Dear All
I need some real advise, I bought my car (2002 OZ) back in Feb 2006 and since then I have been using Castrol GTX 20w50 suggested by a mechanic .
At the time I didn’t know much of cars so I just followed …..But now I have much more knowledge and after reading and reading it seems that synthetic is way to go and AMSOIL will be the best option….
I have notices how the engine has accumulated oil slug.
My question is after all these years of using Castrol GTX 20w50 it would be safe to change to synthetic?
Should I do a motor flush?

Your advice will be really appreciated

engine pics

 

Why did he tell you 20w-50? Did you have lifter issues or something? I have seen other mechanics just suggest thicker oil to help quiet noisy valvetrains on older cars as a bandaid approach. You should be running 5w-30 for most climates. Im guessing the sludge is from using that thicker weight oil for so long. I am not sure about any undesired results from switching to synthetic so Ill leave that to someone who knows...

 

engine did not have any issue or sounds. i do live in very tropical place Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 27 °C (81 °F)......but thanks for your help

 

yeah, you shouldn't be using that heavy of an oil...

I had way worse sludge problem in my 89 ranger, i put automatic transmission fluid in my oil for 3 oil changes, and only did about 1000km between oil changes, it came out black all three times. Transmission fluid is not good for your oil seals, but it also hard on the oil, and the sludge, but on a 20 year old truck i didn't really care, i'm sure there are safer additives that will do the same thing.


If i were you, i would just throw some 5W-30 synthetic, and check it at 3,5000km or 2000 miles and see what it looks like. it won't hurt anything.

 

thanks for your advice

 

ive pulled a number of engines apart but never seen one that bad...i would think thats too thick for such a small car, i run 10w30 in my lancer. ive never done the synthetic thing really cause i cant afford it plus regular oil has always done me good.

 

what you are showing in those pictures is what the hydrocarbons in a non synthetic oil will do to your internals, eventually cogging up the oil galleys and worst case starving the engine from oil, this could take months or years hard to say every motor is different and driven different

 

do you consider that is safe to change to synthetic maybe a motor flush first? it will be better 10w-30 or 5w-30 i live in tropical weather not sure if in my country we have Amsoil

 

All evidence points to it being safe to switch to synthetic, and typically those who say it's a bad idea are speaking from hearsay.

Oil weight is typically determined by several factors, some are clearances and fuel economy. The lancer is supposed to run on 5w-30, so really no reason not to run that. Some will say turbo should have thicker oil...but I really don't tend to agree with that, unless the motor is built and has looser clearances.

 

With that much carbon deposites you need to do a flush and then you would fill with synthetic,,,, I can help you find AMSOIl out there

 

thanks guys i really appreciate your help


i live in center America Republic of Panama