I think something is wrong with alot of us. I spend a few hours a week looking at VOA's UOAs and Different Oil Specs, Pricing, Sales, etc. Even though I fully understand I could run Mobil 1 0w40 Euro in all 5 of my cars and be just fine!
How Much Time do you Spend on Oil Research/Analysis
- Thread starter FranklinJL
- Start date
I really don't overthink it. As long as my engines are running ok I am good. I do spend a lot of time on this great site though!
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2022
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- 317
Too much time, but I enjoy it. It’s more that I like the chemistry aspect of research and gaining knowledge, not so much research for personal purchase or use. For those, I just gravitate to the top of the line oil from any brand that is available at Walmart and a filter I can purchase from RockAuto that looks good on C&Ps.
GO HAVE NO FUN SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Not much, really. UOA once in a while to check for fuel dilution, oxidation, TBN, etc.
I check certs, licenses and approvals for suitability of the oil.
I check certs, licenses and approvals for suitability of the oil.
As much time as it takes to find out which one is on sale with a rebate!
I do geek-out on oil tech but I'm not getting into the chemistry of things as that is out of my control beyond me buying top tier oil and filters and changing my oil earlier than later. Oil today is a hundred times better than just 20 years ago and improving. Listen to the Motor Oil Geek and move on with your life.
It’s just who I am as a person. Interested in learning how the sausage is made. It’s benefited me well in my career and probably why I’ve moved up the chain.
You have a login on an oil forum and are even a site donor. Are you sure you don’t, at all?
many hours , even loose sleep about it. I stop once I feel little stress, that why I come and go from time to time.
Once I found my answer I take break a month or more from site lol
Once I found my answer I take break a month or more from site lol
I do check in almost daily on this site and do UOA's for one of my vehicles. Even on a 9600 mile oil run, I sleep very well at night. 
- Joined
- May 3, 2025
- Messages
- 206
I just joined and learned a ton already. The crazy awesome thing that I learned is that some oils don't shear, infact the opposite happens, they thicken. So I will start at 8.5 and by the time I am done with the oil at 5000 miles, I will gain 0.5 viscosity and end up at 9.0 
A UOA doesn’t tell you anything about how an oil is “made”, nor how it will perform. The former is loaded with trade secrets; the latter laid bare by the approvals or certifications an oil carries. Not sure how sausage fits in the same paragraph with preventive maintenance for vehicles, either.
I used to spend too much time on the UOA/VOA section until I realized that oil is oil and if you want to be “cool”, buy shelf stock oil and change it at 70% of the OLM and you’re going to get statistically similar results to all of your neighbors who let WM change their oil.
This doesn’t work for engines making 50%+ more HP than stock or going 200% further than the recommended OCI though, so I let @High Performance Lubricants worry about those details for me, and I pay them for their time, expertise and materials so that I have more time to reply to humorous posts here.
I do think Amsoil also does a decent job as well and I’d buy their products if HPL had never shown up here. I’ve still got some Amsoil on the shelf that I donate to those who are bad at their own maintenance (friends) or needy (read: my non-adult kids).
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Me too. I know it is some kind of mental illness but it works for me!
Mostly true but that’s not an infinitely increasing good thing - you don’t want it thickening so much in use that you go from say a 20 to a 40 or 50. There are more pieces to the puzzle.I just joined and learned a ton already. The crazy awesome thing that I learned is that some oils don't shear, infact the opposite happens, they thicken. So I will start at 8.5 and by the time I am done with the oil at 5000 miles, I will gain 0.5 viscosity and end up at 9.0
I wandered here in the early 2000s from the Honda forums searching for “the best oil” and lurked a bit over the years only becoming a contributing member 2 years ago. I zone out when the science gets too deep but do enjoy learning new things almost every day.
While I missed the German Castrol and Mobil1 Tri-blend days, I was here and learning when HPL and VRP became the darlings; I use both currently.
While I missed the German Castrol and Mobil1 Tri-blend days, I was here and learning when HPL and VRP became the darlings; I use both currently.
- Joined
- May 3, 2025
- Messages
- 206
Yeah. This oil was made on the request of the member Overkill. He ran it for 6,800 miles and it got thick, to 9.5 from 8.5. Then it got to 12
I have decided to run it for no more than 5000 miles. That should be a delicious 9.0 0w20 when I drain it. Other stupid oils would get chewed to a scary 7.5 in comparison. It is expensive but less than Jiffy Lube and dealer who use the crappiest oil that they can get their hands on.Their discount code is in HPL thread, took care of the shipping.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I have no idea how much heavier it got in the longer runs, I've not done a UOA on it. I am speculating it's probably around 10cSt, not 12.Yeah. This oil was made on the request of the member Overkill. He ran it for 6,800 miles and it got thick, to 9.5 from 8.5. Then it got to 12
Their discount code is in HPL thread, took care of the shipping.
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It's the nerd's version of doom scrolling.