Oil weight for KA-T

[Jookmasta]

well i know this has been discussed before but i couldnt locate the thread. anyway, i run 15W50. i live in south florida so cold starts dont exist (unless there is a freak cold front). anyway, i went to walmart and noticed that this weight is 4 dollars more for the 5 gallon thing than the other weights; namely the 5w30 and 10w30. the brand is mobil one synthetic so im referring to the green one and the blue one. now recently they came out with a new oil that is supposedly good for 15,000 miles! i am using this oil as it was the only kind which had my weight that i normally run......

Anyway, suggestions as to what u run and why or can i just run whatever i want . i can source the blue mobil oil for real cheap so would it b ok to switch to that? any differences that yall have felt with running different oil weights?

[hysteria]

i run 15w50 mobil one synthetic, same as you. this is a good oil for warm climates. stick with it.

[Craving4Boost]

wow isnt that super thick? im going to run 10w40

[Craving4Boost]

make that 50

[nissanfanatic]

I run 5w-30 mobil 1 syn. But after talking with Ivan, I think I'm gonna switch to 10w-30 next oil change. Maybe even 15w.

[hysteria]

15w50 is definitely not too heavy for hotter climates...

as much as i want a race machine, i can sacrifice my hp in order to not go through engines like racers do... i just can't afford that. living in a cooler climate gives all kinds of benefits to cars... you get to run lighter oil, the car runs cooler and much more efficiently, lasts longer, etc...

anyhow if you don't live in a cooler climate though then get a heavier oil... the only real downside to a heavier oil is that it decreases performance... run lighter oil weight and get a more power and wear.

another thing though i'd like to add... if you haven't run synthetic regularly in the past and then abruptly switch it could cause all kinds of leaks around the engine. synthetic molecules are much smaller than regular oil molecules, so it will leak past your old worn out gaskets that are adapted to regular molecules. this is not 100% true all the time but it's just something to consider before switching, if you are planning on it... more accurately you have to consider it on an engine to engine basis depending on age and what kind of condition it's in.

[Jookmasta]

i think u missed some part of my post; i am already running synthetic. been running synthetic for about seven years, maybe more. nonetheless, i currently run 15W50, but i was wondering what the other ka-t's are using in the warm climate........

good info tho hysteria, keep the opinions/info coming

[hysteria]

no i know man, i wasn't directing all of that toward you... it was more just directed to anyone who might be reading... i was just telling you that we're on the same stuff and i see no problems there.

[Jookmasta]

i see, nothing like providing info for the lurkers out there. I guess 15W50 is what i will have to stick to. My next question is how often do yall change ur oil? The new mobil synthetic is supposedly rated to 15,000 miles. The old one was rated to 5,000 i think. I usually changed mine b/w 3 and 4 thousand miles but would i need to change it more often despite the extended life of the new oil?

[blubottlemax]

That new oil simply has more detergents in it to make it last longer. Same thing Amsoil's been doing with there extended life oil. Daily driving non-performance commuter car? Sure use it. Aftermarket turbo-charged performance? Stick with 3k mile oil changes.

[hysteria]

it would be great to drive 15000 miles without an oil change and never have to worry about it, but the thing is that i wouldn't trust that on an older engine. for instance when you change the oil on a newer car it looks like it's brand new, because there is so little blow by and the oil is really not being broken down by gasoline, so it still retains it's ability to lubricate well... so i would completely trust it on a new car, but on mine... well i don't know about you guys, but when i change my oil it isn't exactly the same color as when i put it in. in fact it's way off, which indicates a fair amount of blowby. my engine makes great compression and all but just because of the color the oil is (not pitch black but it's pretty dark) and the amount of heat my car is subjected to in texas, i feel safer changing it more regularly. i am sure though that the oil is fully capable, as long as it's not being broken down prematurely. regardless of whether you have a turbo or not, if your oil doens't look new when you change it i'd stick with the regular 3-5k intervals. i would like to see what people are saying about the new oil though... i'm sure there will be, if not already, a lot of published tests by car and driver and such magazines/sites.

[Jookmasta]

i have the same issue with my oil hysteria. I think it takes about two tanks of gas for my oil to turn to the darkside. Not dark like tar, but u know that 1000 mile brownish color. I guess maybe ill stretch it to 4K, but no more than that. Maybe 4500 miles. eh, it would be great tho to drive the 15,000 miles without an oil change. But then again, by the time we hit 15,000 miles on the ka-t without an oil change, we would experience that grand turismo 3 effect.

[hysteria]

[turbo98_240sx]

But then again, by the time we hit 15,000 miles on the ka-t without an oil change, we would experience that grand turismo 3 effect.

haha mos def

[SlIp'n'sLiDe]

i dont se what the problem is with changinu ur oil, i change mine every1500 -2000 miles and im not even turbo yet!!,i guess i just like to work on my car alot,

[WDRacing]

Thicker oil also helps prevent oil coking in the center section of the turbo.

I use 15W-50 and have for the last 6 years, I occasionly run Castol Syntec if it's on sale, but I keep the same weight.

Redline and Royal Purple also make very good oils for turbo motors.

If you run a heavy wt oil, you need to make sure you allow your car to warm up prior to driving. Thicker oil circulates ALOT slower. So give it a couple three minutes and your piston walls, and bearing clearences will love you for it.

If you want to, go to Autozone and get the cheapest oil filter you can, they are all almost the same nowadays. This allows you to swap your filter out more frequenly. Thus doubling your effective filtering ability. I do and have forever now. It's a really good way to spend 4 bucks.

WD

[hannibal]

You change your filter between oil changes?!? Thats a good idea.

I really dont trust these new million mile oils. I'd rather buy the cheaper stuff and change it more often.

BTW, Nissan recommends 7500 mile intervals for the KA. Ive been doing mine every 5000 miles (only 2 changes so far). Before I go turbo, I want to get a oil analysis to see how the motor's doing.

[214kka-et240sx]

[QUOTE=Jookmasta]well i know this has been discussed before but i couldnt locate the thread. anyway, i run 15W50. i live in south florida so cold starts dont exist (unless there is a freak cold front). anyway, i went to walmart and noticed that this weight is 4 dollars more for the 5 gallon thing than the other weights; namely the 5w30 and 10w30. the brand is mobil one synthetic so im referring to the green one and the blue one. now recently they came out with a new oil that is supposedly good for 15,000 miles! i am using this oil as it was the only kind which had my weight that i normally run......

Anyway, suggestions as to what u run and why or can i just run whatever i want . i can source the blue mobil oil for real cheap so would it b ok to switch to that? any differences that yall have felt with running different oil weights? [/QUOTE

i run 20w50

1989 s13

240,000mile ka-ett25 turbowalbro f/pS-AFC300tt fuel filter3'in pipesA R C fmicjgs maniold school HKS bovAPEX turbo timerVLSDtien HR coilover5zygen typhon rims(building a 300 hp ka-et)