Daily Driver oil type talk (gas engines only)

[TacomaJD]

Before we went to the beach last week, my car was already around 500 miles overdue for an oil change. I have always just ran Castrol GTX conventional oil in whatever I drive with delco or whatever filters. I always get it changed at local jiffy lube because it's so much quicker than me fawking with it. So anyways, I did not have time to get it changed before the trip so was gonna stop by last Monday morning on our way to the beach and get it changed....well they were closed. So I went down to the one in the neighboring city which was a Mobil1 branded jiffy lube place. He asked me which oil I wanted and proceeded to explain they usually put Mobil 1 synthetic blend in as their basic oil change and that you can drive 5,000 miles before next oil change will be needed. I assume a synthetic blend is same as a semi-synthetic oil. He also went on to say if I chose conventional oil, it's the same price as synthetic blend, but I can only drive 3,000 miles on conventional. Of course full synthetic was like a $15 upcharge but you can drive 8,000 miles on that.

Now why I've always stuck with conventional oil is mainly so that I don't just run it a long time like 5,000 or 8,000 miles and it be getting low if it burns a little oil per oil change, because I'd probably never make myself keep a check on the oil level throughout 5-8k miles of higher dollar oil and filter. I've heard different opinions, most don't think semi-synthetic is a good choice it seems. Some swear by full synthetic 100%, some only swearing by it because it costs the most and "you get what you pay for", some say fully synthetic is not good to run in a vehicle after it's only had conventional oil in it most it's whole life. Had a buddy have a Harley Davidson deuce that he ran synthetic oil in, noticed tiny leak on garage floor while it was sitting, someone told him to switch to conventional oil, he did and he had no more leak. The reasoning I've heard behind that is that the molecules of conventional oil are all about the same size, whereas the molecules of full synthetic oils are different sized, some small some big, allowing full synthetic oil to seep through around seals and such easier than conventional. No idea if any of that is legit. Some people say most all oil is the same long as it has the JASO or whatever it is rating on it.

So what are you guys' thoughts on oils? What do you prefer and why? How long do you run oil in between changes?

 

[money_pit_yj]

I know an old man that puts Rotella in everything and only changes his oil when he swaps from winter to summer washer fluid. In my dd I just run whatever synthetic is on special. 165k miles and uses no oil. I'm sure it matters for high performance engines but not a normal car.

 

[TacomaJD]

Friend from work has an older model pathfinder and a late 90's F-150 v-6 and changes oil in both once a year. Lol. People like that can get by with it, engine would lock up in my junk if I tried that. Lol.

 

[Shiloh]

We farm and my dad purchases gas engines where he can. He has never bought a diesel truck, we used to have a gas harvester, and have beat the **** out of many mid sized pickups. He changes oil every 5,000 miles with conventional and we have never lost a motor.

 

[TBItoy]

Mobil 1 full synthetic whatever the recommended weight is for the engine, 5000 mile interval (works out to once a year on my trucks)
Same on my wife's 4Runner (the 2014 calls for 0w20 and changing the oil is more difficult than it should be), and her previous 4Runner.

I buy it in 5qt jugs at Walmart and pour it in a metered dispenser. That the cheapest way I've found to buy it

I haven't owned a car or any other vehicle that requires it lifted (jack/ramps/etc) to change the oil in 10 years, so that helps. And I don't trust oil change shops.

 

[TacomaJD]

Re: Re: Daily Driver oil type talk (gas engines only)

Mobil 1 full synthetic whatever the recommended weight is for the engine, 5000 mile interval (works out to once a year on my trucks)
Same on my wife's 4Runner (the 2014 calls for 0w20 and changing the oil is more difficult than it should be), and her previous 4Runner.

I buy it in 5qt jugs at Walmart and pour it in a metered dispenser. That the cheapest way I've found to buy it

I haven't owned a car or any other vehicle that requires it lifted (jack/ramps/etc) to change the oil in 10 years, so that helps. And I don't trust oil change shops.

I know the ppl that own the jiffy lube I always use, and I stand there and bullshit with the owner while the guys change it. Only caught em twice on ****. They didn't tighten the oil filter good enough on my truck one time and it leaked til I tightened it. And caught em putting 4.5 qts of oil in my Malibu 2.4L ecotec, which is what my old Saturn 2.2L ecotec called for, whereas the 2.4L calls for 5 qts. Other than that, been using them for years. I can be in and out in less than 10 minutes and on my way, well worth not having to do it myself and not having to store the old oil.

The mobil1 synthetic blend 5k mile oil change actually costed a few dollars less than a conventional Castrol oil change at the other place I usually go to. I've just always been hesitant to steer away from what I know works, seems there's always gray area/non direct answers when it comes to oil, so I may swap it up and start going a little longer on oil changes. I probably put 10k miles a yr on my truck and 15k-17k+ miles a year on my car.

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[tnc89]

I don't know if this helps, but when I bought my truck(03 Silverado) it had 163K miles and only conventional oil ran in it. When I bought it I swapped to Mobil 1 full synthetic and I also run WIX filters. Truck now has 318K and I have had no problems from swapping from conventional oil. I go about 6-7k between oil changes. Hope this helps out any.

 

[TacomaJD]

Re: Re: Daily Driver oil type talk (gas engines only)

I don't know if this helps, but when I bought my truck(03 Silverado) it had 163K miles and only conventional oil ran in it. When I bought it I swapped to Mobil 1 full synthetic and I also run WIX filters. Truck now has 318K and I have had no problems from swapping from conventional oil. I go about 6-7k between oil changes. Hope this helps out any.

Thats pretty damn good life on the same engine. My 05 silverado 5.3 L33 only has around 130k miles on it and I plan to keep it for a long time. I do not need a nicer truck and it does everything I need it too. 300k+ on the same engine is impressive.

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[tnc89]

Yeah I have zero need for a truck payment. It is just fine for me. Plus I work 145 miles from my home. That's why it has so many miles on it. Everything drivetrain wise is factory GM. Knock on wood I haven't had a problem out of it ever.

 

[TacomaJD]

Re: Re: Daily Driver oil type talk (gas engines only)

Yeah I have zero need for a truck payment. It is just fine for me. Plus I work 145 miles from my home. That's why it has so many miles on it. Everything drivetrain wise is factory GM. Knock on wood I haven't had a problem out of it ever.

Holy hell, you drive that every day or drive there and stay til work week is over?

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[tnc89]

Heck no I don't drive it everyday. I work a 3/2/2 shift, and when I work off I drive home. Wish I could find something closer to home worth leaving where I work now. Been doing it now for 6.5 years

 

[EddieHall]

Royal purple and good filter ..2013 jk 16.0 conv. oil , RP oil 18.4 mpg. Around town
2018 jl 15-16.5 conv oil. .. RP 17.8 mpg around town
Stay away from fram filters.
Send ur oil off after every other oil change and have a oil analysis test that will tell u alot
Send 1 off after u do next then when u swap oil do the same .

 

[Kubotaorange76]

I run whatever store brand conventional in my newer gas engines, change every 7-7500 or so.

My daily driver 300-6 I run whatever diesel oil i have laying around, change every 5k or so

3000 mile oil changes are thing of the past.

 

[LightBnDr]

I had a trade school teacher tell us that he put store brand conv oil in a skillet and Castrol GTX in another.

He said the castrol stayed nice and clean for the 10 minutes or so at high heat but the store brand turned to scrambled egg mess and burnt to the pan.

Did he say this dishonestly because 10yrs prior there was a castrol commercial that did the same thing or did he really do it himself??

Either way, I never forget his story but never ran castrol. Lol

I run 15w-40 rotella in my truck, granted it's diesel but I go 6k between on the dot. I use only wix filters and it gets a fuel filter and air filter clean every oil change. I have 190k

I run 15w-40 rotella in my buggy. It's a gas 4.0L. 15yrs ago a guy I wheeled with got 2 flat cams in his 4.0. I think it was his fault but I switched to 15-40 in all of my rec vehicles because of how high the sulfur content is in diesel oil. Sulfur=lubrication

I run 10w-30 Mobil 1 synthetic in my boat but that's because it's a 4.3L blown alcohol injected hemi. The rod and crank bearing pressures are at NASA levels so I gotta have real oil to keep that rocket from grenading

Anyway, I dont think it matters in 2018 what oil you run in that thing. I think refining processes have come so far in the last 100yrs that as long as you keep it full and clean it's gonna last.

 

[xjtony]

In my daily driver: 2012 Honda Civic SI full synthetic valvoline syn power 0w20. Tractor gets rotella, samurai and my old chevy K10 truck gets Castrol GTX 10w40. I only buy wix filters or the Napa Gold since they are the same thing so I've read. I've been told you can run rotella in everything as long as it warm outside. I wouldn't try it on a brand new vehicle, but I use rotella on my little push mower I use to trim around junk , bar oil for the chainsaw, and other random little motors.


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[Kubotaorange76]

As long as it has the API stamp im good with it. Theres only a handful of manufacturers. After Rotella T shot up over $4 per gallon back around 2004 Ive always run Traveler (TSC brand) or Walmart brand 15w-40 in my diesels. With my 6.7 powerstroke I run the motorcraft 10w-30 in the cooler months and 15w40 store brand in the warmer months. Oil analysis have always come back great with store brand oil in my gas and diesel engines.


Keep in mind the old 15W40 diesel oils had higher zinc content and were great for flat tappet camshaft motors. After 2007-2009 when all the brands switched from CI-4 to CJ-4 this was GREATLY reduced. Zinc and DPF's Cats didnt mix well. Now they are designed to suspend soot and not hurt the DPF. Not sure on the new CK-4 stuff, i think they made some more emmisions related changes to the formulas. That being said the diesel oil is still a better option for flat tappet gas engines, which is why ive always run it. But definitely use a break-in additive when running in a new cam.

 

[44BRAND]

I have no problems with the synthetic blend oils. I run the maintenance dept. for a limo/livery company, our fleet has everything from sedans to SUVs, vans, buses and limos. All of our gas engines get an oil change every 5000 miles, with synthetic blend 5w20 bulk oil from HALCO. OEM filters. We put around 300k on our vehicles before replacing them (takes about 3 to 4 years), we have never lost an engine due to lubrication. Had a driver go thru high water and seize an engine once, different story for another day. Our diesels run Rotella 15w40, and get serviced at 15000 mile intervals. No problems with those either.
I run the Rotella 15w40 in my buggy cause it sees a decently hard life. My other vehicles get the synthetic blend, never had an issue with them.

 

[AllGoNoShow]

I have a lot of diesel engines, but a few gas ones as well. I run T6 Rotella 5-40 full synthetic in everything on the place, everything gets used hard.

 

[Sawzall]

I used to run Castrol GTX in all of my gas burners and I put 350,000 miles on a Maxima changing the oil every 5000. I talked to a drag racer who was running a GTO Judge in a stock class for years. His car was a little quicker after changing to Mobil 1 in the engine and rear differential but I don't remember how much. I now run Mobil 1 Extended Performance and still change it at 5000.

 

[The-Boss]

I have a 03 corolla DD that has about 350k on it. GTX only since new and oil only gets changed 10 to 15k miles. Has even seen 20k with no oil change on conventional oil. No smoke and still runs fine. I do have to add some now but that is mostly a minor seal leak.