This calculator can give you some idea of what a blended oil would be like. I used this for awhile, blending M1 15W-50 with M1 0W-20, then later on M1 0W-20 and Delvac 15W-40. Then, like you, I decided to just pick a good oil and stick with it. I've got approximately 40 quarts of GC ready for my car as soon as my free Maxlife synthetic is done.
90-100deg temps, GC or 5w-40 for Miata.
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My Mazda has solid lifters, and is a V6. I'm not sure if my old Mazda Protege (1.6 ltr-4) was Hydrolic or Solid, but i never heard any vallve noise from it.
Without going into a long story, i was forced to use 20w50 in my old VW Jetta. I found that every 20w50 i used gave me valve noise at startup, especially in the winter, except for Valvoline 20w50.
When i sold the car at 225,000 miles it ran perfect. Still no valve noise at start-up
I agree with you, XXw40 or 20w50 wont "hurt" your engine, only your gas mileage. I'll be curious to see how your car would run on something like Rotella 5w40.
Without going into a long story, i was forced to use 20w50 in my old VW Jetta. I found that every 20w50 i used gave me valve noise at startup, especially in the winter, except for Valvoline 20w50.
When i sold the car at 225,000 miles it ran perfect. Still no valve noise at start-up
I agree with you, XXw40 or 20w50 wont "hurt" your engine, only your gas mileage. I'll be curious to see how your car would run on something like Rotella 5w40.
I'm going to try mixing Grades in the future. Since Mobil quit making 10w-40... Why? I don't know. It's a synthetic right? Not supposed to have alot of VII's.
This drive for thinner oils is very interesting. But I'll make my own 40 weight.
See any 10 year old Taurus or Mercury Sables running around? So much for that build quality. I don't think it mattered much what oil those owners ran. Those engines were junk.
Rambling... But my point is that we should be looking at the owners who have lots of miles on their vehicles. Ask them what they are doing.
Lets see in the future if we have any 10-15 year old current model cars to look at.
This drive for thinner oils is very interesting. But I'll make my own 40 weight.
See any 10 year old Taurus or Mercury Sables running around? So much for that build quality. I don't think it mattered much what oil those owners ran. Those engines were junk.
Rambling... But my point is that we should be looking at the owners who have lots of miles on their vehicles. Ask them what they are doing.
Lets see in the future if we have any 10-15 year old current model cars to look at.
We have three things in common: HLA noise at start-up, high summer temps, Mazda engine, though mine is a KL in a Probe GT. It's almost 11 years old, 135k miles.
I'be been using Rotella T 5W40 for two years, year 'round, and the HLA is gone and I have no complaints about lubricity. I get 25 - 29 mpg, so I can find no reason to change. 5K oil OCIs seem to be OK.
I'be been using Rotella T 5W40 for two years, year 'round, and the HLA is gone and I have no complaints about lubricity. I get 25 - 29 mpg, so I can find no reason to change. 5K oil OCIs seem to be OK.
Rotella 5W40 "full synthetic" no good anymore?
Why not try Syntec 10w40? It's synthetic (almost) and is the weight that you are really looking for.
I think GC 0w30, BC 5w40, or a decent 15w40 HDEO would all be fine.
I think a 50 weight oil is overkill although I do know many people who track their Porsches who do like that weight.
I have a mazda with the 1.8L V6 and I run 5w30 Dino, but it is a winter car. If I was running it year round and tracking it in hot weather I would probably be using 0w40 synthetic.
I think a 50 weight oil is overkill although I do know many people who track their Porsches who do like that weight.
I have a mazda with the 1.8L V6 and I run 5w30 Dino, but it is a winter car. If I was running it year round and tracking it in hot weather I would probably be using 0w40 synthetic.
Palut
Am I missing something? "An ideal oil would have the same viscosity at startup as it would at operating temperature" If this is true why not run straight 20 30 or 40 weight? Isn't a 0w-30 or 0w-40 actually going to be THICKER at operating temperatures than at startup? I guess I need to think of it like this....What is the viscosity of straight 0 weight at startup temperature (If there was such a thing) compared to straight 30 weight at operating temperature?
Am I missing something? "An ideal oil would have the same viscosity at startup as it would at operating temperature" If this is true why not run straight 20 30 or 40 weight? Isn't a 0w-30 or 0w-40 actually going to be THICKER at operating temperatures than at startup? I guess I need to think of it like this....What is the viscosity of straight 0 weight at startup temperature (If there was such a thing) compared to straight 30 weight at operating temperature?
This is a little
but i thought it might fit into the conversation....
Just for fun I emailed MazdaUSA last week regarding any changes in their oil recommendations for my 2001 Mazda 626 ES-V6 (2.5 KL-V6). I had been curious since Ford has recently back-spec'd many cars to use lighter oil. This was their response:
The 5w30 back-spec was largly due to complaints about noisey hydrolic valve lifters at start-up. My mazda has the solid lifter set-up so that is not a problem for me. I think at least for the summer months i'll switch back to 10w30 instead of 5w30.
The UK oil recommendations for the same engine across the pond are synthetic 0w30 or dino 10w40.
Just for fun I emailed MazdaUSA last week regarding any changes in their oil recommendations for my 2001 Mazda 626 ES-V6 (2.5 KL-V6). I had been curious since Ford has recently back-spec'd many cars to use lighter oil. This was their response:
Just for the record, Ford has NOT back-spec'd my Mazda built KL-V6 (which was also used in some Ford applications like the Probe and others) to use 5w20, but they have back-spec'd it to use 5w30 year-round. I did some additional research to see if the oil pump and/or oil pump design had changed any from the 93-96 Mazda V6's to my 2001. The oil pump used is the same, which is likely why they were hesitant to spec 5w20 for it.
The 5w30 back-spec was largly due to complaints about noisey hydrolic valve lifters at start-up. My mazda has the solid lifter set-up so that is not a problem for me. I think at least for the summer months i'll switch back to 10w30 instead of 5w30.
The UK oil recommendations for the same engine across the pond are synthetic 0w30 or dino 10w40.
don't know if this has been said already, but only the 1st gen miatas had hydraulic lifters. 99-05 cars had solid and must be adjusted.
i rev-limit my '99 at least once every time i drive it, and it seems very happy with amsoil 0w30 (central NC...25-100F).
i rev-limit my '99 at least once every time i drive it, and it seems very happy with amsoil 0w30 (central NC...25-100F).
All oils are thicker at startup. You don't run the straight grade because a straight 30 or 40 oil would be even thicker at startup than a multigrade. I'm not saying you don't want a multigrade oil. I'm saying that if you want your oil to be 12cst at operating temperature, it would be ideal if it would be 12 cst throughout the entire temperature range. 12 cst @ 40°C and 12 cst @ 100°C and 12 cst @ -100°C and 12 cst at 400°C. Wouldn't that be a sweet oil?
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