I notice that Valvoline has more sodium than the other oils. Is that good?
Maybe there is a best oil after all?
- Thread starter johnsmellsalot
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Don't forget.....
Many of these "Large" oil companies make the base oils for the smaller brands and store brand oils like Omni, WPP, Warren/Coastal etc.....
IMO...If you buy a Generic Store Brand Oil, it may actually the same product as the major brand oil....sitting on the shelf right next to it.
IMO...Major oil companies, when they change formulations or types of oils, may find it cheaper to sell the older formulation, in inventory of quality oil, to a small chain store rather than trying to sell it on the shelf at a large retail store.
Shelf space is also a limitation in many retail stores, so the majors will be limited to the number of brands that they can display on the shelf.
IMO.... the "unknown" or "store brand oil" may be the last version of an oil produced by a major company, being sold at a steep discount, with all the qualities and add packs of a previous Major Oil Brand.
Many of these "Large" oil companies make the base oils for the smaller brands and store brand oils like Omni, WPP, Warren/Coastal etc.....
IMO...If you buy a Generic Store Brand Oil, it may actually the same product as the major brand oil....sitting on the shelf right next to it.
IMO...Major oil companies, when they change formulations or types of oils, may find it cheaper to sell the older formulation, in inventory of quality oil, to a small chain store rather than trying to sell it on the shelf at a large retail store.
Shelf space is also a limitation in many retail stores, so the majors will be limited to the number of brands that they can display on the shelf.
IMO.... the "unknown" or "store brand oil" may be the last version of an oil produced by a major company, being sold at a steep discount, with all the qualities and add packs of a previous Major Oil Brand.
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johnsmellsalot said:
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
But the answer is always the same; namely, there is no one best oil or oil company.
An oil that may be close to ideal for a certain application may be totally inappropriate for another use. And the brand of that "ideal oil for a certain application" may have a limited range of products for other app's.
On the other hand there are no "bad oils" aside from some fraudulently packaged off brand stuff. The choice usually is between some mediocre oils and some exceptional oil choices.
+1
But the answer is always the same; namely, there is no one best oil or oil company.
An oil that may be close to ideal for a certain application may be totally inappropriate for another use. And the brand of that "ideal oil for a certain application" may have a limited range of products for other app's.
On the other hand there are no "bad oils" aside from some fraudulently packaged off brand stuff. The choice usually is between some mediocre oils and some exceptional oil choices.
+1
Originally Posted By: johnsmellsalot
Brands Owned By ConocoPhillips Company:
Kendall
You can add TropArtic and Motorcraft to that.
Brands Owned By ConocoPhillips Company:
Kendall
You can add TropArtic and Motorcraft to that.
I admit it; I'm a closet lover of PP, PU, M1 AFE lineup, Valvoline MaxLife products(blend and full synthetic), and of course Amsoil.
No experience with but would try, some Castrol products...Red Line...Royal Purple.
PYB is a classic fav. Ugh...I can't pick one!
No experience with but would try, some Castrol products...Red Line...Royal Purple.
PYB is a classic fav. Ugh...I can't pick one!
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Yes my mower is 20 Y.O. Yardman and still running - though the deck and associated hardware is going away. I've been running leftover ILSAC engine oil in the 3.5hp briggs.
Do you realize you have better luck with your lawnmower than you do with your automobiles?
As for the original post, well, as others have pointed out, there are so many different applications that one cannot point to one best oil. My lawnmower, Audi, and a basic diesel truck might be able to use the same 15w40 conventional without issue, but something that's speced for, say, a BMW long life spec or a 0w-20 is totally in another ballpark.
An oil like M1 0w-40 certainly meets a lot of specifications and would certainly perform admirably in some applications for which it wasn't originally designed, or when the application was made, it didn't envision such an oil. It would work perfectly fine in my Audi, my old F-150, and my lawnmower. It probably would be fine in my G37, too. However, M1 0w-40 is an expensive choice if I wanted to have a "universal" oil. Bang for my buck is important to me.
Yes my mower is 20 Y.O. Yardman and still running - though the deck and associated hardware is going away. I've been running leftover ILSAC engine oil in the 3.5hp briggs.
Do you realize you have better luck with your lawnmower than you do with your automobiles?
As for the original post, well, as others have pointed out, there are so many different applications that one cannot point to one best oil. My lawnmower, Audi, and a basic diesel truck might be able to use the same 15w40 conventional without issue, but something that's speced for, say, a BMW long life spec or a 0w-20 is totally in another ballpark.
An oil like M1 0w-40 certainly meets a lot of specifications and would certainly perform admirably in some applications for which it wasn't originally designed, or when the application was made, it didn't envision such an oil. It would work perfectly fine in my Audi, my old F-150, and my lawnmower. It probably would be fine in my G37, too. However, M1 0w-40 is an expensive choice if I wanted to have a "universal" oil. Bang for my buck is important to me.
Garak, we've got a number of High VI HDEO syn' options much cheaper in Canada to M1 0W-40:
(Scroll up half a page to my list)
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...255#Post2376255
Rotella T5 0W-40 was recently on sale for $26/5L jug at Cdn Tire.
A vastly superior product to an antiquated 15w40 dino.
(Scroll up half a page to my list)
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...255#Post2376255
Rotella T5 0W-40 was recently on sale for $26/5L jug at Cdn Tire.
A vastly superior product to an antiquated 15w40 dino.
^I'd LOVE to find some 0w-40 or 0w-30 Rotella T products locally. Oh, where!?
For whatever reason Shell chooses not to distribute these oils in the States. They are commonly available right across Canada.
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Rotella T5 0W-40 was recently on sale for $26/5L jug at Cdn Tire.
A vastly superior product to an antiquated 15w40 dino.
That's all quite true, and I did see that sale and was impressed. My point is, however, that trying to find a "best" oil isn't easy. M1 0w-40 is just an example, because it happens to meet a fair number of specifications, including SM, though lacking ILSAC. Something like that T5 or T6 or M1 0w-40 could almost be a universal oil, at least for me, and would certainly fit the specifications for the F-150 and the Audi, and probably wouldn't be far out of place in the G37, at least after warranty.
However, you do know my thoughts about synthetics. For the G, after the warranty is done, fine. For the Audi, I can use them, or I can stick with conventional; either works, but it's essentially retired, so it doesn't matter. For the F-150, I'm not bothering until I am satisfied that fuel dilution isn't going to be a serious issue, since it has a carb, and I have a bathtub full of antiquated 15w40 in my garage, and I have to do something with it.
And don't speak to loudly. T5 and T6, even at regular price, are a bargain at CT. If too many people hear you, they'll jack up the price!
Rotella T5 0W-40 was recently on sale for $26/5L jug at Cdn Tire.
A vastly superior product to an antiquated 15w40 dino.
That's all quite true, and I did see that sale and was impressed. My point is, however, that trying to find a "best" oil isn't easy. M1 0w-40 is just an example, because it happens to meet a fair number of specifications, including SM, though lacking ILSAC. Something like that T5 or T6 or M1 0w-40 could almost be a universal oil, at least for me, and would certainly fit the specifications for the F-150 and the Audi, and probably wouldn't be far out of place in the G37, at least after warranty.
However, you do know my thoughts about synthetics. For the G, after the warranty is done, fine. For the Audi, I can use them, or I can stick with conventional; either works, but it's essentially retired, so it doesn't matter. For the F-150, I'm not bothering until I am satisfied that fuel dilution isn't going to be a serious issue, since it has a carb, and I have a bathtub full of antiquated 15w40 in my garage, and I have to do something with it.
And don't speak to loudly. T5 and T6, even at regular price, are a bargain at CT. If too many people hear you, they'll jack up the price!
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
and I have a bathtub full of antiquated 15w40 in my garage, and I have to do something with it.
And don't speak to loudly. T5 and T6, even at regular price, are a bargain at CT. If too many people hear you, they'll jack up the price!
Now that you mention it I do recall something about the "bathtub full of 15w40". It's the same reason I'm using 5W-20 and 5w30 oil; it was given to me but I would not likely ever buy the stuff when there are so many 0W-XX bargains that pop up.
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
and I have a bathtub full of antiquated 15w40 in my garage, and I have to do something with it.
And don't speak to loudly. T5 and T6, even at regular price, are a bargain at CT. If too many people hear you, they'll jack up the price!
Now that you mention it I do recall something about the "bathtub full of 15w40". It's the same reason I'm using 5W-20 and 5w30 oil; it was given to me but I would not likely ever buy the stuff when there are so many 0W-XX bargains that pop up.
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Now that you mention it I do recall something about the "bathtub full of 15w40". It's the same reason I'm using 5W-20 and 5w30 oil; it was given to me but I would not likely ever buy the stuff when there are so many 0W-XX bargains that pop up.
Well, when I picked it up, it was because it was the recommended grade for the Audi for most weather, except for our lovely winters. It also will come in handy for the F-150, which certainly isn't broken in yet, and will have more than enough ZDDP for my purposes, without buying expensive additives. A 0w-30 HDEO, however, in the long run would be ideal for that application, assuming that fuel dilution isn't a problem.
It was the other reason I have a bunch of HDEO. When it was leaking and had the old, over-fueling carb, cheap, thick oil was the obvious answer for the summer, with MaxLife 5w30 used in the winter.
Now that you mention it I do recall something about the "bathtub full of 15w40". It's the same reason I'm using 5W-20 and 5w30 oil; it was given to me but I would not likely ever buy the stuff when there are so many 0W-XX bargains that pop up.
Well, when I picked it up, it was because it was the recommended grade for the Audi for most weather, except for our lovely winters. It also will come in handy for the F-150, which certainly isn't broken in yet, and will have more than enough ZDDP for my purposes, without buying expensive additives. A 0w-30 HDEO, however, in the long run would be ideal for that application, assuming that fuel dilution isn't a problem.
It was the other reason I have a bunch of HDEO. When it was leaking and had the old, over-fueling carb, cheap, thick oil was the obvious answer for the summer, with MaxLife 5w30 used in the winter.
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