1996 Chrysler LHS
3.5L SOHC V6
153,000 miles

Engine has never been opened up but there is a reasonable amount of varnish seen when looking through the oil fill hole on the valve cover. I don't think I have any sludge problems but just a good amount of varnish. Anyway the manual recommends 5W-30 below 32F and 10W-30 between 0F - 100F+ which is my operating range.

I just put in Valvoline All Climate 10W-30 and a SuperTech oil filter. I would like to use a good dino oil that doesn't shear a whole lot that also has a very good detergent and anti-wear package. Any suggestions for what brand and weight I should be using? Would a good dino 10W-40 be a good choice for this mileage engine? Thanks everyone.

 

I wouldn't go any heavier unless you think it has problems. For upper end valve train noise, like lifters, go lighter. Lighter works for piston slap too. It doesn't make sense, but more is flung up there and it does quiet 'em down. For rod / main knock, go heavier. Heavier oil isn't good for the valve train, and lighter oil isn't good for the bottom end. So you want to stay in the middle, where everything is happy.

I think a good oil to go with is Mystik JT-8 Super Heavy Duty 10w30. 10w30 is the weight to shoot for. This is a diesel rated oil, meaning that it has a better additive package than any standard non-diesel rated oil could ever hope to have. This includes detergency. I just removed the fuel pump on my 360FE engine, as I'm putting fuel injection on and am going to an electric pump. It was COMPLETELY clean. The inside of the timing cover was clean. Have you ever heard of ANYTHING being clean in a 360?

Chevron Delo or Shell Rotella are others to look for, but I've found that the Mystik is the most available in 10w30.

Good luck!

 

rusty, there is no way I will be able to find Mystic in my area. I have never seen any weight of Mystic sold around my area. Delo is somewhat accesable and around my area you can find Rotella almost anywhere. The only downside is that any diesel oil that I have ever seen is a 15W-40. Last time I went to go pick up oil I looked for Rotella in a 10W-30 weight but I couldn't find any anywhere.

Oh a quick question. I know that Shell Rotella 10W-30 is diesel rated as well as API SL rated, but does it have the starburst symbol indicating it is "energy conserving" like an ordinary gas 10W-30 oil. Does it have friction modifiers and other stuff to make it energy conserving. Is diesel oil essentially the same as a gasser oil except that it has a way way better additive package? Thanks again.

 

10W30 will continue to work well in that engine.

Rusty70f100: You are probably the first guy I have ever seen use the words clean and 360 in the same sentence.

 

I kid you not! I'll take a picture of it tomorrow, next to the sludged up one I pulled off a junkyard motor. The difference will amaze you. The one I pulled looks as though I just installed it, and the sludged up one is, well, sludged up.

Gtm, where are you located? Have you tried the farm&barn / ag / ranch type stores? That's where it's located. You'll never find it at Wal-Mart.

No, the diesel oils do not have the starburst and are not energy conserving. The also do not have the friction modifiers. They do have the SL rating in combination with the diesel CH-4 / CI-4 ratings so you can use 'em in gas engines safely. Fleets do this routinely when they only want to stock one type of oil. They're doing themselves a favor at the same time.

 

I have only looked at local auto parts stores (Advance, NAPA, ect...) and Wallyworld and they have a good selection of diesel oils but they are all 15W-40. I'll have to check out the Farm&Fleet, Thiesens, and others. I hope they have a good diesel oil in 10W-30.

So if I were to use a diesel 10W-30 it wouldn't have the starburst and the "energy conserving" type on the donut right? What would I lose by using a 10W-30 without friction modifiers and the starburst symbol. A few mpg's and have a little more fiction maybe?

Are there any good gas engine oils that do a good job of cleaning up over a few thousand miles?

 

You could use Maxlife if you want to stay with gas but I don’t think it is an energy conserving oil.

 

The gas mileage difference is small enough you'll never notice it. It's only there for the manufacturers Corporate Average Fuel Economy numbers. It'll be lost in the noise.

I really hate that they call them friction modifiers; it makes people think they reduce wear. What they really do is make the oil more slippery, that is less parasitic drag on sliding surfaces. They accomplish this by thinning the oil when under load. You actually get LESS potential wear without them. They also, to my understanding, are a cause of sludge.

Definately try the Farm&Fleet and Thiesens. That's probably where it is.

 

Just go to the store and pick ANY 10w-30 off the shelf. They will all suit your needs just fine. No magic oils out there.

 

True to my word, I have uploaded the picture. It's in my 70 F-100 album, last picture.

All I'm saying is that there is something better than standard energy conserving dino. Diesel rated dino oil is it.

 

You were not kidding about that fuel pump, it looks almost new. That Holly TBI looks great on there. You have a nice truck. Are you planing on using the in cab tank with the injection setup?

 

Yep, all the fuel lines are already run. I figure if the accident is bad enough to rupture that tank, I'll already be watching it from above anyway.

Heh, the TBI is the cleanest thing on there. That will change when the 390 goes in though.

 

Found some Mystic JT-8 10W-30 today. But it was only SH rated! Is this some really old stock or is the 10W-30 really only SH rated. I saw that the Mystic 10W-40 was SJ rated and the 15W-40 was SL rated. I also don't like how the oil doesn't have the donut symbol on the back indicating it's API certified. In fact it doesn't have any certifications or starburst or donut or anything except it says it meets diesel and gas requirements. Man I wish I could find some Rotella 10W-30.

 

The 10w30 is SL / CI-4 rated and has the donut. You must have found some REALLY old stock. They probably want to get that cleared out before they put the new stuff out. Plenty of new stuff here anyway.

Here's a link to the current Mystik JT-8 info.

 

Hey boys,
I work at Valvoline, I have done many things with in the compnay, I worked at Valvoline instant Oil Change for 4 years. I know a thing a two about oil. First off, your cars has 156,000 miles on it, it's natural your going to have some sludge. Secondly, your oil filter is junk man( supertech) I don't know exactly what there filtering specs are but, buy the best, not the cheapest. Use a high-mileage oil. Believe it or not they actually help, It does have special additives to help, I know I have been at the lab and seen the results. Stick with a good oil ( one that actually sells enough to advertise ,not Mystic, no offense) Stay with10w30, get a good oil filter, and change it every 3,000, and you'll get another 130,000 out your car. Don't put a heavier oil in unless your living in a HOT state. Stick with name brand, Valvoline, Pennzoil,Castrol, Cheveron, Shell etc.