Oil Choice

[GMCTruck]

I use the NAPA dinosaur oil and sometimes their high mileage oil in my 1995 GMC K1500 5.7 TBI (175,000 miles) unless i want to increase leakage and then I run the NAPA synthetic. I put some Castrol synthetic in this winter cuz i happened to see some at Costco for cheap and thought i would try it. It's probably good that I did because, in spite of the climate change warnings that they push real hard up here in Canada, it was -39F here this morning.

 

[thegawd]

Funk man! I wish! I'm all mud in southern Ontario and I hate it! I need me some -39! I bet its actually much colder than normal for you and we're much warmer than it should be. it must be at 0°C because snow is falling but its melting as soon as it hits the ground!

theres no such thing as global warming, it's a climate shift though without a doubt! we had 1 day last year where I could have taken the kids tobogganing, instead we hooked up a sled to the mini bike and did laps around the field. it pretty much all melted a day later. the ground never froze and that little bit of snow insulated it so that it couldnt freeze anyways.

did you actually notice the synthetic leaking more than normal?

I use 5w30 Quakerstate high mileage but I think they have changed the name recently but is probably same shìt in a different bottle. it's a synthetic blend. my trucks dont burn a drop. the Burb leaks a bit but not enough to actually hit a driveway. the sierra doesn't leak a drop at all. probably because it doesn't have the dumbass oil filter adapter. I'm constantly thinking about doing away with it and the oil cooler on the burb. I dont really push this truck all that much.

 

[GMCTruck]

The first time i used a synthetic oil in the truck was probably about 8 years ago and thats when i started noticing some seepage from the rear main seal and along the oil pan. Maybe coincidence, i dunno.

Near -40 temps is not abnormal in Alberta and in Saskatchewan where i grew up. Usually just a few days each winter. Over the Christmas holiday in 1992 or 93 it was -43C (raw temp) one morning in Regina.
I went to university in southern ontario, hated the damp winters and the humid summers.

 

[Fast_Z71]

I run just plain Castrol 5w-30 conventional with a WiX 51036 filter and change the oil and filter every 5,000 miles. My trucks a 98 K1500 with the L31 with 150k on the odometer.

 

[HeavyAsAChevy]

I run shell 15w40 diesel oil in my 4.3
I have a tiny leak out of somewhere that slowed with the heavier oil. Im due for and oil change at 6k right now. Gonna run a cleaner with it when I change it.

 

[1997]

2500-mile routine oil changes are INSANE for virtually everyone.

Send off a few oil samples for lab analysis. You'll be amazed at what you learn. Starting with how seldom you actually need to change the oil.

My 2003 Trailblazer gets a filter at 13,000 miles, and the oil topped-off as needed. I don't dump the oil until 26,000 miles, and the samples are showing the oil is still "fit for use". That vehicle only has 260,000 miles on it, so I don't know how the extended oil-change intervals are going to work out long-term; but so far, so good.

only has 260,000 miles on it, yikes .... did you buy it new and use your oil and filter change intervals?
if so, thats pretty good proof, imo.

 

[Keeper]

Mobil 1 full synthetic since the day I bought it in 99... high mileage version nowadays. I base the timing of the change on the color of the oil.
454v with 320k hard miles and counting. Heads never off. No oil leaks other than when the oil cooler lines were dying.
Overrevved it spinning on some uphill ice once while towing and blew a lifter/push rod... and that's the only engine work ever done below the valve covers and everything looked good at the time. That was over 100k ago.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

Rotella T6 is kind of my go to. Anything with a warranty gets exactly what is called for in the owners manual.

 

[Schurkey]

only has 260,000 miles on it, yikes .... did you buy it new and use your oil and filter change intervals?
if so, thats pretty good proof, imo.

Bought it with 3 years and 35K on it.

I was changing oil when the Oil Life Monitor said I should--about 13K. Sent in oil samples now and then, the only time they ever came back indicating a problem was when the thermostat stuck open. Since I was expecting the oil to be contaminated with moisture, I changed oil (early) when I put the thermostat in, and sent a sample, of course it was contaminated but I'd already changed it.

Anyway, one day I decided that if my oil samples were always reporting "fit for further use", maybe I should just use it some more. That was about a hundred-thousand ago, when I changed the filter at 13K and waited to dump the oil until 26K. It's crossed my mind to add another 13K between changes, but I can't get myself to do it.

 

[thegawd]

I change my oil a couple times a year, maybe. based on nothing but our current budget.

I'm a firm believer in sending out oil for anylsis but I never have.

I just use the Quaker state and make sure its topped up.

I actually check my fluids almost daily. blowing a transmission cooler line and then blowing a transmission will make you do that but its actually something my dad grilled into my head....... check your fluids!

anyways Iv have been looking all damn day for this website I used to use to identify fluids that I might potentially use and it helped me decide if they are good or not.

It's called the Petroleum Quality Institute of America. they independently analyze all kinds of lubricants and post the results.

here you can find out if the oil you like is good or not and why.

Click on the menu button, then products tested and then the category your interested in.

The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

pqia.org