Emergency Top-up oil choices (M1 5W40/GC)

[bob555]

Over thanksgiving I wound up a bit low on oil while traveling, and couldn't find any M1 5W40 to top up with. After checked the 4 or 5 places, I just bought M1 0W40 and used it, but I had plenty of time to think about the topic while driving back home today:

1. I know that all of the passenger car M1 oils are supposed to be mixable, but what about mixing them with M1 5W40 or Delvac 1? Should I shorten my OCI somewhat? Like from 8,000 miles to 7,000?

2. What do other people do when (if ever) they need to buy oil on the road and can't find what they want?

3. Several of my other cars have 0W30 GC, and I was wondering what would make the best emergency top-off oil for them? American Syntec? Conventional GTX? Mobil 1?

4. Try to match base oils? Or additive package in the emergency top-off situation?

 

[Audi Junkie]

My thinking is that we have pretty good info that Mobil DCO 5w-30 is cheap G-III base and minimal adds to meet GF-4. It seems like a good topping/flushing oil. (sorry Mobil guys

) I actually mix it for filling with the heavily-additized Mobil 1 15w-50 at about 20% ratio. 15w-50 seems good for topping any thin oil if it is burning off. I also have a gallon of thick Rotella T Synth (G-III) that I am using for a short oci...mixed with 2 quarts of...you guessed it, DCO 30 weight. I use GC a lot and always ended up topping with junk oil as I got close to changes. My plan now is only topping GC with GC. DCO does look like the pick for a cheap good topping oil based on base. ps, you did fine with the 0w-40.

 

[Lumberg]

Don't you always keep an extra quart of your oil in the trunk?

All cars should have en emergency kit with at least one qt of oil, qt of trans fluid, and a gallon of water, among other things.

 

[weatherdude]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lumberg:
Don't you always keep an extra quart of your oil in the trunk?

All cars should have en emergency kit with at least one qt of oil, qt of trans fluid, and a gallon of water, among other things.

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(kinda) An emergency kit is always a great idea. In addition to that gallon of water (which can be used for lots of things), those 50/50 pre-mixed antifreeze bottles are a great addition to your kit. Keeps ya from over doing the top-off water if you find yourself on the long end of a longer trip than your leak would like to allow you to be on without time for proper repair.

Back on topic.. Several people here have been making their own custom blends using different OTC oils. I just asked a simular question about the interaction between the different additive packs. I'm guessing that since their both mobil, things should probably be ok.

 

[bob555]

Yes, I normally have a spare quart...however, the car in question uses very little oil, and I had used it in a lawnmower a couple days before and forgotten to replenish it. I'd like to think that it could happen to anyone, and I do normally have oil, ATF, coolant, water, spare belt, spare hoses, tools, etc.

 

[weatherdude]

quote:

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Originally posted by bob555:
I'd like to think that it could happen to anyone

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Things like that happen to everyone and usually at the most inconvenient times..

Hopefully one of the experts will provide some illumination on the mixture question. I don't think the base oils mixing will be a problem, but I have been wondering about the different ad-packs being mixed together out there. I think in your emergency, you're ok.

As for the emergency GC top-up choice.. More GC... if GC's not availible, then perhaps NA syntec 0w30 (which some are saying it may be.. or soon be the same as GC.. time will tell).. or perhaps the castrol startup since some seem pleased with it as well. My logic is that with the same brand, the ad-packs might be more compatible.

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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Originally posted by weatherdude:
I just asked a simular question about the interaction between the different additive packs.

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Yep, I would think that the additive clashing would be of more concern than base oils. I think the base oil would only become a concern if you added a large quantity of Group 2, like if you were 2+ qts down in a 4-5 qt sump.

In bob555's case, I have yet to read of anyone asking Mobil if they can mix any of the M1s and were told it was detrimental.

 

[Steve S]

 

[Steve S]

quote:

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Originally posted by 427Z06:

quote:

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Originally posted by weatherdude:
I just asked a simular question about the interaction between the different additive packs.

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Yep, I would think that the additive clashing would be of more concern than base oils. I think the base oil would only become a concern if you added a large quantity of Group 2, like if you were 2+ qts down in a 4-5 qt sump.

In bob555's case, I have yet to read of anyone asking Mobil if they can mix any of the M1s and were told it was detrimental.

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What is additive clash?

 

[pitzel]

quote:

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What is additive clash?

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Additive clash is the name for a situation that occurs when two different, and perhaps incompatible additives decide to react with each other, catalyzed by the presence of significant heat and combustion gas acids.

Think of fiberglas or the various epoxies that are out there. Their constituent chemicals alone can sit on the shelf indefinitely without hardening. However, mix them together, and you have a situation where they react to result in a hardened product. Same deal with motor oils, albeit most tend to be engineered with similar chemistries to avoid such adverse reaction.

 

[Last_Z]

quote:

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Originally posted by pitzel:

quote:

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What is additive clash?

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Additive clash is the name for a situation that occurs when two different, and perhaps incompatible additives decide to react with each other, catalyzed by the presence of significant heat and combustion gas acids.

Think of fiberglas or the various epoxies that are out there. Their constituent chemicals alone can sit on the shelf indefinitely without hardening. However, mix them together, and you have a situation where they react to result in a hardened product. Same deal with motor oils, albeit most tend to be engineered with similar chemistries to avoid such adverse reaction.

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Good explanation! However, the last part of your last sentence is what actually happens these days. Additive clash is a thing of the past (if it ever existed) As long as you stay with reputable oil companies such as Mobil, QS, RL, Penn, etc.....you will not have any additives clasing. These days, blenders use the same additives and oil base stocks are also the same.....not to mention they are all compatible with each other.

I have proof that there is no such thing as additive clash anymore!

Don't go mixing prolong with slick 50 into redline oil though!

 

[TomJones76]

quote:

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Originally posted by Last_Z:


I have proof that there is no such thing as additive clash anymore!

Don't go mixing prolong with slick 50 into redline oil though!

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What is your proof that there is no such thing as additive clash anymore?

 

[Last_Z]

Here is the mix of additives (scroll down to my long post with pics) and here is the report that "brew" produced.
BITOG members can decide whether there was any additive "clash."

 

[SteveD2]

I used to have to keep an ENTIRE CASE of oil in my old jeep it leaked and burned so much...

 

[twentynine]

If I understand the quesion, it is "Will the addition of the 1qt 0w-40 oil be harmfull to the 5w-40 oil that was in the engine? And "Should you reduce your OCI because of the addition of this 1qt."

Myself I can't see a problem in either case. You didn't use some of the wall recycled "Red Top" oil, quality oil was added to a quality oil. Did it change the properties of your engine oil. Probably not enough to worry about.

Presently I am using Pennsoil 5w-30 Truck and SUV formula (what can I say it was on sale), I wouldn't hesitate a split second to add Pennsoil 5w-30 whatever formula if I needed a qt. If I needed several qts. I wouldn't care to much about brand or type, because I would have a big problem and my primary worry would be saving the engine. Of course I have 5 extra quarts in the underseat storage compartment. Now in my wife's car, well I have tried to keep an extra qt, but who knows where it goes. By the time you dig through all the Wallyworld bags it just ain't there. When I enquire about the "spare qt". You'd swear I had started the Spanish Inquisition all over again, no one has added any oil to any thing, but that qt of oil is gone. Somewhere along the road there is a pile of Havoline 10w-30 that has just leaped out of the trunk of my wife's car.

Next oil change I will be going with Motorcraft 5w-30 Syn Blend. Just for giggles I will be buying enough for 2 or more OCIs. The Pennsoil will be taken out of storage and the Motorcraft will be substituted.

I also keep a gallon of coolant, a couple qts of tranny fluid, minimal toolkit, jumper cables and a little 12v emergency compressor. As for belts and hoses, nope.

 

[bob555]

Thanks for the replies. I was pretty sure that it wasn't a problem, but it struck me as an interesting problem...on thanksgiving even wal-mart was closed, so I was lucky to find the M1.

I think Audi Junkie makes a lot of sense about using Mobil DCO as sort of a universal topup oil. It is cheap, availible, etc...I saw it in a couple of gas stations before I found the 0W40.


Oh, and for the

stuff:

The only reason I have hoses in that car is that I got paranoid about the heater hoses and threw some in before a long trip this summer. Whenever I first change a serpentine belt on a car, I keep the old one in the trunk as a spare...an old habit from v-belt cars that ate belts.

I have a friend whose low miles late 1980's F-350 (460ci) drinks a quart every 60 miles or less from leaking valve stems and various drips...so I know about keeping a case, or two of oil in a car. The last time I rode in it with him, the backseat had a pile of 5 quart SuperTech bottles!

 

[unDummy]

I don't think that there is a best emergency topoff oil.
In a situation when oil level is in the "fill zone", ANY motor oil would be good for topoff.

Since you are using synthetics, then any synthetic should work which will allow you to contiune with your regular OCI schedule.
And, diesel oil(hdeo) seems to be available everywhere. I'd grabbed a synthetic 1st, a diesel motor oil 2nd, any other motor oil 3rd.

There were a couple of oil 'soup' UOAs that were good. I haven't seen any bad oil mixture UOAs.