We Are Obsessed But Does It Really Matter

[ripcord]

"Does it matter?"

It will matter more and more as our ICE vehicles become irreplaceable in the future. For a lot of you all, rust proofing will matter more, though.

 

[OVERKILL]

"Does it matter?"

It will matter more and more as our ICE vehicles become irreplaceable in the future. For a lot of you all, rust proofing will matter more, though.

Yup, got both vehicle drenched at Rust Check.

 

[alarmguy]

Sure, it's a hobby for many. But does it really make any difference what oil we use? Few are going to extract every mile possible out of their engines.

Hobby, decades ago there was a difference among oils, API standards were way lower, some oils clearly were inferior when it came sludge, deposits, flow and viscosity. Heck, even consumer reports at one time tested oils, Castrol at the time was the leader in tests from what I remember. They no longer test for the same reasons below. At the time the 4 ball wear test actually showed significant differences among oils, no longer.

First oils are so superior and the API requirements so advanced they make oil failures rare to impossible if you're using the recommended oil in a properly engineered vehicle. In addition engine manufacturers sometimes further those requirements and ratings with their own such as GM Dexos.
Next, much like gasoline delivered to your gas station (but not exactly maybe) The oils themselves have additive packages made by other companies that the oil brand you are using contracts with. Maybe there is a handful of companies that actually make the additive packages in the motor oil that you use. It's so standardized, computer controlled to an exacting science.

Decades ago, I used exclusively Castrol multi viscosity oil at a time where multi viscosity oils were coming to market. Most all the time in 20/50 weights, maybe a 10/40 as years moved on.

Now, I use whatever is on sale, cheapest stuff on the Walmart rack or many times Chevron bought on the Internet as long as it has the recommended API and/or (in my case) Dexos classification.
For my wife's Mazda Skyactive engine I use whatever current rated API oil.
I never use less than 5w30 oil in the Mazda and 5w30 is called for in the GM.
I could care less if it is synthetic or conventional as long as the proper API/Dexos on the label.
I ALWAYS change oil and filter in most cases before the required interval and never after the required interval.

Fingers crossed, in almost 5 decades I never had an engine failure and never owned a vehicle that burned oil.
Im not cheap, I just dont accept marketing BS without proof and standardized testing and as mentioned I always change at the required interval with a nothing special filter and normally much sooner than required.

 

[TiGeo]

Knock on wood I haven't had any oil related failures doing this for the past nearly 3 decades.

Of course you haven't....you are changing your oil at 3K intervals...that basiclaly makes that statement a "duh". You would have the same result with 5K or even 7K changes as well. I've never had an oil-related failure and some of my cars were getting 10K changes.

 

[JeepJKU85]

Of course you haven't....you are changing your oil at 3K intervals...that basiclaly makes that statement a "duh". You would have the same result with 5K or even 7K changes as well. I've never had an oil-related failure and some of my cars were getting 10K changes.

Maybe so. I never understood why folks feel so empowered that they go the manufactures recommendation or longer and act like they should receive a trophy. Good for you if you want to save pennies going longer. I know what works and I'm not going to reinvent the wheel.

 

[nomas]

Yes , people are obsessed . That is obvious by this site . A little bit of knowledge + Internet access = people searching for a solution to a problem they don't even have .

 

[TiGeo]

Maybe so. I never understood why folks feel so empowered that they go the manufactures recommendation or longer and act like they should receive a trophy. Good for you if you want to save pennies going longer. I know what works and I'm not going to reinvent the wheel.

I could say the same about folks that change like you at 3K and then make a comment that you haven't had any oil-related issues like this is some sort of surprise worthy of a....trophy.

 

[High Performance Lubricants]

I would bet NASCAR is even thinner than that-0W5 last I heard. Of course, when you rebuild engines every 500 miles, and are squeezing out every last HP, you have a different approach than going for 300,000 miles!

Negative. They run heavier. In the past they could run qualifying oil and race oil. Those days are gone. They now have to qualify on the oil they race with.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

 

[wpod]

Which oil will let your engine out last the drive line or ownership of the vehicle?

 

[wpod]

Couldn't short-skirt pistons be used on long-stroke engines?

Why not use almost skirtless pistons in more applications?

Shorter skirt pistons are lighter and have less friction. That is very important for a high RPM engine and feul economy for a production vehicle. The shorter skirt pistons have their draw backs the potential of rocking in the bore . Notice the piston has differend skirts on the thrust side and the minor thrust side.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

Which oil will let your engine out last the drive line or ownership of the vehicle?

You might want to watch the video first.

 

[AJB0009]

Negative. They run heavier. In the past they could run qualifying oil and race oil. Those days are gone. They now have to qualify on the oil they race with.

So, what do they run now?

 

[High Performance Lubricants]

That would be in the 0w20 area.

 

[CR94]

... Notice the piston has differend skirts on the thrust side and the minor thrust side.

On some engines, offset cranks (relative to cylinder bores) reduces the difference between major and minor thrust sides.

 

[Jetronic]

Of course you haven't....you are changing your oil at 3K intervals...that basiclaly makes that statement a "duh". You would have the same result with 5K or even 7K changes as well. I've never had an oil-related failure and some of my cars were getting 10K changes.

My car has loved its's life at 22k changes, only the last change happened at 10k. But to be fair, they changed the cam variators, I suspect due to old oil gunking them up.

 

[Bill_W]

I would bet NASCAR is even thinner than that-0W5 last I heard. Of course, when you rebuild engines every 500 miles, and are squeezing out every last HP, you have a different approach than going for 300,000 miles!

Dragsters use 0w5, lots of HP but short duration.

 

[#18FAN]

Dragsters use 0w5, lots of HP but short duration.

No more like 60w or 70w

 

[PWMDMD]

I'm not obsessed with oil and I'm least likely to come to BITOG to discuss oil. It's the "other discussions" I sign in to read and participate in most days. Why? I think it's partly the moderation - I have a tendency to want to debate politics, science misinformation, CV-19, and religion, all of which are forbidden, and so I'm less likely to get into trouble here. I think for the most part there is a much higher proportion of "thinkers" and reasonable people here than in many corners of the internet. There's also a very practical component to BITOG as the members are a pretty heterogeneous mix with varied histories and talents and so most questions that are not in my wheelhouse get answered here by someone with experience.

As far as oil - I think I've made my opinion clear - within reason most of what people worry about on BITOG doesn't make any difference.

 

[High Performance Lubricants]

Dragsters use 0w5, lots of HP but short duration.

There is a huge range. A dragster such as competition eliminator would use something like a 0w5. Dragsters in bracket racing will be from thin to the 20w50 range. Dragsters in something like Top Sportsman could be 5w30 to 50wt. Dragsters in Top Alcohol or Injected nitromethane 50wt to 70wt. Top fuel 70wt.

David