Bob's Oil 101 university

[Garak]

Don't sweat it. Any 5w-30, conventional or synthetic, will do just fine in your vehicles in all weather you're going to encounter. I wouldn't be switching back and forth between synthetic and conventional. Multigrades came about to avoid seasonal switching, not to encourage it even more.

I've used a lot of conventional 5w-30 in Saskatchewan winters over the years without blinking.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I don't understand how a mineral based grp III synth oil can tolerate heat better than a "regular" mineral based oil. If they're both mineral based from the same crude,won't the heat tolerance be the same? I understand the better cold fluidity since it's refined to a further step,but saying it handles heat better I just don't understand.


Tolerating heat is not the name of the game here.

Group III isn't just "more refined".

It is far more oxidation resistant. Remember that every 8C you increase temperature, a reaction rate doubles.

 

[BrocLuno]

If your cooling system is up to par and the crankcase is full, you should not be having excessive heat issues with any oil.

If you are turbo'd and you are pulling long grades with a load, then the turbo will be pouring extra heat into the oil and there can be issues...

But if that's what you are doing, you need to be into the owners manual looking at the heaviest oil called for, or allowed. YOU are loading the oil with heat by doing what you are doing.

Delo400LE IsoSyn may not be ester based oil, but it will handle a ton of heat all day every day - just ask Cummins, CAT, Detroit, etc. Some of those rigs dragging 80,000 over the Grapevine do it on 110* days and they do not fail engines due to oil ...

There are many mis-statements in Oil 101, like wear comes from no, or restricted flow. Flow is only important to some bearing types. The presence of oil in sufficient quantities is what's important. There are plenty of engines out there running every day that have never seen an oil pump ...

 

[virginoil]

Oil is overrated.

There is so much more for vehicle longevity such as proper maintenance for all fluids and other consumables such as spark plugs, lead, air filters etc.

Select the recommended oil grade (with OEM approval is best) for your conditions of use and climate etc and change according to the OEM manual recommendations.

Oil is subject to combustion gases and generally requires more frequent changing than other fluids but it needs to sobered up a touch.

Follow OEM guidelines and drive sensibly ie NO spirited driving and your vehicle should last a long time.

BTW select a recommended OEM approved oil and stick with it, no need to switch back and forth between brands as per the hype.

 

[BrocLuno]

Originally Posted By: virginoil


Follow OEM guidelines and drive sensibly ie NO spirited driving and your vehicle should last a long time.



Geez, what do Porsche and BMW and even my Saab Turbo owners do with all that extra HP if not spirited driving ...

W/o it, what's the point of owning a car? Mite as well have a 4 banger mini-van

 

[virginoil]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Originally Posted By: virginoil

Follow OEM guidelines and drive sensibly ie NO spirited driving and your vehicle should last a long time.

Geez, what do Porsche and BMW and even my Saab Turbo owners do with all that extra HP if not spirited driving ...

W/o it, what's the point of owning a car? Mite as well have a 4 banger mini-van

Even your 4 banger mini van is probably too powerful for what is needed as a daily driver.

Porsche and BMW and even my Saab Turbo owners can sell the vehicles catch public transport and donate the money from the proceeds of the vehicle sales to charitable organisations. About time they got in the real world.