New Member - Need info Please!!!

[FastSUV]

First Vehicle: 360 V8, 178k, Mobil-1 10w30 every 3-4k since 65k

This motor has used close to a QT every 3k since I have had it. It doesn't have any significant leaks. At 150k, I began rotating Mobil-1 HM formula every-other oil change instead of only using regular Mobil-1. But on some internet research, I have read many stories of other people saying that their vehicles also burned off Mobil-1, but when any other oil was tried, it stopped. This vehicle was recently retired as a daily driver. I am looking for a good alternative oil to try but there are no other full synthetic HM oils I can find locally.

I want a HM 10w30 oil. I am thinking of switching to Castrol GTX HM formula since I can't find a good alternative to the Mobil-1 in HM oil. My only concern is that dino oils seem to absorb moisture more than synthetics. Since this vehicle will be driven once a month at most, would moisture aborbtion be a concern?

Also, I have heard that Valvoline Max-life & Castrol GTX HM both actually have a squirt of true synthetic oil in their additive pkg? Is that really the case?

If the vehicle uses oil with ANY other oil, then I have no problem sticking with Mobil-1 HM formula, but I at least want to try something else to see if it is only Mobil-1 that burns off since it has done it since I got it in 2001. I know a QT is not that much, but since others have had this issue with Mobil-1, I want to experiment. I just hate going from a full-syn oil back to dino oil unless that is my only choice to get exactly what I want.

The other idea I had instead of Castrol dino HM, was trying some Mobil-1 10w40 HM formula. But since it has used a QT between changes since it was newer, I doubt it has any engine problems that would truly warrant a thicker oil.

Second vehicle: 4.0L I-6, 72k, currently using Trop-artic 10w30 syn-blend, uses no oil between 4k change intervals.

This is a flat-tappet motor so I want to switch it to a on-energy conserving(more zinc, phosphorus, etc), but can't use Rotella because I want 10w30 and it is a CA emissions vehicle and I do not want to kill the 3 cats it has, but still want non-energy conserving to protect the cam lobes. It does have some oil seepage, but I still do not want to switch to a HM oil yet since it is not HM and it uses zero oil.

The only non-energy conserving, non-HM 10w30 I can find is Mystik. As a bonus, it is also a syn-blend which is what I am already using so a switch to Mystik 10w30 seems like the exact oil I am seeking for this motor?

Any input, advice, or facts would be nice to help me; especially with the first vehicle because if I knew for sure that Castrol GTX HM, or even Max-life were in fact a syn-blend then I'd feel better about switching it off Mobil-1. The other concern again is since it is not a daily driver, and full synthetic is better against moisture, then I might as well keep Mobil-1. I prefer non-energy conserving oil, but on the 360 V8, it is a roller motor and I am less concerned about wear.

Thanks fellas!

 

[jldcol]

I am unclear as to whether both HM and regular burn off, or only the regular version? Are you adverse to mixing? if not maybe add 1 qt. of 15w50 or 20w50 Mobil to 4 qts. of the 10w30 to try to get a 15w30 analog. I think maybe regular Castrol possibly iffy, but the HM stuff seems pretty good via word of mouth(fingers?) on this board and other places. By iffy I mean can still burn off not that it's a bad product, just the HM Castrol is better here. Again if not against mixing your own drinks, add 1qt. of Castrol syn to the rest HM for your own blend.

 

[Alcibiades]

I'm fairly sure Maxlife is a synblend. There is also Maxlife Synthetic, though I haven't seen it for quite some time. They both generally get good reviews here.

 

[FastSUV]

thanks for the quick response. The regular Mobil-1 & the HM Mobil-1 both burn off. But since it is not a daily driver anymore, I can't say for sure if they burn off at the same rate. But since it has done this since I bought it at 65k, I suspect that it is not the motor and it is the Mobil-1 causing the burn off.

I prefer not to have to mix my own brew if possible. I am just wondering if Castrol HM has any PAO or any syn additives in it as Max-life is rumored to have. Secondly, is it better to use a FULL-syn oil or is dino HM oil okay for a vehicle that will maybe get one oil change per year?

 

[jldcol]

3000 miles a quart is not to bad, so I wonder if you have a real issue here or are mearly tweaking? The least I would change dino is 2x a year, right before and right after your winter season. Syn the least to change is 1x a year by my opinion, although there was a recent UOA that went 5yrs.(but only about 10k miles) on Mobil 1 and even used a OEM filter the whole time,with ok numbers. Generally to stop actual burning go to a heavier oil, a heavier base oil I think is even better, and HM is heavier than regular Mobil, and you said you did not know how much difference if any between the 2. You could try 10w40, not to much diff than a HM 10w30 really and see if helps. In warmer times may try 15w40 or even 15w50 to see if any diff, maybe 20w50 if that doesn't scare you (it does me, well a little). These are all Mobil products so I think you might be comfortable using them.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: jldcol
3000 miles a quart is not to bad, so I wonder if you have a real issue here or are mearly tweaking? The least I would change dino is 2x a year, right before and right after your winter season. Syn the least to change is 1x a year by my opinion, although there was a recent UOA that went 5yrs.(but only about 10k miles) on Mobil 1 and even used a OEM filter the whole time,with ok numbers. Generally to stop actual burning go to a heavier oil, a heavier base oil I think is even better, and HM is heavier than regular Mobil, and you said you did not know how much difference if any between the 2. You could try 10w40, not to much diff than a HM 10w30 really and see if helps. In warmer times may try 15w40 or even 15w50 to see if any diff, maybe 20w50 if that doesn't scare you (it does me, well a little). These are all Mobil products so I think you might be comfortable using them.


Well I am really not looking to run anything thicker than 10w40. This vehicle has been maintained religiously by me and I can't see why I would need to run a thicker oil unless it had bad compression. The 360 had always been regarded as a "loose" motor, but I am betting that it still would not burn as much oil if I used another brand besides Mobil-1 synthetic.

I suppose the only way to know for sure is to try it, but I am gathering information first and want to know if Castrol GTX HM formula does in fact have synthetic base added to its formula.

But I suppose just running Mobil-1 HM formula would be the best choice if I could live with the burn-off. I like the idea of one oil change per year and the burn-off is not as much of an issue since it is not driven much anymore.

As for the 2nd vehicle, does the Mystik syn-blend seem like a good choice based on the explanation I gave?

 

[jldcol]

Some on this board will be able to say specific comments on various oils and their actual specs, but the only people who really know work for those companies, and I think will be obligated not to disclose such info, at least on a public space like this forum. There is 2-3 on here that seem to know things, or at least hint at such. I think the only issue syn vs. dino is the extra cost, and whether your willing to go the long OCI's to make it cost effective. I think you are out of warranty so it's up to you.10w30 HM is really almost 10w40, espically some of the thinner ones, so I think a small step from one to the other. There are only 2 ways to burn oil, along valve stem seals, which in general you will need to replace to stop oil loss, and 2 around ring pack which may simply stuck/carboned up and therefore ammenable to some cleaning product. If rings/cylinder finish to far worn only mechanical fixes will change that.

 

[addyguy]

In regards to your SECOND vehicle, oil only 'kills' the cats if it is burned, and goes throught them. You've said the vehicle 'burns no oil' between 4k changes. Therefore, you'd be just fine to use Rotella 10W-30 to better protect the engine.

As for the first vehicle, since you've used mostly M1 in it from new, I wouldn't deviate from that - give the 10W-40 HM oil a try.

 

[mechtech2]

Don't worry about your already broken in tappets with weak stock valve spring pressure. That is not going to be a problem with modern oils.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Don't worry about your already broken in tappets with weak stock valve spring pressure. That is not going to be a problem with modern oils.


Well this is why I posted...you make a great point.

I will probably stick to the Trop-artic syn-blend 10w30 based on your statement. I might opt to do UOA someday, but for now I was just concerned about using an "energy-conserving" oil in a flat tappet motor. I guess that makes more of a difference in a race motor.

As for my FIRST vehicle, since it is not a daily driver, the oil burn off is less of a problem and I suppose sticking with Mobil-1 HM formula changed every 3k or once per year would be a fine decision. The moisture absorbtion becomes a real factor if you have a car sitting in a cold garage for long periods of time and synthetic is probably a safer choice than any dino for that application.

But for future reference, I am not a person who can mentally handle going an extended OCI so on any daily driver (other than a vette, porsche, etc.), dino or syn-blend should be just fine every 4k...