Boring oil question

[rendyx]

I couldn't find it in a search, so here's my boring oil question. I use Mobil non-synthetic 10w-30 oil now. Considering winter is coming, and Ford recommends it, I may switch over to 5w-30, and try out Castrol GTX. How will 5w-30 work compared to 10w-30?

<small>[ October 02, 2002, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: rendyx ]</small>

 

[95ATX/Milwaukee]

Pat, The vehicle will start easier in the winter with the switch of grades. Some say the SHO runs a little faster too because of the viscosity switch. I work for an Oil Co. and I'm glad to hear you are using a non synthetic oil. Synthetics have their home, but conventional motor oil is so refined it works very well for daily driving. If anything, those that want the "controlled molecule" of a synthetic should try a blend. Probally more than you wanted, but I hope this helps/educates all who read it. Mike

 

[rendyx]

Thanks Mike. I'm mostly just concerned about how some people say that 5w seems incredibly thin so they don't use it. Oh, what about the oil filter? Fram anybody?

 

[shojuan]

WooHoo! A boring oil question! I'm there!

Yeah, New York gets cold enough that a switch to 5W/30 is warranted. Give the Castrol GTX 5W/30 a try. Screw the Fram filter, at a minimum use the motorcraft FL-400S that you get at walmart for $2.77. If you're the type that gets warm fuzzies from having nice clean oil, pick up a Mobil 1 M1-301 oil filter and an extra quart of oil.

I used to use Mobil non-synthetic too! Mobil 0 drive clean oil. $0.88 at walmart on sale. Then I tried valvoline Maxlife for one change and I liked it better. Now I'm using Redline 10W/30 synthetic. I like it best. Fastest oil pressure buildup with the Mobil-1 filter. None of those rod knock or valve noise sounds that others have noticed. But comparing Mobil 1 Oil to Redline is comparing apples to oranges. Completely different chemistry. At $8 a quart I doubt many want to use it. Stick with the forum favorite: Castrol GTX in 5W/30 grade for winter. Then switch back to 10W/30 in the spring.

Rick

 

[Millersho]

I've ran nothing but GTX 5-30 in all my cars with great success.

I've never seen the need to run synthetic oil, to expensive.

Is it true that you can run fully synthetic oil up to 6,000 miles?

Even if it was true, I still would change my oil at 3K. So it would cost to much for synthetic anyways.

ALl my clown ass 4 banger friends run nothing but synethic oil and they pay 5 to 6 bucks a quart!

After 100K miles of that stuff, you could of bought a rebuild for the engine!

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

Firstly let me open up my Bible (New American Standard Patterson Translation): ........Ahhh here it is Castrol 3:16-18

16 Thou shalt use Castrol GTX 5w30 for winter use in cold climate areas, 10w30 for summer. For every season there is an oil (turn, turn turn). An oil for cold, oil for heat, a time for changing and a time for keeping.

17 Use thy not those heathen oils from the tribe of Quakers and the tribe of Pensoil shall be persecuted greatly as thine car's heart will be unclean with caramel from the pit.

18 Thy filter shalt be White as snow from Motorcraft with thy brand 400S. Thems that use FRAM will pay 10 fold the trouble as your car's heart will have the sands of the beach pumping thru it. AMEN

Hmmm....I learn something new every time I open this up.

SYNTHETIC>

5.00 a quart for syn
1.39 a quart for castrol on sale

diff: 3.60

100,000 miles on eng = 33 oil changes
33 x 5.5 x 3.60= 653 dollars saved...which is money for 467 more quarts of Castrol for your engine.

But Ivey, you go 6,000 miles on Synthetic, and oil isnt always on sale...ok,

100,000 miles on synthetic oil: cost of 5.5 quarts per change every 6,000 miles at 5.00 a quart is 458 dollars

100,00 miles on Castrol changing at every 3,000 miles at the standard price of 1.69 per quart is 309 bucks.

Im sorry but even leaving it in for twice as long, synthetics still cost 150 dollars more per 100,000.

Benefit of syn over natural? Not worth 150 bucks to me considering the PATT MAN is running strong at 267,000. For him that works out to be a check for 425 dollars saved and one motor still going.

 

[SHOZ123]

Well the book I read says that the W number is the rating at 0F and the other number is the rating at 210F.

If the low ambient temp is considerably above 0F then the first number is irrevalent in the summer.

I use 5W30 year around. Only on a worn engine would I use a 10W oil. And I use a synthetic.

<small>[ October 03, 2002, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: SHOZ123 ]</small>

 

[shojuan]

With conventional oil you get the benefit of less heat activated polymer thickeners with a shorter oil spread. IE 10W/30 is a 20 point spread. 5W/30 is a 25 point spread. At operating temperature a conventional 10W30 is more stable than a 5W/30. Hence the recommendation for use in all but cold climates. Have you seen the Castrol commercials with the fine print that says their performance claim only pertains to the 5W/30 and 10W/30 weights? I guess the 30 point spread is too much for Castrol to guarantee their 10W/40 and 20W/50 weights. Those polymer thickeners have their limits before oil performance is compromised.

With regard to the Motorcraft FL-400S filter IVEYSSHO: Just because Scott uses that filter doesn't make it the best. At $2.77 it's the best filter you can use if you're pinching pennies. It's *NOT* the best performing filter. The Mobil 1 filter is, followed by the K&N. You pay for that quality though, so make your choice.

>Benefit of syn over natural? Not worth 150 bucks
>to me considering the PATT MAN is running strong
>at 267,000. For him that works out to be a check
>for 425 dollars saved and one motor still going.

I think Scott's recommendation is a good one if you drive like Scott. If you drive like Drivinhard at a track you will be doing rebuilds a lot more often with the Castrol than the Redline. Castrol's a good oil for spirited driving. It's not the right oil for all situations however.

Rick

 

[Markus]

94ATX/Milwaukee:
Pat, The vehicle will start easier in the winter with the switch of grades. Some say the SHO runs a little faster too because of the viscosity switch. I work for an Oil Co. and I'm glad to hear you are using a non synthetic oil. Synthetics have their home, but conventional motor oil is so refined it works very well for daily driving. If anything, those that want the "controlled molecule" of a synthetic should try a blend. Probally more than you wanted, but I hope this helps/educates all who read it. Mike

The very noticable difference I find between synthetic and non-synthetic is that my SHO idles much smoother AND much quieter with the Synthetic. For this reason I believe the synthetic to be better. I've been using Mobil 1 5W30 since the car had 10000 miles on the clock, and at the 100,000 mile mark the cams show absolutely no wear. I change the oil every 3000 miles and use the FL400S filter.

 

[SHO_Driver]

Just my two cents on the oil subject:

If your SHO has those small oil leaks from the front or rear seals don't use full synthetic, its too slippery and will leak its way out faster.

Go with semi-synthetic as a good tradeoff.

 

[pete c]

IVEYSSHO:
Firstly let me open up my Bible (New American Standard Patterson Translation): ........Ahhh here it is Castrol 3:16-18

16 Thou shalt use Castrol GTX 5w30 for winter use in cold climate areas, 10w30 for summer. For every season there is an oil (turn, turn turn). An oil for cold, oil for heat, a time for changing and a time for keeping.

17 Use thy not those heathen oils from the tribe of Quakers and the tribe of Pensoil shall be persecuted greatly as thine car's heart will be unclean with caramel from the pit.

18 Thy filter shalt be White as snow from Motorcraft with thy brand 400S. Thems that use FRAM will pay 10 fold the trouble as your car's heart will have the sands of the beach pumping thru it. AMEN

Hmmm....I learn something new every time I open this up.

SYNTHETIC>

5.00 a quart for syn
1.39 a quart for castrol on sale

diff: 3.60

100,000 miles on eng = 33 oil changes
33 x 5.5 x 3.60= 653 dollars saved...which is money for 467 more quarts of Castrol for your engine.

But Ivey, you go 6,000 miles on Synthetic, and oil isnt always on sale...ok,

100,000 miles on synthetic oil: cost of 5.5 quarts per change every 6,000 miles at 5.00 a quart is 458 dollars

100,00 miles on Castrol changing at every 3,000 miles at the standard price of 1.69 per quart is 309 bucks.

Im sorry but even leaving it in for twice as long, synthetics still cost 150 dollars more per 100,000.

Benefit of syn over natural? Not worth 150 bucks to me considering the PATT MAN is running strong at 267,000. For him that works out to be a check for 425 dollars saved and one motor still going.

that is the funniest thing I have read on this board. AMEN brother IVEY!!!

And shojuan, you blasphemous heathen, you, if Saint Patterson says Castrol 10-30, then castrol it is.

IVEY, I think there was one mistake in your Book. Thy 400S will suffice, but, Thy FL-1A will best lead you on the road to eternal engine wear.

 

[shojuan]

pete c:

Originally posted by IVEYSSHO:

And shojuan, you blasphemous heathen, you, if Saint Patterson says Castrol 10-30, then castrol it is.

I admit it. I'm the devil. Why do you think it's called REDline oil?

muahahahahahaha!

Rick

<small>[ October 04, 2002, 05:53 AM: Message edited by: shojuan ]</small>

 

[snowwind1990]

All I'm gonna say to all this is that I use 5w30 Valvoline and have done so since my 140K and Motorcraft Filter....
Snowwind has never seen 10w30 and never will.
Ma Ma M