high mileage oil additives ?.

[svtour]

I have been doing some searching about high milage oils and I'm leaning towards the valvoline maxlife from what I have been reading in this site. I'm curious about the seal conditioner additive the most, meaning how much swelling can the seals take? I know they make conditioners to add to oil to get you by on a bad remain for awhile but it's not a fix. wouldn't a good oil keep the seals in good condition or is the additive a mild conditioner to aid in the seals life span?again I'm new at this so I'm educating myself.

I'm also wondering if high mileage is needed in my case even though I do have high mileage. I'll explain. The 2 cars I'm writing about are my 1991 Mustang GT 5.0 V8 with 92,248 miles so after 17yrs that comes to about 5,000 per year. the car is not daily driven and is stored winters for the last 5 yrs since I have had it and restored it I drive it about 3,000 miles/year. The car doesn't burn oil, new rear main, lower intake gaskets, head gaskets etc. the motor was clean very very little varnish on the push rods, rockers etc. currently use motorcraft 10w40 with pure one filter.

the 2nd car is a 2000 svt contour(bought new) with 52,345 miles was a daily driver for 2yrs then stored winters and is only driven about the same has the mustang. I have always used Mobil 1 with pure 1 filter.

I would like any info anyone has and any advise if I should switch to high milage oil. Thanks.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

If you don't have any issues, then I wouldn't switch. If the car manufacturers wants swelling seals, they would equip every new car with oils having seal conditioners that swell.

 

[svtour]

then what's the point and the hype of the seal conditioner in the high mileage oils? I was looking at these oils for the detergants, etc. I know my motor in the contour is clean but it does sit alot and this would allow the seals to get dry in the top end. This why I asking about the additive, and if it was designed to keep them plyable or a stop leak type deal which I would think would be an aggressive additive vs a conditioning additive if you know what I mean. I was more looking at has a possible good thing vs a bad thing but wanted info before trying it is all.

 

[TallPaul]

Valvoline says the Maxlife is fine for new and rebuilt engines. I would not have any problem with it in any engine. If you want higher zddp though, try Valvoline VR1 racing oil.

Oh, and nice Mustang. My brother has two 5.0 Mustangs, both with manual transmissions, one an early 80s, the other a supercharged '94.

 

[FrankN4]

I can't say anything about other brands, but I have used nothing except Mobil 1 in all my vehicles, my children's vehicles, and anyone else that would listen to me since 1990 when it first came available to me.

The Mobil 1 10w30 high mileage is at the thick end of the range, yet still a 30 weight. This gives a better high temperature oil film. It has 1000ppm of ZDDP compared to 800ppm ZDDP for standard oil. ZDDP is an anti wear/extremp pressure additive. It has a HTHS of 3.66, excellent for a 10w30, in fact it even meets the ACEA A3 B3 standard. The oil has excellent high temperature high shear characteristics. It has a higher level of detergents and a higher level of antioxidents as well as the higher level of seal conditioners. This is not a rebottled oil with more than the standard seal conditioner added, this is an oil of its own.

The same goes for the Mobil 1 10W-40 high mileage except the viscosity is higher to begin with and the HTHS is even better, over 4.0.

I am still learning much, and I mean much, about lubricating oils. However, it looks to me as if Mobil has taken a heavy Duty Engine Oil(HDEO) and labeled it High Mileage. I have no clue as to what the marketing reasons for this might be, but there must be a good mrketing reason.

In the case for Mobil 1, you just have to ask yourself if you need/want a heavy duty engine oil. I don't know about any other brand that advertises high mileage.

I almost forgot, I have read on here and fron links given to me on here that group IV base stock synthetics all have a seal conditioner.

 

[dwendt44]

"have no clue as to what the marketing reasons for this might be, but there must be a good mrketing reason."

Because some of the uneducated public would be put off by the 'diesel' stigma,or 'truck oil' thing.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: dwendt44
"have no clue as to what the marketing reasons for this might be, but there must be a good mrketing reason."

Because some of the uneducated public would be put off by the 'diesel' stigma,or 'truck oil' thing.
Good point. Also since most mfgrs say use starburst, much of this stuff is more robust than to be able to meet starburst fuel economy requirements, so people losing sleep worrying about meeting warranty requirements won't use it whatever it's labeled. But the secret is "high mileage" is a buzzword for "better oil" in the old school sense of thicker (base and/or overall)and more additives, or as dwent44 says, "truck oil" although not all HMs are quite up to the zddp of truck oil.