Thread: What kind of oil for a high mileage engine?

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I would not run 20W-50 unless you drive it pretty hard all the time. Higher viscosity leads to higher friction and temperatures which reduces viscosity and promotes break down. Chevy recommends 5W-30 for their ZZ502. Also depends somewhat on the clearances the bearings are set-up with. Higher clearance applications will favor the use of higher vidcosity oil in general.

Kitz

I wouldn't be too hasty changing to a diesel oil in an older engine. The high detergent content is going to free up all the crud that's built up over the years, that just ain't going to be good for the old bearings when it washes through the system.

I wouldn't be too hasty changing to a diesel oil in an older engine. The high detergent content is going to free up all the crud that's built up over the years, that just ain't going to be good for the old bearings when it washes through the system.

Think I'm gonna agree on that. If the oil you have been using has carried you to 200,000 with no problems, why mess with what is working ?

If you've been using 5W-30 and don't add more then a quart or two in 5-6000 miles, I probably wouldn't change a thing except maybe go to 10W-30/40, but stay with the same brand, especially if you idle lots. 200K+ with today's engines and the electronic/computer management systems is not as much wear and tear as the carbed and point distributed engines of years past.