Kirkland 5W30 runs rougher in Xterra?

Someone educate me on this subject, because I've heard it before. How does an engine run "rougher" on one brand of oil vs another?. The dynamics of an ICE aren't changed by a lubricant....at least as I understand it.

Serious question. Not stirring things up or being a smart a$$.
I’m guessing different anti wear add packs maybe.
 
I find it humorous that nowadays we all carry around devices capable of functioning as sound meters and accelerometers (otherwise known as a smart phone) but we never see any data.
 
Who knows maybe it's all in my head...
It could be in your head, or it could just be that your Xterra sounds rougher on that oil as compared to others. If the sound bothers you, dump the oil and go to a cool-sounding one. Chances are your engine won't notice the difference, but you will. And it seems that's important to you. (y)
 
Someone educate me on this subject, because I've heard it before. How does an engine run "rougher" on one brand of oil vs another?. The dynamics of an ICE aren't changed by a lubricant....at least as I understand it.

Serious question. Not stirring things up or being a smart a$$.

This is my observation so purely subjective here.. I notice the engine seems to rev easier throughout the RPM band with less effort, is the best way to describe it. Just like you can tell when engine oil is getting near it's end of life vs new...
 
This is my observation so purely subjective here.. I notice the engine seems to rev easier throughout the RPM band with less effort, is the best way to describe it. Just like you can tell when engine oil is getting near it's end of life vs new...
I guess it's something I've never really noticed in any of my vehicles.
 
You've consumed the BITOG Koolaid. The actual difference that would be required from one oil to another to actually cause a perceptible difference is probably 1000x greater than any difference between any oil.
 
Buddy of mine has recently started using the Supertech variant 5w30 synthetic in his 2002 Xterra 3.3 NA and says it is quieter than when he was using Mobil 1 5W30 Syn. Interesting that you are having the opposite experience.
 
Someone educate me on this subject, because I've heard it before. How does an engine run "rougher" on one brand of oil vs another?. The dynamics of an ICE aren't changed by a lubricant....at least as I understand it.

Serious question. Not stirring things up or being a smart a$$.
I think much like the ass dyno people use (“ohh yeah I definitely feel about 60 horsepower more after that cold air intake install”) it’s all psychological. Packaging looks slick and cool and they mentally feel like it’s smoother. Every oil seems to have no shortage of either overwhelmingly positive or negative oil review either says my engine runs smoother or my engine runs like ****.
 
Buddy of mine has recently started using the Supertech variant 5w30 synthetic in his 2002 Xterra 3.3 NA and says it is quieter than when he was using Mobil 1 5W30 Syn. Interesting that you are having the opposite experience.

...but makes perfect sense in the context that neither observation is actually true and so someone may as well flip a coin to decide smoother vs rougher.
 
I think much like the ass dyno people use (“ohh yeah I definitely feel about 60 horsepower more after that cold air intake install”) it’s all psychological. Packaging looks slick and cool and they mentally feel like it’s smoother. Every oil seems to have no shortage of either overwhelmingly positive or negative oil review either says my engine runs smoother or my engine runs like ****.

I know plenty of drivers that can call a slow pass in a bracket car (by only a few hundredths of a second). but I've always felt we got messages even if subliminal (a half a tire turn of slippage reduces peak launch gee or slightly flat on the 1-2 shift) that could account for it versus actually being able to tell the difference between a 1.29/6.29 run vs a 1.31/6.31 run. I can however often call a 0.498/0.398 Redlight before it goes red vs a 0.506/0.406 Green that I can call green.
 
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