Never use high mileage oil?

Bird

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Just recently on a Hemi site that I visit, a couple of members boldly stated " never use high milage oil ".
Claimed the additives over expanded the seals which eventually created bigger leaks.

Now this is the first I've heard this and actually use a high mileage Valvoline Maxlife.
It works as advertised and dried up my garage floor.

Not to be in an oil debate, to many floating around. Lol
But any merit to this ?
Or perhaps an opinion ?
 
Just recently on a Hemi site that I visit, a couple of members boldly stated " never use high milage oil ".
Claimed the additives over expanded the seals which eventually created bigger leaks.
Or perhaps an opinion ?

Oil seals fill the gap between two items like the block and the crankshaft. That gap has a certain area (sq/in) and the seal needs to be slightly bigger than the gap or it leaks. I don't know why they end up leaking, maybe they're worn or maybe they shrank but expansion would make up for that at least temporarily.


They were older members with high post counts so possibly true. Lol

Or maybe older members with high post counts of things they don't really know anyway.
 
I’ve been using Valvoline Maxlife 5w-30 in my ‘99 Silverado with almost 180,000 miles for probably 10 years. There are no more leaks than I already had before I started using it. Used regular ole conventional Valvoline 5w-30 before that.

I’ve been using Valvoline Maxlife 10w-30 in my LJ since I got it in the summer of 2016 and have no leaks at all from it. It did have a leaking oil pan gasket when I got it, but I changed it out shortly after getting it and it’s not leaked since.
 
The only reason I could see would be if you plump up the seal and it wears a bit more because it's now tight against the part. Then you stop using high mileage oil and it goes back to normal size.


There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
 
. . . I’ve been using Valvoline Maxlife 10w-30 in my LJ since I got it in the summer of 2016 and have no leaks at all from it. . . .


I have also been using Valvoline Maxlife 10w30 synthetic blend in my 100,000+ mile LJ since I purchased it in June 2017. The previous owner used Mobil 1 full synthetic. The rear main seal weeped a bit when I got my jeep. It seems to weep a bit less since I switched to Valvoline Maxlife but that may only be wishful thinking. I can assure you that it does not weep more.

I'll let you know if the rear main seal leak gets worse with long term use of high mileage motor oil or if I develop new leaks, but so far my experience has been exactly the opposite. This is consistent with my prior experience with a Nissan Xterra using Valvoline Maxlife 5w30 which is now approaching 200,000 miles with no leaks whatsoever.

YMMV
 
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I use the cheapest API SN 10w30 or sometimes in the summer 15w40 oil. Proline, Chevron or Valvoline are good. Anything more is money down the drain in my opinion. That's all it really is, somebody's opinion. Do whatever you feel like, it doesn't really matter.
 
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I have also been using Valvoline Maxlife 10w30 synthetic blend in my 100,000+ mile LJ since I purchased it in June 2017. The previous owner used Mobil 1 full synthetic. The rear main seal weeped a bit when I got my jeep. It seems to weep a bit less since I switched to Valvoline Maxlife but that may only be wishful thinking. I can assure you that it does not weep more.

I'll let you know if the rear main seal leak gets worse with long term use of high mileage motor oil or if I develop new leaks, but so far my experience has been exactly the opposite. This is consistent with my prior experience with a Nissan Xterra using Valvoline Maxlife 5w30 which is now approaching 200,000 miles with no leaks whatsoever.

YMMV
We also have an xterra, ours is an 01 we got from a friend for $2,400 with 170,000 on it.
 
I used motor craft 5w-20 synthetic blend. Every 5000 miles in both my truck and car (recommend by ford).
When I sold my wifes car @ 200k+ it ran like a new engine.

My truck has 150k miles and runs like a champ.

High mileage oil is a marketing strategy. Aka snake oil.

*****OPINION******

ANY oil will work just fine as long as it is the same type that is recommended.
 
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I just purchased a 98 Sahara with 218,000 miles on it. I had no way of knowing what had been used before so I went to Walmart looking at oil and decided to try Havoline 10W-30 synthetic blend high mileage oil. It was a good price plus it came in a 6 quart box. Has anyone tried it??
I probably have some minor leaks, I noticed some oil on the oil pan but it wasn’t dripping. I changed the oil by crawling under not on a lift so I didn’t look around a lot to see if I could figure where it was coming from.
 
High mileage oil has higher concentrations of zinc and phosphorous. Basically, like the oil we used to buy 25 years ago or more. Basic purpose is to ensure the oil has more lube capability with those added minerals and seal swelling.
Bottom line for me is what has already been said: as long as you change oil (whatever oil you are using) consistently you should be good to go.