Oil recommendation

Shinotheweevil · Post by **Shinotheweevil** » 16 Oct 2020, 18:18

Hey guys new here. I tried searching for this but I guess I'm having a hard time searching as well. I just bought this 2004 V70 2.5T and the previous owner has no clue what services has been done. So my question is should I go synthetic or just high milage oil? What brand is recommended? I have 150k miles on it.

Thanks

Post by **June** » 16 Oct 2020, 19:06

I would not waste my time with the fake synthetic oil personally. I would go the recommended Castrol GTX dino oil and change it more often. It'll be similar in price to running fake synthetic twice as long and it will be better for the engine in my opinion. Changes more often that is. June

chris11211 · Post by **chris11211** » 16 Oct 2020, 21:51

I just go for the walmart and get the super tech 5W-30 high mileage synthetic; no problems I'm just not sure if high milage does much. And it's an old car so it's on you to figure out how much you want to put into oil.

You can also get the liquid-moly oil from fcpeuro.com
The deal is that they give lifetime replacement for almost everything you buy. So if you buy oil from them - then afterwards all you need to do is buy the same oil again and ship them the old one, and they will refund you the money for every purchase after the first; not just oil.

You'd pretty much want to bookmark fcpeuro.com and ipdusa.com as they both support Volvo and they help you in getting the cheapest and best parts.

the amount of oil needed is 6.2 quarts, or just put 6.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 17 Oct 2020, 01:04

Shinotheweevil wrote: ↑16 Oct 2020, 18:18 Hey guys new here. I tried searching for this but I guess I'm having a hard time searching as well. I just bought this 2004 V70 2.5T and the previous owner has no clue what services has been done. So my question is should I go synthetic or just high milage oil? What brand is recommended? I have 150k miles on it.

Thanks

Been changing oil since the late 70's. Within the last year or two I decided to try the following below using the 5 cars. I will be going back to the Rotella T6 5W-40 for 4 of the vehicles and continue with the Castrol Titanium 0W-40 in the Atlas.
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Mobil 1 - Terrible, Odyssey's (230K miles) lower end groin badly and feels like it's going to explode on WOT. C30T5 and S80T6 lack power and not quiet. Considered it a flush oil and changed it out early.
https://www.costco.com/mobil-1-fs-europ ... 69676.html
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Kirkland - Super quiet in the Atlas & Odyssey but like the Mobil 1 power seems lacking. Removed from Atlas (considered it flushing oil) after several hundred miles for Castrol which is Spec'd for VW. Warren Industry co-packed for Costco which also handles Walmart and Amazon's oils.
https://www.costco.com/kirkland-signatu ... 27865.html
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Castrol Titanium - Currently in the Atlas. Good oil and will continue to use besides needing it for warranty purposes. Quiet, power and increased mileage. Nice all season oil.
https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-03101-0W ... 695&sr=8-1
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FCP LiquiMoly 5W40 Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil - Currently in 08 C30 T5. Good oil but not cost effective.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/5w-40- ... oly-lm3864
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Rotella T6 - Will be going back in all the cars except the Atlas. Currently in the 03 GS300 and 03 S80 T6. Good Stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-Sy ... 162&sr=8-5

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Rotella Gas Truck - Will go into the Odyssey on the next oil change just to try it out.
https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-Sy ... 173&sr=8-2

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Shinotheweevil · Post by **Shinotheweevil** » 17 Oct 2020, 02:24

Thanks for all the input guys, learned a lot. I'm kind of worried that if I use synthetic I might cause a leak. Is this true?

Post by **abscate** » 17 Oct 2020, 05:18

If you have a leak it will be more expensive because synthetic is more expensive.

That’s the origin of synthetic causing leaks.
T
You should use synthetic in these cars, IMHO.

In my fleet I use Mobil 1 high mileage Castrol syn high mileage , and Penzoil syn. All 10W-30.

The only car oil combo that gives trouble is the T5 with Penn oil, that gives smoky valve guides. The guides are worn on that car

Post by **June** » 17 Oct 2020, 10:10

Shinotheweevil wrote: ↑17 Oct 2020, 02:24 Thanks for all the input guys, learned a lot. I'm kind of worried that if I use synthetic I might cause a leak. Is this true?

This will only happen if you actually buy synthetically made oil like Redline, Amsoil, for example. Putting any of the fakes in won't cause oil leaks. After all 99% on the American market are just highly refined crude oil base stock oils. Pre 1999 all synthetic oil were real and yes they could cause leaks. Pay the extra if you like for any of the synthetic oils at the auto parts store or Wal-Mart with ease of mind as they are crude oil based and won't clean your engine or cause seals to harden and leak. Hope that clarifies, if not research Group 3, Group 4,and Group 5 oils on the internet. June

Post by **SuperHerman** » 17 Oct 2020, 13:10

Couple of thoughts. Changing oil shouldn't cause any leaks - that is what seals are for - to stop oil from exiting an enclosed environment.

A thinner oil may cause leaks if the PCV system is compromised. In a healthy engine and PCV system switching to synthetic may cause temporary weaping, but I have never had this experience. I have noticed in a few engines when I have switched to a thinner oil for a short time I do smell slight burned oil in the exhaust, but I have not noticed any perceptible change on the oil dipstick while changing in the normal course. Sure an ounce may have been used - but the dipstick isn't really showing it. After a few thousand miles all smells normal. A seal on its last legs may have more seepage, but that is wear not the oil causing the issue.

All this assumes a properly functioning engine with good PCV and compression. A thicker oil - is thicker - and will act as such. Many higher mileage cars with issues will benefit from thicker oil, but at the price of engine drag and cold weather problems (related oil wear also). Your owner's manual will have a chart of recommended oils for various weather and applications. There is a difference and a trade off - it is not a one size fits all.

Liquid mechanic products do work for some issues. Some of it is just thicker oil - which changes your original oil weight - so it may fix the problem, but it is at a cost - just like thicker oil.

Detergents in oil, like detergent in the dishwasher, cleans engines (or pots, pans and plates). The more detergent the more cleaning. Anything cleaned floats around in the oil until the next oil change or it gets trapped in the filter. Oil without detergent also cleans - just like water cleans a plate. Fresh oil passes through the system and picks up deposits by natural flow not by chemical detergent. Like the waves on rocks.

I don't really pick one brand over another. I am more focused on weight and oil certifications - and I keep this consistent with what the car maker recommends.

Post by **oragex** » 17 Oct 2020, 14:10

This is my experience when switching to synthetic. How many miles on the car ? I'd say, if it has over 200K I'd stay with a quality mineral like the Castrol GTX. since your are in San Diego I'd stay with a 5W-40 . If you have 150k or so and are sure to keep the car for another 50k miles, then maybe try a decent synthetic - not the 'high mileage ones'. Speaking about leaks, the more important part is to make sure the PCV gets vacuum at the oil fill cap and you have no oil leak at the cam seals

Shinotheweevil · Post by **Shinotheweevil** » 17 Oct 2020, 18:57

Alright. Thanks you guys! After reading all this I decide to go with synthetic and I was able to do the oil change. Fairly simple except the oil filter housing, which was stuck on. Very dirty oil, the old owner must have never changed it at all. But thanks to everyone, it gave me confidence to actually do this.