I see Supertech in your future!
Numbers
- Thread starter BlueOvalFitter
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Got that in there already.
Topped off 2/10ths of a quart with some fine ST FS 5W-30. Never thought I would resign myself to using . 5W-30. But here we are lol.
I know this, now. But, why not just spec XWXX, or XXWXX? Why all of the numbers? Walking down an aisle of varying grades of oil weights and choose which weight you need is MUCH easier than searching the backs of oil containers for all of those numbers. Right? It seems easier to me.
It wouldn't be any fun.
Plus, respectfully, if you went in knowing what oil you were looking for (whatever meets the specs.. M1 seems to meet them all,) it wouldn't be Alphabet Soup.
See posts #2, #5
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Because the approvals are more important than the grade. VW got in trouble some years back because they spec'd a VW approved 5w-30 and the North American dealers were using plain Jane API Castrol Syntec because it was less expensive. Massive sludge and varnish were the result when run at factory intervals. I believe some of them were even using conventional 5w-30, which would have been even worse.
European approvals are significantly more stringent, historically, than those on this side of the pond. They were much more ambitious in extending drain intervals and so lubricant development had to follow that, producing oils that were more robust and capable of lasting much, MUCH longer in service.
As was also touched on, a 5w-30 isn't a 5w-30. An API one will have an HTHS of ~3.0cP whilst most Euro ones will be 3.5cP or higher.
Understood.
But, I still think specifying XWXX, or XXWXX is so much easier.
I understand having to turn the bottle around is an undue burden (unless you already know what oils meet your requirements), but you don't do this with everything in life, right? What if every oil filter just said "OIL FILTER" and was listed as eligible for installation on your vehicle? Don't you discriminate one against the other? Not all oil of the same grade is the same oil in terms of performance just as not all blue houses are the same either.
Maybe you should contact Mercedes, VW, Porsche and the other manufacturers that use the confusing numbers and tell them to stop using that system so it would be easier for you to understand what oil their vehicles require.
I seriously suggest not trying this in the future. Has minimal approvals compared to Mobil/Castrol. The Amazon Basics oil is $25.94 and the Mobil 1 is $24.97 at Walmart. I usually wait til they have that $10 rebate as I only change the oil once a year so I get it for even less.
Mobil 1 is a better product than Amazon Basics and it's less money. Why would you consider even trying it?
Please tell me that after reading this entire thread (you did read it, right?) you really do have an answer to that question.
Went back up to the "regular" price. For the last three days or so, it was $19.50
I'm on it! I will straighten those senseless arse backwards people out!
Well... When you say it like that.
I've tried Castrol Edge 0W-40. Liked it.
I've tried M1 AFE 0W-30. I may have to try that one again, since I had some oil filter experimentation that led me to in effect cycle out the foll i put in (lost a good amount of it in switching filters many times.) And I finally got my oil LEVEL straight.
Should I go 0W-40 again.. seems to be a thought.
Although the Basics I can get shipped to my house when I order all the other junk I buy from Amazon, most recently of which is a weight bench.
The Mobil 1? Well, buy the three-pack of Castrol then
It's called an "OPINION."
opinion; a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Then again, you seem to be running an experiment that yields "sense", "feel" and "like" as possible results. For that purpose, you don't need to pay attention to grades, certifications, etc.
Or, just go to Walmart and buy Supertech. It’s the same darn oil.
No doubt. But what I and others have been trying to communicate is that the grade is only one aspect of an oil's performance, and in light of approvals (as this thread is about) it is pretty insignificant. Just because it is on the front in big letters and numbers doesn't make it the most important aspect of the contents. You may wish it were the overriding criteria on selection but it isn't, and it helps to learn why.
Remember, you were the one who asked.
The problem is that VW (or BMW or Merc or GM or whoever) wants to know the oils being used in the engines meets a minimum standard. Their standards are higher/tougher to meet than regular API standards. If they just say use 5w30, someone could grab an oil that is not VW approved, in fact that would very likely happen.
Most Japanese automakers do what you are saying. Just use 0w20, 5w30, whatever. And that is fine as long as the automaker is comfortable with plain jane API oils in their vehicles. This is part of the reason no Japanese vehicles are using a service interval of much more than about 7.5k miles (and most are more like 5k). The Euro approved oils have long life certification to 10k+ depending on the spec.
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