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doesn't matter what brand you use - all works the same

interesting study and article here

they basically tested a bunch of NYC cabs with different oil doing oil changes at 6,000 miles. tore the engines down and found virtually no differences in them

After each engine ran about 60,000 miles (and through 10 months of seasonal changes), we disassembled it and measured the wear on the camshaft, valve lifters, and connecting-rod bearings. We used a tool precise to within 0.00001 inch to measure wear on the key surfaces of the camshaft, and a tool precise to within 0.0001 inch on the valve lifters. The combined wear for both parts averaged only 0.0026 inch, about the thickness of this magazine page. Generally, we noted as much variation between engines using the same oil as between those using different oils. Even the engines with the most wear didn't reach a level where we could detect operational problems.

We measured wear on connecting rod bearings by weighing them to the nearest 0.0001 gram. Wear on the key surface of each bearing averaged 0.240 gram - about the weight of seven staples. Again, all the tested oils provided adequate protection.
 
I don't trust it. The extra few bucks for brand-name oil is worth the peace of mind.
i still feel pretty much the same, but after reading that i'm a little more likely to follow a sale. still not ready to grab the plain-label stuff, but i could vary a little. besides - i (and i think you) are using the same castrol stuff for $3.50/qt. it's not like there can be a huge difference between that and something $1 cheaper
 

rambler

New Shoes......
old article from July 1996, would like to see the test repeated to see the same results.... I dont change my oil every 3k miles, as I would be changing all the time, and none of my vehicles have less than 100K miles on them.

I have used castoil mostly and have had good luck with it, also Lucas oil additive has helped a lot in my engines. and also helped me baby a transmission for awhile till I could afford the overhaul...
 

Blade

Backwoods boy
i changed the oil in my truck, and i used Motocraft.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
I guess the other question, that I don't see addressed (I didn't exactly study the article, though) is using many different oil brands versus using the same brand consistently.
 

SuperCab

Moderator
Staff member
10,068
547
Montana
I've been saying this for quite a while. I use Wal*Mart brand oil or AutoZone brand or whatever's cheap when I need oil, and I've never had a problem.

What do you guys think is going to happen if you use cheap oil? it has to meet the same standards that expensive oil does...
 

mrxlh

Oilfield Trash
5,904
430
Stigler, OK

SuperCab

Moderator
Staff member
10,068
547
Montana
Exactly. To obtain that API rating, it has to be up to snuff.

Ford reccomends API rating X for X engine, any oil with said rating is approved by Ford.
 

RangerPilot

Boom Shaka Laka
2,560
110
Dallas, TX
If it has the correct API rating for your engine, it will work no matter the brand or cost. Some are just better than others, none however are bad.
Yup...reps for that.

I'm a devoted Mobil 1 synthetic user...but I use it because the PO used it, not because I think my engine will magically run better or last longer because of it.

I stick with the belief that the oil that is in the truck at it's first oil change needs to be the oil it retires using.
 
Everything you guys are wondering or need to know about oil, filters, analysis, etc.

To add my two cents and keep on thread topic though, I agree with MR.XLH. The most current API standard is SM. I think most of the problems that come from oil related failures in engines has more to do with the maitenence of the vehicle than the oil itself. The same oil will perform diffrently in a different application and is not a "one size fits all" chemical. My Sentra runs 150 highway miles a day taking my fat arse to work and back two weeks out of the month, and it sits the two weeks I am off. I should be able to obtain great results running Wally Worlds Supertech for 6,000 miles in it with a decent filter because the car is run long enough to heat up and burn off any condensation that the oil might accumulate, and it does this everytime it is driven, highway miles are typically easy miles on the engine and oil. My wifes truck however, is a different story. This vehile would have a hard time keeping Royal Purple past 2500-3000 miles, so I change it on a time basis. The truck is run on short maybe 10 minute a piece trips and never really has time to warm up and burn off condensation. I take this vehicle to work once or twice a month just to run it.
 
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RangerPilot

Boom Shaka Laka
2,560
110
Dallas, TX
The truck is run on short maybe 10 minute a piece trips and never really has time to warm up and burn off condensation. I take this vehicle to work once or twice a month just to run it.
Story of my Explorer's life...sub-10 minute drives to work with the occasional run to Texas to keep it runnin' smooth. Those short hops are killer on engines...not to the level they are on diesels, but definitely not good.
 

70blue

Georgia Chapter member
1,177
163
If it has the correct API rating for your engine, it will work no matter the brand or cost. Some are just better than others, none however are bad.
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I look for the API certification myself. I go for the cheap stuff as long as it is certified for my engine. I definitely would never get the high priced bs that does not even bother to get certified. You don't know what you are putting in your engine then.
 
My truck has used Castrol GTX 20W50 since it was new, and the engine has almost zero wear. That Castrol is good stuff.:)
 
I tend to stick with castrol,

But I do find it intersting that the "quote on quote'" top after market senthetic oils are not API certified. IE Red line, Royal Purple, and Amsoil.
 

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