I have a 2001 HSE 4.6. Engine leaks a little from the valve covers near the 7 and 8 ciylinder.

I was putting synthetic 5-30 but it seamed like I was leaking more with it. So I switched to non synthetic 10-40 hasn't been leaking as much. I used this all through the summer months. I live in NJ we get hot summers and cold cold winters. now with winter coming do you guys think I should just keep using the non synthetic 10-40. I also been using a little of the Lucas oil product(can't think of the name) comes in a squeze tube.

Also thinking of flushing the engine with engine restore cleaner before my next change. What do you folks think. Interested to no how some of you maintain.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

I should mention I have 90k miles on the engine

 

I use 10w 40 with about 1/4 synthetic mixed in (for cleaning purposes). In general synthetic will cause an engine to leak more. Many people on these forums use synthetic and swear by it, while others prefer mineral based oils. In my opinion these engines were designed more for mineral oils, but that is debatable. Just make sure you use a good quality oil, and make sure that the oil viscosity falls within the temperature range your rover is in as indicated in the owners manual.

As for an engine cleaning, sea foam is a good way to go, but so is ATF and marvels mystery oil etc. I prefer sea foam just because they have been around for awhile and it really cleans things out. I would advise you to go easy on the detergent initially, and change the oil within a couple hundred miles after adding it. Reason for this is to keep a large chunk of sludge from coming loose and clogging vital oil passages. So the idea is to let it slowly eat away at the old oil. I have been doing this right before each oil change. The oil usually comes out pitch black!

 

go see "bob the oil guy" web site. read up on oil.

suggestion, once you use synthetic, it may not be a good idea to go back to dino. do some research on the site i suggested.

but, that said, i'm using Rotella-t synthetic all year. in the winter, 5-40, in the summer 15-40.

rotella is suppposed to be good for our type of engine.

I'm not an expert, but based on my 50 hours of reading up on it, this is where i ended up.

mobile-1 was another option.

we should get 7000+ miles out of it, depending on your driving habits.

engine flush: look up "auto RX" i never used it but it looks like it may be one of the only real flushes out there. I have done 2 ATF flushes on mine. the first one the The ATF cam out pitch Black, the next one 5000 miles later came out with hardly any change in color. I laso tore open my land rover oil filter after the last flush which happened to after 5000 miles of driving and there wasnt even a spec of anything on the filter element. just oil. I was suprised.

I'm going to do an oil analysis at 5000 to see how it is holding up. then go from there.

I hope this was a help, Jay

 

+1 on the Rotella 15W40

120k on my 4.6 and I use the regular Rotella and change the oil every 2500. On thing you have to watch out for when using Diesel Oil in a Gasoline engine is heat. Your motor gets to hot one afternoon. Dump that oil I breaks down very fast at high temps..
They 0w40 Rotella has a higher heat rating but, 0w Is alittle thin in my opinion..

I also use 15w40 Rotella in my Disco II

 

I use Mobil 10W40 as a year round and have been happy with it. The ATF flush is really a good idea as well.

I have not tried the Rotella but a lot of guys on here say it is great. Anything synthetic will leak a little more since it is much thinner and will find the small leaks that you never knew existed.

 

The main reason I do not use synthetic.

Mine leaks, pretty badly around the oil pan drain plug and at the gaskets, which I will most likely be replacing here next oil change. Its almost a safety hazard when the rover leaves the garage, someone could slip an fall on all the leaked oil LOL!