Your preferred Oil and Oil filter?

[AleroB888]

First of all, the basics: oil is slippery. It has to be to lubricate. But then again, it has to be sticky. Thick oil draws off heat faster than thinner oil, but thinner oil is easier to pump through the engine. If you have an oil that remains stable and does it's job better than a thicker oil, I'd use the thinner one, and consider an oil cooler if needed. The nastiest share of used-up oil probably finds its way to the lowest part of the engine. If it turns black and smells bad, definitely change it. (Or if you're fnstewart, keep the oil and change cars). If you're anal, drain it well, overfill it by a half quart. Then run it around the block, let it sit, then drain out the black, grungy half quart that settled to the bottom. I use Mobil 1 synthetic, KN filter with the neat decals

[TDavis]

So full synthetic, synthetic blend, or conventional?

[sleepyalero]

I vote full syn.

[AaronGTR]

Really depends on a bunch of factors. How old the car is and how many miles on the engine, how long you plan on keeping it, modified or stock, what kind of weather conditions it sees, how much money you want to spend and how often you plan to change the oil.

[TDavis]

Well you aleady know most of the answers to those questions, mileage atm is at around 127k, car sees winter weather, atm before I planned on doing oil my own they've used synthetic blend.

It's just I've heard stories of if you switch oils it can create problems and that on high mileage engines full synthetic can create problems.

[AleroB888]

Originally Posted by TDavis

Well you aleady know most of the answers to those questions, mileage atm is at around 127k, car sees winter weather, atm before I planned on doing oil my own they've used synthetic blend.

It's just I've heard stories of if you switch oils it can create problems and that on high mileage engines full synthetic can create problems.

Coulda swore that was covered in post #36.......

[AaronGTR]

I don't think switching between a full synthetic and a synthetic blend would cause you much problems, but I don't think it would gain you anything either. The synthetic blends these days are really quite good quality and work well over a range of temps similar to full syn, and if you aren't running at really high power levels (equaling high stress loads on the engine), I wouldn't see much reason to run full syn.

[TDavis]

Might just stick with a Synthetic blend then since thats what mine has been getting, now its just about what brand I'll get and atm the only brand I'm comfortable with seeing at O'Reilly's in synthetic blend is Castrol GTX.

[TDavis]

BTW starglow what did you hear about AC Delco filters that made you change?

[TDavis]

Another thing. Is the high mileage formula oil just a gimmick or does it actually help?

[AaronGTR]

No, they do actually have more additives in them (acid neutralizers and such) so that they will last longer. You can't say 100% for sure though if you can run them as long as they say on the bottle though (ie 7,000 miles or 10,000 miles etc). That all depends on the condition of your engine, how much wear you are getting, etc. Only way to know for sure is to run it for 3-4k miles then send a sample to a lab and they can tell you how much life is left on it.

[rocketfast123]

Originally Posted by AaronGTR

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So less of a difference between one oil and the next... probably more of a difference between specific engines and their wear characteristics, or difference between a well maintained engine and a poorly maintained one. Sorta like how some people take a transmission that has been beat on and never service, do a fluid flush, and suddenly have problems.

When i got my car at 109k 4 years ago. Wal-mart was the last place to change it with a fram filter. When i did do my first oil change with full synthetic the motor did have bad blow by at WOT where i could see it out the rear view.

It still does it, but not as bad. I just have to check it once a week.

Originally Posted by TDavis

Might just stick with a Synthetic blend then since thats what mine has been getting, now its just about what brand I'll get and atm the only brand I'm comfortable with seeing at O'Reilly's in synthetic blend is Castrol GTX.

I use everything but Pennzoil, Quaker State, and Fram.

[TDavis]

Yeah my dad said stay away from quaker state and pennzoil

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Originally Posted by TDavis

Another thing. Is the high mileage formula oil just a gimmick or does it actually help?

I've had very good luck with Valvoline High Mileage. Ran it in the Grand Am, and I run it in the Galant and use Mitsu oil filters.

[unchained_01]

I run Castrol 5w- 20 in my car and have used Pennzoil in my other cars since I have had them
My father was the mechanic for the Bd of ED here for 26 yrs and used Pennzoil in 26 buses , 14 staff cars and 17 other vehicles from a loader to dump trucksnd vans So I think you Dad is misinformed Tanner
Oil is Oil something else was at fault if there was a failure

[rocketfast123]

My daddy can kick your daddy's ass.

[TDavis]

Changed my oil yesterday. Car is so low I had no other choice then my other attempts but to drive halfway on the grass and street , even then it was a tight fit but got the job done in the dark with lights. Used Castrol GTX high mileage with Mobil1 filter.

Was a soul changing experience for my first time, its fun to change your own oil.

[blckgagt]

Originally Posted by TDavis

Changed my oil yesterday. Car is so low I had no other choice then my other attempts but to drive halfway on the grass and street , even then it was a tight fit but got the job done in the dark with lights. Used Castrol GTX high mileage with Mobil1 filter.

Was a soul changing experience for my first time, its fun to change your own oil.

I have drive mine on to boards to make enough room to jack it up and place it on jack stands. PITA for sure.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

I use an alignment rack to change my car's oil. Yay!