Oil brand help

[dace voit]

The "synthetic will cause leaks" thing comes from issues that were more common 20 years ago. It's relegated to the category of "things your grandfather would say". Older engines produced with seals that weren't made to handle the thinner synthetic or even conventional oils were had a higher probability of leakage. That didn't mean it was going to happen, it was just seen more. You don't see leaks much at all anymore from this. That being said, conventional oil is not bad at all. As a matter of fact, it does great. I ran it in my 80 and it was great. Toyota put it in these trucks from the factory. Dealers still put it in.

This is all up to you. What do you want to do?

Castrol GTX gets my nod, its a synthetic

Castrol GTX is NOT a synthetic, it's conventional. I have used it for years. It's a great conventional oil.

 

[unatiq]

So basically just read all these replies. Seems like half the people prefer conventional and other half swear by syenthic.

So I’m still lost lol. I think what I will do is look at what’s on sale between the good brands and might even do 5W-40 instead of 5W-30 because of the cold weather here.

 

[Spike555]

So basically just read all these replies. Seems like half the people prefer conventional and other half swear by syenthic.

So I’m still lost lol. I think what I will do is look at what’s on sale between the good brands and might even do 5W-40 instead of 5W-30 because of the cold weather here.

With my wifes '06 Sedona (185k now), I always used Mobil 1 5w-20, this van gets nothing but short trips, and by short I mean start it up, drive literally 5min, shut it off. Sit all day, repeat. Sit all night. Repeat...
I was using Mobil 1, a case at Costco is $26 and her van holds 6qts so that was convinent and perfect, 6qts in a case.
This equates to 1 oil change per year. The van used oil, about 1qt a month. We live where it is cold half the year. Like 20*F is a warm day kinda cold.
Switched to Castrol Syntec 5w-20, not only is the engine quieter but no more oil usage. Yes it costs me more, about $10 for 6qts but I am saving in the long run because no more adding oil. And the engine is quieter.
There are die hards out there that will beat the farm on a motor oil, and that's fine. I am one of those people.
Your best bet is to find a oil that is easy to get for you and in your budget. You will need 8qts so choose wisely. If you have to always order you oil online what happens when you can't find it when you need it?
Just go to your local big or store, find whatever you want and stick to that. That's one of the many reasons I use Rotella T6, $20/gal and available everywhere. Plus I'm a truck driver and I've been using that in everything forever and swear by it.
But again, whatever you want, you're good. Just don't use the cheap Fram oil filters.

 

[dace voit]

So basically just read all these replies. Seems like half the people prefer conventional and other half swear by syenthic.

So I’m still lost lol. I think what I will do is look at what’s on sale between the good brands and might even do 5W-40 instead of 5W-30 because of the cold weather here.

I wouldn't do 5w-40 up there in AB, at least not in the winter. The 40 weight is unnecessary in the colder temps.

You've run into the exact thing you can expect with a question about motor oil, or just about any lubricant. Everyone has their opinion. That's why I asked what do YOU want to do. Here's the thing, no one is wrong here. These motors are so good that they will likely run for 500k on s*** oil. <= My opinion is that I won't use that!

 

[bucfl]

I don’t understand how your lost? Look at your owners manual. It states what to use based on temperatures. If you follow your owners manual you’ll be fine.

This isn’t rocket surgery people... KISS

 

[RyanStl]

Mobil 1 is crap now. Used to be top shelf. Now it's cheap always on sale crap.

What's the basis for this claim other than they have rebates? I have been very happy using Mobil 1, and would recommend it.

 

[Spike555]

What's the basis for this claim other than they have rebates? I have been very happy using Mobil 1, and would recommend it.

BobIsTheOilGuy.com

It used to be a good oil and I used to like it for some cars, but my experience with it over the years is that it is now crap and it is living off of it's reputation.
You can use it all you want, I will not use it and I will not recommend it.

 

[RyanStl]

BobIsTheOilGuy.com

It used to be a good oil and I used to like it for some cars, but my experience with it over the years is that it is now crap and it is living off of it's reputation.
You can use it all you want, I will not use it and I will not recommend it.

I've been searching BITOG and a lot of people are talking very positive about Mobil1. Actually, I see very little brand hate (not saying that's what you are doing). Do you have a thread you can point me to that isn't from 2007?

 

[97 AZ LC]

What's the basis for this claim other than they have rebates? I have been very happy using Mobil 1, and would recommend it.

There is this very disturbing test out of Australia.

 

[Pyrenees]

Interesting to see Mobil-1 getting dissed.

 

[95Fantasma80]

the cheapest full synthetic you can get

for me it was from autozone quaker state ultimate durability with a k&n oil filter for 29.99 so i bought 2 of the deals which netted me 10 quarts and 2 k&n filters for 60..

i only used 7.2, so i have 2.8 quarts for next oil change at 7.5k miles.

next oil change ill buy a 5 quart of quaker state UR for 18 from wally world and that will cover me again until i find the next good deal to double dip on.

 

[Mark WV]

There is this very disturbing test out of Australia.

So if this test out Australian oils is applicable to the US market products, it would appear that Royal Purple is the clear winner.

I have used many gallons of Mobile 1 over the past 10 years in multiple vehicles without a single oil related failure, however it looks like it is time to give Royal Purple a shot if it offers significantly more protection...

 

[Spike555]

I've been searching BITOG and a lot of people are talking very positive about Mobil1. Actually, I see very little brand hate (not saying that's what you are doing). Do you have a thread you can point me to that isn't from 2007?

No i cannot. And I'm not brand hating. All I am saying is that there are far better oils out there for the money.

I can tell you personal experience, here is a big expensive one, in 2006 I got a brand new Mercedes Sprinter cargo van for work.
The maintence computer said to change the oil every 15,000 miles or once a year, whichever came first. Well I put about 60,000 miles on it per year so...
I had the oil changed at the dealer every 10,000 miles, they used Mobil 1 0W-40, it took 10qts of oil and cost $120 per oil change.
At 167,change the engine lost oil pressure while I was on the expressway, this happened in January so it was cold and snowy. I pulled over. Was full of oil. Started it back up. Oil light was off. Started driving. Oil light came back on, shifted to neutral and coasted down a off ramp and into a gas station with the engine off.
Had it towed to the dealer. Engine was toast.
6 weeks and $12,000 later a rebuilt engine was installed and the van was back on the road trying to make money again.

My wifes Volvo 850 turbo wagon...I used Mobil 1 Extended Life motor oil, well the extended life just meant it was loaded up with phosphorus and zinc, both are anti wear additives, those not only ruined the turbo seals they clogged the cat and ruined the O2 sensors.

When I first got my Discovery I used Mobil 1 Extended Life oil, on the engine all of the places oil would seep out of was covered in a silver film, this was the zinc, it ruined the O2's.

Mobil has since changed their extended life formula because it was ruining emissions systems on cars.

My wives current ride, a 2006 Kia Sedona, I used Mobil 1 5w-20 in it for years because it was $26/case at Costco. The van used oil and was noisy. Switched to Castol Syntec and oil usage stopped and engine noise went away. The engine noise was nothing to be worried about, just the engine was noisier, especially when hot. And the Mobil 1 was always black as night after 5,000 miles, the Castrol is not.

That's all I got. Use whatever you want, I personally will not use Mobil 1 and I will not recommend it to anyone.

 

[Beanzermin]

210,000 miles. I run synthetic and doesn't leak a drop! I've only put amsoil in it the last 16,000 miles I've owned it.

 

[RyanStl]

No i cannot. And I'm not brand hating. All I am saying is that there are far better oils out there for the money.

I can tell you personal experience, here is a big expensive one, in 2006 I got a brand new Mercedes Sprinter cargo van for work.
The maintence computer said to change the oil every 15,000 miles or once a year, whichever came first. Well I put about 60,000 miles on it per year so...
I had the oil changed at the dealer every 10,000 miles, they used Mobil 1 0W-40, it took 10qts of oil and cost $120 per oil change.
At 167,change the engine lost oil pressure while I was on the expressway, this happened in January so it was cold and snowy. I pulled over. Was full of oil. Started it back up. Oil light was off. Started driving. Oil light came back on, shifted to neutral and coasted down a off ramp and into a gas station with the engine off.
Had it towed to the dealer. Engine was toast.
6 weeks and $12,000 later a rebuilt engine was installed and the van was back on the road trying to make money again.

My wifes Volvo 850 turbo wagon...I used Mobil 1 Extended Life motor oil, well the extended life just meant it was loaded up with phosphorus and zinc, both are anti wear additives, those not only ruined the turbo seals they clogged the cat and ruined the O2 sensors.

When I first got my Discovery I used Mobil 1 Extended Life oil, on the engine all of the places oil would seep out of was covered in a silver film, this was the zinc, it ruined the O2's.

Mobil has since changed their extended life formula because it was ruining emissions systems on cars.

My wives current ride, a 2006 Kia Sedona, I used Mobil 1 5w-20 in it for years because it was $26/case at Costco. The van used oil and was noisy. Switched to Castol Syntec and oil usage stopped and engine noise went away. The engine noise was nothing to be worried about, just the engine was noisier, especially when hot. And the Mobil 1 was always black as night after 5,000 miles, the Castrol is not.

That's all I got. Use whatever you want, I personally will not use Mobil 1 and I will not recommend it to anyone.

I like the dialogue, but Volvos and Discoverys are terribly unreliable. I wonder if oil itself was not the problem, but other components regardless.

 

[Spike555]

I like the dialogue, but Volvos and Discoverys are terribly unreliable. I wonder if oil itself was not the problem, but other components regardless.

My 3rd oil change in the Disco I switched to Rotella T6, never a single problem. That was the 2nd most reliable vehicle I have ever owned, 100,000 miles (250,000 total) and never once left me stranded. Not once. I was the 2nd owner.
The most reliable vehicle I have ever owned was a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero that I bought brand new, 5yrs and 100,000 miles and never once needed anything other than maintence.

That Volvo was a great car, broke down once, that was the fuel pump.

So far my Disco was more reliable than my Land Cruiser. In 8yrs of ownership I spent less on repairs for the Disco than I have for my Toyota in 2.5yrs. And I am the 2nd owner of my Land Cruiser. Got it from a UofM professor who always had it dealer serviced.
Take it for what it worth. But it was definitely not the vehicle, it was the motor oil.
Again, use whatever you want. I will not use nor recommend Mobil 1 to anyone.

 

[97 AZ LC]

So if this test out Australian oils is applicable to the US market products, it would appear that Royal Purple is the clear winner.

I have used many gallons of Mobile 1 over the past 10 years in multiple vehicles without a single oil related failure,

Everybody loves their personal stories but nobody ever has an oil related failure - conventional or synthetic. Change the oil regularly, with anything, and a 4.7L engine has basically unlimited life.

Royal Purple is a clear winner, and Mobil 1 the clear loser. I personally think it's plausible that Mobil has been exploiting the good name of the product in recent years. It's what corporations do sometimes.

By the way both Mercedes and BMW, who both now require synthetic oil in their newer cars, have conceded the tendency of synthetics to leak upon converting an older conventional oil car to synthetic. Their solution - they tell dealers to just sell the customer a complete engine reseal, for several thousand dollars, as if that could ever be worth it to the customer (it is worth it to the dealer). Obviously they have some really gullible customers.

 

[unatiq]

Does it matter if i pick up a "High Mileage" Full synthetic? Leaning towards Mobile 1 High Mileage Full synthetic as its on sale, from $52 to $28.

 

[unatiq]

Mobil 1 Synthetic High Mileage Motor Oil, 4.4-L | Canadian Tire

 

[unatiq]

They have high mileage synthetic and normal synthetic for the same price. Im currently at 223,000 KM