Best oils for DI engines?

[Texican]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
The best oil for a DI engine is one that meets the manufacturer recommended specifications, and is changed frequently due to fuel dilution.

I like this point of view, I can use whatever I like as long as it is within specs and change it every 3-5k. I dig it!!!!

 

[Errtt]

Was in the dealer today to have a recall stop lamp switch taken care of and got a free courtesy multi-point inspection.
1st time I've taken it to dealer since I bought it. Anyway I mentioned I was using PP instead of the manufacturer recommended QS and doing 5k OCIs because of DI engine. Not a one had a reply to that, and there was a 2 services tech's standing right there plus a few service writers.
Also mentioned since I recently done the cabin filter along doing an OC, I also just did the air filter and don't want it touched unseating it chance any dirt tracking - I got a little bit of a puzzled look but they ensure me the wouldn't touch it since I said so.
They didn't try to up sell me on anything.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: HKPolice
Quaker state green bottle is identical to Pennzoil conventional, they're both made by shell with the same additives. You were affected by the halo effect of the Pennzoil brand.

Originally Posted By: accent2012
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Texican
So is it fuel dilution or deposits one should be concerned about with a DI engine?


I'd be concerned. Opinions vary.


My anecdotal experience:

Cheap Conventional oil like Quaker State Green bottle works fine in my DI engine, but it feels like its durability is all used up over 2,000 miles because my car performs a bit sluggish under hard acceleration and its noisier than it was when I first put the fresh oil in.

With top-tier conventional oil, which I've only used Pennzoil conventional, my DI engine drove without the issues I got with QS all the way to the 3,000 OCI mark. I didn't try to go above that mark with conventional.

I've also used entry-level synthetic (QS Ultimate) and my experience was the same with Pennzoil, and I still wouldn't go over 3,000 OCI with that oil.

However, I've used Castrol Edge gold bottle and lately I've been changing it every 4k miles. Throughout that whole OCI my car felt as if it still had fresh oil. No extra noise, no sluggish acceleration, etc.

I'm on my 5th consecutive interval with Castrol Edge.

I had Kendall GT-1 Synthetic w/ Titanium in this car and it also drove great.

So, all in all, DI engines love top-tier synthetics and top-tier conventionals work great too.

Down the road I might go with Castrol Syntec of Mobil 1.

Fuel dilution is more prevalent in DI engines, I always get that fuel smell in my engine oil when I check the level. The synthetics seem to hold up better.



They most certainly aren't identical. They are similar however they certainly aren't identical.
Perhaps you've been affected by the veil of using other brands?

 

[Texican]

I agree it is not the same, and I never thought of Quaker State Conventional as a cheap conventional oil. I like the oil and I believe it is a good oil.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I have been using pennzoil platinum 5w20 and had great results. I guess conventional would work, but i kinda like the overkill feeling of better than most. I think if its not broke dont fix it. Then again I put around 5k miles a month or more and stressing about getting it serviced on time could be a problem. I had a drain plug rust/seize and didnt wanna strip or break off so i went to Menards and bought a ton of 1.99 quaker state filters and changed the filter every 500-1000 miles. Had mobil 1 in 93 GrandPrix for about 30,000 miles. Went overdue but i suspect synthetic oil saved a motor. Also ran it almost dry on coolant from water pump seeping. GM tech said syn oil probably saved me. Guess I am just sold on synthetic, It makes a margin of error...for my neglect lol.

 

[HKPolice]

You're picking at irrelevant details here. QS & Pennzoil conventional are within 5% of each other in terms of additives, is that enough to cause "sluggish performance after 2000 miles" on QS while Pennzoil conventional had no issues upto 3000 miles? No way.

I'm merely pointing out that accent2012's experience is inaccurate because the both oils are so similar, so clearly he has a bias towards Pennzoil. Both oils are basically identical.

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: HKPolice
Quaker state green bottle is identical to Pennzoil conventional, they're both made by shell with the same additives. You were affected by the halo effect of the Pennzoil brand.

Originally Posted By: accent2012
Originally Posted By: demarpaint


I'd be concerned. Opinions vary.


My anecdotal experience:

Cheap Conventional oil like Quaker State Green bottle works fine in my DI engine, but it feels like its durability is all used up over 2,000 miles because my car performs a bit sluggish under hard acceleration and its noisier than it was when I first put the fresh oil in.

With top-tier conventional oil, which I've only used Pennzoil conventional, my DI engine drove without the issues I got with QS all the way to the 3,000 OCI mark. I didn't try to go above that mark with conventional.

I've also used entry-level synthetic (QS Ultimate) and my experience was the same with Pennzoil, and I still wouldn't go over 3,000 OCI with that oil.

However, I've used Castrol Edge gold bottle and lately I've been changing it every 4k miles. Throughout that whole OCI my car felt as if it still had fresh oil. No extra noise, no sluggish acceleration, etc.

I'm on my 5th consecutive interval with Castrol Edge.

I had Kendall GT-1 Synthetic w/ Titanium in this car and it also drove great.

So, all in all, DI engines love top-tier synthetics and top-tier conventionals work great too.

Down the road I might go with Castrol Syntec of Mobil 1.

Fuel dilution is more prevalent in DI engines, I always get that fuel smell in my engine oil when I check the level. The synthetics seem to hold up better.



They most certainly aren't identical. They are similar however they certainly aren't identical.
Perhaps you've been affected by the veil of using other brands?

 

[Boss302fan]

QS UD would also be a good choice and seems to be pretty cheap for a Full Synthetic at Walmart.

 

[Ram01]

Castrol motor oils is all u need for a DI motor

 

[Texican]

Originally Posted By: Ram01
Castrol motor oils is all u need for a DI motor


Castrol is some good stuff, but if I'm going to be doing OCI's every 3k I'll go with Quaker State Conventional or Mobil Super 5000. At least for the Optima its a lease, probably going to run a synblend in the Forte when my Synpower runs out. That will be easier on my beer funds.

 

[Benzadmiral]

When I was at my local GM dealer on Saturday (warranty replacement of a seat heater element), I asked the service guys about oil changes and mentioned how my OLM is dropping pretty fast. They said they advise people to change at 5K miles -- no mention of the OLM, despite the manual's saying to follow it or change at one year -- and that they use ACDelco's dexos1 semi-synth.