What oil do you use and why?

[2KLS1]

Originally Posted by mshu7

I've been using Penzoil Platinum synthetic 5w20 in my '05 Mazda3 for the past couple years. I run it 7500K between changes. After my 2nd 7500K run, I sent it in for a UOA. It came back flawless and showed that I could have run it out longer. Platinum, IMO, is the best bang for the buck synthetic oil out there...or, it used to be. I stocked up with 60+ quarts a couple years ago when they had crazy deals ($1.99/qt.).

For my leased Tacoma, I use Motorcraft 5w20 and change it every 5K. MC is a rock solid oil.

Its quotes like this why I decided I'm going to switch to Penzoil Platinum. I'm going to get a UOA done on the M1 I'm running now, then again after Penzoil and see how they compare. I haven't had problems with M1 mind you but it is a little on the thin side, and if I can get less engine wear with another oil then thats the way to go.

[mshu7]

2KLS1 - I'd suggest doing your Platinum UOA after your 2nd run of that oil. That will decrease the chance of "left over" M1 being in the sample. Good luck w/it!

[rjstaaf]

I am not one to discourage used oil analysis but there is little value in trying to compare one oil to another based on a single used oil analysis of each for judging wear. Used oil analysis is best used over time and multiple reports to see trends. A single report doesn't really mean anything and most likely you will not see much of a difference between the two oils if you are doing typical 3K to 5K oil change intervals as even the cheapest conventional these days should not have any problems lasting that long.

Personally I don't run regular Mobil 1 (Red Cap) myself since API went to SM as it calls for huge reductions in zinc and phosphorus which are some of the primary anti-wear additives in just about every oil out there. Evidently zinc and phosphorus can build up and clog catalytic converters in engines that burn oil. Any oil that wears the API SM badge has the lower levels of zinc and phosphorus.

I run Mobil 1 Extended Performance (Gold Cap) which has the old levels of zinc and phosphorus. I also run Mobil 1 Racing oil which also has higher levels of anti-wear additives. Neither wears the API badge but they meet every other test in the API certification.

For you BITOG fans I am sure there are plenty of threads on API SM but if you are not a member just do a Google search for "API SM" and maybe throw in "zinc phosphorus".

Mobil 1 Extended Performance

[netspec]

Motorcraft 5W-20 for me also!

[reaper34]

currently in the grand cherokee I6 is Q torque power synthetic because it's synthetic(I'm assuming group IV base stock if ferrari endorses them) but also it was $.95 at advanced auto parts they were closing it out so I cleaned out the entire store. after I finally get rid of all that? rotella 5w 40 synthetic, uoa's on bob is the oil guy have shown it to be great for engines with flat tappet lifters.

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally Posted by RTexasF

I use Mobil 1 API SL 0W20 because I bought a ton of it prior to the formulation change to SM. 7500 mile intervals or annually depending on which occurs first. It is suspected (but not proven) that the current M1 SM oil is no longer a "true" synthetic in the strictist terms.

Last time I spent some time at the M1 site mulling over the specs, it appeared that the 0W SM's might still be the "true" synthetic based on, IIRC, the low-temp numbers. Unfortunately, finding the 0W's is difficult and way more expensive than the 5 qt. jugs at W-M.

[reaper34]

I know mobil 1 just came out with a new 0w something synthetic, it's got a green cap and being marketed as a their new fuel saving oil. I saw it at wal-mart tonight. don't if that's the one you mean or not but they got a butt ton of it.

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally Posted by reaper34

I know mobil 1 just came out with a new 0w something synthetic, it's got a green cap and being marketed as a their new fuel saving oil. I saw it at wal-mart tonight. don't if that's the one you mean or not but they got a butt ton of it.

Well...back some years ago Mobil realized that their standard M1 (full synthetic) would meet the 0W spec in most of their grades, and thought that it might give them a marketing edge when Castrol was allowed to label their Syntec as a synthetic, even though it was technically a different chemistry than the M1. I remember talking to M1 tech support on the phone (can you even still do that?) and they told me they were going to phase out all the 5W and 10W oils because the 0W encompassed the spec of those oils, and they were going to market it on the improved cold start up and fuel economy, yada yada.

The public didn't understand and was frightened by the 0W designation and it was a flop, so I guess they decided if they couldn't beat Castrol they would join them. The BITOG guys can explain it...I think M1 used to be a Grp. IV, now it's a Grp. III, like the Syntec, or something like that.

But anyway, the 0W's aren't new, they had 0W-20, 0W-30, 0W-40. When they went SM they dropped the 0W-20 for a while, but it's back, that may be the green cap one you saw.

[reaper34]

thats probably it because the display was all about fuel economy and exceeding oem 5w and 10w standards. I knew 0w wasn't new but as far as I knew the german castrol was really the only one with any mainstream success or being marketed, either way I don't know a whole lot about 0w oils or their history, I'm sure you have far more info than me about it. it was just a big new display and thought I'd share. on a sidenote does the group III basestock contain paraffin or another. and do you know what basestock the new Q oils are? btw thanks for the back story, good to know

[Setec Astronomy]

Q oils? Heck, I don't even know what I'm talking about with the Groups...I'll just back out of this by saying that at one time M1 used to be all PAO (polyalphaolefin, a synthetic hydrocarbon) except for the additive carrier oil. The Syntec is a....I dunno, modified hydrocarbon...what do they call it? Severely hydrocracked? But it's made from petroleum, but a modified petroleum molecule, rather than an artificially created (synthetic) molecule. I guess the speculation is that today's M1 is less than fully PAO, the difference made up by a "syntec"-like oil. And at this point I'll stop before putting the oil can any further into my mouth.

[reaper34]

you'll have to pull it out of mine before you can put in yours

just pulled from wikipedia, hope it explains something:

Synthetic Base Stocks

Synthetic motor oils have been made from the following classes of lubricants:

* Polyalphaolefin (PAO) = American Petroleum Institute (API) Group IV base oil
* Synthetic esters, etc = API Group V base oils (non-PAO synthetics, including diesters, polyolesters, alklylated napthlenes, alkyklated benzenes, etc.)
* Hydrocracked/Hydroisomerized = API Group III base oils. Chevron, Shell, and other petrochemical companies developed processes involving catalytic conversion of feed stocks under pressure in the presence of hydrogen into high quality mineral lubricating oil. In 2005 production of GTL (Gas-to-liquid) Group III base stocks began. The best of these perform much like polyalphaolefin. Group III base stocks are considered synthetic motor oil in North America.[2]

[rjstaaf]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Q oils? Heck, I don't even know what I'm talking about with the Groups...I'll just back out of this by saying that at one time M1 used to be all PAO (polyalphaolefin, a synthetic hydrocarbon) except for the additive carrier oil. The Syntec is a....I dunno, modified hydrocarbon...what do they call it? Severely hydrocracked? But it's made from petroleum, but a modified petroleum molecule, rather than an artificially created (synthetic) molecule. I guess the speculation is that today's M1 is less than fully PAO, the difference made up by a "syntec"-like oil. And at this point I'll stop before putting the oil can any further into my mouth.

I think you are getting closer to the latest BITOG conspiracy theories here Setec The speculation is that the carrier oil for the additive package is Group III. There is no basis in fact for the speculation and as happens even here sometimes, repeat something enough whether it is true or not and people will start to take it as a fact. It all started when Mobil lost the suit with Castrol, people just assumed Mobil would start using Group III and the rumors just took on a life of their own from there...

Also just as can happen here sometimes, people can get way too wrapped up trying to figure out what is in the product rather than just accepting the results they achieve with it. I have been running Mobil 1 in my vehicles for 20 years with great results backed up by many years of used oil analysis. The Mustang has never seen anything but Mobil 1 and she is still purring like a kitten at 105K...