Are you running an older engine and you are looking for the best high mileage oil? Well, if this is the case, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we will learn all about the best engine oil for different types of engines.
Choosing the right oil for your car can be really difficult. Especially on an older engine that has a ton of miles. The more miles the engine has, the more prone is to problems and will not like to work with every type of oil.
This is why people are noticing a ton of symptoms whenever they do an oil change and their car simply doesn’t like to work with the new type of oil. If you put a thinner engine on a high mileage engine it will burn the oil far too quickly than a thicker oil for example. This is why you need to beware of these situations but you shouldn’t worry since we are going to cover everything you need to know.
First, we are going to learn what is engine oil and the types of engine oil. Then we will dive into the tell-tell signs that you need high mileage oil. After that, we are going to learn more about the best high mileage oil and we will discuss different engines and list the best oil for these applications.
What Is Motor Oil
Now let’s cover the basics and learn more about motor oil in general before we dive into more complex topics like the signs of an engine that needs a high mileage oil and the best high mileage oil. If you feel like you have the grasp of the knowledge needed you can jump to these specific chapters. If not, keep up with us for a bit until we cover this stuff.
Nevertheless, motor oil is one of the most important lubricants that are used in cars. Without motor oil, driving a car, in the long run, would be close to impossible.
This type of lubricant not only lubes the internals of the engine but also keeps the engine cool. The oil flows around the engine all the time and the hot oil goes down in the pan while the cold oil goes up.
And these are countless cycles. So, you can imagine how much stress the motor oil is exposed to during its life. And honestly, the oil life isn’t very long. On average, the motor oil lasts for about 8,000 miles before it requires to be replaced.
Some types of oil last quite more than this, but more on the types we are going to cover later on in the article.
The thing you need about motor oil is that you need to make sure that you always have the right oil level. If your oil level is not normal you could face a ton of problems. Especially on older engines that drink a ton of oil. On these types of engines, you need to constantly monitor the level of oil and top it off with the best high mileage oil to prevent engine damage.
Motor Oil Types
Now before we learn what is the best high mileage oil, let’s learn the different types of oil that are out there. This is useful for you to know when it comes to picking the oil that you really need for your vehicle. So, let’s cover the types.
The first type of oil that we will list is conventional motor oil. Conventional motor oil is the oldest type of oil out there. This type of oil is mineral-based, which means that it is derived from mineral sources. Such as crude oil.
This type of oil is basically a by-product of the refinement of crude oil into gasoline or diesel. So, in order for refineries not to throw it away, they produce lubricants out of it. This type of oil is rich in zinc and it is the way to go for older motors that were not designed to work on synthetic oils.
The second type that we are going to cover is the synthetic blend. Also known as semi-synthetic. This type of oil is mostly mineral-based. But improved with some synthetic properties that make it last far longer than the regular mineral oil. This type is most commonly known as the best high mileage oil.
Still, when it comes to the best high mileage motor oil it is worth mentioning that in this category goes the fully synthetic motor oil. This oil type is the best out of the bunch since it lasts for really long. But this doesn’t mean that you can drive for 20,000 miles on it. This oil should be replaced at 10,000 miles in order to be on the safe side. But what viscosity do you need for your best high mileage oil? Let’s learn next.
Understanding Oil Viscosity
Before you go out there on the market looking for the best 5w30 oil for high mileage or best high mileage oil. You should learn more about the oil viscosity. And learn if you need this type of viscosity for your engine.
When it comes to oil viscosity, you can clearly check the numbers on the oil jug. Each jug has a specific viscosity. For example, 5w-40 or 10w-20? What do all these numbers mean?
Well, this is the viscosity that this oil is rated on. The first two letters indicate the winter performance of the oil while the last two digits indicate the performance in cold temperatures.
The lower the first number the thicker the oil is at low temperatures. So, if you live in cold climates, you should get something like 10w-20 instead of 0w-40. The oil that is rated at zero, is really thick and will not work with your engine.
The second two digits indicate the performance of the oil in high temperatures. The higher the number is the thinner the oil is at high temperatures.
When it comes to viscosity, the sweet spot is 5w-30 or 10w-30 depending much on where you live. 10w-30 for warmer climates and 5w-30 for medium climates with four-season weather.
Signs That You Need High Mileage Oil
Now before we start discussing the best high mileage oil, let’s cover the signs that indicate a need for a high mileage engine oil.
As you probably know, there are specific conditions that need to be met before you pour some high mileage engines since this type of engine is not recommended for any type of engine. So, let’s cover them in the following chapters and learn more about the signs that indicate a need for this type of oil. Let’s begin.
1. Too Many Miles On The Odometer
The first sign that indicates a need for replacing your oil with the best high mileage oil is the number on the odometer.
Whenever there are too many miles on the odometer it could indicate that you slowly need to switch to high mileage oil. But what is the number where you should start to consider this type of motor oil or in other words what is considered to be high mileage?
Well, high mileage is anything above 75,000 miles. Even though, this might be a little bit harsh since there are a ton of bulletproof engines that can push up to 125,000 miles before they start to develop issues with performance.
But the sooner you start with the best high mileage oil, the better is going to be for your engine. So, the first flush after you hit the 75,000 mark should be a high mileage oil. Now let’s move to the next sign.
2. Increased Engine Blowby
The next reason why you should use the best high mileage oil is because of increased blow-by. As you know, blow-by is the air that gets trapped inside of the crankshaft and this air is purged by the PCV system.
On high mileage engines, this blow-by gets too large and it could cause the PCV valve to fail in the worst cases. How you can tell that you have a ton of blowby is to remove the oil dipstick and place your hand above the dipstick tube.
If there is a ton of air that is escaping from the dipstick (with a bit more insight in our guide on how to read oil level on dipstick), then it means that you have blowby and this means that the engine has probably seen better days and the internals are slowly starting to fail.
Whenever this is the case, if you try to perform a compression test, you will also notice how the compression numbers are lower than expected. Which is also normal for high mile engines. In this situation, the best high mileage oil is your best bet to tackle this problem. Now let’s move on to the next sign that you need high mileage motor oil.
3. Oil Burning Issues
The next sign that we are going to cover that indicates a need for the best high mileage oil is the situation with the oil burning.
Whenever you are having an oil-burning issue in your engine it means that you need specific oil for this problem.
Either add thicker oil than usual or add higher mileage engine oil that will prevent the oil burning problem as much as possible.
With this type of oil, you can expect that the oil burning issue will be thing of the past and the engine will resume working properly. Still, it is worth noting that not every oil works the best for every engine.
This is why you will need to experiment a little bit in order to find the right oil for your engine and prevent this oil-burning issue.
Also, not to mention that you need to top off the oil all the time in order to avoid damage from happening to your engine. Running low on oil can literally kill your engine completely and you will have to get a replacement engine.
By adding the best high mileage oil, you will be able to squeeze at least another 30,000 to 60,000 miles from this engine before the oil drinking issues become too big of a problem and the engine is not serviceable anymore.
4. Black Smoke From The Exhaust
If you are not aware of the oil drinking problem on higher mileage engines, this is another symptom that will tell you that you are having a problematic engine that drinks oil and that you need the best high mileage oil.
And this symptom is the black smoke coming from the exhaust. There will be clouds of smoke whenever your engine burns on oil. Especially whenever there is a rapid acceleration.
In addition to this, there will be issues with the catalytic converter as well. This component will get clogged up really fast if you run your car without the best high mileage oil. This is why in the following chapters we are going to cover everything about this problem and learn what is the best high mileage oil.
Best High Mileage Oil
Now let’s get to business and cover the best high mileage oil. In the following chapters, we will focus precisely on that and we will help you determine what type of oil you need for your engine.
What is worth noting is that we are going to cover a number of different engines and other categories that are most popular out there. So, if you don’t find yourself here, don’t be afraid to get one of the engine oils that we will list.
They will work on any motor out there. Just to note, when it comes to older engines go for a synthetic blend. For newer engines go for fully synthetic oils. Now let’s begin.
Best High Mileage Synthetic Oil
Now let’s first cover the best high mileage oil in the synthetic category. Which is the best high mileage synthetic oil?
Well, the answer to this question is really simple. The clear winner here is the Mobil 1 High Mileage Fully Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-20.
This oil is perfect for vehicles that have surpassed 75,000 miles on the odometer. This oil implements an advanced triple formula that keeps the health of the engine in check. It reduces the wear of the engine and also keeps the engine clean and sludginess in the process.
In addition to this, this motor oil is long life, which means that it lasts for about 10,000 miles. So, if you go for synthetic high mileage oil, this should be it.
Best 5w30 Oil For High Mileage
Now let’s see what oil is the best high mileage oil in the 5w30 category. This is for the guys who want a 5w30 and have a newer engine.
Our recommendation will be the Castrol Edge High Mileage 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor oil.
This oil is a fully synthetic oil that implements an advanced formula specifically targeting vehicles that have above 75,000 miles. The Castrol oil is perfect for reducing wear and tear, reducing oil leaks, and creating sludge deposits in the engine.
This oil also has a ton of positive ratings and similarly to the Mobil 1 that we reviewed previously, this Castrol Edge will offer you 10,000 miles of protection. But still, we recommend you to flush the oil at 8,000 just in case.
On the other hand, if you have an older engine that is an early 2000s model, we would recommend you to go for a synthetic blend.
For this application, the Amazon Basics High Mileage Motor Oil Synthetic Blend 5W-30 will be the perfect option.
Best Oil For High Mileage 5.3 Vortec
When It comes to the Chevy 5.3 best high mileage oil, we would recommend you to use the Pennzoil High Mileage Synthetic Blend 5w-20 Motor Oil.
This type of oil is perfect for vehicles that have more than 75,000 miles. It is also a bit thicker at warmer temperatures than the 5w30. This means that if you have an engine that loves to drink oil, this oil will be the one to get.
This oil will help in avoiding damage to the engine internals and also will prevent sludge deposit buildup. As the seller says, this oil is specifically formulated for new or late model SUVs, full-size trucks, and vans.
So, this will be the way to go for the 5.3 Vortec. You will for sure going to squeeze a ton of miles with this oil from the engine.
Best Oil For High Mileage 5.7 HEMI
Now let’s learn what is the best high mileage oil for the 5.7 HEMI. According to a ton of owners out there that are satisfied with the choice, their recommendation is the Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5w-30.
This type of oil is fully synthetic and is top of the line when it comes to Pennzoil’s offering right now. This oil like the other oils that we reviewed is specifically designed with engines with more than 75,000 miles.
A ton of owners reported that the famous lifter tick of the 5.7 HEMI disappeared after flushing the oil and running the Pennzoil High Mileage. So, it is worth the try if you have a higher mileage HEMI. You still need to experiment a bit to find what suits your engine best. Now let’s move on to the next best high mileage oil.
Best Oil For High Mileage Honda Accord
When it comes to the best high mileage oil for the Honda Accord, we would like to recommend you the Valvoline High Mileage With MaxLife Technology SAE 5W-20.
Valvoline as we all know is one of the best oil producers out there and this MaxLife oil is easily one of the best oils out there. This oil has more than 13,000 ratings and 4.8 stars. So, it is really hard to make a mistake with this one. Perfect for Honda engines or any high mileage engine.
Best Oil For High Mileage Chevy 350
When it comes to the Chevy 350 we can say that you will need something different. For this type of engine, you will need conventional oil. So, what is the best high mileage oil for the Chevy 350?
Our recommendation is to go for the Pennzoil Conventional 10W-30. According to a lot of owners, this type of oil works the best when it comes to older motors. Or if you want an alternative, you can go for the Lucas SAE 10W-40 Hot Rod Motor Oil.
Both of these oils have favorable ratings from customers that purchased them for their classic motors.
High Mileage Oil and Fuel Additives for Car Engines
- Cars now last longer than they did a decade ago, with an average lifespan of 11 years in 2016, up from eight years in 2006.
- Drivers can use a variety of oil and fuel products to keep their engines running longer.
- It’s important to change fluids regularly, keep the car clean, and avoid hard starts, hard brakes, and violent turns.
- Lucas High Mileage Oil Stabilizer is designed to reduce noise, emissions, and oil consumption in older vehicles.
- Sea Foam High Mileage Motor Treatment can clean fuel injectors and reduce engine wear when added to oil.
- Castrol Edge High Mileage Synthetic Motor Oil is formulated for cars with more than 75,000 miles and maximizes both short- and long-term engine performance.
- Slick 50 Recharged High Mileage Treatment revitalizes seals and reduces oil consumption when added to oil, and is compatible with all multigrade oils.
- Royal Purple High Mileage Synthetic minimizes wear, restores lost power, and reduces engine deposits with its zinc/phosphorus anti-wear additive.
- Gumout Fuel System Cleaner fights corrosion and carbon buildup in high-mileage vehicles, and conditions upper cylinders to reduce friction and wear.
- Pennzoil High Mileage Motor Oil is compatible with most vehicles and helps prevent sludge and other damage in cars with more than 75,000 miles.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to the best high mileage oil. First, we learned the basics of motor oil as well as the different types of oil and the oil viscosity.
Then we learned the signs that you need high mile engine oil and the main sign is if the engine is above 75,000 miles. Lastly, we covered our recommendations for high mileage oil.
F.A.Q
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What Is High Mileage Oil
High mileage oil is a specifically approved oil for higher mileage engines. More specifically engines that are above 75,000 miles. This type of oil is designed to work best on these applications and squeeze as much as possible out of the engine before it fails. So, if you have a car that is above this mileage, this type of oil will be perfect for you.
What Is The Best High Mileage Oil
The best high mileage oil that most people recommend is the Mobil 1 High Mileage Full Synthetic. This type of oil will work perfectly well for recent year production cars. If you have a classic motor you might want to go for a conventional type of oil or a synthetic blend.
What Kind Of Oil Does My Car Take
You can check this on the oil cap. On most cars, it clearly says what type of oil viscosity they take on the cap. If you don’t get this information there, you can check the owner’s manual or consult online on forums specific to your vehicle brand.
Is High Mileage Oil Worth It
It is worth it because it is designed to work with these types of engines. This oil will make sure that the wear of the engine is reduced and the cylinders and bearings are protected from the wear and tear inside of the engine.
How Many Miles On Synthetic Oil
On average, synthetic oil lasts for about 10,000 miles more or less. Even though a ton of producers claim that their oils will easily go for 15,000 miles. In our opinion it is best to flush the synthetic oil at the 10,000-mile mark.
