motor oil companies

what motor oil company do you guys go with? have you actually seen actual proof of one motor oil company being better than the other? full syntec or regular? i heard that mobil 1 was good, but how would it do against other motor oil companis like castrol, and vavoline? i mean seriously, when it comes to over the counter oil that you can get at a local auto store, i think most of them are gonna have the same results if it has that api stamp of approval on it. some people stick with one company cause they think its slightly better than other companies, or because they say its better for their make, and model of car, but i seriously dont think it matters that much. anyone have their opinions, or proofs on this?

I use Mobil 1, Amsoil, or Pennzoil, but really the most important things are that the oil is changed on time and the filter is good quality. Synthetics are more practical for turbocharged vehicles, but for a regular old street vehicle a good Dino oil will do just fine.

All of the test results I have seen were fishy at best and clearly biased at worst. In this case I generally go by word of mouth, since any data I have seen pertaining to this is generally garbage.

All oil companies have their own figures that show that they have the best oil...

In general a synthetic oil is better than a mineral one.

i heard some full syntetic oils werent exactly 100% syntetic, that some are more so than others, anyone know anything about this? would it really make any difference?

This is what your asking about CrazyMR2T
http://www.silkoleneoil.com/techtip4.htm

Synthetic oil IMO is fine for any vehicle. The oil leaks of higher milage engines switched to syn have been debated ad nauseum. Oil filter choice is just as debateable. Some love Fram, some hate fram, some love purolater, someones car blew up using purolater. Everybody found something on the internet supporting their claim and everyone has debunked the others claims. Personally Mobil 1 is available everywhere and has been used exclusively in our cars since the early 90's. Never had an engine fail or even any compression loss.

the use Penzoil Sythetic, synthetics generally dont break down as quickly as dino oil and work a little better, so im told. And i figured since i drive my car hard often that ill do this one little step to keep my engine alive longer.

If you actually give a crap about all this synthetic oil shit, then pour in 1L with normal oil in your next oil change. That supposedly helps slightly if you can't afford synthetic all the time.

Oops, that's the wrong link. There are two synthetic motor oil types (in general). One is hydrocracked mineral oil ie Castrol Syntec, Quaker State Syn, Rotella T. Basically it breaks the larger molecules of oil into smaller even sized ones. It gives syn oil properties at a cheaper cost. Then there are "true" synthetic PAO oils. Refined from the beginning w/ small molecules. Also PAO oils are polarized, meaning they tend to stay in place after the engine stops. Much better for cold startups.

Small molecules = better smoother, even flow.

There are several "real" synthetic oils, to mention a few:
- Polyalphaolefins (PAO)
- Polyolesther
- Diesther
- Polyglycol

All these oils have different properties and are therefor suitable for different applications. What they have in common is that no one if them are made by refining mineral oil. This doens't mean that they are made from crude oil because they usually are. From crude oil we can refine certain hydrocarbons that we can make these oils from, the oils are then made by blendning the hydrocarbons needed and then let them undergo a chemical process, this can for example be addition polymerisation.

what motor oil company do you guys go with? have you actually seen actual proof of one motor oil company being better than the other? full syntec or regular? i heard that mobil 1 was good, but how would it do against other motor oil companis like castrol, and vavoline? i mean seriously, when it comes to over the counter oil that you can get at a local auto store, i think most of them are gonna have the same results if it has that api stamp of approval on it. some people stick with one company cause they think its slightly better than other companies, or because they say its better for their make, and model of car, but i seriously dont think it matters that much. anyone have their opinions, or proofs on this?

change your oil within the manufacturers recommended intervals, and use the recommended grade, and never a fram filter, and it will return good service.

Yeah, just change regularly. I always use Havoline or Valvoline. Sometimes I even use Fram filters Quaddriver. I got a cheap 89 cavalier with 300,000 miles on it. It still don't burn any oil. Just replaced a couple of seals and gaskets over the years.

Viscosity - use the appropriate one for the vehicle and temperature range you are expecting to encounter. Using a fully synthetic oil with a viscosity of 15W-50 MAY NOT be appropriate for some engines particularly in cooler temperatures but better in higher temperatures.

Most of the synthetics are rated SG/CD (API) which indicates that they are better quality than say SE and SF.

Some oils are 'synthetic-fortified' ie they have a synthetic component added to the mineral oil base usually to assist with the oil's properties.

It's the usual case of most of the products at the higher price bracket will be better than the cheaper ones. Most of the manufacturers produce competitive products and it comes down to what you want to spend, what the application is (ie how you drive) and the engine requirements.

I have to use either a Shell or a Castrol Product in my engine because of the limited availability of oils where I am. They are the only two products that have the required viscosity for the conditions I have to travel in (temperature, load and type of motoring and the engine requirements) which dictate 0W - 30 SG.

I've tended to change the oil at half the recommended normal service interval because I am conscious of the mix of driving during the week contributing to dilution and sludge creation with lots of cold starts with short trips. In contrast, I also do extended touring with high loads in the weekends - and I am stuck with the OEM filters because of the powertrain warranty....

The only OEM engine manufacturer I am aware of that does NOT recommend synthetics was Mazda for its wankel-type rotary engines.

and I am stuck with the OEM filters because of the powertrain warranty....

Did you know that's not true? The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act says that a manufacturer cannot force you to use a particular filter or oil unless they provide it free of charge. They can recommend certain items, but cannot void your warranty unless you improperly perform the maintenance.

That would be true 83-944 if I lived in the US... which I don't.

Synthetic oils are the way to go. I run nothing but synthetic now after learning about them directly from the engineers at the oil companies. Synthetic oils are more refined (smaller) particles and do a good job of reducing friction due to their chemical makeup. These huge chemical chains that make up the synthetic portions cling to the important parts of your engine after it is shut off to reduce the wear & tear your engine takes on a cold start. Plus the fact that synthetics have a longer period before they start to break down surely helps your engine last for longer than on traditional oils.

ok with that said which oil is the best??? I use 20W-50 penz-oil on my old 91 caprice 203,000 and still runs good non Synthetic by the way

mobil1 is most often chosen because it uses no viscosity improvers. Most over the counter oil products do the same thing, synthetic is proven better than regular dinosaur juice because it stands up to the thermal breakdown much better, actually you can go for up to three times the amount of time between oil changes with synthetic.

Also as a tip, if you arent going to get a synthetic, it is best to get oil with the shortest span of viscosity. For example 10w-40, and 5w-30 use more polymers than a 10w-30 or 20w-50. So a better choice would be the 10-30

When NOT to use synthetic oils:

1. Don't use synthetic oil in an engine that is rarely started! Unlike mineral oils, synthetic oils will slowly migrate to the oil pan after a few weeks which will result in a "dry start." Aircraft engines which use synthtic oils will often have a pre-oiler in the form of an aux electrical oil pump, or an oil pressure reservoir that will pressurize the oil passages just prior to cranking the engine over. If they don't have the pre-oiler, the engines have to be started at least one per week. Automobiles don't use such a system. Otherwise, synthetic oils do give the best lubrication.

2. Don't use synthetic oil in a high time engine that leaks or burns oil. If you have an oil leaker or an engine that uses a lot of oil, you may as well leak or burn the cheaper mineral oils.

3. Depending on what additives you've been using, some additives create a gunk inside the engine walls that slough-off if synthetic oil is used. Depending on what contaminates are caught in that gunk, using synthetic oil may be like freeing dirt...or whatever, to ruin your bearings. Of course most oil additives are worthless anyway. Go ask any shop that specializes in engine rebuilding about the gunk that they occasionally see from people using additives. Engine manufacturers tell you to NOT use oil additives.

*Just my :2cents: from personal experience.

Oops, that's the wrong link. There are two synthetic motor oil types (in general). One is hydrocracked mineral oil ie Castrol Syntec, Quaker State Syn, Rotella T. Basically it breaks the larger molecules of oil into smaller even sized ones. It gives syn oil properties at a cheaper cost. Then there are "true" synthetic PAO oils. Refined from the beginning w/ small molecules. Also PAO oils are polarized, meaning they tend to stay in place after the engine stops. Much better for cold startups.

Small molecules = better smoother, even flow.

so are mobil 1 full syntec oils hydrocracked mineral oil?

Mobil1 isn't hydrocracked
Castrol syntec IIRC is

how about that restore stuff oil additive it is said to restore compression across all cyls.. is that true or will that gunk up my engine??

Yes, Castrol is hydrocracked, but still a high quality oil. Mobil 1 is probably the best you will find off-the-shelf. Amsoil is my preferred lube.

This topic has been discussed over and over again, so I'll try to focus on info not mentioned in other threads.

Rotary engines and synthetic oils don't mix, at least not in their current form. In a Wankel rotary, the nasty sludge that forms when mineral oil burns is what protects and conditions the apex seals (the rotary equivalent of piston rings)! Synthetic oils burn cleaner, hence they do not leave this critical residue behind. Unless your engine is constantly put under a lot of stress, it will take a long time for you to notice the difference, but after 60-75k miles, the apex seals will be ready to let go if you use synthetic oil. Hopefully, better seal design will eliminate this issue in the future.

It is also noteworthy that mineral oil and PAO synthetics do not form water emulsifications like other synthetics do. However, they float on top of it, displacing it to the bottom of the crankcase where it will likely be scavenged into the oil lines. Water in the oil supply is bad no matter how you slice it, but I thought I'd mention this little-known fact.

how much are amsoil? how do you get them? im thinking about using mobil 1. my friends in the air national guard, and he saids that they use mobil 1 for their airplanes, i think its the c130 hercules.

is valvoline hydrocracked? my brother uses that company.

between hydrocracked, and true syntec, there must be enough difference for it to matter then? what are all the ups, and downs?

You can order amsoil off their website or search of a distributor from there too.
www.amsoil.com

Holyterror: thanks for the rotary info. I was looking for a reason why.