Is there a "best" oil for mostly short trip driving?

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

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Originally posted by Michael Wan:
You folks are making this needlessly complicated an confusing; simply use the recommended viscosity (5w-20) and change the oil and filter every 6 months or 4-5K, whichever comes first.

The 5-quart jugs of Havoline 5w-20 at Walmart for about $7 or the 5-quart jugs of Pennzoil 5w-20 for $8, along with a Supertech ST7317 Oil Filter for $2, will do the job fine.

Get a FRAM SureDrain to make oil changes easy.

Michael

EDIT:
Remember, 5w-20 oils don't shear as much as 5w30 oils and they seem to be more robust. Some shearing does NOT hurt, and from the UOAs we've seen on here, the little shearing that occurs rarely affects wear.

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Bravo!

Agree 100% (incl the Sure Drain.. Really the best thing for OCI)

Take care, bill

 

[radiometer]

I had the Sure Drain on one of my cars, with the Fumoto drain valve on the other. The comparisons were very easy for me. I replaced the Sure Drain with a Fumoto.

 

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

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Originally posted by krholm:
I had the Sure Drain on one of my cars, with the Fumoto drain valve on the other. The comparisons were very easy for me. I replaced the Sure Drain with a Fumoto.

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Interesting.

Since I've used about a dozen of the sure drains and changed the oil many times without a SINGLE problem, I'd love to find out what made you change?

Take care, Bill

 

[AndyH]

If I'm not mistaken, martyi was asking about a Fumoto valve in another message thread, I think he either has one already or is planning on getting one. I've got one on my Subaru and love it, makes changing oil very easy.

 

[martyi]

Yep, I have purchased a Fumoto. However, I am not sure it will fit right side up. In the general lubrication section I asked a question regarding the ability of this drain device to work upside down. The consensus was that it will work in any position.

 

[The Critic]

You folks are making this needlessly complicated an confusing; simply use the recommended viscosity (5w-20) and change the oil and filter every 6 months or 4-5K, whichever comes first.

The 5-quart jugs of Havoline 5w-20 at Walmart for about $7 or the 5-quart jugs of Pennzoil 5w-20 for $8, along with a Supertech ST7317 Oil Filter for $2, will do the job fine.

Get a FRAM SureDrain to make oil changes easy.

Michael

EDIT:
Remember, 5w-20 oils don't shear as much as 5w30 oils and they seem to be more robust. Some shearing does NOT hurt, and from the UOAs we've seen on here, the little shearing that occurs rarely affects wear.

[ September 10, 2005, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: Michael Wan ]

 

[goodvibes]

Something well additizide and cheap like Havoline 5w20. Just change often. Same goes for the filter supertech or puolator. If your short tripping, you will fuel dilute because all cars run rich until warm and you could probably won't burn off the normal condensation all motors also have. I believe it's been stated on this board that your motor can fuel dilute anyway. There are really good cheap oils that will protect as well as any synth in a short OCI so spending more would be a waste. A longer OCI risks increasing wear rates as the oil gets more contaminated. Maybe LC would help also.

 

[dave1251]

I agree with good vibes a 20wt would provide the best protection since your car does not get up to operating temps and something cheap like havoline/chevron or supertech. I would not extented your OCI beyond 6 months/5k.

 

[serious II]

Would it also make sense to add Valvoline Syn. Oil Treatment ( 1 oz. per quart) as added insurance????

 

[John_E]

2001 Passat 1.8T (sludge/coke-prone): Mobil 1 0W-40 (VW 502.00 spec.) oil on 3k mi / 5k km or 6 month OCI, for city driving.

2003 Dodge Stratus 2.4: Pennzoil 5w30 dino on same schedule.

I am basing everything on reading and hearsay, but I believe that urban driving generally reduces the optimal OCI by about 40 to 50 percent. I have also thought about keying the OCI to the number of gallons of gasoline burned since the last oil change, which would provide automatic adjustment for city versus highway driving.

The owner's manual of my son's 1969 Camaro has pretty reasonable advice. The primary OCI is 4 months, irrespective of mileage driven, but 6k mi / 10k km, if that comes first. I suppose today's newer oils can handle 6 months instead of 4.

 

[Warstud]

Maybe I don't know much about oils but from what I read it sounds like straight 30W oils are better lubricants than say a 5W30. The dino oils that have such large differences between there viscosities have more polymers than oil and don't lubricate well. Now a synthetic doesn't contain those polymers?
How come nobody uses them especially those living in warm climates all year around?

 

[goodvibes]

Define better. I don't want straight 30w dino in moderately cold weather and I don't see why you would think that a dino oil with a 5w30 spread won't lubricate well. A 5w30 synth does have polymers but less of them. Some 10w30s won't. If you believe that start-up is a high wear event, than you want the thinnest winter spec on the oil that will stay heavy enough at temp for the aplication throughout the OCI. 5w20 in any form won't have much to any VI and many of the dinos have some form of synth in the mix. They also seem to be highly additised to overcome any stress events from being thin. They're thin at start up and also get up to temp quickly so for short trips they make a lot of sense. Good value, if you can use it.

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

quote:

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Originally posted by Warstud:
Maybe I don't know much about oils but from what I read it sounds like straight 30W oils are better lubricants than say a 5W30. The dino oils that have such large differences between there viscosities have more polymers than oil and don't lubricate well. Now a synthetic doesn't contain those polymers?
How come nobody uses them especially those living in warm climates all year around?

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I think that Redline [and possibly some other true synthetics] might be thought of as single weight oils that have a high viscosity index and perform like ,and are labeled as, multi weights... without polymer VI improvers

http://www.redlineoil.com/pdf/4.pdf

http://www.redlineoil.com/why_redline.asp