Amsoil XL or Pennzoil Platinum or Cheap Dino Oil

[c3po]

I am about to finish a Rinse with Auto-Rx and go on the Maintenance Dose. The vehicle is a 1983 Chevrolet El Camino with 364,000 miles on a 305 small block.

When I finished my 2nd rinse phase I went on a Maintenance Dose with Amsoil 10W-30 100% Synthetic, it started leaking oil out the rear main seal. I think it leaked for these reasons:

1) My seals on this vehicle did not like Group IV Oil.
2) Maybe there was some cleaning or rinsing that needed to be done.

So I did another clean and rinse with cheap dino oil and no leaks. I am about to go on the Maintenance Dose, Gary Alan once said that rinsing can be going on for a few more oil changes. If that is the case does cheap dino oil rinse better than Amsoil XL or Pennzoil Platinum.

I should point out that because of what he said I am 500 miles into another rinse with dino oil. So I guess my question is when I go on the Maintenance Dose should I stick with cheap dino oil or go to Amsoil XL or Pennzoil Platinum.

Would the dino oil continue rinsing or releasing junk better than Pennzoil Platinum or Amsoil XL.

 

[Pablo]

Low cost dino for the flush!

 

[c3po]

Pablo, no disrespect, I am using low cost dino for the flush, just wondering what to do on the Maintenance Dose.

 

[Drivebelt]

Huh …, what's this talk about oil … robots like c3po don't drive cars.

I would just stick with dino. Modern Group II/II+ dinos are so good, unless you are doing extended oil intervals, it's hardly worth using synthetics. In fact, you may want to go to one of the High-Mileage oils out there to see if it helps with the seal leak.

 

[c3po]

Drivebelt there are no more seal leaks, and the only reason I go by C3Po is because when I was trying to get on BITOG it only excepted that name. I tried my name and it did not work, so on the 10th try C3PO worked, go figure.

 

[Johnny]

1983, 305, with 364,000 miles. I would either use a good 10W-30 conventional oil i.e., Pennzoil, Castrol, Valvoline, etc., or one of the high mileage oil made by those three. Continue doing the maintenance dose of ARX with either. I personally would not use a synthetic on this engine with those miles, not matter what base stock it's made out of. Just my opinion.

Nice vehicle you have there.

 

[c3po]

Johnny, isn't Pennzoil Platinum and Amsoil XL Group III oil's which means they are mineral oil's hydrocracked to be a synthetic.

Do they have additive packages that would not be good for my seals. If dino oil is the only oil that will keep this engine from leaking, then that will be my obvious choice.

 

[Johnny]

Both are hydrocracked synthetics which are made from mineral oils. I just do not see an advantage to using either on an engine of this age with that many miles on it. Any of the major brands made with Group II or Group II+ oils would give more protection than any conventional from 1983. Now if you were going to put a fresh 305 in there that would be another story. Neither will hurt anything but I just do not think you will get any benefit from using either.

 

[Yuk]

Originally Posted By: Drivebelt
Huh …, what's this talk about oil … robots like c3po don't drive cars.

Umm... don't you mean "Androids don't drive cars." I'm surprised the PC police let you get away with that one.

 

[c3po]

Johnny, I know you have alot of knowledge on motor oil's, so if you are saying that a dino oil with a Maintenance Dose of Auto-Rx is just as good as Pennzoil Platinum or Amsoil XL with a Maintenance Dose of Auto-Rx, then I will follow your advice.

Is Wal-Mart Super Tech just as good as Valvoline or Pennzoil dino oil.

 

[Johnny]

That's what I'm saying. Use a quality dino and change it every 5K. Now here is where most everyone on this board will disagree with me. The last oil I would use is Super Tech. I would use dino oils in the following order:

1a. Pennzoil, 1b. Quaker State, 1c. Formula Shell
2. Chevron/Texaco
3. Castrol
4. Anything made by Conoco/Phillips
5. Mobil
6. Valvoline
7. Anything not covered by the above.

 

[c3po]

Johnny, I can agree with Pennzoil being number 1, and all of the other motor oil's look good, but QUAKER STATE. Hopefully Quaker State has gotten better than it was during the 1980's.

I will say that the problem with Super Tech is that they use the cheapest base stocks and additive packages. I am just guessing this, and my opinion is in no way scientific fact.

The only fact I know about Super Tech is that it is the cheapest oil I see out there.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Originally Posted By: c3po
The only fact I know about Super Tech is that it is the cheapest oil I see out there.


That was true, but have you seen the price on SuperTech synth lately? 17.50 per 5 quarts. You can get PP, Synpower, Q synthetic, etc. for only a few bucks more. SuperTech is really pricing themselves out of the market IMHO.

Johnny:

I agree with your list for the most part. Personally, I would rate the Mobil Clean 5000/7500 higher on the list, but not next to Pennzoil in the top spot.

 

[c3po]

Saturn Fan, we are talking about Wal-Mart Super-Tech Dino Oil.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Originally Posted By: c3po
Saturn Fan, we are talking about Wal-Mart Super-Tech Dino Oil.


Doesn't matter. Pennzoil YB is 12 bucks per 5 quarts every day. Mobil Clean 5000 is 11 buck per 5 quarts. Formula Shell can be found for half the price of ST on sale, etc.

Super-Tech dino isn't a great deal anymore. Sorry to pee on your corn flakes.

 

[c3po]

Saturn Fan, I eat Cheerios not Corn Flakes. You are right about Super Tech not being a great deal anymore. It was a great deal when it cost $1.54 a quart. I think it now cost something like $2.25 a quart.

 

[[RT] ProjUltraZ]

Johnny, why do you like Formula Shell so much more than Valvoline? i just read other thread about the refinery in Louisiana. thanks

 

[Steve S]

What oil gave you 364,000 miles?

 

[c3po]

Steve, I am glad you asked this question.

1) 25,000 miles to 200,000 miles Mobil 1
2) 200,000 miles to 343,000 miles Amsoil Synthetic
3) 343,000 miles to 364,000 miles cheap dino while doing Auto-Rx

I should also add that I always changed my oil and filter at 3000 miles.

 

[Johnny]

[RT] ProjUltrZ, to answer your question first. I do not like Valvoline products and I do not like the Valvoline company. I will just say it's personal reasons and leave it at that.

c3po, seeing what your oil choices have been, I think I might re-think what I said. Your engine should have been very clean with those oils and that oil change schedule you had. I'm sure the esters in ARX did some cleaning, but I would imagine the main thing it did was to condition the front and rear crank seals and the valve stem seals. I think I would recommend that you go back to using Amsoil full synthetic in the 10W-40 with your ARX maintenance dose, and do a minimum 8K oil change, and drive it another 343,000 miles.