Originally Posted By: engineer20
if i'm doing a 3k OCI, is a store brand conventional and store brand filter enough?
Originally Posted By: engineer20
@ pennzoil is it because of the sludge issues? Also, what about pennzoil platinum? that's supposed to clean sludge!
Sludge is NOT a result of using the wrong BRAND SN-rated oil specified for the engine (5w-30 in your case)...
Sludge is a result of
1. OCIs extended beyond the capabilities of the oil
and
2. OCIs EXTENDED WELL BEYOND THE MILES SPECIFIED BY THE OEM, (5k miles for your engine)...
BUT....you've written: "if I'm doing a 3k OCI" ......so neither variable is relevant to your inquiry.
With 3k-mile OCIs ANY SN-rated oil will keep a clean engine clean....
Is there even any evidence of sludge in your engine?
If not, then there's no need to worry or wonder about brands of oil if you are going to do 3k OCIs...
If there is some sludge then OCIs every 3k miles will clean a lot of it up...as salv writes in reply...
Originally Posted By: salv
Originally Posted By: engineer20
@ pennzoil is it because of the sludge issues? Also, what about pennzoil platinum? that's supposed to clean sludge!
Is the napa brand motor oil any good?
let's put it this way, is a "premium conventional" like castrol gtx, or kendall liquid titanium, etc "better" than a "cheap synthetic" like meijer or supertech synthetic?
what's the difference between using a top conventional vs the cheapest synthetic you can find like gulf synthetic/supertech? does the cheap synthetic offer any benefits?
With modern conventional base oils, additive chemistry is far more important than base oils. Not much difference in using inexpensive synthetics and conventional oils for normal drain intervals.
Talking about cleaning, we changed the oil in a 2005 Tuscon using our bulk Gulfpride AFE 5w30. The next day the vehicle came back smoking and sputtering with the check engine light on. It had a cam actuator code that typically indicates a clogged oil control valve. We pulled the drain plug to check for sludge. The pan was full of sludge. One day of driving on our Gulfpride broke loose tons of sludge.
With another oil change, the vehicle was fine. You don't need to spend big money on oil to clean a dirty engine.
YES! Change oil @ 3k miles as OP says he's doing, then yes, "you don't need to spend big money on oil to clean a dirty engine."