Whose oil brand opinion is the most accurate?

[Ed_Flecko]

I'm sure like many of us, I'm trying to gather accurate information as to what brand(s) and specific oil(s) are the best quality for a given application based on real experience, and not flashy marketing.

It seems to me that some people, through their daily job, probably have some valuable opinions based solely on their daily interactions with motors and motor oils that would be directly applicable to the average person like me. I'm trying to identify who those "people" would most likely be.

Would that person be...

1.) The local dealership mechanic/service department? I'll bet they've repaired a LOT of motors and since many of their customers have their oil changed at the dealership, I'm guessing they see what motors look like after many miles using Brand X type/grade of oil?

2.) Local small racers? They probably use off the shelf oils and work on their own motors so maybe they have some opinions as to brands, etc.? I'm guessing they also don't have any oil company sponsors so they're not obligated to promote a certain brand(s)?

3.) Commercial racing teams? They're probably the hardest on oils but they probably don't use the same oil I would use in my daily driver and they may be required to promote a specific oil?

4.) Commercial engine builders? They might have some valuable feedback/opinions, wouldn't they? Also, they probably don't have a contractual obligation to recommend a certain oil(s), do you think?

You get the idea.

Whose "real world" opinions do YOU think are worthy of my research?

Ed

 

[WobblyElvis]

Something to consider.

This article by blackstone labs suggests there is little difference between any brand of oil.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/Newsletters/Gas-Diesel/July-1-2014.php

 

[fredfactory]

Anecdotal "evidence" can of course be unreliable. To get at the truth, one needs real scientific methods. Sorry, there is just no substitute. In the real world sometimes all we have is hunches though, understood.

I'd go with:

First, see if the company consistently puts out products that have the right viscosity and levels of anti-wear additives, and it looks like all the major brands have good factory process control, as per pqiamerica.com .

Secondly, look for lots of test qualifications, as I think the best oils backed by the best companies go to the trouble of getting many qualifications instead of skimping.

Thirdly, look for published clues in wear test results, deposit test results, made public. (Kendall and Castrol have been good about that, better than many other oil companies anyway. Amsoil spilled the beans on a double Sequence IIIG lately too.)

Racing isn't a bad endorsement of off-the-shelf OTS oils, when IndyCar says it has to be OTS for example. That means Mobil1, Castrol, and Pennzoil 0w-40s have that "test" on top of LL-01, MB229.5 they passed.

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Something to consider.

This article by blackstone labs suggests there is little difference between any brand of oil.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/Newsletters/Gas-Diesel/July-1-2014.php


That study, along with noticing slightly higher iron PPMs in M1 UOAs over the years, has corroborated avoidance of most Mobil1 grades (0w-40 exception). Note of the 4 graphs shown, Mobil 1 loses every one of them! Sure Blackstone puts in lawyer-repellent statements, yet the results kind of say it. There are differences between brands, some pass wear and deposit tests better, yet some only barely meet specs.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I trust car manufactures that don't recommend any particular brand such as Honda, Toyota ... They test their engines in various platforms in hot(Death Valley/California)) and cold weather(Fairbanks/Alaska). This tells all name brands are about the same for any grade.

Remember this, Honda builds many different type of engines for many applications may be more than anyone, they know about engine and lubrication probably more than anybody and they don't recommend any particular oil brand.

 

[Donald]

Mine.

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Originally Posted By: fredfactory

...Thirdly, look for published clues in wear test results, deposit test results, made public. (Kendall and Castrol have been good about that, better than many other oil companies anyway. Amsoil spilled the beans on a double Sequence IIIG lately too.)


I've never seen a published wear test result by Castrol - can you point me to one as an example?

Ed

 

[BikeWhisperer]

1) Maybe but maybe not

2) Many (if not all) Racing Oils do not meet API certifications, so it is of little value

3) See above, plus sponsorship and that most don't use anything that could be considered "off the shelf".

4) Possibly but might not be applicable to modern cars (that get crate engines if replaced).

The absolute best source is your vehicles owner's manual. Use an oil that meets the manufacturers specifications at their recommended OCI and you will have a 99%+ chance of having an engine lasting a long time.

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko
I've never seen a published wear test result by Castrol - can you point me to one as an example?

Castrol Synblend (now Magnatech in U.S.) advertised, on their jugs&quarts, 5x increased wear protection, & they meant 90 microns x 20% = 18 microns. Others had graphs of Magnatec showing similar SeqIVA performance. Castrol is secretive about other lines though, so not great openness.

 

[MinamiKotaro]

I don't know about engine builders. I had a long talk with a retired builder at a car show. He said he would always suggest 20-50 simply because that's what his customers seemed to want to hear. In reality, he felt 10-30 would be more than sufficient for all but the most extreme engines he built. He also had a deal with Valvoline, so Valvoline was the best oil, though he didn't really thing there was much difference between brands.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko
I'm sure like many of us, I'm trying to gather accurate information as to what brand(s) and specific oil(s) are the best quality for a given application based on real experience, and not flashy marketing.

You'll never find a consensus and you'll waste your time and effort trying to do so.

 

[fdcg27]

What application are you thinking of?
For a Euro car, it just doesn't get any better than M1 0W-40 and other oils with the appropriate certs are also just fine.
For a Honda, any API spec oil of something close to the recommended grade will wear you out driving the thing long before it does the engine.
For the average car on the road, any API SL/SM/SN in some grade within spittin' distance of the recommended one will work as well as anything more exotic.
You won't find real world results of Brand X versus Brand Y.
Engines simply run too long on any oil changed at some reasonable interval for it to matter.
I'd worry more about best overall maintenance practices than I would about best motor oil.

 

[147_Grain]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'd worry more about best overall maintenance practices than I would about best motor oil.

+1

 

[dlundblad]

If it wasn't for the 4.0 having so much more iron wear and being so noisy on a non molybdenum packed oil, I would be more inclined to run whatever is on sale.

Above all, the noise bothers me. I need to hold onto what mental health I have left.

Realistically, who really knows about the iron wear.. Lots of folks running whatever oil they can get with maybe a few shots of Lucas. Their engines aren't dead.. yet.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko

You get the idea.

Whose "real world" opinions do YOU think are worthy of my research?

Ed



Why MINE of course!!

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'd worry more about best overall maintenance practices than I would about best motor oil.

+1


"What do you mean my car has a CEL? I changed my oil every 3k!"