Opinions on Valvoline MaxLife 10W40

[kilou]

Hi,

I'm still trying to find a good oil for my 1997 Volvo (atmospheric engine) with 200K miles on it. Currently I run on Mobil Super S 10w40. The engine has no leak but I does burn a very small amount of oil, especially when driving in the Alps (higher oil temp).

So a few questions:
- Do you think that Valvoline MaxLife 10W40 is a good oil?
- Would it be OK for year-round use (in my area, temp can go as low as -10°C in winter but not lower)?
- How does it compare to Mobil Super S 10W40? Better basestocks?

I'm also looking at Mobil 1 5W40. This is not a HM oil but I like the fact it is a 5W for winter, it's full synthetic etc but I'm concerned with seal compatibility (my engine is clean, no sludge) etc. I can get it at a bargain too. Your opinion's welcome!

 

[Colt45ws]

Maxlife 10W40 is a good oil. Here in the states it is a synthetic blend. I do not know what it is in Switzerland. You could use it in winter too at those temps I would think. The 5W40 would be better in this regard. I wouldnt worry about seals with the Mobil 1, either. All syns today have seal agents mixed in.

 

[fito]

I just put it in my unmolested survivor 63 Ford (r code)427 so I hope its good. Used it before in other cars and it is a very robust oil.

 

[TallPaul]

Maxlife at Valvoline Euro says,

Quote:
Valvoline MaxLife offers a range of engine oils specifically formulated to meet the needs of high kilometer engines. With its extra ingredients such as special seal conditioners and cleaning agents, MaxLife revitalizes critical engine parts to help engines run a long, long time. Voted Product of the Year by Lubricant’s World, MaxLife is endorsed by the leading independent European approval body TÜV Nord.

Formulated for engines with over 100,000 Km
Special seal conditioners reduce oil consumption
Extra cleaning agents reduce deposits formation
Unique friction modifiers help prevent future wear
Advanced additives minimize oil breakdown and burn-off

Nothing about whether it has syn blend, but I suspect likely so.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Anything Valvoline is excellent imo. You can`t go wrong.

 

[Jakegday]

ive been using maxlife 10w-30 for the last 3500 miles and i dont think my car is getting the MPG it should be. also, i read on here about someone having the same issue. it is not labeled as an "energy conserving" oil either. when this batch expires im gonna replace it with Durablend and see what happens

 

[kilou]

I'm a bit concerned by the cold/winter start with the MaxLife 10w40. Unfortunately I cannot get 5w40 Maxlife here in Switzerland, they only carry MaxLife 10w40 (synthetic blend). So for a healthy high mileage (200K miles) engine would you favour MaxLife 10w40 or M1 5w40?

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: Jakegday
ive been using maxlife 10w-30 for the last 3500 miles and i dont think my car is getting the MPG it should be. also, i read on here about someone having the same issue. it is not labeled as an "energy conserving" oil either. when this batch expires im gonna replace it with Durablend and see what happens


Yes, I am also having that problem, but when I have used Pennzoil HM (also a non-energy conserving), I got the same or better MPG as Trop-artic blend. So this issue is specific to Max-life it would seem to me. I am using the 10w30. I am guessing it is the higher moly content cause all HM oils have a thicker base stock and since it only seems to do this with Max-life, that tells me it is probably their additive pkg at fault.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: kilou
I'm a bit concerned by the cold/winter start with the MaxLife 10w40. Unfortunately I cannot get 5w40 Maxlife here in Switzerland, they only carry MaxLife 10w40 (synthetic blend). So for a healthy high mileage (200K miles) engine would you favour MaxLife 10w40 or M1 5w40?


The M1 5w40 turbo diesel is a very robust oil...in cold weather, I'd use that over 10w40 ANY DAY

 

[Nickdfresh]

I used MaxLife 10W-40 once and thought it did well at reducing the consumption in my dearly departed Saturn (transmission). The car burned through the 10W-30 at a quart every 2000 miles or so whereas the 10W-40 reduced it to half that in summer highway driving. As far as how it flows in winter, it is a syn-blend with a pretty good pour point IIRC. However, it is thick at temp and not designed to be energy conserving...