I Need Your Input Quick! Winterize the Camry

[the_professional]

I'm going shopping soon, so I need to know what I need.

First, OIL!

Where I drive, Temps in the Winter usually drop between 30 to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. What grade of oil should I run?
I am a conventional Castrol GTX guy with a Purolator Pure 1 Filter, & I want to run full synthetic Mobil 1, with matching filter.

I run 10W-30. & my oil pressure light sticks on a little too long for my taste when I start the car, so I want something thinner, easier flowing.

I've gotta go battery shopping. The battery sits @ 12.1V when she sits.
What brand, and CCA should I be aiming for?

Its about time, my battery just turned 10 years old.

Oil is the priority right now, battery soon.

Thanks!

[EEngineer]

try 5W30， i say stick to regular oil. if you really want synthetic, then try castrol synthec

[Chris Crash]

Expensive synthetic oil and filters really won't do anything that cheaper oil and filters can do.

[Kenny_McCormic]

My current setup. GTX high mileage 5-30, NAPA Gold(wix) oil filter, new $50 Sears/Kmart group 24F Plus-Start battery. I have a 1992 DX sedan 5S-FE automatic at somewhere in the 180,000-190,000 mile area(can't remember, blizzard outside).

[CROYCE992]

Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w30 which is as close to oem oil as you are going to get. Mobil 1 full synthetic 0w30 which I hear is as good as the oem oil they put in Mercs and Audis from the factory when they are new to prevent any kind of ware during the break in period = best oil you can get. couple that with an Optima yellow top if you are serious with lots of electronics, red top if you just want something that is totally reliable.

[the_professional]

Thanks Guys

I ended up getting Castrol GTX Coventional 5W-30. It was $7 less than the comparable Mobil, so I cheaped out.



I'm still undecided with the filter.

My car was 'cheaped' out on oil for about 8 years, from 2000-2008 oil changes were very inconsistent and with bottom-rung oil. Before that, vehicle was dealer maintained.

I have run Castrol GTX 10W-30 since 2008, I'm kinda worried about possible sludge from that period.
Block was sea foamed along with the injectors, and through the brake booster.

As for the battery, I want some decent CCA. How are you guy's batteries?

My current battery an Exide Nascar Select 730 is 10 years old and have serve me superbly, leaving me stranded not once.

I'm not sure what the numbers are on the battery. I am not running any serious electronics, just an Aftermarket Head Unit, Fogs, and aftermarket speakers. I looked into Optima Red Top, but I heard theyre not worth it.
I was looking at Autozones' Duralast? I dont know about Exide again. I have no clue what to get in regards to a battery.

Thanks Again Fellas!

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by the_professional

As for the battery, I want some decent CCA. How are you guy's batteries?

My current battery an Exide Nascar Select 730 is 10 years old and have serve me superbly, leaving me stranded not once.

Heck, I'd just go for the equivalent battery again -- 120 months out of a battery is pretty friggin' awesome.

If you've got a 4-banger, you don't really need a lot of CCA -- I've seen them start with a battery with a completely bad cell (~10.5V lightly loaded). The 6-banger takes a bit more to turn it over, but it's still not a pig.

Personally, I tend to run Diehard Gold batteries, mainly because they're consistently decent. The lower-end Diehards, in my experience, tend to die early. But, again, if you can find the equivalent of the battery you've got now, go with it -- you can't argue with success.

[the_professional]

common sense would say buy another exide but, idk maybe I just got the good one of the bunch. It still has the sticker on the side DEC 99.

she still holds an okay load, just when I am at stop lights with stop & go traffic the battery has trouble keeping up on rainy days as i may have low beams, defroster, rear window defrost, fog lights, wipers, etc. Thats when the battery slacks.

I was very fortuanate with the battery. & I know what you mean about the required voltage to crank, the lowest I went on my camry was 10.9 volts, it wasn't pleasant but she cranked fine.

I am so torn as to what to do.

Thanks!

[ghettosled]

i wouldnt blame the battery for the "slacking" when it comes to power with everything on, that is your alternator powering everything.

i personally like the the duralast batteries at autozone (after reading numerous reviews). i keep waiting for the battery to die on my camry and drop in a duralast. its old, constantly battling corrosion and is expanding on the sides. but it still keeps cranking.

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by the_professional

common sense would say buy another exide but, idk maybe I just got the good one of the bunch. It still has the sticker on the side DEC 99.

I am so torn as to what to do.

FWIW, Exide is the OEM for most of Toyota's North American produced cars. Says something good about them.

[ricamryman]

The Sears Die Hard Platinum is probably one of the best you can buy for power & durability!

[firetridagger]

Buy some Jumper cables incase u want to help someone lol
Buy a snow shovel incase u get stuck.

DONT GET TIRES OR BATTARY from Wal-Mart!

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by ricamryman

The Sears Die Hard Platinum is probably one of the best you can buy for power & durability!

It's also effing expensive. Not sure why anyone with a usage pattern anywhere near typical would need such a beast. Folks running monster sound systems...yes, I know -- I said "anywhere near typical".

[the_professional]

Originally Posted by ghettosled

i wouldnt blame the battery for the "slacking" when it comes to power with everything on, that is your alternator powering everything.

i personally like the the duralast batteries at autozone (after reading numerous reviews). i keep waiting for the battery to die on my camry and drop in a duralast. its old, constantly battling corrosion and is expanding on the sides. but it still keeps cranking.

I was going down the Duralast route too, I heard good things, and I wanted to check 'em out. Not sure though. My current battery is always leaking acid. Not at the terminals, just down the middle on the 'bar' that keeps the battery in place.

Originally Posted by hill8570

FWIW, Exide is the OEM for most of Toyota's North American produced cars. Says something good about them.

I had no clue. Thanks!
Maybe I should go down the route again. I want to buy exide but, I feel ten years is a long time to enable quality control to suck.

[carsrus]

If you have costco in your area they have some good batteries at probably the best price around. I got a battery from there this summer for my Camry and it was about 55$ and it came with a 100 month warranty. Doesn't get any better than that. Walmart wanted like 70 for one that had a 60 month warranty....