Which of these synthetic oils "clean" better?

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I have various brands and weights of synthetic oils on hand.

All purchased on major markdown, huge instant rebates or at closeout prices.

My question is that which of the following will have the best "cleaning effect", if any.

The vehicle is a 2000 Silverado 5.3 w/ 61,xxx miles. Oil filter will be Fram Ultra XG3675. OCI probably will be for 7500 miles. No mechanical problems with the vehicle.

Pennz Ultra 5w-30

Pennz Plat 10w-30

Castrol Edge Ti Extended Performance 5w-30 or 10w-30.

Valvoline MaxLife Syn-Blend 5w-30 or 10w-30 (with or without a quart of MMO)

Thanks for your input and suggestions.
 
Unless the motor is already gummed up, I think you would need a complete engine analysis laboratory to tell any difference between those oils.
 
Would probably say Pennzoil. I do believe however that Rotella makes some of the best cleaning oil you can put in your engine.

Not saying its the best and perfect all around out but it is good at cleaning.
 
Last year i ran 4 quarts ofsupertech 5w30. 9o8 corolla,under the oil cap, was baked on black crud. after 2600miles or so, it was mostly gone! it cleaned better thanplatinum on the same mileage run. iwasin awe over it.
 
Originally Posted By: ziggy
Last year i ran 4 quarts ofsupertech 5w30. 9o8 corolla,under the oil cap, was baked on black crud. after 2600miles or so, it was mostly gone! it cleaned better thanplatinum on the same mileage run. iwasin awe over it.


I agree w above. I also ran Supertech 10w30 in my beater and it cleaned very well. Can't beat the price either. With oils u have and your vehicle, any of them will be fine
 
Originally Posted By: Islandvic
My question is that which of the following will have the best "cleaning effect", if any.

If you really need to clean engine, use special staff like SeaFoam, MMO (but personally I don't like it) or do engine flush before you change the oil. I could advise some much more effective, but "cruel" methods, but you need them if the engine is really dirty only.
Using engine oils for cleaning dirty engines similar to cure pneumonia by the Tylenol: could help, but I have significant doubts.

Originally Posted By: ziggy
Last year i ran 4 quarts of supertech 5w30. 9o8 corolla,under the oil cap, was baked on black crud. after 2600miles or so, it was mostly gone! it cleaned better thanplatinum on the same mileage run. iwasin awe over it.

And I flew yesterday.
laugh.gif

So since today everybody needs just 4 quarts of SuperTech from Walmart, and all engines will shine. Bravo! BTW, do you mind if I sell the idea to BMW? We'll share the profit.
 
Originally Posted By: ziggy
Last year i ran 4 quarts ofsupertech 5w30. 9o8 corolla,under the oil cap, was baked on black crud. after 2600miles or so, it was mostly gone! it cleaned better thanplatinum on the same mileage run. iwasin awe over it.


Your experience is an "Anecdote". Anecdotal evidence is very far removed from science. Just sayin'.
 
Valvoline maxlife out of the ones you listed, although I think valvoline maxlife full synthetic would clean even better
 
Originally Posted By: Islandvic
I have various brands and weights of synthetic oils on hand.

All purchased on major markdown, huge instant rebates or at closeout prices.

My question is that which of the following will have the best "cleaning effect", if any.

The vehicle is a 2000 Silverado 5.3 w/ 61,xxx miles. Oil filter will be Fram Ultra XG3675. OCI probably will be for 7500 miles. No mechanical problems with the vehicle.

Pennz Ultra 5w-30

Pennz Plat 10w-30

Castrol Edge Ti Extended Performance 5w-30 or 10w-30.

Valvoline MaxLife Syn-Blend 5w-30 or 10w-30 (with or without a quart of MMO)

Thanks for your input and suggestions.


Wow, those are some low miles for a 2000!
With an average of only around 4,400 miles/year on that Chevy, I think I understand your concern about the oil's cleaning ability.

The Pennzoil Ultra probably has the best cleaning ability - but in my opinion you don't want to clean up old engines too quickly. If this truck has never run synthetic before, or if the oil change history is unknown, I'd run the Castrol 5W-30 this winter, Castrol 10W-30 next summer, PU 5W-30 next winter, and PP 10W-30 the following summer.
 
Originally Posted By: timeau
Originally Posted By: Islandvic
My question is that which of the following will have the best "cleaning effect", if any.

If you really need to clean engine, use special staff like SeaFoam, MMO (but personally I don't like it) or do engine flush before you change the oil. I could advise some much more effective, but "cruel" methods, but you need them if the engine is really dirty only.
Using engine oils for cleaning dirty engines similar to cure pneumonia by the Tylenol: could help, but I have significant doubts.


Finally someone with a sane and logical response.


Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog

Your experience is an "Anecdote". Anecdotal evidence is very far removed from science. Just sayin'.


Funny you say that, but the majority of "evidence" on this forum is anecdotal or just an opinion, yet that doesn't stop the local experts from recommending all sorts of oils, predominantly PP, PU and M1, for cleaning. Just sayin'.
 
I've got a 99 silverado Z71 with a 5.3,and a 2001 C3 with a 6.0.
K so as far as cleaning ability pennzoil ultra is likely the best in your stash however all of them will clean up light varnish and some gum.
If you are certain about deposits I suggest using rislone for an interval with an inexpensive conventional oil or even an hdeo like Rotella.
We have a member here named Molekule. He is in the industry and the only additive I've ever seen him recommend for the crankcase is rislone. Iirc he recommends it for cleaning up neglected engines.
And I run 10000 mile intervals in both of my trucks. The 99 has 280k and the 01 just broke 210k.
SteveSRT has a fleet of Chevy work vans. He uses synthetic and changes the oil according to the change oil display and his vans get astronomical mileages from the engines,so he's doing something right.
when I acquire a new to me vehicle I run seafoam thru the brake booster and run conventional oil with a cleaning additive so I know for sure that the engines internals are cleanish,then I monitor oil at every fill up so I can gauge whether it's still has deposits or not based on how fast the oil blackens.
I've had my 99 since 08 iirc. I got it with 50000kms on the odo. I used Amsoil til 150000kms when we swapped cams and it was spotless inside.
Now 120000kms later I use whatever oil I can find on sale and it's still spotless inside.
With Amsoil I was running 10000 mile(16000km) intervals and since I switched I maintained that same interval and that ole Chev still runs like a top and consumes no oil between intervals.
The gen 1 engines weren't all high tech like they are today with cylinder deactivation and vvt but they were very durable.
My trucks are basically for work and winter. I drive my charger in the warmer months,so because they are operated under what I'd call severe cold,with substantial time idling I am very satisfied with the engines durability.
I suggest a product called liqui-moly motor oil saver and add it to your oil after you've done your cleaning interval. It's great stuff made for older engines that may leak or burn oil. It's an ester so it has some cleaning ability. It contains boron which raises tbn and it conditions gaskets to prevent and stop gasket leaks.
I use it in everything I own,from my work vans to my personal vehicles and every one I maintain for my friends.
Heck I've got a couple old ford vans with 400k and 450k on the odo and the engines have never been opened up. Still the stock gaskets. The one with 450k leaked oil when I bought it. It's got a 4.9l. I'd lose about a quart a week from it dripping. I got the van a few years ago,and 100k ago and after I did my intake cleaning and flushed the oil I added a can of motor oil saver and the leak stopped and to this day hasn't returned.
I've got many of these experiences using it so that's why I recommend it and continue to use it.
Anyways you've got a great truck there with crazy low miles. It has just gotten broken in with such little mileage.
 
The additive packages are more alike than different and usually Diesters and Polyolesters[? proper spelling and name] clean so I can't really say.
 
Ill look up the reference but PAOs are the worst for cleaning a dirty engine.

The negative attributes of PAOs are the price and poor solubility. The low inherent solubility of PAOs creates problems for formulators when it comes to dissolving additives. Likewise, PAOs cannot suspend potential varnish-forming degradation by-products, although they are less prone to create such material.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/2021/synthetic-oil
 
Thank you for all of the replies and suggestions.

Let me add some points that I did not state or may have not made clear in the original post.

1. All oils mentioned I have in my stash. Im not in a position to try or buy any more oil.

2. I have about 4 OCI's worth of the Castrol Edge Extended Performance. 3 OCI's of the Maxlife Blend. Others only 1 OCI worth.

3. I also have 1 OCI of NAPA Synthetic 5w-30, not mentioned in orig post.

4. The truck has had synthetic oil changes its whole life. OCI's at 1-year or when the OLM lights up (whichever comes first).

5. From 2000-2011, it was driven 2500-4500 miles a year. Since 2012 it has been driven 7-10k miles per year.

6. As stated before, truck has no mechanical problems. I do not suspect sludge build up.
 
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