So all motor oil is the same? Just different bottles?
The Simple Oil Maintenance Plan
- Thread starter Gene K
- Start date
So all motor oil is the same? Just different bottles?
It was $60 for my sample to be tested.
And what you’re telling me is that this means nothing and that I wasted $60?
Attachments
Well you get something but as already discussed it's not really about the oil. It is a snapshot in time of your specific engine under your specific operating conditions. As already discussed in depth it's not a tool to compare oils.
Nowhere did I or anyone say that there was no value. You can see how your engine affects the TBN, you can look for coolant contamination, you can look for impending or gross mechanical failure (maybe). Especially with one isolated UOA however, you can't even look for trends. But the fundamental problem exists that you cannot determine that one oil is better than another as you are attempting to do. For one thing the large number of uncontrolled variables in everyday driving make that utterly impossible. It is a far more complicated and sophisticated task to evaluate oil "quality", whatever that means.
Nowhere did I or anyone say that there was no value. You can see how your engine affects the TBN, you can look for coolant contamination, you can look for impending or gross mechanical failure (maybe). Especially with one isolated UOA however, you can't even look for trends. But the fundamental problem exists that you cannot determine that one oil is better than another as you are attempting to do. For one thing the large number of uncontrolled variables in everyday driving make that utterly impossible. It is a far more complicated and sophisticated task to evaluate oil "quality", whatever that means.
Nope. But your little spectrographic analysis isn't going to be the determinant. You're far better off going by proven performance as demonstrated by the approvals and licenses the oil holds.
No. However paying more for brand A vs brand B when both meet required spec Y or license Z for all intents and purposes would be paying more for the bottle you like better.
The business I’m in….a friend of mine uses cheap 10w30, changes it every 4-5k. His fleet of trucks, mixed GM and Ford, his engines last a average of 150k.
Another friend of mine, same type business, again, mixed fleet of GM and Fords, uses a cheap full synthetic 5w30 motor oil, oil changes at 5-6k, his fleet lasts an average of 175k.
Another guy I know, uses more expensive full synthetic motor oil, 5-6k oil changes, he averages 250k out of his engines.
All of us average 50k/yr per power unit.
So…going off of what I know about the business I am in, not all motor oils are created equal. My sample size is a hundred or so engines over the last 16 years.
I’ve been in the transportation industry for 30 years so far.
I haves driven over 2.5 million miles, that’s a lot of oil changes.
You will never convince me, based on my personal experience, that all motor oils are created equal.
I’m not sure why you respond to me as saying that or why I need convincing. Never have I said that and as far as I can see in this thread no one else has said that either.
Lol
I know of police departments that ran their crown vics on the cheapest bulk (even recycled) oil that MET SPEC.
Most of those vehicles went to auction with over 100k. Then they lived another 300k+ as taxis again on cheap bulk Dino in the worst operating conditions ever.
Anecdotes don’t mean anything. That’s why data and science prevails
I never said you need convincing.
Lol
I know of police departments that ran their crown vics on the cheapest bulk (even recycled) oil that MET SPEC.
Most of those vehicles went to auction with over 100k. Then they lived another 300k+ as taxis again on cheap bulk Dino in the worst operating conditions ever.
Anecdotes don’t mean anything. That’s why data and science prevails
Recycled oil is the same as virgin oil. The base stock never wears out, it is the additives and viscosity improvers that wear out and the base stock gets contaminated.
Recycled oil is distilled, the base stock evaporates, is cooled, collected and turned back into motor oil, gear oil, transmission fluid etc.
Bulk oil is just bottled oil before it goes into the bottle.
Heat cycles make all the difference. A taxi is going to be in use 24/7. Low load, low rpm, not hard on the throttle. Clean city streets.
Same with police cars, they are not driven as hard as you think they are.
My fleet is fully loaded, rode hard and put away wet. Frequent full throttle, and by frequent I mean hundreds of times a day. Dirt roads for days. 7 days a week.
You want to talk about science, if used oil samples are worthless then whiny does every trucking company use them? Why do they stick with one motor oil and one oil only? And if they do change oils, they do another oil sample And adjust their maintence accordinly?
Uhhh why are you giving me definitions on recycled and bulk oil. My point is cheap, “generic” oil that meets spec get the job done even in demanding settings. Lots of idle time is seen as “severe service” so not sure what you’re trying to imply. Also, fedex trucks, which are likely way more overworked than your fleet do business with the cheapest oil/filter contracts that meet spec.
Second, where did I say UOAs are useless? By “data” I actually was referring directly to them.
Why do trucking companies stick to one motor oil? No idea but that seems idiotic tbh. Oil companies are constantly changing their formulations. What you have in your engine now may be totally different the next time you pour it in. Look at valvoline, they used a primarily sodium add pack for years but have since switched.
Last edited:
You should really try and make the effort to understand what is being explained to you here in this thread rather than endlessly going on about your misunderstandings. All of what you’re asking above has already been explained, more then once, and by multiple individuals.
Dude, I am the fleet manager for a FedEx Ground contractor.
All of my example's, other contractors. Same building.
Trucking companies stick with one motor oil because of consistently. They know what they’re getting. Formulation changes aside, the oil is going to provide the same protection they have come to expect.
Attachments
Hey bbhero,,, this is BITOG unless you use Amsoil changed monthly with Fram Ultra filters changed every other oil change,, the old style filter of course. there is no possible way your car could make it over 50,000 miles .
