XC92
Proven Member
- 1,573
- 358
- Jul 22, 2020
-
Queens,
New_York
After it sat around for over 6 years without being driven and the engine rarely being operated, I decided that the first oil change on my '92 Talon TSi AWD would be using "sacrificial" oil that would be replaced (along with the filter) after a few hundred miles, to clean out the old gunk that had accumulated in the engine, pan, pump, pipes, etc., before being replaced with oil that would stay there for the regular duty cycle before being changed again (i.e. 3-6 months & 3000-6000 miles, depending on use).
I used Walmart's house brand for this, Super Tech, a full synth 10W-30 oil that had good reviews and was most likely more than good enough for this task. But when it's time to drain it and replace it with better oil, I'm probably going to go with Pennzoil Platinum full synth (as opposed to their Ultra Platinum, which seems unnecessary and overkill for my car and needs), mainly because I can get it for a decent price and right now they're running a $22 rebate on Shell gas if you buy 2 of them, and they go for $22 each, so it's basically a BOGO so long as you're ok filling up with Shell, which I am.
In fact when it comes time to dump out this "sacrificial" oil, I'll probably drop the oil pan and clean things out as best I can, as I don't think it's ever been done on my car before and who knows what junk is in there by now, plus I have to remove all the parts you have to remove to do this anyway, for something else (trans repair). I'm almost too afraid to find out what's there. I intend to seal with Ultra Black RTV, per the FSM.
My questions are:
1 - Any reason to not use Pennzoil Platinum, and go with a different brand and type? I'm not asking if you think this or that oil is better, as this isn't that kind of question. Rather, is there anything known about this oil that makes it a poor fit for my specific car?
2 - Any reason to get the Ultra Platinum instead? It's supposed to run "cleaner" due to extra additives, but I'm guessing that this is only beneficial for highly-modded engines with way more than stock power, run to their limits on a regular basis, as in racing or extremely "spirited" driving (of which I will do neither).
3 - Any tips on cleaning things up as much as possible when dropping the oil pan? (And yes, I will use new gaskets on the screen and return tubes, and of course drain plug.) Should I pour some additive like Seafoam or Mystery Oil into the oil filler opening some miles before dumping the oil, to clean up the engine itself?
4 - I heard that the additives in Pennzoil Platinum tend to settle to the bottom in storage and you have to shake the bottle a bit before pouring it into the car. Is this true?
5 - Other than a slight leak around the oil pan seal, another by the valve cover gasket which is long past needing replacement, and possibly one by the rear seal--all very slight--the engine isn't leaking too badly, or losing oil, and I plan on replacing all of these soon. So should I stay away from "High Mileage" oil, and would using it damage otherwise good seals?
I used Walmart's house brand for this, Super Tech, a full synth 10W-30 oil that had good reviews and was most likely more than good enough for this task. But when it's time to drain it and replace it with better oil, I'm probably going to go with Pennzoil Platinum full synth (as opposed to their Ultra Platinum, which seems unnecessary and overkill for my car and needs), mainly because I can get it for a decent price and right now they're running a $22 rebate on Shell gas if you buy 2 of them, and they go for $22 each, so it's basically a BOGO so long as you're ok filling up with Shell, which I am.
In fact when it comes time to dump out this "sacrificial" oil, I'll probably drop the oil pan and clean things out as best I can, as I don't think it's ever been done on my car before and who knows what junk is in there by now, plus I have to remove all the parts you have to remove to do this anyway, for something else (trans repair). I'm almost too afraid to find out what's there. I intend to seal with Ultra Black RTV, per the FSM.
My questions are:
1 - Any reason to not use Pennzoil Platinum, and go with a different brand and type? I'm not asking if you think this or that oil is better, as this isn't that kind of question. Rather, is there anything known about this oil that makes it a poor fit for my specific car?
2 - Any reason to get the Ultra Platinum instead? It's supposed to run "cleaner" due to extra additives, but I'm guessing that this is only beneficial for highly-modded engines with way more than stock power, run to their limits on a regular basis, as in racing or extremely "spirited" driving (of which I will do neither).
3 - Any tips on cleaning things up as much as possible when dropping the oil pan? (And yes, I will use new gaskets on the screen and return tubes, and of course drain plug.) Should I pour some additive like Seafoam or Mystery Oil into the oil filler opening some miles before dumping the oil, to clean up the engine itself?
4 - I heard that the additives in Pennzoil Platinum tend to settle to the bottom in storage and you have to shake the bottle a bit before pouring it into the car. Is this true?
5 - Other than a slight leak around the oil pan seal, another by the valve cover gasket which is long past needing replacement, and possibly one by the rear seal--all very slight--the engine isn't leaking too badly, or losing oil, and I plan on replacing all of these soon. So should I stay away from "High Mileage" oil, and would using it damage otherwise good seals?