Will frequent oil changes compensate for bad oil?

[RedDeadAssassin]

I use Wolfs Head Oil (0W20 FS) for both of my Hondas (‘10CRV & ,13SI), my oil change intervals are pretty much 3k/mi or every three months on the dot. The only reason I use it cause my dad always used it but I’ve come to realize it’s cause the parts store around here ran a pretty killer deal from what I understand. I’ve read the posts ab it being a reputable brand back in the day and it may not be under Amalie. My current cost is ab $50 each filter included (WIX). Would it better off using a brand name oil company and going at the recommended intervals (7k-10k/mi) or is the saying “oil is oil” legit and as long as I keep to my habits I’m good?

 

[eljefino]

3k is way too much, go to 5k and get it analyzed to see that you can go longer yet.

PS, Amalie/ Wolf's Head isn't "bad."

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I would run it. It is Dexos approved and API SP. Agree you can probably run it longer.

Data sheets:

DATA Sheet

The Wolf’s Head Oil Company has been producing high-quality and high-performance lubricating products for well over 140 years. Wolf’s Head lubricants continue to meet or exceed all accepted industry standards and have done so since 1879.

www.wolfshead.com

 

[BrendanC]

it should make 5k without much hassle. send a UOA out at 3k and see how it’s looking then.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

I'd use Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage 5W-30 and go 6K~7K miles. Wix is an excellent choice for an oil filter. Don't be fooled by the "High Mileage" designation. This oil is GTL based, and has a very good additive package and top notch seal conditioners. I continue to be amazed by this oil. Cold flow is excellent at -54F. You'd also get better wear protection without any impact on fuel economy, since this oil is also API SP Resource Conserving.

 

[mr_boring]

I'd use Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage 5W-30 and go 6K~7K miles. Wix is an excellent choice for an oil filter. Don't be fooled by the "High Mileage" designation. This oil is GTL based, and has a very good additive package and top notch seal conditioners. I continue to be amazed by this oil. Cold flow is excellent at -54F. You'd also get better wear protection without any impact on fuel economy, since this oil is also API SP Resource Conserving.

Yoda - Good oil, sure. I wish I could be amazed at motor oil, especially a motor oil that's probably no more special than any of the other motor oils sitting next to it on the shelf. It's hard being a stoic realist sometimes

OP - the probable answer to that question is 'yes' - though as long as an oil is made by someone other than Big Slicks Slippy Goo (or Triax according to another post) and sold in reputable businesses, it's probably not 'bad oil'

 

[ripcord]

Go ahead and use Wolf's Head with confidence for 5k or more changes. It's not bad oil at all. It's likely the same stuff that's sold as Fram, STP, Carquest house brand oils and others made by Amalie. You don't need used oil analysis for this. Amalie is a major oil manufacturer with 80 plus years of experience and history and their oil meets all required specs.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Wasting good oil, could go another few thousand miles. Wolf’s head is good oil.

 

[dishdude]

No such thing as bad oil unless you're buying the no name stuff at some shady convenience store that ends up on the PQIA naughty list.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I use Wolfs Head Oil (0W20 FS) for both of my Hondas (‘10CRV & ,13SI), my oil change intervals are pretty much 3k/mi or every three months on the dot. The only reason I use it cause my dad always used it but I’ve come to realize it’s cause the parts store around here ran a pretty killer deal from what I understand. I’ve read the posts ab it being a reputable brand back in the day and it may not be under Amalie. My current cost is ab $50 each filter included (WIX). Would it better off using a brand name oil company and going at the recommended intervals (7k-10k/mi) or is the saying “oil is oil” legit and as long as I keep to my habits I’m good?

With your Hondas, change ever 4k and don't worry if it takes you a year to achieve that mileage. Any brand name motor oil will do and you should consider bumping-up the viscosity to 5w30 in most any part of the continental 48 states..

 

[vxcalais]

Name what you think is a bad oil ? You would really struggle to find one provided you use the right grade.....

 

[totegoat]

Go to 6K / 6 months and count your savings.

 

[RedDeadAssassin]

With your Hondas, change ever 4k and don't worry if it takes you a year to achieve that mileage. Any brand name motor oil will do and you should consider bumping-up the viscosity to 5w30 in most any part of the continental 48 states..

Could you elaborate to the reason why I should consider. Ik one number has to do with the viscosity of the oil and that’s ab it. Why wouldn’t Hondas recommendation be the best?

 

[RedDeadAssassin]

Name what you think is a bad oil ? You would really struggle to find one provided you use the right grade.....

Honestly, and I will state this is coming from pure ignorance. Any oil that isn’t the name brand, Mobil1, Penzoil etc.. (idk them all by name, just the ones that come to mind)

 

[kschachn]

Honestly, and I will state this is coming from pure ignorance. Any oil that isn’t the name brand, Mobil1, Penzoil etc.. (idk them all by name, just the ones that come to mind)

Yes that is pretty much ignorance.

It's why licenses, material standards and approvals exist. That doesn't lend to long and voluminous threads full of personal biases, likes and opinions, but it's actually how it should work.

And as for frequent OCI compensating for truly bad oil? No it won't. I wouldn't run any of my vehicles one moment on City Star or any of the ones for which PQIA has issued a warning.

 

[mr_boring]

Honestly, and I will state this is coming from pure ignorance. Any oil that isn’t the name brand, Mobil1, Penzoil etc.. (idk them all by name, just the ones that come to mind)

That's ok, we all came here to learn.

What I've learned from this forum are 2 big things

1- for most applications, an oil weight between 0w-20 and 5w-40 will run just about any gas powered grocery getter on the planet. For example - If your car calls for 5-30, you can easily run 5-40

2- off the shelf oils all perform well. By off the shelf, I mean any oil available at a Walmart or an AutoZone type of store. The vast amount of data on this board supports this. QS is about as good as Penz which is about as good as Supertech (or any other store brand), which is about as good as Valvoline, which is about as good as Mobil which is about as good as Castrol. Especially when you run oil change intervals at 7k or less. Some do seem to hold up better for a little longer, so if I was so inclined to run a few extra thousand miles before changing my oil, I might go with one of those. But, I have an engine that dilutes my oil with gasoline, so I'll never have a need (in this vehicle) for an oil capable of going 10, 15, or 25k miles. 7500 is about my max.

 

[k1xv]

Sounds like an unwise strategy to use oil you do not trust, just to "use it up".

 

[RedDeadAssassin]

Sounds like an unwise strategy to use oil you do not trust, just to "use it up".

I wouldn’t say I don’t trust it. As stated, I’ve watched my pops use it my whole short life with no issues, I accepted it was his trusted brand but the answer I got to my question was “it’s cheap if you get the smyths sale and to me, oil is oil”. I’ve been using on every car I have but his habits became mine and I’ve just been at that 3k/3month intervals. At the EOD I’m ignorant as to which brands to trust to run mileage on but after reading some other posts and comments here, I’d say I trust what I use at this point.

 

[RedDeadAssassin]

That's ok, we all came here to learn.

What I've learned from this forum are 2 big things

1- for most applications, an oil weight between 0w-20 and 5w-40 will run just about any gas powered grocery getter on the planet. For example - If your car calls for 5-30, you can easily run 5-40

2- off the shelf oils all perform well. By off the shelf, I mean any oil available at a Walmart or an AutoZone type of store. The vast amount of data on this board supports this. QS is about as good as Penz which is about as good as Supertech (or any other store brand), which is about as good as Valvoline, which is about as good as Mobil which is about as good as Castrol. Especially when you run oil change intervals at 7k or less. Some do seem to hold up better for a little longer, so if I was so inclined to run a few extra thousand miles before changing my oil, I might go with one of those. But, I have an engine that dilutes my oil with gasoline, so I'll never have a need (in this vehicle) for an oil capable of going 10, 15, or 25k miles. 7500 is about my max.

So both of my cars call for 0w20. A previous comment mentioned on how I should consider using 5w30. The car will run on it undoubtedly but will it run worse? Why should this be a consideration, why wouldn’t the Honda recommend that off the rip?

 

[kschachn]

So both of my cars call for 0w20. A previous comment mentioned on how I should consider using 5w30. The car will run on it undoubtedly but will it run worse? Why should this be a consideration, why wouldn’t the Honda recommend that off the rip?

No.

And for the second question that is a topic beat to death on this site. Owner's manual recommendations are highly regulated due to fuel economy regulations. The automaker cannot recommend any grade that was not used to obtain mandated economy figures. In fact they must actively discourage it.