Blends vs. Pennzoil / Chevron dino

[novadude]

I have been viewing all of the data sheets and UOA's for various "Wal-Mart" brand belnds, and comparing them to Pennzoil and Chevron / Havoline dino oils. From what I have seen, it seems that blends offer no real advantage, other than (maybe) slightly better viscosity retention.

Does anyone agree?

 

[Ken2]

I agree with Haley, most of the blends on the market are just marketing gimmicks. They allow lower quality/price base oil to be mixed with a small amount of synthetic, meet the specs, and get a premium price.

Schaeffer synthetic blends are top quality base oil plus 20-25% synthetic...a very different product. I'm running 10,000 mile oil drain intervals with Schaeffer's syn blend with good analysis.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/data/703.htm


Ken

 

[harper]

Another blend that seems to get great UOA is Castrol Syntec Blend. Its not too expensive at $9.88/5 QT @ my local Walmart.

 

[TallPaul]

I say make your own blend: 2 qts synthetic: 3 qts dino. Chances are you will get a lot more synthetic than the production blends for about the same cost.

 

[Grease is the word]

quote:

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Originally posted by TallPaul:
I say make your own blend: 2 qts synthetic: 3 qts dino. Chances are you will get a lot more synthetic than the production blends for about the same cost.

---

What would be good brands to blend? Mobil DC with SS? Castrol GC with GTX?

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

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Originally posted by Grease is the word:
What would be good brands to blend? Mobil DC with SS? Castrol GC with GTX?

---

I am just a novice, but I would think your safest bet is to blend oils of the same company like you suggest. I am thinking of blending when Valvoline Full Synthetic Maxlife hits the shelf. Maybe just one qt syn then as regular Maxlife already has 12-22 % synthetic.

 

[FordSVTGuy]

In my car I do 2 qts synthetic Havoline and 3 qts dino Havoline. I feel that this is a good way to get a gaurenteed mix of quality (40%) group III and (60%) group II oils that costs me:

2 qts Havoline Syn - $7.56
3 qts Havoline dino - $3.85
Total $11.41

 

[SteveD2]

I use 5 quarts of Chevron supreme and 1 quart of hav. synthetic...too cheap to do full synthetic.

 

[BIGJ552000]

I always thought this was not a good idea

but maybe I'm wrong

 

[SteveD2]

quote:

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Originally posted by BIGJ552000:
I always thought this was not a good idea

but maybe I'm wrong

---

It's the same thing as a synthetic blend, only cheaper, and you know exactly what you're getting.

 

[Swift]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BIGJ552000:
I always thought this was not a good idea

but maybe I'm wrong

---

Me too. Maybe one of the Gurus can chime in?

 

[icruse]

It has also been my observation that blends offer no real advantage over the regular oils.
IF one was going to use a blend they might as well spend just a little bit more and get the full synthetics which do show better specs, especially in the extreme ends.

Good Day,
Steven

 

[haley10]

I agree

If you use Pennzoil or Havoline dino, I don't see any justification for going to a syn blend.

I think a lot of the "blend" is just marketing.

 

[Santo Fontana]

There are lots of UOAs showing no prob with mixing oil. I mixed different brands and weights here:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000960

Of course my full amsoil 5-30 uoa looked a little better.

 

[haley10]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ZmOz:

quote:

---

Originally posted by BIGJ552000:
I always thought this was not a good idea

but maybe I'm wrong

---

It's the same thing as a synthetic blend, only cheaper, and you know exactly what you're getting.

---

I agree that this is not a good thing to do, but it will do no harm either. I disagree that creating your own blend is the same thing. Semi-Syns are formulated in their own right. Making your own brew could just be wasting money by adding the Syn, but it would be ok if you were just wanting to use up stock.

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

---

Originally posted by TallPaul:

Right now my wife's Aerostar has some of all the following in it's crankcase (approximate quantities):

1.5 qt Valvoline Durablend 5w30
2 qt Valvoline Maxlife 5w30
0.5 qt Citgo 10w40
0.75 qt Royal Purple 10w40
0.25 qt Rislone Engine Treatment

What else should I put in?

---

Do as I said (earlier), don't do as I did (above). The above is not the norm. I just got a bit carried away. Haley10 is right, anytime you deviate from the manufactured blend you chance a poorer combination. But call the oil company and ask them about it. I asked Valvoline and they did not feel there would be any problem mixing regular and synthetic maxlife together. BTW, looking at the MSDSs it appears that formulations change even among the same brand/type between the different viscosity grades.

 

[Ray H]

The alleged implications of "additive clash" are overstated. (Whoever originally penned the notion that mixing conventional and synthetic oil would lead to congealing should be strung up by his thumbs and lowered into a vat of boiling used oil just changed at 25,000 miles!) The allged "additive clash" implications are also further minimized by staying within brand. Given that many, if not most, commercial blends are no more than 10% Group III or IV, going with a 1 + 4 mix still makes for a 20% proportion of syn, and cheaper than the commercial blend to boot. Since all the major oil companies unequivocably state that it's OK to switch from conventional oil to synthetic oil (and back again, if desired) without running a flush, and since at least a 1/2 quart of whatever was run previously remains after an oil change, this really isn't rocket science, guys.

 

[TallPaul]

Right now my wife's Aerostar has some of all the following in it's crankcase (approximate quantities):

1.5 qt Valvoline Durablend 5w30
2 qt Valvoline Maxlife 5w30
0.5 qt Citgo 10w40
0.75 qt Royal Purple 10w40
0.25 qt Rislone Engine Treatment

What else should I put in?