What to look for when selecting an oil...?

[TXCarGeek]

What features do you all look at when selecting oils? Going off a question that I asked in the thread about GTL base stocks regarding an oil that provides a good overall balance between all the specs that you all look at, Caterham answered that different oils offer different features. I completely understand this. What I want to know is the exact "features" that you all look at. I would like to have the knowledge to look over a product's pds and decide whether an oil will work for my specific needs.

After looking at the PDS for M1 5w30 and M1 0W-30, it seems that there's not much differences between the two products. They have a Viscosity @ 100ºC, cSt difference of 0.1, a Viscosity, @ 40ºC, cSt difference of 1.2 with the 5w30 actually being lighter, a VI difference of 6 and a HTHS Viscosity, mPa•s @ 150ºC difference of 0.1. I am rather uneducated when it comes to interpreting these numbers but it seems that they are pretty [censored] similar. What else should be taken in to account when trying to discern the differences between these two, or any other, oil?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
What features do you all look at when selecting oils? Going off a question that I asked in the thread about GTL base stocks regarding an oil that provides a good overall balance between all the specs that you all look at, Caterham answered that different oils offer different features. I completely understand this. What I want to know is the exact "features" that you all look at. I would like to have the knowledge to look over a product's pds and decide whether an oil will work for my specific needs.

After looking at the PDS for M1 5w30 and M1 0W-30, it seems that there's not much differences between the two products. They have a Viscosity @ 100ºC, cSt difference of 0.1, a Viscosity, @ 40ºC, cSt difference of 1.2 with the 5w30 actually being lighter, a VI difference of 6 and a HTHS Viscosity, mPa•s @ 150ºC difference of 0.1. I am rather uneducated when it comes to interpreting these numbers but it seems that they are pretty [censored] similar. What else should be taken in to account when trying to discern the differences between these two, or any other, oil?


Between those two, when you get down to approaching -30C, the 0w-30 has a distinct advantage in terms of flow.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I look for an oil that meets the mfg spec that my engine requires.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
What features do you all look at when selecting oils? Going off a question that I asked in the thread about GTL base stocks regarding an oil that provides a good overall balance between all the specs that you all look at, Caterham answered that different oils offer different features. I completely understand this. What I want to know is the exact "features" that you all look at. I would like to have the knowledge to look over a product's pds and decide whether an oil will work for my specific needs.

After looking at the PDS for M1 5w30 and M1 0W-30, it seems that there's not much differences between the two products. They have a Viscosity @ 100ºC, cSt difference of 0.1, a Viscosity, @ 40ºC, cSt difference of 1.2 with the 5w30 actually being lighter, a VI difference of 6 and a HTHS Viscosity, mPa•s @ 150ºC difference of 0.1. I am rather uneducated when it comes to interpreting these numbers but it seems that they are pretty [censored] similar. What else should be taken in to account when trying to discern the differences between these two, or any other, oil?


Between those two, when you get down to approaching -30C, the 0w-30 has a distinct advantage in terms of flow.


Right. Where would I see this though? Does the pour point show this? The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I look for an oil that meets the mfg spec that my engine requires.


I like reading in to a bit more than that.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Right. Where would I see this though? Does the pour point show this? The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.

Pour point isn't that useful of a spec. MRV or CCV is more useful, alas M1 doesn't always publish these specs.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I look for an oil that meets the mfg spec that my engine requires.


I like reading in to a bit more than that.

Yes, I know, it's BITOG - people like to make things more complicated for the sake of it.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I look for an oil that meets the mfg spec that my engine requires.


and that I can find on sale!

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek

The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.


You live in Texas...right?...Are you planning on moving to Canada?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I look for an oil that meets the mfg spec that my engine requires.


and that I can find on sale!

Yes, sir!

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Right. Where would I see this though? Does the pour point show this? The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.

Pour point isn't that useful of a spec. MRV or CCV is more useful, alas M1 doesn't always publish these specs.


I noticed that. The 0W has an MRV of 13,250 but the 5W PDS doesn't list the MRV.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek

The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.


You live in Texas...right?...Are you planning on moving to Canada?


I know where you are going with that question. You're missing the point of my thread; I didn't ask which is better or which is right for me. I used those two oils simply as an example; M1 seems to provide detailed information so I wanted to use this for you guys to teach me how to interpret what I am reading.

 

[jimbrewer]

Honestly? Price. Brand name. (By that I mean it has a brand-name as opposed to a no-name bottle that you found at the Dollar Store). Appropriate grade. There are some persnickety/exotic cars out there that require something special. VW comes to mind. In that case you have to be extra careful to check the back of the bottle to make sure it meets your manufacturer's spec.

If you aren't brand loyal and shop mostly on price and "bang for the buck" you will usually end up with whatever synthetic happens to be on sale at Wal-Mart.

People post oil analysis after oil analysis on here. There are some differences in the beefyness of the oil and its longevity. But that's about it. For an average car with anything like a normal conditions of service and normal change interval, all the name brand oils work. While its under warranty I intend to get el cheapo oil changes from the dealer with their coupons.

Ford made it abundantly clear in its manual that it is a lot more concerned about fuel quality than it used to be. I'm pretty careful now to use name brand gas. They also were a little paranoid about the oil filter, reading between the lines. So, I'll probably stick with Motorcraft filters even if I start changing myself. But after the warranty runs out, "sale" oil.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Honestly? Price. Brand name. (By that I mean it has a brand-name as opposed to a no-name bottle that you found at the Dollar Store). Appropriate grade. There are some persnickety/exotic cars out there that require something special. VW comes to mind. In that case you have to check the back of the bottle to make sure it meets your manufacturer's spec.

If you aren't brand loyal and shop mostly on price and "bang for the buck" you will usually end up with whatever synthetic happens to be on sale at Wal-Mart.

People post oil analysis after oil analysis on here. There are some differences in the beefyness of the oil and its longevity. But that's about it. For an average car with anything like a normal conditions of service and normal change interval, all the name brand oils work.


I am referring to the technical specifications. I should have included that in the title of my thread.

 

[toneydoc]

You might enjoy reading some of the oil characteristics at Petroleum quality institute of americal website. They evaluate and post many different oil properties. This includes dino and synthetic oils. And it will detail the add packs, etc. Many happy hours of reading and comparing

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek

The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.


You live in Texas...right?...Are you planning on moving to Canada?


I know where you are going with that question. You're missing the point of my thread; I didn't ask which is better or which is right for me. I used those two oils simply as an example; M1 seems to provide detailed information so I wanted to use this for you guys to teach me how to interpret what I am reading.


The high quality of modern brews is such that the differences among them are "microsopic" which is why you'll get "buy what's on sale"...

There is no better way to interpret the data of oil than to use it, because each engine, even the same engine in different cars, will prefer one oil more than another...within the same brand, or the "same" oils of different brands...machines are pesky that way...

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Something that meets specs and is priced right (preferably at a deep discount).

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: toneydoc
You might enjoy reading some of the oil characteristics at Petroleum quality institute of americal website. They evaluate and post many different oil properties. This includes dino and synthetic oils. And it will detail the add packs, etc. Many happy hours of reading and comparing


Thanks for the tip

 

[TXCarGeek]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek

The 5W has a pour point of -42 and the 0W has a pour point of -50.


You live in Texas...right?...Are you planning on moving to Canada?


I know where you are going with that question. You're missing the point of my thread; I didn't ask which is better or which is right for me. I used those two oils simply as an example; M1 seems to provide detailed information so I wanted to use this for you guys to teach me how to interpret what I am reading.


The high quality of modern brews is such that the differences among them are "microsopic" which is why you'll get "buy what's on sale"...

There is no better way to interpret the data of oil than to use it, because each engine, even the same engine in different cars, will prefer one oil more than another...within the same brand, or the "same" oils of different brands...machines are pesky that way...


I understand where you are coming from but that still doesn't answer my curiosity.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek

I understand where you are coming from but that still doesn't answer my curiosity.


...I satisfy my curiosity in reality...being a pragmatist...in practical application...kind of like "the proof of the pudding is in the eating"...