Engine oil....help needed on choices

Depends on what ya been burning up til now . I switched from a paraffin based eastern crude to Castrol in a truck (86 GMC 305 cid) and it started burning oil because the oil cut the paraffin based crud/deposits from the valve seals . Replaced them while I had it down for a timing set R&R and all is now well .

As long as your engine is dry on the outside, I wouldn't change anything.

"stinking hot" Arizona, I'd be using Synthetic for sure. (I do here in Ontario too) No issues with switching - the first change of synthetic you might want to do a bit sooner than if it was already on Synth - the stuff will purge a bit of crap from the engine if it has been neglected at all. You are putting the miles on it pretty slowly - a good synth changed once a year or so should do fine. For your use, I'd look at a synthetic "all fleet" diesel rated oil like shell Rotella T6 5w40, or even a T5 synthetic blend if you want to "cheap out" a bit. Won't give the protection of the T6, but better than what you are using now. The all-fleet oil will have more EP additives than your standard gasoline engine oils (More Zinc)

On 07/02/2017 5:19 PM, Terry Coombs wrote: ...

My advice "as a mechanic" is to use synthetic where either extreme high or extreme low temperatures are encountered. Been using it exclusively on my own vehicles for about 8 years here in central Ontario on my Fords and my last Mopar. I don't put on a lot of miles and I change twice a yeat (the 21 year old truch has about 350000km on it, the 16 year old car 108,000)

Mobil 0w10 is excelent gun oil I mostly use valvoline full synthetic of the proper weight in my vehicles