Maxlife Blend compared to Maxlife Full Synthetic

[Soft Cars]

After doing the math, Maxlife full synthetic would cost an additional $7 over the span of 6 quarts. Is the extra money worth it for a 5K-7.5K OCI?

Engine is a GM 3800 with just over 200,000 miles. Most of the mileage is up and down the freeway.

 

[DriveHard]

nope, unless it gives you a warm fuzzy

 

[71Chevyguy]

Those engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil. I would suggest cheaper oil more often than expensive oil to the last possible mile. Just an old school powertrain. Not that anything will ever blow them up, but you can tell they are happier on fresh oil when you change it.

 

[kschachn]

A couple previous threads on this topic or similar:

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-max-life-full-synthetic-or-blend.163499/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/maxlife-blend-vs-maxlife-full-synthetic.101414/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-maxlife-synthetic-vs-maxlife-syn-blend.73414/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-maxlife-full-synthetic-5w30.272533/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-maxlife-synthetic-blend.346175/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-full-synthetic-high-mileage-and-blend-hm.248811/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/valvoline-high-mileage-vs-valvoline-full-synthetic.319634/

 

[GSCJR]

GM 3800

Their best engine in my opinion, no special sauce needed for those; the mileage accrued is evidence of that.

 

[Joel_MD]

Those engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil. I would suggest cheaper oil more often than expensive oil to the last possible mile. Just an old school powertrain. Not that anything will ever blow them up, but you can tell they are happier on fresh oil when you change it.

How do engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil? Someone posted a link to a white paper from SAE showing that oil with 12,000 miles on it exhibits lower friction and an order of magnitude lower wear rate on the valve train compared to fresh oil.

 

[kschachn]

How do engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil? Someone posted a link to a white paper from SAE showing that oil with 12,000 miles on it exhibits lower friction and an order of magnitude lower wear rate on the valve train compared to fresh oil.

A singular and flawed paper that was very much debunked. It made conclusions that were extrapolated from very specific data which did not apply to the larger whole.

 

[71Chevyguy]

How do engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil? Someone posted a link to a white paper from SAE showing that oil with 12,000 miles on it exhibits lower friction and an order of magnitude lower wear rate on the valve train compared to fresh oil.

The 3800 does, buy one and you will see. Might be the poorly designed PCV system more likely to suck up old oil, not sure. I have owned 7 in total and they prefer clean oil over top quality synthetic oil for long intervals. What the oil looks like on paper has nothing to do with how well the engine runs with it in there, at least this particular engine anyway.

 

[Joel_MD]

A singular and flawed paper that was very much debunked. It made conclusions that were extrapolated from very specific data which did not apply to the larger whole.

How was it debunked?

 

[Merek]

I cannot answer your question as you would have to decide if the extra cost associated with the full synthetic is really worth it to you or not. I've used both and they are excellent oils, I used the blend previously in my 97 Civic but currently running their full synthetic. I do know the blend at some point had a cult following on here, honestly you cannot go wrong with either choice.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I've used both the blend in my daughters 94 protege and the full synthetic in my old 2004 Corolla. I'd use both again.

 

[RooflessVW]

How was it debunked?

It made conclusions that were extrapolated from very specific data which did not apply to the larger whole.

 

[Revving2Redline]

How do engines prefer fresh oil over fancy oil? Someone posted a link to a white paper from SAE showing that oil with 12,000 miles on it exhibits lower friction and an order of magnitude lower wear rate on the valve train compared to fresh oil.

My guess would be the oil fighting for surface. Redline Oil HP left many UOA samples with higher than expected ppm as it was trying to clean and lay down where the previous oil had been. Amsoil had big intervals back in the day and was big to tell people to change filters during the interval and just top off the fluids. That too might have something to do as well. I remember back in the 80s that it was sometimes gospel, rumour, or scuttlebutt that you shouldn't change brands of oils/gasoline brands. I had a slight consumption on my R18 Civic going from Castrol to Pennzoil Ultra Platinum but after a oil change and some time it all leveled out.
With T-GDi,GDi and the lower tension piston rings it seems that 5,000 mile oci are coming back. At the very least, lots of checking and top off as the sumps are getting smaller, the drivers are getting bigger, and the cars are running hotter.