I went to go buy the same oil I’ve always used (conventional 5w30) from Walmart this morning. It was for my 2001 Cavalier that has been sitting in a garage for the last 3 years. All I saw was synthetic and synthetic blends. The stuff I have 3 quarts of (Supertech conventional 5w30) just needs 1 more quart but I always buy the 5 quart so I can add between changes as this car both burns and leaks a lot of oil.
Where can I find regular oil. I am reluctant to experiment changing anything since all 265k miles have been with conventional oil.
Can someone educate me on whether “synthetic blend” or full synthetic would be OK to add and/or mix with my regular oil?
I had just been there yesterday to get full synthetic and a filter and changed the oil in a 2013 GMC Terrain yesterday afternoon and wanted to get that out of the way before starting on my Cavalier. Didn’t expect this obstacle.
I’d have no trouble switching over to 5W-30 full synthetic. I’d do it completely, and not mix your remaining oil with it, even though that shouldn’t be a problem.
Sounds like the damage is already done, run just about what ever at this point… lol
With 265K miles and already burning and leaking a lot of oil, I would change over to 10w30 or maybe even 10w40, but I would stay away from changing over to full synthetic oil as I have seen it leak more on high mileage engines…
When the shelves were bare for a while, I ordered a supply from rock auto. A blend though is pretty much all that is available now. I don’t think I would go full syn.
Have a friend that owns a Mazda 3 with a 6 speed manual trans, don’t remember the year, it was using oil with about 100K on it, he went to 10w30 and it stopped using oil, this was at least 5 years ago and the vehicle is still on the road with a lot of miles on it, he lives in BFE so it is 22 miles one way for about anything, like Walmart and the VA is over an hour drive one way away…
The OP’s car is at 265K miles and burning and leaking lots of oil, I am sure that all the clearances in the bearings and rings, pistons etc etc are already pretty loose… lol
Maybe they were just out of stock that day. Try checking again in a week or two. Out of stock is pretty common by my own Walmart experience. I think your idea to stay with the same oil & brand you’ve always used for your 2001 makes a lot of sense.
I know I start this fight or argument every time but you don’t need 5W oil in a southern climate. 10W30 is fine and performs slightly better, when comparing conventional to conventional anyway. 5W30 synthetic would be better than 10W30 conventional though.
The difference between 5W and 10W is less than what is caused by 30F of temperature change.
Had the OP been running 10W40 for the last 150k miles, it probably would have extended the life to nearly 300k miles before it got to the amount of oil burning that it is at now.
I’d be surprised if you can find 5W30 conventional motor oil unless it’s new old stock. I looked on Amazon and they only had full synthetic and synthetic blends. There was a 10W30 conventional oil. I clicked on it and there were other viscosities listed. I clicked on the 5W30 box and it changed to synthetic oil. If you don’t want to use full synthetic then maybe a synthetic blend might work for you.
Here in San Jose area Walmarts they still seem to stock Pennzoil 10W30 in 5 gallon jugs. It used to be just plain-jane dinosaur oil Maybe now that same oil is a synthetic blend?
For years and years now, I’ve been buying my “conventional” 5-30 in bulk from a local auto parts store that’s attached to a repair shop. Great set-up, actually.
I got disillusioned with the number of oil-contaminated jugs I was tossing into the trash on oil changes. I now bring them two 5 gal buckets. One is clean & empty from the last trip, and they refill it with clean 5-30 from their bulk supply. The other is a 5 gal of waste oil which they empty and use in an oil-furnace for fall/winter heating.
I guess next time I’ll ask whether it’s synthetic or not by now. If it’s full synthetic, I can also use it in my SAAB and small 4 strokes. Bonus. Probably not full synthetic though. IDK, I’ll ask.
P.S. Over the last 10 yrs or so, I’ve thrown zero empty plastic jugs into the landfill.
Interesting. Is there any $$$-savings to you by re-filling a 5 gallon container, filled from their bulk supply, presumably a 55 gallon barrel of oil? I’m doubtful the air pollution laws here would allow burning used oil for heating.
Like you, I haven’t thrown many plastic bags away either. I supply my own re-usable bags when I shop.
Yes. Very economical. I’ve typically paid less than $3 / qt. Maybe a bit over $3 sometimes. I never paid too much attention as saving money wasn’t the primary goal. And IDK lately. COVID hit. Then my kids both went their way. I still work at home a lot. My wife is only partially employed. Far fewer oil changes than in the past. I’m currently in need of an oil exchange, but until next time, I’m not sure where things are, esp if things are now synthetic, or partially so.
I’ve always assumed as much. I just drop by buckets at the front door. “Fuzzy” smiles and says, we got you. And I come back a day or two later and pick it up.
That’s possible. But a well-maintained waste oil burner is actually quite clean burning. I’ve never looked into it, but I’d imagine using it to heat can’t be far behind (or maybe even ahead of) whatever else happens with a lot of waste oil. But you know how Cali has it’s own weird ways…
