Walmart Super Tech Full Synthetic 0w-20 vs Advanced Full Synthetic VOA 0w-20

[Johnmpb]

Indeed!
And this is my thinking.
The API specification/regulations/requirements for motor oils is so stringent that if most of us only used store brands of motor oils such as SuperTech, AAP/CarQuest/AutoZone/ProLine(of course in the correct/required/recommended grade), we'd be using some of the best oils in lubrication history...I am not talking about any of those motor oils(that most of us never heard of) that fail the PQIA testing. Nor those few oils that may be at the very, very top of the charts(boutique) and unobtainable to many of us or grossly overpriced.

Keep in mind that I am only speaking about everyday motor vehicles, not that something special that enthusiasts have in their garage.
For your "something special vehicle", use that "special lube".

And I agree that the larger name brand oils typically come out ahead of the store brand motor oils in rigorous testing even if it's only by a small margin. And most engines with reasonable maintenance will never know the difference in everyday-ness.

Exactly. Does anyone remember the blackstone blog post where they stated that there was no "better oil." As long as oil met the spec, there was no trends they observed that differed one oil to the next.

 

[Johnmpb]

A very close friend of mine worked for an oil and grease blender for about 15 years. He would constantly lecture me on the importance of the base in a grease or oil and said that it is the foundation of any product. He would laugh at me when I would tout other oils with high TBN's and/or... massive AdPacks. He said.... "Sometimes, massive AdPacks and high TBN's hide an average..... or even a poor base."

Twice he showed me that their commercial HDEO 15w40 with a TBN of 6.8 (but a very high end base oil).... would routinely out-perform all the Rotella lines. After 25-50k miles in OTR trucks, his oil would still have a TBN above 2 and Rotella would be at 1 or below. I could never get this oil, as the smallest quantity he sold was a 55 gallon drum, and most of his sales were in multiple 275 gallon totes to mining companies and commercial truck driving companies, etc.... He did sign every customer up for regular oil testing.... lab evidence that his product was better for engines and was saving the company in the long run.

Anyway, my point is..... the base is important! And unfortunately, Blackstone and others can never give us info to the level we all really want.



............

Yes, but you realize there are only a handfull of companies making base stocks, right? You think the manufacturers/blenders of the house brand oil produce their base stocks? No....they purchase it from exxon, chevron, shell, etc.

 

[2EHA]

Exactly. Does anyone remember the blackstone blog post

automatically ignored

 

[Johnmpb]

automatically ignored

lets see your data bud

 

[himemsys]

Both are good looking oils for a great price. Thanks for posting. Maybe post them in the UOA section for easier searching.

 

[4WD]

No, it doesn’t really matter. And Mobil 1 is indeed a very good product however
they out sell the competition because they’ve been around a long time and their advertising & sponsorship is of the charts.

I’d say 40 years of actual 10k OCI’s from a member here is not bad advertising either …

 

[4WD]

Buying well known brand thats been around for long time and used by large number of people has some benefits.

Trust is part of life - allows more focus time on things we are yet to trust …

 

[CharBaby]

I’d say 40 years of actual 10k OCI’s from a member here is not bad advertising either …

True There was a time where we put on ~20K miles/year on vehicles.
I suppose that if today, I traveled on the hiwy more often as I did in the past with several of my older vehicles, I may do(closer) to 10K mile OCI.

For a short block of time, I had put on over 20K miles/year on one particular vehicle and got rid of that vehicle with 340K miles on it while doing ~5K mile OCIs. But that car was from the 80s w/carb and I was still at the the 3mo/3K OCI mindset. Vehicles/Engines & Lubracants have certainly changed in the past 30+ years.

I am only driving ~6K-7K mile per OCIs(2X/yr) mostly out of convenience(Spring/Fall) as I still like do do my own OCIs. And I agree that with DI engines and/or lower annual mileage, stop & go type of driving, more startup/shut down, I still keep the OCIs at a lower mileage and won't push my OCIs to 10K miles just yet.

 

[Library unicorn]

UOA from regular Super tech Full Synthetic 3500 miles on the sample. Mostly short 5 minute trips (10+ per week), some longer drives on weekends. TBN held up nicely. Replaced with Advanced Full Synthetic so we'll see how that goes, will post that UOA after it's got 3500 on it also and see how the TBN level compares.

 

[Plawan]

What's funny is that ST regular looks just like Advanced. And YOU can't slap a 20k mile sticker on oil, but can manufacturers? What's stopping them if they tell you not to go past the recommended manufacturer mileage? And that's' where I'd think testing, making testing public, providing some sort of assurance that you're getting SOMETHING/Anything MORE than the usual formula, would be necessary. Instead ST seems to have slapped a new label on their oil, raised the price and called in Advanced. Whereas a company like Mobil1, Amsoil, Castrol, Valvoline, at least appear to be different in formula from their other oils.

All we can go off of is what they provide us - like you said - and ST has provided us a new label and higher price tag. So far that's it. And until they provide more, or until someone takes it 20,000 miles with a UOA showing good results and the typical...this oil looks great! Next time try going another 3,000 miles more!! I don't think there's any evidence, or anything different from their regular synthetic.

4 years later or so someone did post a 20k mile UOA. Gotta say it’s impressive.

 

[doublebase]

4 years later or so someone did post a 20k mile UOA. Gotta say it’s impressive.

View attachment 276269

I mean, to me I’m looking at that and the first thing that jumps out is the iron, then the flashpoint, then the TBN. But compared to an 8,500 mile interval I guess it’s ok. Seems like a long time on an oil, and we don’t have anything else to compare it to. We don’t know about makeup oil added either. I suspect certainly a couple quarts? That sound fair in 20,000 miles?

But I agree, it looks like it did a good job, and quite honestly depending on engine/fuel system, and driving conditions I’m starting to think any oil can do a good job, regardless if it’s rated for 10,000 miles, 15,000, or 20,000.