94 Lebaron Convertible.. Oil?

First, let me start by saying this is my first Mopar.

This car has a 3.0L, and I've been given different advice on oil to use.

I typically go with Pennzoil, but am open to suggestions.

One person told me to use 5w/30, while someone else said 15w/30.

I use 5w/30 in my wifes Taurus, which has a 3.0L.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Steve

 

Congratulations! I have always liked LeBaron convertibles, and the 3.0L
carries this car well.

I personally do not care for Pennzoil. Seems like every time I use it
the oil "darkens" faster and the lifters "tick" more (or longer) on cold
starts than with any other oil. I prefer Valvoline, but other oils like
Castrol or Mobil 1 work good too.

This depends on how many miles are on the engine. 5W30 may be too thin
if the motor has a lot of miles, and if you live in a hot climate
(Arizona). 10W30 would be a good choice, especially in the Summer.

Hope this helps!

 

I really wish you'd gotten one with a Mopar engine, you'd get a better
first impression than you will with this car.

Which is a Mitsubishi engine. Its got a very reliable bottom end (crank,
rods block) and a TERRIBLE top end (rings, valves, valve guides). No
matter what oil you run, it will probably become a blue-smoking oil
burner before it hits 150,000 miles. Using a top quality synthetic if it
doesn't ALREADY burn a lot of oil may delay the inevitable with that engine.

Pennzoil used to be awful, but in the past 3-5 years they've really
stepped up their product. If I were going with a non-synthetic oil,
though, I'd go with Castrol GTX. In synthetics, I prefer Mobil 1.

Use whatever the owners manual recommends as far as oil weight. Probably
10w30, but check the manual and follow it.

 

The car has 106,000 miles on it, and during the summer here in Texas, it
does get pretty warm.

This is 2 suggestions that contain Castrol, so I think I'll try Castrol
GTX...

 

My first impression of Mopar, which lead me to leave the Ford arena, was a
Dodge Dart project car I'm helping a buddy with...

It soon will have a 528 Hemi in it... I still think it should be a split
rear window Cuda, but no one listens to me until there are a few hundred
hours of work done already...

 

Probably because there is no such thing as a "split rear window Cuda".

 

Oh, well then you should love this:

http://tinyurl.com/2w8vk
http://tinyurl.com/26oef

 

There COULD be... in the hot-rod arena anything is possible...

 

....and the ability of people to chop up perfectly good cars into endless
varieties of stupid-lookin' idiotmobiles is, well, endless.

 

I've never seen 15W30. If you have an owner's manual, use what it
recommends. I'm guessing it is either 5W-30 or 10W-30. I'd use 5W in
the winter and 10W in the summer, unless you are in a warm climate and
then I'd use 10W-30 all year around. I'm partial to synthetics and use
Mobil 1, but almost any quality oil will do. Just don't buy the no-name
brands at Wal-Mart.


Matt

 

A 426 Hemi.. How cute

I'm kidding.. Pretty sweet. I'm not much of an authority on led sleds, but
it looks pretty well done..

I'll have to get photos of my friends 69 Charger.. Yes, we've got the rebel
flag decal ordered...

 

In your location I would recommend 10W-30 not 5W-30. Avoid 10W-40 (too much
viscosity index improver). Your name-brand oil has good reputation. A
change to a pure synthetic or away from pure synthetic is not always a great
idea in a high mileage motor, since I have seen changes either way causing
gasket leaks.

Richard.

 

My opinion too. IIRC, it was actually a Keith Black aluminum Hemi. Plus
ANY street rod at a show that is NOT powered by a mouse motor gets an
extra thumbs up from me. I've been known to vote for a T-bucket in
slightly poorer overall condition JUST because it had a nail-head Buick
powerplant instead of a Chevy mouse.

And a thousand Charger owners just gritted their teeth and cursed.. :-/

 

And a thousand Charger owners just gritted their teeth and cursed.. :-/

Is this better?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2478508780&category=6199

 

I prefer customs and street rods with the same brands of engines
they came from the factory with, But any Chevy with a non-chevy
always gets a grin from me due to the 99.99% of Ford rods suffering
the embarrasment of GM power under their hoods.

One of the neatest doubletake inducing setups I've seen in a rod
was a 302 Ford motor with custom adapters holding on CHEVY embossed
chrome valve covers. I've also seen a Ford rod with a Chevy engine
and phonied up FORD valve covers. (Boooo! Hisss!)

Even better was a 30-something Chevy custom with a complete Dodge
drivetrain and suspension transplant.

But I've never, ever seen a Chevy custom or rod with Ford power,
but a large number of all makes will have a Ford 9" rearend, or
clone thereof.