Recent content by Bkdc

The manufacturers have shot themselves in the foot by brainwashing the public that 0w-8 or 0w-16 is mandatory. It is so ridiculous. With the internet, you would think that Americans had easy access to the Toyota and Nissan manuals from Australia or Europe showing that 0w-20, 5w-20, 5w-30...

I’ve run Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w-30 in my 2025 Sienna. I’ve run Valvoline Restore and Protect 0w-20 in my Sienna. Currently has Castrol Edge EP Gold 5w-30 for summer. My engine doesn’t complain. Nor do I notice any meaningful fuel efficiency difference. Southern California weather.

Bandaids won’t work. If the engines have the reliability of the post-2022 6.2L V8’s, it will be a disaster. I hope GM and its suppliers get their act together.

I took apart the N1 and F1 filters last year. Although the F1 looks larger, you get similar surface area on filter media. The external size is deceiving. I’m 100% Carquest Premium (Premium Guard) filter now on my Toyota

Looks bland and normal for a new engine. I’d immediately swap in 0w-20 but that’s just me. Nothing’s changed about that Toyota A25A engine since recs went from 0w-20 to 0w-16 to 0w-8.

The computer will not detect the transient drop in oil pressure that lasts 2 or 3 seconds at engine start. This is the same drop in oil pressure that lasts 2 or 3 seconds on any cold start. Maybe there is a 1 second difference if you don’t prefill your oil filter (if this is even possible...

I made a typo. It’s 0w-20 in the winter, and 5w-30 in the summer. :) It doesn’t get colder than freezing where I live. Even if I ran 5w-30 in the winter, at 32F, 5w-30 is 70 centistokes. At a frigid 5 degrees F on a Chicago cold start, 0w-16 is 400 centistokes. You don’t see Chicago cars...

Right away, baby. :). 0w-20 in the summer. 5w-30 in the winter for Toyota hybrid specifying 0w-16. In California, I have not seen any change in fuel consumption when running the thicker oil. For this Atkinson cycle 4-banger, 0w-16 is probably adequate but I don’t know why anyone would run...

I noticed that the new label (marked ILSAC GF-7) is accompanied by a bump up in price. But Valvoline Restore and Protect is stocked on Amazon with free delivery. Load up baby.

About 20 5-quart jugs. 6 Castrol Euro spec 8 0w-20, split Castrol EDGE Extended Performance and Valvoline Restore and Protect 8 5w-30, split Castrol EDGE Extended Performance and Valvoline Restore and Protect Also stashes of transmission fluid, Amsoil rear differential fluid, and stuff.

Creating a product for a problem that doesn’t exist. Just change the filter frequently.

One concrete example would be premature death from fuel dilution in some poor cold weather dude driving short trip intervals. This is partly behavior, partly engine design, but is partly remedied with frequent oil change. Small displacement turbo-charged engines should get frequent oil...

Nobody has ever had premature car death from changing his oil a little earlier. But there are plenty of documented car deaths on people who were very good about changing oil at 7k intervals. Whether it was infrequency of oil changes or a car design flaw… the only thing you lose from earlier...

I don’t have any qualms with using older oil. The first thing that comes out of suspension are the anti-foam additives. Just give your bottle a good vigorous shake. My stash is usually 2 to 4 years worth of oil. If I run lower than 1 year, I get a little nervous. LOL.

These are my two oils. I swap back and forth on Castrol EDGE Extended Performance and Valvoline Restore and Protect. Usually 3 oil changes each before a swap.