Why aren't more of us using blends?

[TimeFlies]

For me, I grew up in the era of synthetic oils, and read maybe 12 or 13 years ago, the advantages over regular not synthetic oil.
So for myself, it seems counter productive to not use full synthetic. Never have I used anything else.

 

[Lavrishevo]

I absolutely stick to 5k OCI’s because of issues with the oil rings on the pistons becoming contaminated and even seizing. This is mainly due to carbon and crap in the oil. Not something a UOA will reveal. I have a very good source that I trust who is a Toyota Master tech and has his own shop. He consistently sees Toyotas coming in with oil consumption issues with those that follow the 10k or more OCI. Usually rearing its head around 160k - 180k miles. Scorn cylinder walls because of oil ring failures. Those that do 5k intervals, even using standard oil, have engines that last much longer. Frequency is more important than oil type in my humble opinion. I know this may go against what many people believe, but this is what I stick to. Oil cost is not a big deal for me and M1 Euro 0W-40 is only $60 for 12 quarts. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

 

[Soft Cars]

I'm already using a blend made by Valvoline. I'm too scared to try the full synthetic version.

 

[cptbarkey]

I avoid blends because the definition of a blend vary wildly as to the % content of the synthetic.

 

[addyguy]

All ‘conventionals’ are now blends. I use them a lot - GTX, and now, GTX HM in my G5.

 

[Torrid]

because full syn is usually not that much more, sometimes even cheaper due to rebates and sales

echoing what has already been said here. The price difference is marginal enough that i'll happily pay the extra few bucks for a full synthetic. Especially when it is winter time and my truck will be seeing -35 degree cold starts.

Same with these. Negligible price difference and with my car 25psi instead of the stock 15psi I don't know why I would drop down to something not labeled as synthetic. Castrol Professional 5w40 was the factory fill and dealer used oil in my understanding, so I've been using Castrol Euro 5w40 and Mobil 1 0w40 in it. I'm actually not sure if there's a variation that calls for a blend or conventional for the VW EA888 and if it does I'm sure it's not pushing 25psi of boost.

What made PYB a gold standard?

For me it wasn't PYB in general. I remember a conversation years back on here that PYB 10w30 had no added viscosity improvers to get labeled a multiweight. Whether or not this is true, it's been the fill for all of my small equipment since.

 

[ATex7239]

For me, I grew up in the era of synthetic oils, and read maybe 12 or 13 years ago, the advantages over regular not synthetic oil.
So for myself, it seems counter productive to not use full synthetic. Never have I used anything else.

Up until a few years ago I only used full synthetic in high performance engines or for yearly OCI. Conventional and blends were the main staples. But now blends only if the price is heavily discounted.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

PYB was lauded here for its cleaning ability and was commonly recommended for a decent span of time in the early 2010s.

 

[Nesterenko]

echoing what has already been said here. The price difference is marginal enough that i'll happily pay the extra few bucks for a full synthetic. Especially when it is winter time and my truck will be seeing -35 degree cold starts.

Where do you live that you see -35 ?

 

[Nesterenko]

I absolutely stick to 5k OCI’s because of issues with the oil rings on the pistons becoming contaminated and even seizing. This is mainly due to carbon and crap in the oil. Not something a UOA will reveal. I have a very good source that I trust who is a Toyota Master tech and has his own shop. He consistently sees Toyotas coming in with oil consumption issues with those that follow the 10k or more OCI. Usually rearing its head around 160k - 180k miles. Scorn cylinder walls because of oil ring failures. Those that do 5k intervals, even using standard oil, have engines that last much longer. Frequency is more important than oil type in my humble opinion. I know this may go against what many people believe, but this is what I stick to. Oil cost is not a big deal for me and M1 Euro 0W-40 is only $60 for 12 quarts. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

Those good Euro oils are good for long drains. You wouldn't typically need them on a run of the mill Toyota, especially at 5k intervals. Wasteful.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

With the trend toward reducing OCIs compared to years past, combined with the perceived higher quality of synthetic blends these days, why aren't they a more common choice on BITOG? I see tons of people here currently running 5,000 mile intervals, which seems like it would lend itself well to PYB, GTX, etc.

That reminds me, remember back in the day when PYB was a gold standard PCMO?

As a related question, what mileage would you be comfortable running a blend to? 5,000? 6,000?

Would direct injection engines we should be shortening the OCI I’ve cut mine back to 3000. Fuel dilution is not a good thing. Oil is cheap, and I’d rather maintain viscosity.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

I have always felt like the blends were a huge ripoff, and these days it's even more so since most conventional oils really are somewhat of a blend anyhow.

Blends is nothing but a marketing gimmick same with high mileage oil

 

[zray1]

“….Frequency is more important than oil type in my humble opinion. I know this may go against what many people believe, but this is what I stick to. Oil cost is not a big deal for me and M1 Euro 0W-40 is only $60 for 12 quarts. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

I’m in your camp. But not because of any technical or scientific reason.

The 5k intervals just make me feel better and keep my OCD under control . It may appear, or even be wasteful, but if the price of my mental health is 8 liters of M-1 0w-40 every 5,000 miles, I’ll consider that a bargain.

Much cheaper than a weekly $100 session at the shrink.

Z

 

[dubber09]

Blends are about same price, not as many viscosity and approvals choices and harder to find here in Canada imho, so why?

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Those good Euro oils are good for long drains. You wouldn't typically need them on a run of the mill Toyota, especially at 5k intervals. Wasteful.

M1 0/40 cost is the same across the board of all the viscosities . I run it for the specs and the HTHS in a turbo engine. I don’t use WM ST or any other of those generic Warren brands. If I ever had an engine failure caused by M1. They have far Deeper pockets than Warren.

 

[Nesterenko]

M1 0/40 cost is the same across the board of all the viscosities . I run it for the specs and the HTHS in a turbo engine. I don’t use WM ST or any other of those generic Warren brands. If I ever had an engine failure caused by M1. They have far Deeper pockets than Warren.

Most Toyota owners ain't gonna run a Euro 0w40. Try bulk 0w20, 5w30. After all he was referring to Toyotas.

 

[MolaKule]

With the trend toward reducing OCIs compared to years past, combined with the perceived higher quality of synthetic blends these days, why aren't they a more common choice on BITOG? I see tons of people here currently running 5,000 mile intervals, which seems like it would lend itself well to PYB, GTX, etc.

That reminds me, remember back in the day when PYB was a gold standard PCMO?

As a related question, what mileage would you be comfortable running a blend to? 5,000? 6,000?

Most oils these days are blends of various base oil groups so the term Blend seems to have been diluted.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Blends is nothing but a marketing gimmick same with high mileage oil

How are added esters in high mileage oil a gimmick?

 

[cheesepuffs2]

I have always felt like the blends were a huge ripoff, and these days it's even more so since most conventional oils really are somewhat of a blend anyhow.

That's what I'm referring to are the oils that were yesterday's conventionals. There are no SP conventionals anymore, the lower tier product is always a syn blend.

 

[PontiacHO]

A blend can be a tablespoon of synthetic in a quart of conventional oil. It’s a silly way to market oil. My blend is 4 quarts of 0w20 synthetic and 4 quarts of 5w30 synthetic.