Now stop me if this discussion already exists, I can't find it. Anyway, just wondering what oil I should use during a jersey winter. I have 118k on my 4.0 stock motor.
What type of oil do you use?
- Thread starter IronCity
- Start date
I always use 10W-30 because I know it has a lower viscosity that helps in cold temps but maybe there is a better alternative? interested to hear if someone else has any input besides 10W-30
fljeeper
TJ Enthusiast
OP
What brand do you all like best? I was always a Mobil 1 guy but I treated to hear what Jeep owners think is best. I was going 5w-30 for winter
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Here in SOCAL I use a conventional Valvoline 10W-30 year-round. But if Valvoline were to disappear tomorrow, I'd happily run any major brand of engine oil... they're all superb now.
If I lived where it got really cold, I'd switch to a 5W-30 synthetic for the winter but go back to conventional 10W-30 once it started warming up. I've never been a fan of Mobil-1 after reading lots of reports of increased iron levels in oil test samples with that oil from Blackstone Lab's oil analyses.
If I lived where it got really cold, I'd switch to a 5W-30 synthetic for the winter but go back to conventional 10W-30 once it started warming up. I've never been a fan of Mobil-1 after reading lots of reports of increased iron levels in oil test samples with that oil from Blackstone Lab's oil analyses.
My owners manual says to use 5w-30 up to ambient temperatures of 100° F with the preferred oil viscosity being 10W-30 from 0°F and up. That's for a 1999 2.5 liter engine. @Jerry Bransford is correct that most any major brand out of the bottle will work just fine. You start to run into issues with oil out of bulk tanks because of contamination issues and unknown oils off grocery store shelves.
Mobile 1 contains iron compounds in the formulation that cause high iron level readings when analyzed. Is it a problem? I don't know for sure. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't use it as there are a whole bunch of other suitable oils out there.
Mobile 1 contains iron compounds in the formulation that cause high iron level readings when analyzed. Is it a problem? I don't know for sure. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't use it as there are a whole bunch of other suitable oils out there.
OP
I'll stay away from Mobil 1 and stick with 10w-30. Jersey winters don't get to cold. Thanks for the replies.
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I think this is the first oil thread for this forum! You broke our cherry! 
I use 5W-30. I don't care about the brand as long as it's a major brand.
I use 5W-30. I don't care about the brand as long as it's a major brand.
OP
I think this is the first oil thread for this forum! You broke our cherry!
I use 5W-30. I don't care about the brand as long as it's a major brand.
Haha thanks Chris!
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I use Amsoil XL series 10w-30 in the summer and 5w-30 in the winter. Running behind this year tho, still have to swap over to 5w-30. I get a discount on amsoil products, otherwise I probably wouldn't shell out the cash for it
Even when discounted, Amsoil is still way more expensive than other equally good synthetic lubricants. They are just very good with their marketing at convincing some people it's worth its huge premium. It not.
Get this... in 54 years of driving, I have always used conventional engine oils, and I have never had an engine failure or problem involving lubricated parts and I generally keep my vehicles until they're pretty darned close to 200k miles. To hear the opinions of synthetic proponents, that is impossible... they make it sound like our engines are all doomed to failures unless we run synthetics. Not true at all.
What keeps engines running well and problem free for many years and miles is not the use of fancy boutique synthetic motor oils, it is the simple changing of the oil and filter at appropriate intervals that does. My intervals have generally always been at around the 5k mark.
Get this... in 54 years of driving, I have always used conventional engine oils, and I have never had an engine failure or problem involving lubricated parts and I generally keep my vehicles until they're pretty darned close to 200k miles. To hear the opinions of synthetic proponents, that is impossible... they make it sound like our engines are all doomed to failures unless we run synthetics. Not true at all.
What keeps engines running well and problem free for many years and miles is not the use of fancy boutique synthetic motor oils, it is the simple changing of the oil and filter at appropriate intervals that does. My intervals have generally always been at around the 5k mark.
darkangel07760
Member
The owner's manual does not specify conventional or synthetic oil for the engine. Either works fine in non-extreme cold weather conditions, conventional is less expensive and does an excellent job at protecting our engines. The only time that synthetic becomes worth its extra cost is if you're in extremely cold like sub-zero winter conditions like in in Alaska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Buffalo NY, etc.
Some manufacturers recommend, but do not require synthetic. Dino oil is, as Jerry has said, plenty sufficient for proper lubrication. If you live on the North Slope, Iceland, or the U.P. in Michigan there are times when synthetic makes sense.
Save the money for something else, like a really good oil filter. Or halo's for your headlights.
Save the money for something else, like a really good oil filter. Or halo's for your headlights.
I spend $40 for 6 quarts of amsoil and their oil filter. I run it for 9 or 10k miles. I'd imagine @Jerry Bransford that you aren't that far from $20 for your oil and filter, which puts us pretty close as far as price goes.
Now, I don't think that because I run amsoil my engine will last way longer than yours, but I do think it will be lubricated at the very least just as well.
Coming from Northern Minnesota, where sub-zero temperatures are the norm in the winter, synthetic is the reasonable choice, and I only get a really good discount on one brand so I might as well use it! (My real reason for running amsoil lol)
Now, I don't think that because I run amsoil my engine will last way longer than yours, but I do think it will be lubricated at the very least just as well.
Coming from Northern Minnesota, where sub-zero temperatures are the norm in the winter, synthetic is the reasonable choice, and I only get a really good discount on one brand so I might as well use it! (My real reason for running amsoil lol)
Thanks for the shout out! When I used to live in the UP of Michigan I would run 10w-30 through my old 67' Chevy and my 87' Toyota pick-up. Each season all season. Dino oil only (synthetic was too expensive in the 90's). I should have used 5w-30 during the winters but I didn't. Back then I didn't know or understand the differences.
Delo 30wt. Dad had a drum of it out in the machinery shed and we used it for everything and anything. Made the fried chicken taste a little funny, but you got used to it.
I am actually running a High Mileage 10w40 Part Synthetic Blend. Castrol GTX.
You have succumbed to Amsoil's misleading oil life claims... what you don't realize by not changing your oil at the intervals recommended by Jeep is that your oil FILTER gets just as dirty as with any oil and you're leaving it in past its useful life. Engine oil picks up dirt, contaminants, naturally occurring acids, combustion byproducts etc. at the same rate no matter what the quality of the oil is. By leaving the oil filter in 2X as long as it should be you're asking for the filter to go into bypass mode.
I don't care HOW good an oil is, it still needs to be changed at the engine manufacturer's recommended intervals. Amsoil misleads their customers on a lot of things like that. They're laughing all the way to the bank thanks to the snakes in their marketing and sales department.