Ignorance Was Bliss....

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Before becoming exposed to this site and the tons of very useful information, I just used Mobil 1 5w-30 in my autos and never thought much more about the subject. Now I get a headache when I contemplate the subject about which oil to use and why. Perhaps you can help me with some recommendations (please).
I have 3 cars I do oil changes for: a '99 & '03 Maxima with OHC engines and a '03 Chevy Tahoe V-8. All recommend 5-30w but 10w-30 can be used above 0 degrees. I live in Memphis and it get real hot (above 95 continuously) in the summer. My concerns with 5w-30 or 10w-30 Mobil 1 is that it is pretty close to a high 20W oil to begin with and that Mobil 1 doesn't appear to have the detergency I once thought it had (based on personal observation after a one time change to Amsoil and how black the oil became very quickly). Amsoil 5w-30 appears to be a better choice at least in the summer perhaps. Or I could add some 15w-50 Mobil 1 to their 5w/10w-30 during the summer(?) or just forget the whole issue and continue to run Mobil 1 5w-30.
What do you guys recommend as the best oil or mixture of oils for the winter and summer? I drive each vehicle 6000 miles before changing the oil (presume I will continue to do this) and do not really care about the small cost difference in these oils. I know all 'will do' but which is the 'best'?
Thanks in advance...
 
My advice? Run away!!! This stupid site is a vortex which will pull you in & never release it's grasp. Save youself while you still can!!

Whoops, you've already posted 40 times; it's too la-a-a-te.....

Go with M1 0W-30. It'll circulate faster on cold startups & has a slightly thicker hot visc than either their 5W-30 or 10W-30. If you don't mind going thicker, switch them all over to M1 0W-40 for even more protection when hot. You could mix, but unless you've been given a bunch of free oil you want to use (or are running your own "rolling lab"), why bother?

Sorry you couldn't get away fast enough. Welcome to The Land of The Oily Undead.
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I feel your frustration!! Because of this site, i now take the truck to the dealer every 5K miles and do their $19.99 oil change which is Citgo SuperGaurd 10w-30 and a Mopar oil filter. I have realized that any dino oil will last 5K under normal drivin conditions. No more climbing under the truck and wasting money on Mobil 1 when I will be selling the Jeep when the 7/100 Powertrain warranty is up. This has saved me time and money. I was changing Mobil 1 at 5K, No More!!!!
 
quote:

Originally posted by Greg Netzner:
My advice? Run away!!! This stupid site is a vortex which will pull you in & never release it's grasp. Save youself while you still can!!

Whoops, you've already posted 40 times; it's too la-a-a-te.....

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Thanks I needed a good chukle today...
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If you want to stay with Mobil-I would go with the 10W-30 I believe it has given better results in short trip driving it will use slightly less oil. There is nothing wrong with mixing a bit of the 15W-50. Amsoil is a bit thicker and seems to have given better analysis numbers-but that's only my gut feeling. You could go with 5W-40 Delvac 1 or the 0W-40 M1. I am now using a number of oils 10W-30 M1, Shaeffer's 5W-30 Pure Syn, Delvac 1, and Retela 5W-30 Synthetic. Doing Oil analysis is the sure way to get some answers.
 
I would tend to lean away from the M1 0W-30 especially in your 03 Tahoe. The LS1 type iron block engines are notorious oil burners and from what i've seen at LS1.com the 0w and 5w M1 seem to only add to more consumption but when switched to 10W-30 consumption is cut in half. Your climate in Memphis is similiar to my own and 10W-30 M1 works great here. If your doing 6K intervals both M1 and Amsoil will work fine with the M1 being a cheaper especially if you can find the 5 qt jugs at Wally World for $17.
 
I live about 75 miles south of you, and I run 5W30 non-syn, year around. I havn't had a problem, and have been doing it for years, change every 5,000, whatever the time. Less than a year most of the time, and don't use any oil. I really have to agree with what someone else said. The motor is going to run about the same temp, no matter what the outside temp is, as it is water cooled, and it will pretty well keep it at that temp. most of the time, unless some thing else is wrong. My two cents worth.
 
Yes... d*mn you all!!!!
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I was perfectly happy using my Mobil Drive Clean and changing every 3k miles. Now, thanks to this site, I am looking at specifications, comparing oils, contemplating analysis & extended drains, etc.

It's addictive.
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[ January 24, 2003, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: novadude ]
 
Addictive yes. My partner wants to know why I have to slip off to work every day even when on holiday (no home access). She's sure I have a girl on the side. If only!!
 
Nick, you may just need to experiment a little to satisfy yourself. I live 5 hours east of you in Fort Smith and run M1 5W30 in an 01 Max. I'm very satified with it in this car. And it gets *#@*!! hot here in the summer. The last oil analysis came back in great shape. No consumption, low wear #'s and the viscosity held up just fine after 5K miles. I must confess that I've been tempted by 0W30 however. Just can't find any locally. Have 3 other vehicles and don't use Mobil 1 5W30 in any of them even though I could. As with all things, there are no safe generalities.
 
I picked up a 1988 Accord LXi beater last year. the first oil change I put on a Fram X-gard filter and used 5W30 (what's recommmended) Valvoline MaxLife.

Didn't notice any oil consumption at all.

Once winter came around, I noticed that below 30°F on a cold start the oil light stayed on rather long and mechanical noise from the engine for the same lenght of time (maybe 5 seconds).

I probably went overkill, but I changed to a PureOne filter and OW30 M1 synthetic. It's been single digits the past couple weeks and even so there is no sign of the previous oil delay. I don't know what made more of a difference, but I'm staying this route.

YES, I do use some oil now with 0W30. A rough number would be that I lose about half a quart every 1000 miles. But the car goes through LOTS of cold starts and I would have to say I run it pretty hard.

Bottom line, the 0W30 is the best choice even though there is some oil consumption. I'll take that over no oil consumption and dry cold starts anyday.
 
I put this question to my ex-brother-in-law and this is what he had to say:

Y'all,

REAL men run 80W-140 gear oh-uhl with two cans 'o STP in thar in-jines. None 'o this here 'spensive see-in-thetik mouse pee stuff! Then, when we drain it at 50,000 mahls, we save it 'n use it as cookin' oh-uhl, beard softnuh, towlit bowl cleanuh, or drain op'nuh dependin' on whether we'se hungry, hairy, or hasta go.

Y'all come back, hee-yuh?

Goober

I'm skeptical, but what do you expect from someone born and raised in New York City?...

-Ray Haeffele
 
Sprintman says:

"Addictive yes. My partner wants to know why I have to slip off to work every day even when on holiday (no home access). She's sure I have a girl on the side. If only!! "

sprintman, oils are your mistress!
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quote:

Originally posted by nick778:
Amsoil 5w-30 appears to be a better choice at least in the summer perhaps. Or I could add some 15w-50 Mobil 1 to their 5w/10w-30 during the summer(?) or just forget the whole issue and continue to run Mobil 1 5w-30.

Were you not happy with the Amsoil? If you do decide to go back to Mobil 1, I wouldn't mix weights. I know others disagree, but I'm not a big fan of mixing weights to get the desired effect. There's products out there that perform the way you want without having to resort to guesswork about a little of this and a little of that to get the desired result. I think it was Tooslick who posted that by mixing, you end up with a physical mixture, not a chemical one. I thought that was an excellent point worth considering.

OT: How did you like the motorcycle oil?

[ January 25, 2003, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: mdv ]
 
Thanks everyone. I thought the Amsoil 5w-30 was fine actually. It sure did pour 'thicker' than the Mobil 1 of the same weight. I may decide to use Mobil 1 5w-30 in the winter and Amsoil 5w-30 in the summer for all vehicles except perhaps the Tahoe where I will use Mobil 1 10w-30 in the winter for reasons others have mentioned. If I keep it too simple and just use Amsoil 5w-30 in all vehicles year-round, it would just be too easy.
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Oil addiction.....hmmmmm....

My better half was cooking one afternoon, and saw four jars in the freezer.

"Honey, what's in these jars ?"
"Valvoline XLD, Castrol SLX, Redline 10W-40, and Mobil 1 0W-40. Why do you ask ?"

"Do they really have to be in the freezer ?"
 
quote:

Originally posted by Ray H:
I put this question to my ex-brother-in-law and this is what he had to say:

Y'all,

REAL men run 80W-140 gear oh-uhl with two cans 'o STP in thar in-jines. None 'o this here 'spensive see-in-thetik mouse pee stuff! Then, when we drain it at 50,000 mahls, we save it 'n use it as cookin' oh-uhl, beard softnuh, towlit bowl cleanuh, or drain op'nuh dependin' on whether we'se hungry, hairy, or hasta go.

Y'all come back, hee-yuh?

Goober

I'm skeptical, but what do you expect from someone born and raised in New York City?...

-Ray Haeffele


Ray, that has to be the best post I've seen in a long, long while.
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Sprintman,
my staple in all the holden sixes and 8s was XLD with a tin of STP.

So I got a litre of it for comparison purposes in my freezer experiment.

Handy for if you want to turn the jar upside down and not lose your oil. Not much else 'though.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Greg Netzner:

Welcome to The Land of The Oily Undead.


Hey Greg,

You're amusing people on this BB as well, eh?
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I think that using Mobil 1 0w-40 on some cars
and Mobil 1 15w-50 on the rest would also be a
good idea.

Now, I'll try to escape this vortex before
too late, although I'm already undead.
grin.gif


thanks

Jae

[ February 03, 2003, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: J ]
 
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