What oil myths did you believe in the past?
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Originally Posted By: KzMitch
That Shell (Rotella) would send a check after I correctly submitted the rebate form.
Now that, was funny.
Back in the early 90's, Castrol made a 70w motor oil, complete with a picture of a sportbike on the front. I used it year round. In the Winter, I had to push start the bike because the starter wouldn't turn the motor.... ended up screwing that engine up, something inside came apart and sent metal all over, made a horrible racket once started.
That Shell (Rotella) would send a check after I correctly submitted the rebate form.
Now that, was funny.
Back in the early 90's, Castrol made a 70w motor oil, complete with a picture of a sportbike on the front. I used it year round. In the Winter, I had to push start the bike because the starter wouldn't turn the motor.... ended up screwing that engine up, something inside came apart and sent metal all over, made a horrible racket once started.
Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
How about when it is chosen by race teams or engine builders and tuners? Still a conspiracy to make their engines wear out faster? Or could it be that there are many advantages to using a thinner oil in many circumstances.
Yep, all those racing engines knocking on 200K miles is an amazing testament to thin oils.
How about when it is chosen by race teams or engine builders and tuners? Still a conspiracy to make their engines wear out faster? Or could it be that there are many advantages to using a thinner oil in many circumstances.
Yep, all those racing engines knocking on 200K miles is an amazing testament to thin oils.
This one is embarrassing. In my first few years of auto ownership, I used to believe that you had to change your oil before it went over 3000 miles since the last oil change. I would be ok going a few miles, but not a lot. However, I didn't think the 3 months rule was necessary, I really only driven about 5000-6000 miles a year. Who knows what would happen, didn't want to find out. Once, I needed to go away, I had about 300 miles to drive and about 350 miles left on my oil. I like good, that will work out. While there, someone ask me to make a run that was about 80 miles of driving total. I told than I couldn't because it would run over 3000 miles oil change. I got a lot of comments made at, but stood fast.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Once you switch to synthetic, you can't go back to conventional.
Oh yah, was at a Midas or some place like that and the cashier asked if I want to try a synthetic change. That sounded wild and exciting so I said OK, then he asked if I know that means I can never go back to conventional oil. This scared the crud out of me but I was also embarrassed to admit to the guy that I didn't know about that, so I hemmed and hawed and finally told him to use conventional after all.
I asked around and poked here and there online and found that his statement was not true, to the point of there even being oils that were a mix of conventional and synth! Went back there again to re-enact the same scenario, but this time I told the guy he was wrong about synths...he just shook his head and said, "It's YOUR car, man."
Was all excited to see how great my car would feel and then bummed that it felt pretty much the same. Later on, though, I started my car on a really freakin cold morning and noticed that it fired up nicely and wasn't bucking around like it usually did in crazy subfreezing temps. After a few more days of good wicked cold starts, it suddenly hit me that I was using that magical synthetic oil in my car...did some research and found that it does tend to flow better than conventional in the cold. Should have joined BITOG right then...
Once you switch to synthetic, you can't go back to conventional.
Oh yah, was at a Midas or some place like that and the cashier asked if I want to try a synthetic change. That sounded wild and exciting so I said OK, then he asked if I know that means I can never go back to conventional oil. This scared the crud out of me but I was also embarrassed to admit to the guy that I didn't know about that, so I hemmed and hawed and finally told him to use conventional after all.
I asked around and poked here and there online and found that his statement was not true, to the point of there even being oils that were a mix of conventional and synth! Went back there again to re-enact the same scenario, but this time I told the guy he was wrong about synths...he just shook his head and said, "It's YOUR car, man."
Was all excited to see how great my car would feel and then bummed that it felt pretty much the same. Later on, though, I started my car on a really freakin cold morning and noticed that it fired up nicely and wasn't bucking around like it usually did in crazy subfreezing temps. After a few more days of good wicked cold starts, it suddenly hit me that I was using that magical synthetic oil in my car...did some research and found that it does tend to flow better than conventional in the cold. Should have joined BITOG right then...
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I used to think that 5w 30 was too thin, and i used 10w 30.
During my college years (early '90s) I worked part-time at an auto parts/service store in the Minneapolis are, so I heard plenty of oil myths from customers, mechanics, sales reps, etc. These are the ones that stick in my mind:
- Pennzoil is made from wax and turns back into wax inside your engine
- Slick 50 is the best thing ever
- Oil needs to be changed at least every 3k miles
- More expensive oil = better oil
- Synthetic oil gives you better fuel economy
I remember one Saturday at the store when Slick 50 brought their road show. They had a Chrysler 2.2L overhead cam engine rigged up on a trailer for a demonstration. The engine had no oil in it, but it had been treated with Slick 50 at some point so it would run forever with no oil because all the parts were now coated with teflon or whatever. To prove it the Slick 50 guy ran the engine with the cam cover removed and you could see there was no oil. After running for a few minutes he shut it down and had people touch the cam to see that it wasn't hot. After lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" he told everyone to go in the store and buy a quart of Slick 50 for each car they own. It was like one of those medicine shows in the old westerns! In those days Slick 50 cost $40/quart if I recall correctly. Anyway, I've since learned that you can idle an engine with no load and no oil in the pan. The demonstration proved nothing but I've sure they sold a lot of Slick 50 that way. If I wasn't a poor college student I probably would have bought some myself at the time.
- Pennzoil is made from wax and turns back into wax inside your engine
- Slick 50 is the best thing ever
- Oil needs to be changed at least every 3k miles
- More expensive oil = better oil
- Synthetic oil gives you better fuel economy
I remember one Saturday at the store when Slick 50 brought their road show. They had a Chrysler 2.2L overhead cam engine rigged up on a trailer for a demonstration. The engine had no oil in it, but it had been treated with Slick 50 at some point so it would run forever with no oil because all the parts were now coated with teflon or whatever. To prove it the Slick 50 guy ran the engine with the cam cover removed and you could see there was no oil. After running for a few minutes he shut it down and had people touch the cam to see that it wasn't hot. After lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" he told everyone to go in the store and buy a quart of Slick 50 for each car they own. It was like one of those medicine shows in the old westerns! In those days Slick 50 cost $40/quart if I recall correctly. Anyway, I've since learned that you can idle an engine with no load and no oil in the pan. The demonstration proved nothing but I've sure they sold a lot of Slick 50 that way. If I wasn't a poor college student I probably would have bought some myself at the time.
wemay
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That synthetic is NEEDED in the Florida heat.
Originally Posted By: wemay
That synthetic is NEEDED in the Florida heat.
I used to think that Floriduh was hot. It isn't.....It is humid, which doesn't matter as far as motor oil grade is concerned. Death Valley is HOT! Needles CA is HOT! Phoenix is HOT! Texas is.......Well, never mind.
But until you get well above 40 Centigrade, it isn't really all that hot, as far as your vehicle is concerned.
That synthetic is NEEDED in the Florida heat.
I used to think that Floriduh was hot. It isn't.....It is humid, which doesn't matter as far as motor oil grade is concerned. Death Valley is HOT! Needles CA is HOT! Phoenix is HOT! Texas is.......Well, never mind.
But until you get well above 40 Centigrade, it isn't really all that hot, as far as your vehicle is concerned.
wemay
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: wemay
That synthetic is NEEDED in the Florida heat.
I used to think that Floriduh was hot. It isn't.....It is humid, which doesn't matter as far as motor oil grade is concerned. Death Valley is HOT! Needles CA is HOT! Phoenix is HOT! Texas is.......Well, never mind.
But until you get well above 40 Centigrade, it isn't really all that hot, as far as your vehicle is concerned.
Originally Posted By: wemay
That synthetic is NEEDED in the Florida heat.
I used to think that Floriduh was hot. It isn't.....It is humid, which doesn't matter as far as motor oil grade is concerned. Death Valley is HOT! Needles CA is HOT! Phoenix is HOT! Texas is.......Well, never mind.
But until you get well above 40 Centigrade, it isn't really all that hot, as far as your vehicle is concerned.
South Texas in prolonged drought years taught me it gets really hot at > or = 50°C. I still used conventional oil though; SAE 30 HD, 10W-30, or 20W-50.
Oil need to be changed every 5k miles max, 5w20 would wear out your engine and 5w30 or 10w30 was best, conventional oil doesn't protect your engine as well as synthetic, you needed to change synthetic oil just as often as conventional, synthetic is too slick for worn engines, purolator oil filters were the best filters, and a bunch of others. If you told me one day I'd follow a 10k mile OCI and feel totally comfortable I'd never believe you.
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That Lucas oil stabilizer is good for your engine
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