Who really looks at oil specs anyway?
- Thread starter ZZman
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It took you over 4500 posts to notice?
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
I always thought if you bought the latest name brand oil in the proper weight your vehicle calls for, that you were good to go.
Many modern vehicles call for more than just "proper weight."
Reading the owner's manual is a good start.
I always thought if you bought the latest name brand oil in the proper weight your vehicle calls for, that you were good to go.
Many modern vehicles call for more than just "proper weight."
Reading the owner's manual is a good start.
Originally Posted By: kschachn
It took you over 4500 posts to notice?
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
I'm just wondering what the point here was, if anything...
It took you over 4500 posts to notice?
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
I'm just wondering what the point here was, if anything...
wemay
Site Donor 2023
I believe that is how most people buy motor oil. And in all honesty, very few have any issues so long as the oil level is checked.
My neighbor uses MS5K 5W30 in his 2013 Merc CLA turbo. Says he's been using it since new. What ever makes you happy...and he is.
My neighbor uses MS5K 5W30 in his 2013 Merc CLA turbo. Says he's been using it since new. What ever makes you happy...and he is.
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As a Ford Powerstroke Diesel owner who values his warranty, I do. But then again, I always did like the details.
What is Bitog for if not to obsess over specifications and such?
For my old 2004 VW Passat the owners manual didn't contain the correct details of what oil was to be used, VW sent out updates to the owners manual( German 4 ring binder) to replace pages in same.
Then about 4 years ago, VW sent me another oil update and a sticker to affix in the engine bay to reference the proper oil spec to be used.
I read, I follow, I respect that oils are evolving and the OEM's can change their advice based on owner feedback and warranty claims.
Then about 4 years ago, VW sent me another oil update and a sticker to affix in the engine bay to reference the proper oil spec to be used.
I read, I follow, I respect that oils are evolving and the OEM's can change their advice based on owner feedback and warranty claims.
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
Oh come on, this is beyond ridiculous. Someone who has been on this board for nearly 10 years with over 4500 posts asks this question?
Please. This is the definition of a troll post.
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
Oh come on, this is beyond ridiculous. Someone who has been on this board for nearly 10 years with over 4500 posts asks this question?
Please. This is the definition of a troll post.
Originally Posted By: kschachn
It took you over 4500 posts to notice?
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Since I drive run of the mill cars and oils I buy said GM, Ford, Chrysler etc on the bottles I never dove into whether those specs exactly related to my cars or not.
Kind of like the bulk oil deal at oil changes places.. Specs?
It took you over 4500 posts to notice?
Blind ignorance will get you nowhere.
Since I drive run of the mill cars and oils I buy said GM, Ford, Chrysler etc on the bottles I never dove into whether those specs exactly related to my cars or not.
Kind of like the bulk oil deal at oil changes places.. Specs?
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Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
Oh come on, this is beyond ridiculous. Someone who has been on this board for nearly 10 years with over 4500 posts asks this question?
Please. This is the definition of a troll post.
Oh I have seen people mention specs before but I see that more of a concern with exotics or European cars. I didn't really think people who drove American or Asian made cars were that concerned.
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Eh, it's not unusual to be a bit grumpy when you realize you may have been unaware of something important for years. No need to rub his face in it.
Oh come on, this is beyond ridiculous. Someone who has been on this board for nearly 10 years with over 4500 posts asks this question?
Please. This is the definition of a troll post.
Oh I have seen people mention specs before but I see that more of a concern with exotics or European cars. I didn't really think people who drove American or Asian made cars were that concerned.
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Originally Posted By: ZZman
Shouldn't any decent name brand motor oil of the proper weight be safe and acceptable? I wouldn't think any catastrophic event would happen if you didn't.
Different engines have different oil requirements. You put an oil with a regular/rich additive pack into a modern diesel engine, you might have issues with DPF, just to give one example.
In the race for max performance/max fuel economy/long maintenance intervals, engine manufacturers are now designing engines that can be tough on oil. Basic API specs don't go far enough in protecting these modern engines, so engine manufacturers have bypassed API and came out with their own much more stringent specs.
Shouldn't any decent name brand motor oil of the proper weight be safe and acceptable? I wouldn't think any catastrophic event would happen if you didn't.
Different engines have different oil requirements. You put an oil with a regular/rich additive pack into a modern diesel engine, you might have issues with DPF, just to give one example.
In the race for max performance/max fuel economy/long maintenance intervals, engine manufacturers are now designing engines that can be tough on oil. Basic API specs don't go far enough in protecting these modern engines, so engine manufacturers have bypassed API and came out with their own much more stringent specs.
Originally Posted By: wemay
I believe that is how most people buy motor oil. And in all honesty, very few have any issues so long as the oil level is checked.
My neighbor uses MS5K 5W30 in his 2013 Merc CLA turbo. Says he's been using it since new. What ever makes you happy...and he is.
Yeah, I don't think that oil meets MB specs. Then again, some don't consider the CLA a real Mercedes.
I believe that is how most people buy motor oil. And in all honesty, very few have any issues so long as the oil level is checked.
My neighbor uses MS5K 5W30 in his 2013 Merc CLA turbo. Says he's been using it since new. What ever makes you happy...and he is.
Yeah, I don't think that oil meets MB specs. Then again, some don't consider the CLA a real Mercedes.
Old cars, the specs are of historical interest but the stuff recommended may be sub-optimal or unobtainable.
I buy the oldest API spec I can find (to avoid really low ZDDP levels) which is usually SJ, in the highest viscosity (which is usually 15W/40 or 20W/50)
IIRC car specs SF 10W/30 or straight 30 .
I buy the oldest API spec I can find (to avoid really low ZDDP levels) which is usually SJ, in the highest viscosity (which is usually 15W/40 or 20W/50)
IIRC car specs SF 10W/30 or straight 30 .
It's because engines are becoming more complex and stressing oils in different ways and this has lead to specifications from OE's that address these issues because OE's have different engineering takes on achieving the same horsepower or mileage etc. Direct Injection, Turbo's, High Temperatures, Oil Life monitors that push the limit.
No, one oil can address all these issues. They might do well in a lot of areas but not others and vice versa.
Owners manual for grade and specifications it requires is the start and then UOA's to confirm the choice you make is meeting those specifications to the best of its ability is the best course of action.
No, one oil can address all these issues. They might do well in a lot of areas but not others and vice versa.
Owners manual for grade and specifications it requires is the start and then UOA's to confirm the choice you make is meeting those specifications to the best of its ability is the best course of action.
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One can go by the owner's manual. Though it doesn't cover the case where the recommended oil is later changed via back speccing, which is fairly common today. That opens up a whole new can of worms. Who knew more? The engineers who originally designed the engine or those that came 5-20 years later and say that it's ok to run this different grade oil? Then you have to keep up on back specs that are "taken back" because they are later found to cause more harm than good. That's why it's good to know the underlying oil specs.
No. Any modern oil will do just fine.
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