Engine oil recommendation

I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 105,000mi. I'm finally going to start doing my own oil changes. The service shop I take it to makes one hell of a mess every time and old oil drips all over my garage floor for an entire week after they do it!

That's unfortunate because they do it for about $22, they dispose of the oil and all I have to do is sit in a chair for 20 minutes. It would cost me least $40 to do it myself provided I use a well knows brand of oil.

Still, I will try the next one myself. Any oil recommendations? Manual says 5W-20. I wonder if a high mileage would be a good idea?

Definitely won't cost $40. A good filter is $5-8 or so and if you look for sales conventional oil in bulk is about $3 per quart. I like Castrol GTX or Valvoline personally. To be honest, I think the fact that it is done regularly is more important than the brand. They all have to meet API standards. I have always done my own oil changes and in the past I even used off brands like Resolute and had cars go well over 200k without engine problems.

I've performed my vehicle oil changes for forty years. It's a PITA for the reasons you've mentioned and many more. My recommendation would be to discuss your "professional's" lack of professionalism with his manager. You Cherokee probably has an oil filter that's mounted topside, and at an angle causing oil to drip on the motor and undercarriage when it's removed. My 91 Cadillac was built in a similar fashion, so I always place a few rags underneath the filter before removing it.

Also worth considering, shops usually include topping-off all your vehicle's fluids, and lubing as applicable.

~ Chance

Have a big box store near you?
Meijer has a five quart jug of M1 0w-20 for ~$26 bucks (this is the 5.7 V8 right?)
Purolator PL14670 (and maybe upsize to the PL30001)
If you are going to cheap out, don't skimp on the oil filter.
You can easily go 7500 miles with the bigger oil filter.

MichaelW said:

Have a big box store near you?
Meijer has a five quart jug of M1 0w-20 for ~$26 bucks (this is the 5.7 V8 right?)
Purolator PL14670 (and maybe upsize to the PL30001)
If you are going to cheap out, don't skimp on the oil filter.
You can easily go 7500 miles with the bigger oil filter.

Click to expand...

Yeah I have a Meijer, Home Depot and Lowes all next to each other! I was just pricing stuff online at Auto Zone; that's where my $40 estimate came from. I'd like to stick with a good oil like Valvoline or Mobil 1 just for the peace of mind. I need 5+ for my V6.

Any thoughts on the high mileage stuff? Reg vs. synthetic?

I thought it only took 5 quarts... Maybe 5 + filling the filter (~1/2 quart:standard size. The oversized filter is 3/4 quart)
Well SprawlMart has M1 EP 0w-20 for $28.68.
http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Jeep-Liberty-PowerTech-EKG-V6-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide/

I think a more interesting spread of answers would be had if the question was how often should you / do you change your automobile oil.

5S8Zh5 said:

I think a more interesting spread of answers would be had if the question was how often should you / do you change your automobile oil.

Click to expand...

That depends on how many miles per year you do, and what kind of miles they are: city/highway/mixed/never fully warming up oil/etc.
Mobil has a lesser brand than M1, and they warranty the oil for 6 months/5,000 miles MobilSuper/MobilSuper High Mileage; 6 months/7,500 miles for MobiSuperSynthetic.
Mobil1 is good for 1 year and 10k miles; M1-EP is good for 15,000 miles (and likely 2 years, but ExxonMobil says only 1 year)
So back to the limiting factor, oil filter.

5S8Zh5 said:

I think a more interesting spread of answers would be had if the question was how often should you / do you change your automobile oil.

Click to expand...

I always have it done around 3200mi. If I can safely squeeze more mileage out of it using synthetic, I would be fine paying more. Meijer has the Mobil 1 synthetic for 26.99 (5qt).

I drive a total of 15 minutes on the highway every day. A few times a week I'll do the usual stop and go around town. Then a 500mi round trip on the highway every 2 months depending on the time of year.

Go with synthetic high mileage oil.
I am using Royal Purple, but previously ran Mobil 1 for years. I have 221,370 miles on a 4 cylinder that is still running strong. The high mileage oil has seal conditioners to prevent seals from leaking plus extra protection additives.


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

I have heard switching from conventional to synthetic after the car has run conventional for an extended period can cause problems, so I have always stuck with conventional. Is there any fact based findings to back that up?

I usually go 3500-4000 miles and change the filter every time. It's crazy how long the intervals in some owners manuals are. They seem too long and I err on the side of more frequent changes. Either way, it has seemed to prevent engine problems on high mileage cars. Once again, I think regularity is the key. I don't know if synthetic is really necessary but some people seem to really like it.

Don't switch to synthetic, just keep up your current regiment. I use Castrol GTX in my Toyotas every 3k, and the VW gets Castrol or Penzoil full synthetic at 5k intervals as it has since new.

Do not use a bargain filter!

You our should be able to get 5 quarts plus filter for about $25 as a special from most of the major parts stores. I buy when I see a deal knowing it will get used.

Sounds like the filter is a messy PITA to deal with. I would use a high quality filter such as a Wix/Napa gold and go at least 7500 miles on any brand name 5w-20 full synthetic.

I have been running Mobil 1 in my cars since 1998, you can't go wrong with it IMO.

I bought a new Astro delivery van in 1994. For the first couple of years, approximately 150,000 miles, I changed the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. Then I met a man who sold AMSOIL. Since I was tired of changing the oil in my three business vans every month I started to use it. I then started changing the oil and filter every three months or 9,000 miles. I still drive the 94 every day. It now has over 308,000 trouble free, stop-n-go miles on the original motor.

AIMSOIL, good stuff. :thumbsup:

~ Chance

I definitely recommend the use of engine oil.

Modern cars using modern synthetic oil don't need to be changed as often as older cars running on non-synthetic oil. Simply put, follow the (auto) manufacturer guidelines. They are in a position to know what is best, as they have the detailed repair data on many thousands (collectively millions) of vehicles. And unlike dealers, they don't just always say 3,000 miles to increase their own service profits.

Of course, your needs will vary. If you are constantly starting/stopping, in cold or dusty climates, you might want to do it a bit more often. If you are cruising highways all the time, you could safely push a little more than recommended. But the manufacturer recommendations are, in my opinion, the best guideline.

onetrickpony said:

I definitely recommend the use of engine oil.

Click to expand...

I concur, and thanks for the laugh!

AMSOil.........nothing better on the market exists.

z

jabe1 said:

Don't switch to synthetic, just keep up your current regiment. I use Castrol GTX in my Toyotas every 3k, and the VW gets Castrol or Penzoil full synthetic at 5k intervals as it has since new.

Do not use a bargain filter!

You our should be able to get 5 quarts plus filter for about $25 as a special from most of the major parts stores. I buy when I see a deal knowing it will get used.

Click to expand...

I checked with my friend that works at GM. GM jokes aside, he knows more about cars that anyone I'll ever meet in my lifetime I'm sure. He basically said this same thing. I ended up getting some Valvoline conventional and a Purolator Pureone filter.

onetrickpony said:

I definitely recommend the use of engine oil.

Click to expand...

Ah, I better go drain that Mazola I just put in.

Good choices, you'll be right as rain. And have a lot less mess too. Sometimes those quicklube places have some real dingalings working for them. :duh: