can't stay with one brand

[jorton]

I have used 3 or 4 different brands of oil since i've owned my truck. Now I'm feeling a little guilty about not being good to the motor. I was just looking for the best value, I think.
Believe it or not, now I would like to finally choose one oil based on the design of the bottle! I like the bottle with the large opening because motor oil is too thick for the bottle with the small hole.
Before I make my final choice(again) can I clean the inside of the motor with an OTC product at my next oil change?
Thanks for any advice. Joe

 

[satterfi]

I tried to give 2 cases of Redline to my neighbor but he said "no thanks, the bottle has too small of an opening".

How big is the opening in the 1 gallon jugs?

I prefer jug wine because the opening is bigger than those darn 750ml bottles.

[ January 31, 2004, 11:30 AM: Message edited by: satterfi ]

 

[90mustang]

Hey! I have used 5 different oils in my car. It was based on the information I had at the time. I always changed it at 3000 mile intervals and sometimes sooner. I have settled on Havoline dino for now.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Useing a different brand of oil each time will not in itself hurt the engine in the least bit!!!!

The problem with choiceing oil based on price is more of issue I would think! If you always use the lowest bidder is likely that you are not getting a premium product at and it is probably just adequate at best!

Changeing oils all the time will also make it a bit more diffacult to get a consistent trend going in some cases. It would depend on how picjy the engine is.

I think that picking your oil based on opening size is not the best design element to look for in an oil!!

Satterfi, If you have two cases of Redline you want to give away I will gladly take them off your hands!


P.S. If you guys are jokeing this is some dry dry humor!

 

[edwardh1]

Major brand price variations do make you wonder.
waldo mart will sell say castrol like $1.78 a quart but some Mobile or havoline is like 1.18 or 1.24.
Supertech is even cheaper but I wonder about quality control.
i buy the cheapest , but a name brand (not ST)

 

[buster]

I struggle with this. I'm always wanting to try different oils. For Value, M1 5qt jugs can't be beat IMO.

 

[satterfi]

I’ll bet there’s a correlation between the number of posts a person makes on this board to the number of different oils they’ve used.

Jorton should have 1,000 posts by March.

Patman will have used 1,000 different oils by June.

Buster doesn’t fit the curve I’ve developed. Perhaps I’ll need to consider third and forth order effects and get a faster computer. Does anyone have a slightly used Cray sitting around they don’t need?

 

[TallPaul]

I have 4 different brands of oil and an additive in my wifes minivan right now. A regular witches' brew!

Runs fine though.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by satterfi:

Patman will have used 1,000 different oils by June.

---

hehe, not anymore. I'm sticking to GC for a while, it's a good price, has served me well so far, and appears to be around for the long haul here in Canada now that a new production batch is appearing on the shelves. Plus my Walmart near my house just filled the entire length of the 0w30 shelf with this stuff too (in the past they only would put out a few bottles at a time, never more than 12). They've got almost as much in stock as me!

(actually that's not true, I've got 50L now and I counted just over 20 for them)

 

[buster]

I think Mobil 1 is a value up until about $5qt. After that, other oils start looking appealing like RL/M1R at $7qt. GC is a clear value and proven to be maybe the best 0w-30 out there right now. I'd love to see this oil go head to head with S2k. When you look at GC at $4qt vs S2k at $8qt. ,its a no brainer IMO.

I'm actually going to see if there is any of this GC around here today. Maybe Autozone will have it.

[ January 31, 2004, 03:19 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

 

[pscholte]

I just don't understand you guys who try SO MANY different kinds of oil!

...yeah right! You know me better than that...by the way I hear Regal Puce motor oil is debuting a -5W75 (good for use from -90F to 700F!!...gotta try it.

 

[Mystic]

pscholte, good to see you back!!!!! This web site has been different without you!

 

[Mike242GT]

"I like the bottle with the large opening because motor oil is too thick for the bottle with the small hole."

Tell that to those on this board wrestling with seal leaks!

BTW, speakng of not staying with one brand, in the past year in the various cars I own (6) or maintain for others (4), I have used Exxon Superflo 5W-20, Pennzoil Synth Blend 5W-30, German Castrol 0W-30, Amsoil 10W-30, Mobil 1 10W-30, Pennzoil HM 10W-30, Quaker State HM 10W-30, Chevron Supreme 10W-40, Pennzoil LL 15W-40, Quaker State HDX 15W-40, Valvoline Premium Blue 15w-40, Chevron Delo 15W-40 and Amsoil 15W-40.

 

[pscholte]

I don't understand all the guys with seal leaks...I have only had problems with sea lions....

PS Thanks, Mystic

 

[TC]

1. No need to feel guilty at all. If you MIX oils, that could be problematic. But if you simply switch brands at every oil/filter change, this will have no effect on your engine, good or bad.

2. Regarding getting your "best value" in oil, there's little correlation between price and quality. Chevron is typically one of the least expensive brands at a given store, and Pennzoil and Castrol are routinely avalable for under a buck after rebate, yet all are superior products.

3. I don't recall which bottles are large-mouthed, but will simply suggest that any name brand should perform just fine if changed regularly.

4. Look at the valvetrain through your filler cap. If relatively little sludge or varnish is present, any name brand retail engine "cleaner" should be safe to use (if you desire to do so). Doing nothing to a "clean" engine is an option as well. If it's not so clean, a "go slow" approach would be appropriate, such as Auto RX or the extended use of a high-detergent diesel oil.

 

[haley10]

Guys, Wally World has everybody brain-washed into thinking they have the lowest prices, but on oil it ain't true.

Advance Auto here is much better on Pennzoil and Castrol jugs.

Autozone is usually high, but has Castrol promotions, making it cheaper a lot.

Wally has even went up on M1 here and I can get it much cheaper @ Advance.

If you use Pennzoil, Castrol, or M1 there seems to be some big differences, so it pays to shop or call first.

 

[SSDude]

Originally posted by satterfi:
[QB] I tried to give 2 cases of Redline to my neighbor but he said "no thanks, the bottle has too small of an opening".

You can give the Redline to me. I'll take it and be grateful to you for it.

 

[haley10]

Buster, dog-gone-it, I just started trying M1 and my Wally's went up over $3+ on the jug. It's no longer any value like it was.

Maybe it's a new stock. I was running Syntec, so I was suprized that M1 10-30 doesn't seem thin like I was lead to believe.

I've only had it in for a bit, but it seem a tad more sluggish than Syntec. Not a negative, just different than I expected.

 

[jorton]

It looks super clean in there. I can see the inside of the filler tube, one rocker arm and the top of the head. The machined surfaces are bright silver and the cast surfaces are light brown. The only things I can see are metal and oil. I like the way the hollow rocker arm is full of oil even after sitting over night. Looks nice for 97,500 miles!
Do you know if there is a 5/20 with a lower VII like 10/30 has?
Thanks, Joe