Opinions on Synthetic Blend Oils

[Inline200]

Hi guys, I'm new to the boards here and I just bought a new 2011 Chrysler 200 Touring a couple of weeks ago with the 2.4 L 4 cylinder. The dealer requires that you do the first oil change with them (at least it's only $8) but after that as I always do, I want to do it myself.

I'm definitely going to use the Mopar filter but I want to make sure I hit all the marks with the oil type. Manual recommends an API certified oil meeting Chrysler MS-6395 standards at SAE 5w20. I've always owned Fords and use the Motorcraft Synth.Blend but I am considering switching to a different synth. blend.

First question: Does the Motorcraft Synth. Blend meet the API cert. and Chrysler MS-6395?
Second question: If not the Motorcraft, I'm considering: Valvoline Durablend, Castrol GTX SynBlend, Quaker State Enhanced Durability and Pennzoil Gold. Are any of these a better choice over the others, or are they all pretty similar in performance?

Sorry about the long post. Just wanted to get the intro with the question.

Thanks!!

 

[mongo161]

You can always make your own synthetic blend. If your sump takes 5 quarts, use 3 quarts of conventional and 2 quarts of full synthetic in a mixed blend. You can do this for ALL the major oil brands. All motor oils are compatible with each other....synthetic and conventional.

The problem with synthetic blends is they don't, and will not, tell you how much synthetic is actually in their blends. It's usually a lot less $$$ to make up your own.

I usually use a 50/50 mix of conventional/synthetic....is the same oil brand when I want to use a synthetic blend.

 

[D189379]

I like the idea of syn blends, but often find they are few and far between, and when I do find them, they're 85% to 90% the cost of a full synthetic.

 

[OldCowboy]

IIRC, the only thing the Motorcraft oils spec are the Ford specifications.

Any of the syn blends you named would be fine, if they meet the Chrysler spec.

I'd recommend against making your own syn blend, at least until you're out of the warranty period.

 

[Inline200]

I can find the Synth. Blends pretty regularly but the price is a major reason why I may reconsider it since I prob. won't be able to use Motocraft anymore in order to meet all Chrysler specs for warranty purposes. The Motorcraft Synth. Blend is a full dollar cheaper a quart than other conventional oils. I mean, I don't mind spending the extra money for a better quality product, but from personal experience and reading articles, the Motorcraft seems pretty good.

My friend is an AMSOIL dealer and I was thinking if it may just be worth it to go full synthetic and go with the 5w20 Synthetic OE Oil? Tough choices with a new car. Lol

 

[4Kings]

I just looked at a quart bottle of Trop-Artic syn-blend which is similiar to the Motorcraft, and it lists the Chrysler MS-6395 spec right on the bottle. Just used this oil for a OC in a '04 Dodge Stratus over the weekend.

 

[Iain]

Originally Posted By: OldCowboy
IIRC, the only thing the Motorcraft oils spec are the Ford specifications.

Any of the syn blends you named would be fine, if they meet the Chrysler spec.

I'd recommend against making your own syn blend, at least until you're out of the warranty period.


+1

 

[Scorch]

I'm not sure if Motorcraft meets Chrysler's MS-6395 spec but if you want a very similar, the same manufacturer (conocophillips), Kendall High performance Synblend and Kendall Full synthetic are excellent oil's that meet Chrysler's MS-6395 spec as well as their flex fuel specs.

I've ran Castrol GTX Synblend, Pennzoil Gold, Valvoline durablend and Kendall high performance synthetic blend and have always had the best results with the Kendall. Would highly recommend.

 

[rshaw125]

The new SN PYB (Pennzoil Yellow Bottle) has already shown that it is a top performer. For short oil changes to comply with your warranty I would visit Walmart and buy a jug. I don't think a semi or full synthetic is worth the $$ unless you're extending your interval.

 

[Inline200]

Well the owner's manual claims 8,000 mile oil change intervals

. At the maximum I would probably be changing it every 5,000-6,000 miles. That's why I want the added protection of at least a synth. blend.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Inline200
I can find the Synth. Blends pretty regularly but the price is a major reason why I may reconsider it since I prob. won't be able to use Motocraft anymore in order to meet all Chrysler specs for warranty purposes. The Motorcraft Synth. Blend is a full dollar cheaper a quart than other conventional oils. I mean, I don't mind spending the extra money for a better quality product, but from personal experience and reading articles, the Motorcraft seems pretty good.

My friend is an AMSOIL dealer and I was thinking if it may just be worth it to go full synthetic and go with the 5w20 Synthetic OE Oil? Tough choices with a new car. Lol


Go to Walyworld and get a 5QT jug of Pen Plat. for around $24 and change (NY). While the top Amsoil oils are slightly better, few would argue that PP at $24 is an excellent oil and a great price.

Yes, I am not fond of Walyworld, and love Amsoil, the other main fluids in my vehicles are or shortly will be Amsoil.

 

[Inline200]

Quote:
Go to Walyworld and get a 5QT jug of Pen Plat. for around $24 and change (NY). While the top Amsoil oils are slightly better, few would argue that PP at $24 is an excellent oil and a great price.

Yes, I am not fond of Walyworld, and love Amsoil, the other main fluids in my vehicles are or shortly will be Amsoil.


If only it was that easy...I live in the city so the closest "real" WalMart (That has a decent selection of oil) is almost an hour away including a toll. I have to see what the AMSOIL will come out to per 5 qts. It seems like just going full synthetic may be a better option based on responses here for the small price difference.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Keep 'em coming, just searching through all the info is very interesting on this site and the personal opinions really help too.

 

[rshaw125]

PYB meets the Chrysler MS-6395 according to their web site. 5-6000 mile oil changes should be no problem for PYB SN.

 

[wolfc70]

I would still use the Motorcraft syn blend. It meets the current API SN specs and has shown some excellent UOA's here. I have been running it in my Vibe since it was new. When purchsed in 5qt jugs at Wall-Mart, you will have a hard time finding a better oil for the price.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The motorcraft SS should be fine as the deposit demerit for ILSAC GF-5 are likely what a good syn blend oil was delivering in the GF-4 era. See if you can determine what the chrysler spec is - it may be like the outadated GM 6049M which required the oil meet API Sm and ILSAC GF4 - which included most everything on the market. AFA blending, since a "full synthetic" oil most likely doesnt have any texbook synthteic oil in it, the MC-SS for 13 bucks a jug most likely has MORE synthetic component in it than what you would mix using an OTC major syn unless you are adding real performance lubes e.g: RL or Amsoil ATM or a eurospec synlube like Shell Helix Ultra, Fuchs, Pentosin, ELF, AGIP, Motul(VW/MB/BMWLL).

 

[Inline200]

That would be my preference but I want to make sure the oil clearly states that it meets Chrysler specs. Because I don't want to give them a reason to ever deny a warranty claim. Lol

 

[cp3]

To help offset the cost you could just go with any of the name brand synthetics and run it the full 8000 miles.

As far as the Motorcraft, I think this has been asked before. Maybe for the GM6094M spec and I don't think it listed any non Ford spes, which makes sense to me.

 

[chubbs1]

Well I am not sure if MotorCraft meets the GM cert. I'll say this about blends...I don't like them in general. "Blend" really means nothing today, not to mention most conventionals perform better than blends (on paper) at least. Motor Craft is a good, proven oil so I like that. But go grp. III "synthetic" or go with a conventional in the major brands. "Blend" is a cheap marketing term, since they don't tell you what is blended and the percent.

Most oils are blends to a certain degree. Just spend a little extra on a "synthetic oil" or a little less on a good conventional like PYB, VWB, NextGenC, GTX.

 

[mongo161]

IMO...I don't see what the problem would be in using any oil, store brand or name brand, that meets the spec.

Fact: I bought a boat load of store brand full synthetic oil, from Strauss Auto on clearance, that meets the Chrysler MS 6395 spec as well as European specs. I also had a VOA on the oil and the lab found it to be very good oil will a very good add pack.

IMO...You should save your money since the synthetic blends are expensive and fine quality oil can be found to meet your needs.

IMO....I doubt that 3 quarts of PYB, SN, GF-5 mixed with Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra, in the same weight, also SN, GF-5 would void an automobile warranty if run for 5K to 6K.

If someone has documented evidence of this.....please post? Otherwise, it's just IMO.........by everyone.

 

[Inline200]

Well I'm pretty much thinking of either the PYB 5w20 with a roughly 5k Mile change interval or going full synthetic for a 8k interval. If I go full synthetic, I'll probably go with the AMSOIL 5w20 OE Synthetic Motor Oil since I could probably get it cheaper than list.

Thanks everyone for making this easier.