Anyone still use Durablend?

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Thought I would ask as Autozone is only place that has it still. I have 10quarts of it so I'll use it in something in the fleet
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Durablend ?

Me !!!

I'm running Valvoline SynPower 0W40 with a Valvoline synthetic blend media filter right now, but lined up next I have some Valvoline DuraBlend semi-synthetic 10W40 (SN and A3/B4) with another Valvoline SynBlend filter.
 
Used it for a long time before it became hard to find in the second car(wife)...Was then told by valvoline tech it was being phased out. Which made me get away from it. loved the oil but not even Menards(who carries it now) had the 5w20 i needed so i gave up...Great oil if you can find it.
 
I've used it for 5k oci's. Good oil. I think it is in the neighborhood of 30 percent syn. Good serviceable oil, especially if the price it right. I would not hesitate to use it at all. If you have a Rural King, they carry it. I think some NAPA's carry it too.
 
Not any more. I used it for a long time (I think I had 20 qts or so that I got for free after rebates).
I think Auto Zone had some for their $2 clearance at the end of December, but none of the stores I went to had any.
 
It seems too good for my truck and not good enough for my car. I found some old Tough Driving formula SM at Carquest(s). I ran it in the car a few times I think and it ran really tight(a good thing), but then I tried Synpower and man it just moves effortlessly now. 5w-30 on the Cobalt 2.2 4A


The past two or three changes on the truck have been VWB 10w-30 and I finally went with DuraBlend 10w-30- 5 quarts SN and a quart SM. it has only been a few miles and my oil cooler lines are leaking, but it just seems to strong for the truck. About As long as I have been driving I have liked 10w and abhorred 5w. I never understood why the oil fill cap would say 5w-30 when I 'knew' it deserved 10w-30. I hated the viscosity spread, but it seemed ok as a synthetic. But Chevy V8s need a 10w-30 and a 10w-40 when they get older, right?


Well, this new 5w-30 VWB has been calling me out because of this forum- so I read the info on the website and it seems the perfect oil for the 6.0 Silverado 5M


I might try to stay with DuraBlend grease though. NOT! I am about midway through a tube now and if it touches you- I assume, the molybdenum in it will burn. Moly has always interested me and it does smell good and seems much more potent than my tub of sta-lube moly-graph.




Quick question....at Harbor Freight, why are the Moly grease tubes sealed, when the red and regulars...along with Superlube are not? I figured Superlube claiming food safe would definitely seal their product.





Anyway, it would be sad to see DuraBlend go, but it seems to precious to use. Kind of like a collectible. Maybe Ashland can just make it to order. Not discontinue it or anything, but not stock the shelves with it either.
 
Originally Posted By: SR5
Valvoline DuraBlend semi-synthetic 10W40 (SN and A3/B4)


1022.05_durablend_10w-40_5l.png


All done in a nice friendly blue
 
Used it for probably 15 years or so.Really liked it until it beame really hard to find.Started using Pennzoil syn blend at at that time.
 
Originally Posted By: ejes
I think it is in the neighborhood of 30 percent syn.

Yes I hear it's about 30% synthetic.
 
In Europe,Valvoline has discontinued the Durablend name.The Semi-Synthetic 10w40 Durablend oil is now called Synpower 10w40,and is the only Semi Synthetic oil in the Synpower line.I don't know if this change will be applied in the US and other countries.Very good product,i used it for years in my late father's Ford Escort.
 
At one of the stores in Australia (AutoBarn) they also sell Valvoline "DuraMax" semi-synthetic. But I don't know how close this is to the more common DuraBlend.

5lduramax10w40.png
 
Originally Posted By: SR5
Originally Posted By: ejes
I think it is in the neighborhood of 30 percent syn.

Yes I hear it's about 30% synthetic.


I'd caution against believing rumors like this. Blenders wont add synthetic just because. So if they don't claim it and they don't need it to meet the specs/grades involved it doesn't make a lot of sense to have it in there.
 
Quote:
My question-
"Good afternoon,
I have seriously been considering using your Durablend product however I have a question concerning the percentage of synthetic used in it. How much synthetic is in Durablend? Is the synthetic used Group III, IV, or V? Any insight would be greatly appreciated."

Valvoline's response-
"Thank you for your question. The Valvoline DuraBlend Synthetic Blended Engine Oils contain 30% synthetic base oil in the blending of the product. Valvoline actually uses a unique mixture of Group III, IV and V base oil stocks for synthetic base oils. Hopefully this information is helpful."


Thread:
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2246076
 
I have always just used Maxlife instead, as it is essentially the same oil but with some extra seal conditioners added. And available everywhere.
 
OK, so I spoke to Valvoline (Australia) today over the phone. They were very helpful.

Previously in Australia, Valvoline had DuraBlend which they called a semi-synthetic and it had a higher synthetic content and better specs (e.g. A3/B4). They also had Engine Armour, which they called a synblend and it had lower synthetic content and lower specs (e.g A3/B3).

Today, the tech on the phone said that:
- DuraBlend was being phased out to the public and becoming their WorkShop / Garage / Professional series
- Engine Armour was being improved to have the same synthetic content and the same specs as the DuraBlend, it's really now DuraBlend in a different package
- DuraBlend and Engine Armour have always had the same add pack, they just differed on synthetic content, but they are now the same.
- Yes, I could expect a minimum of 30% synthetic in DuraBlend and now Engine Armour
- The DuraMax I referred to earlier, was just DuraBlend in a special package made for AutoBarn


BTW in OZ we only get one MaxLife and its 20W-50. So for any other oil grades in Oz, you want Engine Armour now days, if you want a Valvoline Semi-Synthetic.

The Engine Armour grades are: 10W30 (SN, GF-5); 10W40 (API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B4, MB 229.1, VW501.01, 502.00, 505.00); 15W40 (API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B4, MB 229.1, VW 501.01, 502.00, 505.00); 15W50 Diesel (API CI-4/SL, ACEA A3/B4.); 5W40 Diesel (API CJ-4/SN, ACEA A3/B4, ACEA E9/E7.)
 
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