** · 05-09-2011, 07:00 PM

ok first let me caveat myself here, ...as i'm no mechanic or similar expert - ...so, this is what i've heard on a local radio show, the topic of which is anything automotive. it is on a local talk radio station on saturdays... the host is apparently an ASE certified mechanic, in the business for decades, etc... anyway, he seems like is very knowledgeable..

he has said that as a general rule, he doesn't consider it worthwhile going to "high mileage" oil, until perhaps 200k mil or more... the question about switching to synthetic from natural oil has come up many times too, and he says he used to buy into that "myth" a long time ago, but since has been convinced it doesn't hurt anything to switch to synthetic, or vice versa...

**JayTA98** · 05-09-2011, 07:08 PM

Thanks wiley.

**wileyCoyote** · 05-09-2011, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

Thanks wiley.

one more thing he always hammers home, is he says whatever you do, don't change the oil weight - he's big on sticking to the manuf spec (which i think is 5W30 for these cars?) - i guess that's a common mistake people like to make in thinking their high mileage engine is better if they switch to a different weight oil...but doing so can really can lead to other problems...

**JayTA98** · 05-09-2011, 09:09 PM

I always stick with the manufacture's oil rating.

**TransAmX2** · 05-10-2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by wileyCoyote

he has said that as a general rule, he doesn't consider it worthwhile going to "high mileage" oil, until perhaps 200k mil or more... the question about switching to synthetic from natural oil has come up many times too, and he says he used to buy into that "myth" a long time ago, but since has been convinced it doesn't hurt anything to switch to synthetic, or vice versa...

+1 totally agree, seen some studies on it

Only actual concern i've ever seen is on a couple occasions I've known or seen a vehicle switch from normal oil to synthetic and they had a small leak grow into a larger leak. It could be attributed to synthetic oil actually being a more free flowing liquid and creeping out the gaps easier or it could have just be bad timing (the leak could have grown with normal oil but just happened to coincide with the change to synthetic) no real way of knowing. Don't get me wrong, I haven't seen leaks created from changing to synthetic, but have seen leaks grow.

Just FYI, I worked for GM as a Lube Tech and parts changer for a number of years while going to college, so I likely changed more oil in a week than the average person would in a lifetime.

My 2cents

**sutie** · 05-11-2011, 11:08 AM

ive heard from a few different people that uping the wight from 5-30 to 10-30 is a smart move, and recommended for me. what could this happen?

**pajeff02** · 05-11-2011, 12:55 PM

I would stick with 5W-30. I want the "thinner" weight on cold startup for better initial flow and lubrication. That being said, you can certainly run 10W-30 in our cars and I do not believe any harm would result.

**JayTA98** · 05-12-2011, 04:56 AM

tht's what i use on the bird 10W-30

**sutie** · 05-12-2011, 05:35 AM

im blaiming all my oil leaks on 5-30 haha! no, after i do my rear main and rear cover this weekend, im switching to 10W. we'll see how well it works out for me

**KMdef9** · 05-12-2011, 06:28 AM

Jay,

I'll jump on the band wagon as well with this, as long as you have been doing the proper maintenance, it should be fine. I would consider high mileage oil if I bought the vehicle with +100k on it and didn't know how well it was taken care of.

5W-30 in the summer
> for the Jeep
10W-30 in the winter

TA is always 5W-30.

**JayTA98** · 06-15-2011, 07:09 PM

well turns our that I asked my wife if she knows what oil weight her car uses. She didn't knew. Si she checks her receipts from valvoline and they had been using 5w20. I told her that i really think that oil weight is incorrect for her car.

She checks the owners manual and it recommends 10w40...
I think shes been going to that place for the last 2 yrs.

I think im going with PP on her 1st oil change. She has always put conventional oi in it. Will it be a good move to change to synthetic? The car don't leak or burns oil.

**89RS&98Z28** · 06-16-2011, 04:51 AM

Having done 58 oil changes on the 98 ( had 85,000 miles on it when I got it) and now sits on 255,000, I have had no problems using 10w30 from Precision Tune using their brand. Just checked milage and still averages 23mpg. Most dependable car I have ever owned. Never changed maf or o2's only one plug & wire change at 190,000. Fuel pump noisy as heck MM oil helps keep it quiet. Oh, a waterpump at about 220,000. That and battery and head unit swap are all thats been done. Might have to name the thing timex........

**SteveC** · 06-16-2011, 05:41 AM

Todays oils are so refined (SM) that you should stick to the brand you are using, if the engine starts to use or burn oil, consider going to a heavier weight oil, 10W-40, or 20W 50.

There would be no problems using these weights in your type of climate.

SteveC

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-16-2011, 06:53 AM

Jay I just switch my other two cars over to Mobil 1 EP in their recommended weights and have no issues. The bird has always been under Mobil 1 since I got her, previous owner was using it too.

08' Jeep has 96k
08 Gallant has 83k
98' T/A has 140k - I've used Mobile synthetic since I got her at 108k

**JayTA98** · 06-16-2011, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

Jay I just switch my other two cars over to Mobil 1 EP in their recommended weights and have no issues. The bird has always been under Mobil 1 since I got her, previous owner was using it too.

08' Jeep has 96k
08 Gallant has 83k
98' T/A has 140k - I've used Mobile synthetic since I got her at 108k

thats what i use the bird, i know is great oil. i just don't want her car to start leaking like is been shoot. But ill never know until i try it. I was going with PP for her vehicle with fram XG filter.

**JayTA98** · 06-16-2011, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by SteveC

Todays oils are so refined (SM) that you should stick to the brand you are using, if the engine starts to use or burn oil, consider going to a heavier weight oil, 10W-40, or 20W 50.

There would be no problems using these weights in your type of climate.

SteveC

I been thinking about using 10w40 on the bird. see if it helps with leaks.