What oil do you use and why?

[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]

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]

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 :xyxthumbs

[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]

[topnotchtouch]

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 times 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 a life of their own from there...



Also just as happens here, people 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...

[topnotchtouch]

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...

[Setec Astronomy]

Hey, I`ve got 20 years of M1 use under my belt, too. I just don`t trust any big-company CEO`s anymore, and last night I was looking at the M1 website data sheets and they use a different low-temp number (MRV at -40°F vs. pour point) for the 0W oils and the 5W/10W so you can`t compare them anymore...hmm. I did a spreadsheet last October, and the 0W-30 had a much lower pour point than the 5W-30 (which would make sense except for what I was told years ago that the 0W was really the 5W run through the 0W test), and the 0W was recommended for extended drain, while the 5W was not. They`ve updated the 0W data sheet now and I don`t see anything about extended drain.



There`s a certain logic in believing that the the 0W`s have a higher PAO content...from this spreadsheet data, as well as the Wal-Mart pricing...not to mention my MBA-CEO conspiracy theories which would just about mandate changing M1 to a Grp. III without lowering the price and keeping the change as a bonus!

[topnotchtouch]

I have been a BITOG member for years and the similarities between discussions of oil and discussions here of wax generally go pretty much the same way. My point is that I trust my years of used oil analysis on Mobil 1 to tell me that it is performing as advertised vs speculation that Mobil is lying about the contents of its oil. My latest UOA was on Mobil 1 EP 5W-30 at 7500 miles. I still had a TBN of 3.0 which in my experience tells me I could have easily gotten to 10K without any troubles and adequate anti-wear additives left over. Fact is though I don`t trust the oil filter to go that long which is the only reason I generally change at 7500.



I will be doing another UOA next month on the oil currently in the Mustang which is Mobil 1 Racing 0W-30 (unfortunately discontinued). I will post my results then if you are interested...



Fact is if you are doing 3K-5K oil changes ALL of this discussion isn`t worth @#$@# because any cheap conventional oil WalMart happens to have on sale will go to 5K easily.



I have to run, gotta pick up my new Crack... oops I mean Blackberry from Sprint and get my son`s paintball tanks filled. Be back later....



Bob

[Driven Auto Detail]

Fact is if you are doing 3K-5K oil changes ALL of this discussion isn`t worth @#$@# because any cheap conventional oil WalMart happens to have on sale will go to 5K easily.



Bob

I couldn`t agree more Bob. I see people that still swear by the 3K mile oil changes. Hell, some people change it even earlier. With today`s oils, I can`t imagine doing anything less than 5K mile intervals.

[Setec Astronomy]

Yeah, I really don`t get too wound up about the M1 because I`m doing regular changes and I don`t put so many miles on my cars that using a more expensive oil is an economic burden...it`s just the principle of the thing!

[Tiauguinho]

Redline oil all the way!

[silvsrt4]

I use Purple motor oil because I like the cool purple color bottles they come in. :laugh:

Actually I felt a slight power improvement and better MPG from the OEM oil when switched to full synthetic.

Not sure if you were joking or not but I, too, use Royal Purple (10w30 in the winter, 10w40 in the summer) and definately noticed a slight power improvement throughout the powerband, and an increase in fuel economy, as well as longevity of the oil between changes.



To the OP: When you do your change, you could pick up a magnetized drain plug and gasket; prolongs the life of the oil filter and extra insurance against small metal particles getting where they should not be.



And also to add, the last duration of RP lasted me 8k miles, and the oil had barely turned brown, and be sure to note that this is on a turbocharged car (excessive heat).