Ok to switch...

[Employee#08]

Hi everyone. Have been thinking about running Valvoline Maxlife in all my cars. I'm using Quaker State on my Camry since '92. Have switched to High Mileage Q-state just this past oil change. I'm thinking about switching to Maxlife for convenience. I usually purchase Maxlife when it goes on sale. The following week the High Mileage goes on sale. Save myself a trip and use Maxlife for all my cars so I can change both of them on the same day. Are there any engine problems with changing brands? Will there be oil consumption after switching? Suggestions highly welcomed.

 

[MolaKule]

Are there any engine problems with changing brands?

Only an oil analysis will tell.

Will there be oil consumption after switching?

Maybe Patman could comment here since he has used MAxlife.

 

[Patman]

My first 2300 mile interval with Maxlife was ok, but not all that great either. It showed 40%
oxidation, so this oil deteriorates pretty fast. I am currently running the newer SL formulation
of 10w30 Maxlife, and will run it to 3700 miles. I've also done the Auto-rx treatment though,
so having a cleaner engine will probably help this oil show a lower oxidation number next time
around, along with lower wear metals. I was a bit alarmed at my slightly elevated iron and
lead numbers, but those could be normal for a hard driven LT1 Firebird also. Maxlife used to
contain moly, which is why I started using it, but after the analysis we found out that Valvoline
changed their formula and took this stuff out.

I'm switching to Schaeffers 10w30 blend next.

 

[VaderSS]

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000081

 

[Employee#08]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
My first 2300 mile interval with Maxlife was ok, but not all that great either. It showed 40%
oxidation, so this oil deteriorates pretty fast. I am currently running the newer SL formulation
of 10w30 Maxlife, and will run it to 3700 miles. I've also done the Auto-rx treatment though,
so having a cleaner engine will probably help this oil show a lower oxidation number next time
around, along with lower wear metals. I was a bit alarmed at my slightly elevated iron and
lead numbers, but those could be normal for a hard driven LT1 Firebird also. Maxlife used to
contain moly, which is why I started using it, but after the analysis we found out that Valvoline
changed their formula and took this stuff out.

I'm switching to Schaeffers 10w30 blend next.

---

Patman, could the oxidation numbers be high because of your hard driving? I don't drive hard for any of my cars. Mostly stop-and-go traffic and maybe once on the weekend it gets to see the highway for a short amount of time. Valvoline does have a better base stock so if I do switch to Valvoline from Q-State then I would be getting a better oil in terms of a better base stock. i don't know if Maxlife has a better additive package then High Mileage. Maybe Johnny could give this question a try?

 

[Employee#08]

VaderSS, thanks for the link. Very helpful.

 

[Patman]

It's possible that the oxidation was higher because of hard driving, I guess we'll find out on this interval. If it is lower now, it'll be because the engine internals were cleaner (from the Auto-rx) as I have driven even harder on this interval than I did on the first one (I did more drag runs, and a lot more WOT runs on the street too)

 

[Johnny]

I don't think the Valvoline base stock is any better than the Quaker State High Mileage oil. They both use high VI Group II base stocks, they both use good additive packages, and they both use esters as a seal conditioner. It's a toss up. If you have been using the Quaker State with out any problems, then as Bob says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Naturally, I prefer the Quaker State.

 

[Employee#08]

The Pennzoil HM uses Group II+ base stocks if I am correct. The never ending pursuit of finding the best suited oil will never end. Now, Pennzoil conventional oil is on my list. Q-State HM, Valvoline Maxlife or Penn Conventional? Penn with the better base stocks and the Z7 additive package... Confused...

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Johnny:
Both the Pennzoil and Quaker State High Mileage oils have some moly in them. However, it is a very small amount. It's just part of the total blend of additives. Nothing like what Schaeffer's would have in it.

---

But still more than Maxlife, which has ZERO!

Does anyone know if Castrol GTX High Mileage has moly?

 

[Johnny]

Patman: You are right. Anything is better than zero. I do not know about the Castrol High Mileage.

Employee#08: Someday I want you to explain that name as I have seen other post with other employee numbers.

It is confusing. Both the Pennzoil and Quaker State High Mileage oils just use Group II base stocks. They are very high VI base stocks (thicker if you will). The conventional Pennzoil with Purebase is a Group II+ base stock. Now assuming that you do not have any kind of oil consumption problem, using the list of oils you provided, my choices would be, Pennzoil with Purebase (conventional), Pennzoil High Mileage, Quaker State High Mileage, MaxLife. Now there are 100's more, but I just used the list you provided. I will stick with the quote "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[jason07-1zzfe]

GTX High mileage is on the Maxima.org spreadsheet. No Moly. But the GTX doesn't show it either and I've seen some that do have it. I think Castrol is like Mobil, they can't make up their mind what formulation to use. So who knows...

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jason Troxell:
GTX High mileage is on the Maxima.org spreadsheet. No Moly. But the GTX doesn't show it either and I've seen some that do have it. I think Castrol is like Mobil, they can't make up their mind what formulation to use. So who knows...

---

Maybe to save money they only put moly in every second bottle that comes down the line!

 

[Employee#08]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Johnny:

Employee#08: Someday I want you to explain that name as I have seen other post with other employee numbers.

It is confusing. Both the Pennzoil and Quaker State High Mileage oils just use Group II base stocks. They are very high VI base stocks (thicker if you will). The conventional Pennzoil with Purebase is a Group II+ base stock. Now assuming that you do not have any kind of oil consumption problem, using the list of oils you provided, my choices would be, Pennzoil with Purebase (conventional), Pennzoil High Mileage, Quaker State High Mileage, MaxLife. Now there are 100's more, but I just used the list you provided. I will stick with the quote "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

---

No excessive oil consumption from my Camry just under 300ML for 6,000km. I understand, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I just want to try better products. I might switch from Maxlife to PureBase conventional for my Maxima and stay with Q-State HM for the Camry. Still debating....

 

[Johnny]

IMHO that would be a good choice.

 

[Employee#08]

Johnny, I sent you a PM.

 

[wtd]

I'm also hesitant to switch brands even though my oil analysis on 5W-30 Mobil 1 has not been that great. I've been using Mobil products in this truck since it was new and it has never had anything else in it. I first used the conventional Mobil and then the Mobil 1.

I'm going to see what kind of results I get with the supersyn formula and than decide whether to switch or not.

Wayne

 

[bill99gxe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jason Troxell:
GTX High mileage is on the Maxima.org spreadsheet. No Moly. But the GTX doesn't show it either and I've seen some that do have it. I think Castrol is like Mobil, they can't make up their mind what formulation to use. So who knows...

---

Castrol GTX and "High Mileage" don't have moly. Neither do their Syntec and Syntec Blend oils.

All have been baseline tested in the last 2 months, unless there's a "new and improved" version of GTX or the Syntecs that I'm unaware of....

 

[Patman]

What about the new Pennzoil HM oil Johnny? Didn't you mention that contains moly? If so, this would be better to use than the Quaker State HM oil.

Although I can't recall seeing any Pennzoil HM oil up here yet.

 

[Johnny]

Both the Pennzoil and Quaker State High Mileage oils have some moly in them. However, it is a very small amount. It's just part of the total blend of additives. Nothing like what Schaeffer's would have in it.