What is the best 5w-30 for cleaning / keeping an engine clean these days?
- Thread starter SOHCman
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What type of vehicle(s)? What type of usage? Short trips? Climate? Budget?
Search this site for “best cleaning” and you’ll get a bunch of hits.
Mobil 1 or Valvoline.
Frequent oil changes with a quality oil filter.
Most modern oils do a good job of keeping engines clean, but only if maintenance is done regularly. Also keep in mind that Napa, SuperTech (Walmart), Amazon Basics and many other "off" brand oils are actually just relabeled name-brand oils and are quite a bargain.
Let me rephrase:
What is the additive technology used in current SN+ oil to look for in VOAs that would indicate the ability to "clean" or de sludge or de varnish an engine. Or perhaps its a matter of base oil, but I didn't think so. Do PCMO's clean as well or better as something like a ck-4 diesel 5w-30 or 10w-30?
This would be paired with a fram ultra with reasonable or even shorter if needed ocis to clean, but that is a different topic.
What is the additive technology used in current SN+ oil to look for in VOAs that would indicate the ability to "clean" or de sludge or de varnish an engine. Or perhaps its a matter of base oil, but I didn't think so. Do PCMO's clean as well or better as something like a ck-4 diesel 5w-30 or 10w-30?
This would be paired with a fram ultra with reasonable or even shorter if needed ocis to clean, but that is a different topic.
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Delo 400 XSP in 5W-30...
Diesel motor oil has cleaned up engines for me before...
Diesel motor oil has cleaned up engines for me before...
I think any SN or SP oil , changed at an interval that accommodates driving habits.
Amsoil SS 
So, ester and PAO bases like M1 EP and Amsoil SS mentioned above have an advantage at cleaning compared to something like PUP GTL assuming the same SN+?
Here's a pic of my '05 BMW 330Ic after 94k miles. Started with M1 & then Pennzoil Platinum 5W30. I usually add 6-7 oz of Seafoam about 500 to 1000 miles before oil changes, with 6k mile oil changes. Was installing a new VC gasket when I took this pic last month.
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Ester base oil is more polar better cleaning power gtl and poa not that polar like esters but pup is good cleaning oil like Mobil 1 pup ester very little to no ester 1> 5% if you have spent more get redline or Amsoil ss both better than Mobil 1 or pup buth cost 2 times more
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Several complements like OSP, AN, esters, estolides bring the low or frighteningly low aniline points with them. But the more important the actual areas of interest, the more difficult to decide on the approaches, it seems. Additivation would come into play, in the end our visual inspections and judgements for two or eight reasons can be somewhat poor counterparts of the 4-ball wear, Reichert, Falex or youtuber tests regarding other protection.
Whatever point it is that you're trying to make would be better received if you used a bit of punctuation and improved grammar.
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