would like to try a different oil!

[Robertslowpoke]

Good morning, all! thanks for all the super help! I have a 2008 Cadillac DTS, northstar v8. 33,000 miles. just sent off the mobil one oil to blackstone to test after 3300 miles. i warm up car 5 minutes, drive 7 miles to work. park in underground garage all day. get in car at 3pm, do not warm up, drive 7 miles home. i DO try to run the car 30-40 minutes on the highway every 2 weeks. I wish this car to run forever. i use mobil 1 full synthetic. would like to try a different oil, and will also test that oil. any ideas? pennzoil platinum? royal purple? mobil 1 extended performance? mobil 1 high mileage? also, i have the same question for her car. 2002 lexus es300 V6. 80,000 miles. will send off the mobil one oil to test at 3,000 miles. which oil might I try? thanks! appreciate any and all advice. best bob

 

[Lead Shoes]

Sending off a sample at 3k is almost a waste of money with m1, wait till at least 5k, unless you are doing 100% city driving or the oil has been sitting for months. I wouldn't change anything you are doing with your northstar v8, just remember to give it [censored] every now and then so it doesn't get famous north star carbon build up.

 

[OldCowboy]

Your driving pattern probably doesn't allow the oil to warm up to operating temp long enough to completely burn off fuel dilution and water of combustion. You were wise to send off a sample for analysis. You can adjust your OCI based on the results. The current crop of conventional oils are very, very good. If your OCIs are going to be 5000 miles or less, you might consider using one of them.

 

[Robertslowpoke]

thanks guys! i am still learning. i read that your engine radiator fluid gets up to temp much faster than the oil, which may take 20-30 minutes. i get to work in 17 minutes, probably severe driving conditions for the oil. In massachusetts, we get below zero weather, too. i am going to systematically test my oils and see. nearly all of my driving is city driving. 30 mph, low rpms. i do plan to stick with synthetic oils, because most of engine wear occurs at cold engine start up, and synthetics are better. i would rather pay $60 for 7 quart oil change a bit too often than wreck an expensive car. Thanks! so, the question still stands, do you recommend any other synthetic oils? thanks! Bob

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke

thanks guys! i am still learning. i read that your engine radiator fluid gets up to temp much faster than the oil, which may take 20-30 minutes. i get to work in 17 minutes, probably severe driving conditions for the oil. In massachusetts, we get below zero weather, too. i am going to systematically test my oils and see. nearly all of my driving is city driving. 30 mph, low rpms. i do plan to stick with synthetic oils, because most of engine wear occurs at cold engine start up, and synthetics are better. i would rather pay $60 for 7 quart oil change a bit too often than wreck an expensive car. Thanks! so, the question still stands, do you recommend any other synthetic oils? thanks! Bob

The best bang for the buck & easy to get synthetic oil is Penzoil Ultra since Walymart sells it in 5 QT jugs. Its a hair better than Mobil 1, and while there are oils better than PU, they are more difficult to get and more expensive.

 

[OVERKILL]

Why are you switching away from Mobil 1 if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Patman]

Why do you warm up the engine for 5 minutes before driving? That's one of the worst things you can do for your engine (and for your catalytic converter) You'd be better off using those 5 extra minutes to drive the car on a longer route to work in order to get the oil hotter each time you drive it. Idling the engine doesn't warm up the oil very fast at all, just the coolant temp, you need to drive it in order to heat up the oil.

 

[Robertslowpoke]

thanks guys! i want to try another oil, and will do oil analysis from blackstone EACH time. i am not switching away from mobil one, per se. thanks for the idea of penzoil ultra. just curious, and see if one oil gives me a better anaylsis! thanks patman! i warm up the car, esp, if it is zero out, so i can have heat. i also envision that the engine warms up a bit, and i envision the oil flowing better. i may be wrong!! ha! 1. how does that hurt my engine? 2. how hurt the catalytic converter? 3.do you agree that once a week I take the car 30-40 minutes on the highway at 65 mph, with some full throttle blasts? i envision this heats the water, and the fuel, out of the oil. i could be wrong! best bob and thanks

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Donald

Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke

thanks guys! i am still learning. i read that your engine radiator fluid gets up to temp much faster than the oil, which may take 20-30 minutes. i get to work in 17 minutes, probably severe driving conditions for the oil. In massachusetts, we get below zero weather, too. i am going to systematically test my oils and see. nearly all of my driving is city driving. 30 mph, low rpms. i do plan to stick with synthetic oils, because most of engine wear occurs at cold engine start up, and synthetics are better. i would rather pay $60 for 7 quart oil change a bit too often than wreck an expensive car. Thanks! so, the question still stands, do you recommend any other synthetic oils? thanks! Bob

The best bang for the buck & easy to get synthetic oil is Penzoil Ultra since Walymart sells it in 5 QT jugs. Its a hair better than Mobil 1, and while there are oils better than PU, they are more difficult to get and more expensive.

I get the impression that he does NOT change his own oil himself (right or wrong, RSP?), but he can still get PU (I think??) at Jiffy Lube (IF one trusts them to even open the drain plug correctly, let alone put it back in at the correct torque ), or some other quick change places, or even China Mart service centers.

 

[Donald]

Buy the PU oil and a decent filter at Walymart or AZ. Paint a huge yellow X on the oil jug (both sides) and similar on the filter. Watch from the waiting area for them to use oil & filters with a big yellow X. Might want to also pick up a few Oil-Tite drain plug washers and hand them one and ask for the old one back (so you don't have 2). How is he pulling a sample if he does not do it himself? Asking the tech at Jiffy Lube to do it, explaining to take it in middle of the drain period?

 

[lewdwig]

Renewable Lubricants: bio-based, ester. Something different but not available in stores. Ran it in my 2001 Saturn and the wife's Mitsubishi; now with two kids in college I'm using cheaper synthetics.

 

[Robertslowpoke]

hi daily driver! i do not change my own oil anymore. i brought the blackstone sample bottle to my local mechanic this morning, and he drew the sample when he changed the oil. i can get penzoil ultra myself and give to my friend, a mechanic, or local mech. and they will change for me. i would not take a bicycle to jiffy lube. no offense! donald: never heard of an oil tite drain plug! thanks!! thanks guys!!!! may go to walmart for penzoil utra tomorrow thanks bob

 

[mechtech2]

Forget warming it up anymore. I Do warm a car up in winter while I scrape the snow and ice off, though.] A 7 mile drive is not a 1 mile drive. 7 miles is sufficient to warm the oil up to dispel water [at least in summertime]. The combustion blow by water does NOT have to boil to be eliminated. Reasonable heat and the slight vacuum that should be present in the crankcase work well.

 

[A_Harman]

Stay with M1 5w30 and change oil according to the Oil Life Monitor. I did that on my Camaro, and it worked just fine.

 

[HM12460]

Agree with the above, excellent strategy for a fine car like your Caddy.

 

[OldCowboy]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2

7 miles is sufficient to warm the oil up to dispel water [at least in summertime].

This is assumption and not proven fact. It depends a great deal on the sump size as larger sumps take longer to come up to operating temperature. To remove water and fuel, the oil needs to get to operating temperature and stay there for some period. Just because the coolant is at operating temperature, that is no indicator of oil temp. The only way one can be sure if their 7 mile drive is sufficient for their vehicle is to pull a UOA at the end of the OCI and confirm that there is no excess water or fuel in the oil.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke

never heard of an oil tite drain plug! thanks!!

It is just the name of the largest specialty oil drain plug/washer company out there. They are usually on a peg rack display at all of the major national chain auto parts retailers. I do not blame you for not trusting Jiffy Lube (why I put the 'disclaimer' in my post). I will personally do the oil changes on my rides until the day that I am much too weak to even lift my arms, NO MATTER how much money I make, nor wealth I attain, such is my distrust of others doing this simple job.