afraid to ask... but i dont know

[Brett Dikeman]

At 8:57 PM -0400 7/22/02, ASTHAMMER at aol.com wrote:

>
>i bought a K&N gold performance oil filter for it, is this wise?

If it has both a checkback valve and a bypass valve, it won't cause
any immediate problems.  The checkback valve keeps oil from draining
out of the engine back into the pan through the filter after
shutdown; the bypass valve allows oil to continue flowing even if the
filter clogs 100%.  I've heard a few comments from some folks who
noticed lifter tick was aggrivated by use of a
non-checkback-valve-equipped filter.

The OEM type filter can be had for a few bux if you shop around a
little, at least for the I5.


>   I also
>bought 6 quarts of Castrol 20W/50  is this a good idea considering how hot it
>is (90+) and how fast I tend to drive (90+) ??

Dumb question, but what does the owner's manual say, on both quantity
and grade?

The "most preferred" oil on the list is pretty clearly Mobil 1, but
any proper grade, good quality synthetic oil should treat you fine.

In my 200q20v, I run Mobil 1 synthetic, 10w30.  15w50 is generally
recommended for warmer areas, or for track events...I used to
occasionally run 5w30 if it was approaching wintertime.  Thinner oils
will yield slightly better mileage, so running a needlessly-thick oil
does have at least one disadvantage.

That said...your owner's manual provides the best guidance.  Some of
the newer generation engines are designed to run with very thin
oil(like 0w30!), so this would be the first place to start.

Brett
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