$20 budget oil choice.

[GW.]

mobil 1 did bad.

Nobody did bad. They’re all statistically the same in ppm/1000 miles. Wear just isn’t something that differentiates oil brands. If you want to decrease wear metals increase viscosity.

I’ve been inside many hundreds(if not more) engines when I turned wrenches. The biggest difference between brands in my experience is engine cleanliness hands down. The ability to keep engines/pistons and turbochargers clean can vary greatly between brands. Also how they hold up in severe service.

 

[kschachn]

Nobody did bad. They’re all statistically the same in ppm/1000 miles. Wear just isn’t something that differentiates oil brands. If you want to decrease wear metals increase viscosity.

I’ve been inside many hundreds(if not more) engines when I turned wrenches. The biggest difference between brands in my experience is engine cleanliness hands down. The ability to keep engines/pistons and turbochargers clean can vary greatly between brands. Also how they hold up in severe service.

Yes. Wear is not the primary differentiator in most formulated motor oils. But it’s picked up as a marketing tool, usually with dimensionless “XX% better” statements.

 

[burbguy82]

Yes. Wear is not the primary differentiator in most formulated motor oils. But it’s picked up as a marketing tool, usually with dimensionless “XX% better” statements.

Agreed. Marketing.

Most products will be close in wear rates. I think evidence of this is engines of various years which get excellent life with typical off the shelf products, like Mobil 1 for example. Sure, some boutiques will perform better in certain categories, as all things come with advantage, but they also come with disadvantages, namely cost. Without the proper surface finish, or material, none of it makes a difference.

I think the wear rate is a multi faceted portion of the whole picture. As @Glenda W. stated, cleanliness plays a factor in wear rates, and that cannot really be quantified in one dyno run or even 10. Race engine..... sure, but who cares about that.

I still hold that wear reduction is the first function of an oil, without that, nothing matters.

 

[Bill7]

Valvoline maxlife synblend
super tech full synthetic 20k miles
Quaker state synthetic

Which one would you choose. I had 4 family vehicles I will do oil change to . They all use 5w30. My oil filter choice properly fram orange can. Or STP blue oil filter. 5k or 6 month oil change .

Super Tech is a great choice. The Super Tech High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 @ 5,000 mile OCI is my strategic oil.
It's only $17.97 for the 5 quart jug. It has a good additive package with high levels of phosphorous and zinc anti-wear additives, and calcium detergent additives.

Regarding oil filters, once I use up my Pentius oil filter stash, I'm just going to only use Super Tech oil filters after that.

I try to use Walmart store brands for everything I buy - the savings really add up over a year.

 

[gfh77665]

I would still change the oil every 5k miles and the oil filter every other oil change (using the Super Tech or Fram Ultra).

That's EXACTLY what I do!

 

[altaylar]

If its leaking, maxlife is great. It being synth blend would help with a leak even more.but otherwise, supertech is a great choice

 

[Carlostrece]

Valvoline maxlife synblend
super tech full synthetic 20k miles
Quaker state synthetic

Which one would you choose. I had 4 family vehicles I will do oil change to . They all use 5w30. My oil filter choice properly fram orange can. Or STP blue oil filter. 5k or 6 month oil change .

Of the choices you presented, I'd use either Valvoline Maxlife Blend, Quaker State High Mileage Full Syn, or Havoline Lifelong (all/high mileage) Full Syn.

All of those ^ cost approx the same per quart at Walmart. The Lifelong looks more expensive at first glance, but it's not more expensive per quart because Lifelong is a 6 quarts box. The other brands are 5 quarts jugs.

Among low cost oils...
My 1st choice is H Lifelong.
My 2nd choice is Quaker State High Mileage Full Synthetic.
My 3rd choice is either Maxlife High Mileage Blend or Supertech High Mileage Full Synthetic.
My 4th choice is ST High Mileage Blend (if that exists).

If price is no issue, then...
1st choice Havoline Lifelong (all/high mileage) Full Syn.
2nd Choice Valvoline Extended Protection High Mileage Full Synthetic or NAPA High Mileage FS. I think these are same oil made by Valvoline.
3rd choice Maxlife High Mileage FS or Quaker State High Mileage Full Synthetic. I think these are equal.

I think Havoline Lifelong, Valvoline Extended Protection High Mileage Full Synthetic, NAPA High Mileage FS are equally excellent, but Lifelong costs less.

 

[Durdude]

I'm into rebates! I have enough oil (five 5 qt jugs) that I can window shop. Recently Castrol had a $30 rebate paid cash to my Venmo when I bought 2-5qt jugs. Thats $15 each jug after rebate for their fancy gold bottle Castrol EDGE Extended Performance. I change oil on 3 or 4 vehicles so my philosophy now is look for the rebates and get the "better stuff". I also have supertech on hand. In addition I filter shop. Amazon has deals on Purolators that come and go for 3-4 dollars. The Tech line and One line. I also run Supertech and now revisiting Fram Orange cans of death that I have never killed a engine with. I'll keep trying!

 

[ChemLabNL]

The best cheap ILSAC/API oil is probably Pennzoil High Mileage 10w30.

 

[Carlostrece]

I want to update my recommendations here (compared to what I said earlier):
For low cost high mileage oils that are good...

My first choice is either Quaker State High Mileage Full Synthetic or Havoline Lifelong. I think both are equally very good and very affordable. When comparing prices, remember that Quaker State High Mileage Full Synthetic is in a 5 qts container and Lifelong is in a 6 qts container.

My second choice is Valvoline MaxLife High Mileage Blend or Supertech High Mileage Full Synthetic. Probably Maxlife Blend for my 2nd choice and Supertech High Mileage Full Synthetic for my 3rd choice.

 

[FlyingTexan]

Valvoline maxlife synblend
super tech full synthetic 20k miles
Quaker state synthetic

Which one would you choose. I had 4 family vehicles I will do oil change to . They all use 5w30. My oil filter choice properly fram orange can. Or STP blue oil filter. 5k or 6 month oil change .

Molygen 5w30 from FCPeuro. Oil+filters then replace each time for the price of shipping. I’ve been doing my Grenadier, recently lost in a wreck 2500HD 6.0l, and Yamaha 225sho outboard on it for roughly $18. Including cabin air filters, engine oil filters, and engine air filters.

 

[tired]

Molygen 5w30

If you're going to all that trouble, why not pick one of their Euro oils? Like Motul X-cess Gen 2 or X-Clean+ 5W-30?

 

[Legs4Arms]

During the Boxing Week Sale at Walmart I could've had 15L of Mobil 1 0W-40 to my door for $115 CAD.
That's like two gumballs and a roll of yarn for you Americans with the dollar the way it sits.
Why people use the cheap stuff is puzzling to me...

 

[FlyingTexan]

If you're going to all that trouble, why not pick one of their Euro oils? Like Motul X-cess Gen 2 or X-Clean+ 5W-30?

Molygen is an Euro oil. It’s robust and I do 5k OCI. Been very happy with it.

 

[altaylar]

Molygen is an Euro oil. It’s robust and I do 5k OCI. Been very happy with it.

I am not sure how they are marketing it, but judging by approvals, seems like it depends on the grade.
5w-30 variant seems like a regular API SQ formula. But suprisingly 5w40 variant is API SN with bunch of Euro approvals

 

[Jay73]

If my choice is just these 3 I'd go...
1)Quaker state synthetic
2)super tech full synthetic 20k miles
3)Valvoline maxlife synblend

 

[Legs4Arms]

If you're going to all that trouble, why not pick one of their Euro oils? Like Motul X-cess Gen 2 or X-Clean+ 5W-30?

Liqui Moly makes Molygen not Motul

 

[tired]

Molygen is an Euro oil. It’s robust and I do 5k OCI. Been very happy with it.

Which Euro approvals does it have? I am not aware it has any.

 

[tired]

Liqui Moly makes Molygen not Motul

I am aware. That’s why I said “Motul” X-cess. In my post, “their” refers to FCP Euro. Not Liqui Moly.

 

[FlyingTexan]

Which Euro approvals does it have? I am not aware it has any.

It doesn’t. Just like Redline, HPL, Amsoil, Motul 300v, Royal Purple Euro, etc. Approvals aren’t always everything. Jeep GC Ecodiesels were throwing main breakings running approved oils that later changed, GM changed their 6.2l spec after failures, my B58 in my grenadier has a different spec in Europe than in the US. BMW specs have changed many times. Why would I care about a LL01 or LL04 approval when I’m doing a 5k mile OCI?

Approvals don’t really seem to matter much it’s just a base floor and most high end oils that exceed the performance of those with approvals use a different chemistry that might not be accepted by the spec. Im perfectly happy running oils that “meet or exceed”. Supertech is cheap for a reason.