Need advice with choosing engine oils
 

Hi guys..

I have a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corona. I am wanting to do an oil change on the Corona which is a 1988 1800cc manual, It is fuel injected with 300+kms on the clock so she's pretty old. engine has been looked after, Blows no smoke and cant see any oil leaks. I have had the cambelt changed and the dealer did two seals the rocketcover gasket and oil sump gasket, so seals are pretty much new..
I am really not sure on what engine oil to go for? Not sure about Synthetic or Mineral oil and what type..

Any help with be so much appreciated

Marc

not sure on this, your car seem to be complicated to me... can't suggest any :(

300km is not that much for an engine. The engine may be a 7A-FE model.

If you still have the owners manual, consult this. If not call or visit a dealer for the info.

Typically Toyota recommended something like 10W-30 for temps down to 0F and 5W-30 below 0F.

Full synthetics such as Mobil 1 (one of the best) are better if you can afford them, any major brand should be OK. Some car owners use SuperTech from WalMart which appears to be good oil.

There are full synthetics and blends of synthetic and mineral oil (cheaper), if using a synthetics suggest using a full synthetic.

Synthetics are better for low temperature engine starts and severe service.

There are also specific oils stating they are for high mileage cars.

Most people having a higher mileage engine would use a mineral oil or high mileage oil.

Any brand of oil should be OK provided the container states it meets current oil standards. For US cars this is called the API standard. SN is the latest, SM, SL and SJ are also OK.

The industry standard used can differ with the country. Check the container of major brands of oil to determine the standards it meets. You can use these info to compare to other non major brand oils which may or many not meet industry standard.

If you have the money use a synthetic of the weight the Toyota listed in the owners manual for the air temp range the car will be operating in.

If too expensive use a mineral oil meeting the currant oil standard for your country.

Regardless of what type of oil is used, change the oil at the manufacturers recommended time period/mileage along with the filter.

was meant to have said 300,000Kms being a 1988 car... Thank you for the advice, I went for Valvoline 15W40 synthetic couldn't afford the mobil1 as that was 3X the price, along wih new oil filter and flush. I can honestly say the car feels a lot happier than mineral oil that i had in it before.

Don't know much about oils as there are lots and lots of comments saying synthetic oil will cause oil leaks from the seals, the pro's and con's and it just gets to hard at the end to choose a really good oil for the car.

What I can tell you is, As long as your car doesn't leak or burn oil "synthetic" will be a good choice. Yes it costs more but you pay for what you get.

This is the first time that synthetic oil has been in the engine and i will continue to monitor it.

I used to have 20w50 Mineral oil in the engine as hearing that thicker oil will stop getting passed the Piston-Rings and seals, As i had the seals done when I had my cambelt/timing belt changed I used the thicker oil for the piston rings.

When my seals were replaced, the dealer used Castrol Magnetic I thin it was 15w40

The car has never blown blue - (Oil) smoke, only white in the mornings when its cold.

20W-50 might be a little a much, 15W-40 is more in line.

The engine should easily go into the 400K range, sooner or later it will start to burn some oil, just part of wearing out.

White smoke may be the valve stem seals going bad due to age.