Specific question regarding oil

[yukon06]

Questions here that are probably gonna be divided, like I see searching on google....

My rig is an 06 yukon.
Bought the truck about 6 months ago with a little over 200k on it and have only put on another couple thousand but its still over 200k.
The reason I bought this particualr one is it had been very well maintained and I see and have all the logs.
I asked the owner what oil he uses and he said he's always used conventional, not synthetic and once or twice a year runs a bottle of techron.
In addition, he's replaced a lot of the usual things and has knock sensors and other things replaced, the reason I mention that is I assume its pretty clean in there without a lot of sludge, especially with all the regular oil changes though this is just a guess.
I have been topping off with either a blend or a full synthetic.....
Now its time to do an oil change..I also have some occasional lifter ticking is what it sounds like

Thats the background so not the questions:
1. There are no leaks anywhere...he has always used castrol conventional 5w-30. In doing an oil change should I stick with conventional oil....brand aside should i go to synthetic? I hear pros and cons of both. The whole debate on conventional oil sealing everything better so no leaking .....
I also was planning on doing sea foam before the oil change to clean things out and help stop the ticking though is that gonna cause an issue if there is sludge in there and the sea foam cleans it out are things gonna start going south for me and worse yet, I caused it?
I cant afford problems or repairs so im asking to avoid any trouble.

What is my best course of action...do i use the sea foam or not.....do i use conventional or synthetic.....anything else i should do or dont do.....already have an acdelco filter

Thanks

 

[B-train]

Yep, there's gonna be a smorgasbord of opinions. Here's my input after being a tech for 25 years.

I don't believe that full synthetic dexos oil was required in 2006, just regular 5w-30. I would personally stick with what was used up to this point. If service intervals were kept on a good schedule, there really shouldn't be all that much sludge buildup in the pan. There is always going to be SOME because it's and ICE.

I think that switching to full synthetic may end up washing things cleaner, maybe affecting seals that are borderline by finding a way past, etc. Unless you live in a consistently frigid climate, you aren't going to gain much from synthetic vs Dino oil. Yes, it does have higher temp ratings, but again use common sense and change as needed.

As for the sticky lifter, just throw 1/2 quart of cheap ATF (DEXTRON 3) in the oil for the last 500 miles or so and drop it. It will help clean up varnished stuff, but not be overly aggressive. I've had good luck for many years doing this. It also works as a good fuel system helper for vehicles with older injectors (1/2 - 1 qt per full tank)

 

[Marky Dissod]

To make an overly long story somewhat shorter:
0W30 (brutally cold winters) or 5W30
Group 4 synthetic oils change every 4-5000 miles, or 5-6000 miles if enough of the miles are highway.
Non-Group 4 motor oil change every 3-4000 miles, or 4-5000 miles if enough of the miles are highway.
Change oil & filter at least yearly, before either the coldest or hottest month, whichever is more brutally so.
If you fear sludge buildup, change the oil even more often than suggested.

'Conventional vs synthetic' debate is beyond outdated and wrong, like 'exhausts need backpressure'.
Use PCV thingy 12572717.
Every time the engine is cold-started, best for the engine to keep working for at least 30min.

If it's consistently running rich, find out why. A catch can is a good investment, buy a good one.

 

[yukon06]

Thank you both....Marky for the info and B-train for the solutions.
B-train, everything you said is the exact way I was thinking...wanted to hear it from someone more experienced though. My only follow up question is with the ATF routine for both the oil and to clean the fuel system...I was gonna use the sae foam for both of those....the oil part I know its dump in 1/2 quart, but is really 500 miles? I cant wait that long...maybe 50 - 100 miles, the sea foam recc. is about that. So will the ATF still do its job at 50-100 miles or should I go with the sea foam?

 

[tom3]

If it was me I wouldn't change a thing. That Castrol is good oil. Changing brands or types, especially adding some cleaner to the oil is asking for trouble. I'd bet if you were to pull the valve covers and intake you'd find a pretty clean motor even at this mileage. I might think about pulling the valve covers and with the engine running listen real close for any noise at a rocker arm, and check that one real close for anything unusual.

 

[yukon06]

well, i guess ill segway a little into that.....its a ticking noise....it can happen cold or hot...it can be silent then i accelerate and i hear it loud....i let off the gas it pretty much goes away....then all of a sudden it wont do it no matter what i do and come back a little while later......does that info point at something specific?.....
i dont have the money right now to take things apart, pay for erroneous parts or open a can of worms and make things worse...just want to do the right things with the oil and was hoping to kill 2 birds at the same time

 

[Marky Dissod]

Might not be a lifter. Might be an exhaust leak.

Oh. Forgot to mention, use the longer-bodied oil filter.

 

[swathdiver]

I would personally stick with what was used up to this point.

If it was me I wouldn't change a thing.

XXX3!!! ^^^^

No additives and quit using the synthetic for topping off.

 

[yukon06]

Might not be a lifter. Might be an exhaust leak.

Oh. Forgot to mention, use the longer-bodied oil filter.

didnt have it so i bought the short one....why the long one?

 

[yukon06]

XXX3!!! ^^^^

No additives and quit using the synthetic for topping off.

Not even the ATF in the oil or fuel?

 

[Marky Dissod]

... use the longer-bodied oil filter

didn't have it so i bought the short one ... why the longer one?

Been reading 540 Rat Blog for a while now. (I'm a slow reader.)
To sum up:
between two otherwise identically constructed filters, the larger version of the same filter does more of each of its jobs better than the smaller one (not only during cold starts).

Doesn't mean the smaller filter is a bad idea, just that the larger filter is a better idea.
PF61 or dimensional equivalent.

 

[B-train]

Thank you both....Marky for the info and B-train for the solutions.
B-train, everything you said is the exact way I was thinking...wanted to hear it from someone more experienced though. My only follow up question is with the ATF routine for both the oil and to clean the fuel system...I was gonna use the sae foam for both of those....the oil part I know its dump in 1/2 quart, but is really 500 miles? I cant wait that long...maybe 50 - 100 miles, the sea foam recc. is about that. So will the ATF still do its job at 50-100 miles or should I go with the sea foam?

That's just what I do because it's not super aggressive on the cleaning. It just has different levels of base oils that act as cleaning agents. Sea foam is high horsepower compared to ATF, hence the shorter run time. Plus, it will thin out the oil some, whereas the ATF is an oil, just different additives.

I've run it for almost 1k at times because I wasn't overly concerned. There have been past posts on here with similar questions, issues (lifter tick), etc that have good info. Also another about he make-up of ATF and why it acts as a cleaning agent.

Some people don't want any part of it, while others like myself have seen first hand improvements for 25 years when used properly to help certain vehicle ailments. To each their own.

 

[Miami-Dade]

XXX3!!! ^^^^

No additives and quit using the synthetic for topping off.

XXX4!!!^^^^

 

[swathdiver]

Not even the ATF in the oil or fuel?

I wouldn't.

 

[Marky Dissod]

XXX3!!! ^^^^

No additives and quit using the synthetic for topping off.

Topping off due to oil consumption?
Besides using PCV thingy 12572717, and buying / DIYing a decent catch can, I can only think of the following:

For topping off, any 5W30'll do; it'll either be consumed before or changed out by the next oil change.

If your powertrain works or plays HARD, change the oil more often, and probably install some kind of oil cooler.
(The motor oil portion holding the crank up off the main bearings can easily reach 257F, hotter if working harder.
Some motor oils are already 'smoking' @ 248F. Smoke that does not cool off and reaches the PCV is consumed.)
(Are taller valve covers available for our Gen3 engines - kinda like the taller valve covers for the new PPV's?)

Not even the ATF in the oil or fuel?

ATF is for transmissions. Only ATF additives I use are made by LubeGard.

Engine oil is for engines. Managed to avoid engine oil additives my entire life.
That said, bobistheoilguy.com recommends a few motor oils specifically for slow gradual gentle engine cleaning.
Haven't tried any myself. Maybe someday, maybe not ever - need convincing.

Fuel is for fuel tanks.
Besides Chevron with TechRon (albeit at DOUBLE strength), or Marvel Mystery Oil, doubt I'll try anything else.

As for coolant, I ALWAYS add RMI-25, then flush it out every two years, and add RMI-25 again.

 

[Mudsport96]

Valvoline and ac delco filters from about 11,000 miles to 120k
After that it was 5w30 oriellys house sauce and ac delco or microguard till 395k
Now it gets 10w30 in the winter and 10w40 in the summer at 410k

Subtract this from 410,002 and that is when the father in law bought it.

Any decent oil and decent filter will work

 

[tom3]

That has been a good machine!

 

[yukon06]

Might not be a lifter. Might be an exhaust leak.

Oh. Forgot to mention, use the longer-bodied oil filter.

If was exhaust it would make the noise continuously...
This comes and goes, could come out of nowhere and get worse as i accelerrate then i could let off gas a few seconds and it may disappear, or it may not...if i reduce speed or gain speed it may go or come, its very random but when its there its very noticeable then it disappears and the engine sounds like new

 

[gooffeyguy]

If was exhaust it would make the noise continuously...
This comes and goes, could come out of nowhere and get worse as i accelerrate then i could let off gas a few seconds and it may disappear, or it may not...if i reduce speed or gain speed it may go or come, its very random but when its there its very noticeable then it disappears and the engine sounds like new

Not entirely so. I have a broken exhaust manifold to head bolt and when the engine is cold it will tick, but goes away after warming up. It will come back and sound almost like spark knock if I heavily accelerate while getting on the highway or something similar. I think the exhaust manifold or gasket expands and seals a bit better after warming up, and leks when accelerating due to more exhaust flow through it.

 

[yukon06]

Not entirely so. I have a broken exhaust manifold to head bolt and when the engine is cold it will tick, but goes away after warming up. It will come back and sound almost like spark knock if I heavily accelerate while getting on the highway or something similar. I think the exhaust manifold or gasket expands and seals a bit better after warming up, and leks when accelerating due to more exhaust flow through it.

ok thats interesting....thank you....gonna try and record it but the wind noise may cancel it out