I got a Patrol vehicle, Chevrolet Impala that calls for 5w30 motor oil. Can I use 5w20 if necessary?

ANSWER : Hi there. If you’re in dire straits to find the right type of oil, using a small amount of 5 w 20 should not hurt your vehicle; especially during colder times during the year. The 5 is the low end of the viscosity rating, while the 30 or 20 is the high end. During hot weather conditions, the thicker oil is critical for keeping the engine components properly lubricated. However, this should not be a normal thing you do; so have your oil changed as soon as possible to avoid potential issues.

ANSWER : Ford specifies only one viscosity rating for this vehicle, namely SAE 5W-20. In that specification, which is contained in the Owner’s Manual, Ford states: "5W-20
oil provides optimum fuel economy and durability performance meeting all requirements for your vehicle’s engine." For sure, fuel economy will be degraded if you use the higher (30 weight) viscosity. But, the statement from Ford also implies that use of oil other than 5W-20, such as 5W-30, will reduce the service life ("durability") of the engine. Consequently, I would stick with the 5W-20. Synthetic oil is much preferred, of course. YourMechanic does offer mobile oil and filter changes. If you desire that service, please request an oil/filter change and the responding certified mechanic will perform that for you right at your location. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.

ANSWER : Hi There,
If there are misfires, there should be a check engine light on, which should have stored specific fault codes. Many times these fault codes will indicate whether the misfire is related to a specific cylinder or if it is a general misfire code. Misfires can happen for many different reasons such as faulty spark plug wires or even an injector not pulsing correctly. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle to determine what may be causing this to happen.

ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. The valve stem seals are the most common cause of this on your engine. When they fail, it requires that the cylinder heads be removed and rebuilt to fix it. The piston rings can also cause this but they are not as common. Unfortunately there is not anything, not even heavier oil that will fix this. You will need to have the heads rebuilt.

ANSWER : It is possible that they put in the wrong viscosity oil. In rare instances, a defective filter will also cause low pressure. If there is too much oil, it will aerate and cause low pressure. Be sure the oil level is really not above "max". The P2187 code will appear if the oil fill cap is not tight but it will also appear due to a myriad of causes because that code only "generally" identifies a lean running condition. Consequently, numerous parts would have to be tested including the O2 sensor, gas cap seal, manifold air leaks, any vacuum leak anywhere including PCV and EVAP systems, exhaust leaks, and fuel system faults such as failing fuel pump, clogged filter and more. Since the car has relatively low mileage, you would not expect a failed oil pump, although the pressure sensor (or switch) could be bad. However, the occurrence of the oil pressure warning light is quite coincidental to the oil change, thus I would suggest bringing the car back and asking them to redo with a new filter and double check the viscosity of the new oil that they use. If the problem persists after that, you will have to test actual operating oil pressure (at idle for instance) as well as the oil pressure switch. Finally, if the oil pressure warning light comes on continuously, unless the warning circuit itself is malfunctioning, that means the oil pressure is too low to operate the engine without damaging it. Anytime the light comes on for more than literally an instant, you should shut down the car and thus an issue like this obviously has to be repaired.

If you’d like, a YourMechanic certified mechanic can come to your home or place of business to inspect the vehicle and perform an oil pressure light is on inspection to diagnose the vehicle and suggest potential repairs.

ANSWER : Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 23 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, if you smell burning oil, oil is probably leaking onto a hot engine part such as the exhaust manifold. A certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs.

As far as the check engine light, that is not related to the oil leak(s). If you request a check engine light diagnostic, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic would use a code scanner to retrieve the specific diagnostic trouble code(s) from your car’s PCM that have caused the check engine light to illuminate. Using those codes, the appropriate individual vehicle components or sub-systems (often a sensor, circuit, and the like) are then carefully tested, based on specifications set forth in your car’s Factory Service Manual, to pinpoint the cause of the fault or the reason why the check engine light has illuminated. Once the faulty part or component is identified, it is explained to your satisfaction and the mechanic will let you know of the cost to repair. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Excessive oil consumption is usually related to piston ring wear or valve guide seals not properly sealing causing engine oil to pass by and be ignited and burnt in the combustion chamber along with the fuel and air mixture. Generally, synthetic oil will not cure a situation like this as this is something that will require a fairly extensive repair job. With that said, there are many different opinions and theories on engine oil. Synthetic vs conventional oil is one of the most debated myths surrounding the topic of oil changes. This will not hurt your engine when switching from synthetic to conventional or vice versa. In fact, Synthetic blend oils are actually a mix of conventional oils and synthetic oils. It is recommended that you use the same oil to top off when needed, giving you the best protection from the oil you have chosen to use in your vehicle. Many people often wonder about the benefits of using synthetic oils. Many synthetic oils are made up of a base oil of approximately 80%, with other additives making up the remaining 20%. The main difference between the molecules in synthetically engineered oils and conventional oils are the uniformity of the molecules. The molecules found in most conventional oils differ in shape, size and impurity. The type of oil that should be used for a specific application depends largely on the driver’s driving habits, the environment in which the car is driven, the mileage on the car’s engine and the limits that the engine may be pushed to. I would recommend having an expert from Your Mechanic come to your home to diagnose your engine oil burning problem as this may be a sign of a bigger problem.