Loud vs Quiet Oils

Pennzoil motor oil
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In light of this thread, I really need to try Pennzoil Conventional in my truck.

I just have too much oil to be buying more...

* I'll admit I noticed a difference in noise with Pennzoil Conventional in my Jeep. On the other hand, I've not noticed the noise with M1 and I've ran it in many many vehicles and tractors on many many occasions.
 
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Ever hear a motor that hardly no oil in it?? It makes noise... From friction. And heat. Granted obviously little oil was in it... Car had lost 4.5 qts in less than 1/2 mile... Then noise. This happened to my lady. No bueno.
 
Originally Posted by CR94
Originally Posted by irv
Originally Posted by CR94
Could you please explain to us the physics on which that conclusion is based?
... https://www.audioholics.com/room-acoustics/physics-tutorial-2-the-physics-of-hearing
Try again. That article sheds no light on your claimed correlation of friction with noise.


Oh, you were serious?
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Well, let me put it to you this way then.
If you put a bunch of ball bearings in an empty tin can and shook the heck out of it, would you not find it rather noisy and irritating?
Then, take the same tin can and fill it with oil. Would the ball bearing noise not be a whole lot less noticeable?
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I'm not suggesting this is the magnitude of the noise I heard running Mobil but this should help give you a pretty good idea of what I and others are referring to.
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Originally Posted by irv
Like many allude to, less noise=less friction. ...


Originally Posted by irv
Well, let me put it to you this way then.
If you put a bunch of ball bearings in an empty tin can and shook the heck out of it, would you not find it rather noisy and irritating?
Then, take the same tin can and add oil to it. Would the ball bearing noise not be a whole lot less noticeable?
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A bunch of ball bearings inside a tin can have less "friction" going on in air then they do in oil.

However, they do have way more impact "cushioning" with oil vs. air.
 
Originally Posted by bbhero
Originally Posted by 4WD
Originally Posted by rsalan
Originally Posted by kschachn
And yet I've made it all these years and miles using M1 nearly exclusively in my engines. How is that possible?

And probably having those engines run louder than they could've been.


Oh, oh, so you will be the first to scientifically explain the M1 noise phenomenon …

Standing by on this channel …



Keep telling ya 4wd you have GOT to replace your hearing aide batteries... They won't last forever
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I really did like your real world testing... It was interesting. And you found that M1 was actually quieter than the Pennzoil Ultra...


Hope you are doing good man. Always good to see you on here.


Well … had the ENT check my ears … first thing he asked was did you try PUP again?
Said no, I'd be at the optometrist for that since I never see any !
(Actually have PP in the Cruze … M1 in others) …
 
I haven't mentioned this yet, because I'm not even sure if it's real or a placebo effect, but since I switched from Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w20 to Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w20, I have felt as if my Honda's engine has been running smoother, especially in the 2000 to 4000 rpm range at part throttle. Not really quieter though, as I have never felt it to be noisy.

But even if it's not real, just the perception of it feeling better when you switch to a different oil can be a good thing.
 
The noisy oils in my Ranger were Royal Purple, Valvoline and Motorcraft (in that order). Mobil 1 is not noisy but I haven't tried others to compare. The F150 is noisy with any oil except HM 30 and any flavor of 40. The other vehicles are quiet with any oil. The noise I hear is valve lifters. Engines run smooth regardless.
 
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Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 made my 4-cylinder Ford Ranger engine noticeably louder than a mix of AMSOIL Signature Series 5w20 and 10w30 as well as Valvoline Premium Blue Restore 10w30. The latter was considerably more quiet than the Amsoil mix. This was during cold starts, warm up, and full temperature. I changed viscosity and chemistry so I don't know how much each of the two possible effects had.
 
Ok … it's that 60-70% PAO in EP … and all the certs Amsoil can't be bothered with (while using @XOM PAO)…
So, we need to run more Group 1 based lubes from the dollar store so long as perceived as quiet oil …
Your issues tend to appear when the subject matter is Mobil product … I see that pattern …
 
Originally Posted by 4WD
Ok … it's that 60-70% PAO in EP … and all the certs Amsoil can't be bothered with (while using @XOM PAO)…
So, we need to run more Group 1 based lubes from the dollar store so long as perceived as quiet oil …
Your issues tend to appear when the subject matter is Mobil product … I see that pattern …

Just reporting my observations. Don't let them upset you. I poured more of that noisy Mobil 1 0W-39 EP in last weekend. Maybe that will make you feel better.
 
Originally Posted by 4WD
Ok … it's that 60-70% PAO in EP … and all the certs Amsoil can't be bothered with (while using @XOM PAO)…
So, we need to run more Group 1 based lubes from the dollar store so long as perceived as quiet oil …
Your issues tend to appear when the subject matter is Mobil product … I see that pattern …


I'm surprised EP has 60-70% PAO. I would never have thunk it. Always thought it was 30-40%.
 
Originally Posted by JAG
Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 made my 4-cylinder Ford Ranger engine noticeably louder than a mix of AMSOIL Signature Series 5w20 and 10w30 as well as Valvoline Premium Blue Restore 10w30. The latter was considerably more quiet than the Amsoil mix. This was during cold starts, warm up, and full temperature. I changed viscosity and chemistry so I don't know how much each of the two possible effects had.

I used 20W in my Ranger for the first 5 years I owned it and off-and-on since. It was very noisy no matter what brand of oil. Thus the switch to 30W.
 
Originally Posted by JAG
Originally Posted by 4WD
Ok … it's that 60-70% PAO in EP … and all the certs Amsoil can't be bothered with (while using @XOM PAO)…
So, we need to run more Group 1 based lubes from the dollar store so long as perceived as quiet oil …
Your issues tend to appear when the subject matter is Mobil product … I see that pattern …

Just reporting my observations. Don't let them upset you. I poured more of that noisy Mobil 1 0W-39 EP in last weekend. Maybe that will make you feel better.

None of my engines are what I consider "noisey" with Mobil 1 oils, but I also have noticed all of my engines for the last 40 years have performed very well with no sign of engine wear, all engines stayed very clean, none ever had increased oil consumption in my normal 10K OCI.
 
I have an older engine with nonzero valve clearance; so, the valves normally tick like a clock. I have used conventional, synthetic, high-moly, ultra-high-VI, PCMO, HDEO, Group I, Group II, Group III, GTL, PAO, very thick, very thin, and in between. I also have exceptionally sensitive ears.

Yet, I can't reliably report if any of the dozens of different types of oils I've used was more or less quiet. The engine sounds different in different operating conditions. Does the oil ever affect it? I don't know. I might be noticing some sound change immediately after an oil change but again this could be my perception.

Unless someone buys an expensive microphone and records the engine sound and then analyzes the sound levels and frequency spectrum on a computer, I say loud vs. quiet is all in your mind.
 
"And yet I've made it all these years and miles using M1 nearly exclusively in my engines. How is that possible?"

Because you are Deaf....from too much Def Leppard
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Using a high moly oil will be quieter. Pennzoil Conventional 10w30 is a high moly HTHS 3.1 oil.
 
However, I should add that in my experience, my engine runs smoothest with a combination of:

  • Thin oil
  • Synthetic oil (PAO or GTL better)
  • High moly

I can't say if it's loud or quiet but a combination of above attributes results in an engine that sounds smooth and effortless like a musical instrument in my experience.

Probably the smoothest-running oil I've ever used is the Toyota (TGMO) 0W-20 SN high-moly GTL (© 2015 formulation) currently in my sump. The engine sounds like clockwork -- effortless and pleasing to the ear.

They have apparently changed the formulation of TGMO yet again though.
 
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