Changing the oil...which oil to use?

[tonyk72]

Go with what your owners manual suggests but change the oil at least every 3000 miles and/or right before you put her away for long term storage...and do it yourself! Avoid quickie lube places...

 

[Stallion]

Well I can't wait 3000 miles. I'm thinking it'll be a 6 month thing for me. If I wait 3000 miles, then it would be years before I would do it again. And I don't think that's good practice. :nono

Thanks!

TR

 

[TWINRAY]

What I've heard is that Fram filters have inside them a cardboard top instead of a metal top - now "that's what I've heard." Maybe one time I'll cut oil filters apart to see a difference, but I don't have the time or ambition to do that. I've always used either Fram or Delco oil filters and 10w-40 Castrol GTX in the '67 which I've had since 1975. I used the above filters in my '69 along with Pennzoil 10w-40 from purchase date in 1973 till the early 90's. I then switched to Castrol 10w-40 to standardize. I use both too infrequently to warrant a switch to Mobil 1. Do to infrequent driving, I'd rather do more frequent dino oil changes than leave the syn in the crankcase for extended periods.

I've also used either Fram or Delco filters plus 10w-40 GTX oil in my wifes '79 Camaro since new. It now has 105K miles and runs like new. If I had a new Corvette, I would use Mobil 1 oil and filters but in my situation, it's not worth the added cost. I am planning to switch filters to either Mobil 1 or Pure 1 at my next filter change.

 

[76corvette]

Mobil 1 seems like a really good choice to me.. Just because I have never heard anyone have any concerns with it and because Chevy chose it for the new vettes.. I will have around 1,000 miles on a rebuilt engine when I get back with my new 76 and I will head straight to Instant Oil Change Place and have them put in some Mobil 1... I use K&N air filters in most of our cars (7 out of 11 cars) and I dont mind paying a little more for a nicer filter.. Anyone have any recommendations for the new engine and should I use Mobil 1 (before its too late )..

 

[Bob Yates]

I work in a large school system as an automotive parts buyer now for 28 years. Before that I was a GM tech. We have a fleet of 850 school buses . We move 90,000 school kids twice a day.We go 100,000 every three days. I've been in oil battles before and what I can see is all oils start out the same. Different brands add different additives or so they say to get different protection. Now the two big problems for oil is dirt and heat. What I have been told by different oil companies is that petroleum based oils hold drit and the drit causes the oil to break down along with heat and metal from wearing parts. Synthetic oils have an ability to keep contaminates from mixing into the oil so it's suppose to deposit more of these contaminates in the filter media and can take higher heat levels. When both oils start out fresh they are fairly equal as miles pile on the petroleum based oil starts to break down were the syntheic holds it's lubricating properties . So with the synthetic oils you have more protection and can go longer in between oil changes. I wouldn't go over 6,000 miles between changes but that's just me. As for the Fram filters I was told by a Fram dealer that Fram wanted to be more competitive in price so they cut the quality in their filter media to lower the price of their oil filters. I would not think this is a good move on their part and would not use their oil filters on my vehicles, now thats just me . I don't know of any failures from this , so to each his own. This is just my five dollars worth you can't get anything for two cents anymore....Bob Yates

 

[Bob Yates]

I work in a large school system as an automotive parts buyer now for 28 years. Before that I was a GM tech. We have a fleet of 850 school buses . We move 90,000 school kids twice a day.We go 100,000 every three days. I've been in oil battles before and what I can see is all oils start out the same. Different brands add different additives or so they say to get different protection. Now the two big problems for oil is dirt and heat. What I have been told by different oil companies is that petroleum based oils hold drit and the drit causes the oil to break down along with heat and metal from wearing parts. Synthetic oils have an ability to keep contaminates from mixing into the oil so it's suppose to deposit more of these contaminates in the filter media and can take higher heat levels. When both oils start out fresh they are fairly equal as miles pile on the petroleum based oil starts to break down were the syntheic holds it's lubricating properties . So with the synthetic oils you have more protection and can go longer in between oil changes. I wouldn't go over 6,000 miles between changes but that's just me. As for the Fram filters I was told by a Fram dealer that Fram wanted to be more competitive in price so they cut the quality in their filter media to lower the price of their oil filters. I would not think this is a good move on their part and would not use their oil filters on my vehicles, now thats just me . I don't know of any failures from this , so to each his own. This is just my five dollars worth you can't get anything for two cents anymore....Bob Yates

 

[Edmond]

This is just my five dollars worth you can't get anything for two cents anymore....Bob Yates

:L:L:L

 

[tonyk72]

Bob, looks like you just gave us a 2 for 1 special...thanks!

 

[CS72Roadster]

I've been changing my oil for many years now, but don't consider myself qualified to get in on this oil discussion. However, after reading the post about the new Vettes coming from the factory wiih the synthetic oil makes me wonder...why? Is it because it is superior and better suited for the new engines or... Did GM get a better price form "their vendor" on the synthetic oil? Could it be a marketing strategy from the synthetic oil vendor?

CS

 

[Stallion]

Okay, it's decided. I'm going to go with the Mobil 1 synthetic oil. Thanks!

Stallion

 

[Michel73]

Hey Stallion,
I went through the same thoughts just a few months ago. I e-mailed Mobil and Valvoline and they both stated that they did not recommend syn oil in engines that were pre 1980 So I took their advice and went with a conv oil (Val High Mileage). Good luck.


Save the Wave

 

[Larry82]

Delo 400, its SL rated, way beyond the SG rating. Why would you use anything less?

 

[Rab563]

I use synthetics in all my cars. The main reason is the thermal break down properties. Conventional oil will evaporate around 285 degrees. I have personally had the oil in my '85 up to 305 degrees without any engine damage. I have also not experienced new leaks either, although synthetics are probaly more suspectable to leaks due to the molecular make-up of the oil.

Just my 2-cents

Ron

 

[Michel73]

JR-80
I just post what info I received from Mobil and Valvoline. If you don't believe or like the info take it up with them. :eyerole

 

[Roy]

Which Oil to Use

Don't worry about which oil or filter to use ... if you change your oil and filter every 3,000 to 3,500 you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Culprit]

What Roy said (unless you build cars for somebody named Earnhardt or Gordon),

My cousin had a hand-me-down Volvo. He NEVER changed the oil or filter. Every couple of months he would pour in a fresh quart (I don't know if it was burning it or leaking it). I don't think he ever used the same brand or weight oil twice. A chemist would have had a field day analyzing what was in that engine, but it ran, and ran well without any problems.

What Roy said.


Semper Fi,
Culprit

 

[Michel73]

Roy

You are right. I've had several good mechanics state the same thing.



Save the Wave

 

[cdhorn]

Let me repeat (from my previous post):

There are several rules of oil use that I follow religiously:

Don't change brands of oil in an engine or mix brands or weights of oil.

Change the oil at least once a year or 3000 miles whichever comes first. Moisture is a real killer in an engine. Regular oil changes, and bringing the engine up to operating temperature when it is started are the best ways to prevent moisture accumulation in the oil.

I use Valvoline All-climate because it is inexpensive and readily available anywhere I travel in my corvette. I have also used almost every kind of oil filter there is.

My recommendation would be to use the same oil as the previous owner unless he used Quaker State or Pennzoil which are (or were at least) paraffin based. Unless you race your corvette or plan to abuse it in some way such as with extended oil changes or driving it in the winter, any petrolem based oil which is changed regularly will be fine.

Clark

 

[JohnZ]

I find all this hand-wringing and agonizing over which oil is best to be enormously entertaining every time this subject comes up; we're not talking rocket science here - what your engine wants most is clean, fresh oil that meets the manufacturer's requirements and API specs, which all brand-name oils do. If you put a lot of miles on your car or flog it a lot, or it's highly-modified, you can probably justify the economics of synthetics; if not, just change it (and the filter) on a sensible schedule, use brand-name dino oil, and don't worry about it. Life WILL go on......

 

[JohnZ]

I don't disagree - I just find the debate entertaining