Motor Oil Recommendation

[Mossyoakglock]

I know everybody talks about which synthetic oil is the best, but I have a different question. Dad has been running regular, non-synthetic oil is his truck for the life of it, roughly 85,000 miles. I keep telling him to switch to a synthetic, but he always goes with the regular oil. So, out of all the non-synthetic oils out there, which ones would you guys suggest? I will either be using an AC Delco or Wix/Napa Gold filter on it too.

[VMax2007]

Valvoline

[dlstewart01]

The name brand oils that meet ILLAC GF-4, API SM are all so close together it doesn't matter. Just pick one on sale that you like and you will be OK.

 

GMs list of approved oils synthetic and conventional...

 

http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility...engine_oils.pdf

[rodram]

like Don says... any brand that meets the Grade Spec recommended by GM

[ken1mod]

Never found a bad one.

[c4cruiser]

The name brand oils that meet ILLAC GF-4, API SM are all so close together it doesn't matter. Just pick one on sale that you like and you will be OK.

 

GMs list of approved oils synthetic and conventional...

 

http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility...engine_oils.pdf

 

That list includes something called "Shanghai Lizhong Jaguar".

 

The list really seems to cover most any brand name of oil you can find. Persojally, I have always been a Pennzoil user and it had worked fine in both street engines and race engines. Quaker State is another that works well.

 

One important thing to get is a good quality oil filter. There is garbage out there and there are high quality filters. USe something like WIX, Champ (Bosch), NAPA Gold, Purolator, Mobil-1 or K&N. Change the oil every 3000 miles and you should be fine.

[VMax2007]

Valvoline and AC Delco filter.

 

/thread

[dlstewart01]

The name brand oils that meet ILLAC GF-4, API SM are all so close together it doesn't matter. Just pick one on sale that you like and you will be OK.

 

GMs list of approved oils synthetic and conventional...

 

http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility...engine_oils.pdf

 

That list includes something called "Shanghai Lizhong Jaguar".

 

The list really seems to cover most any brand name of oil you can find. Persojally, I have always been a Pennzoil user and it had worked fine in both street engines and race engines. Quaker State is another that works well.

 

One important thing to get is a good quality oil filter. There is garbage out there and there are high quality filters. USe something like WIX, Champ (Bosch), NAPA Gold, Purolator, Mobil-1 or K&N. Change the oil every 3000 miles and you should be fine.

 

 

Those oils on the GM list have been tested by GM to meet their specs, and that could be a global list.

 

Oh yeah, Pennzoil works great as well.

 

On the filter side...Champion Labs makes AC Delco, Mobil 1, K&N and many others...Bosch now owns Purolator so they now make Bosch filters. Wix is good as well. I wouldn't use a Fram as they have cardboard end caps. No other filter manufacturer does this so thats something to think about.

[ken1mod]

Gentlemen,

 

All modern oils and chevy engines are so good you can expect 3 to 400,000 miles from the engine. You will replace your truck for many other reasons than engine wearing out. Ashtrays full, etc.

[Black02Silverado]

Valvoline

 

+1

 

The lab that I have my oil analyzed has been seeing great results coming in from customers running Valvoline. Valvoline just changed their formula so looks like it was an improvement.

[dlstewart01]

Valvoline

 

+1

 

The lab that I have my oil analyzed has been seeing great results coming in from customers running Valvoline. Valvoline just changed their formula so looks like it was an improvement.

 

 

If I'm not mistaken (you know I'm an old geezer) I believe Valvoline and Amsoil use the same addpack supplier.

[punmax]

Valvoline and AC Delco filter.

 

/thread

 

+1

[Nytemare]

Have had lots of luck with Pennzoil.

 

But really...like everyone else has said...as long as its a brand name oil they're all about the same.

[dlstewart01]

Have had lots of luck with Pennzoil.

 

But really...like everyone else has said...as long as its a brand name oil they're all about the same.

 

Its sure making it hard to say my oils better than your oil, my oils good and your oil sucks...

[Spurshot]

I have old data, but my friend that worked for Honda and was an SAE active member on a SAE committee for engines or some such thing, oversaw a test at Honda for motor oils. This was about 15 yrs or so ago. Again, old data. But back then, Castrol GT was da-kine. It showed the lowest wear of all the commonly available US conventional motor oils. Mobil one was in the test, but they turned it to plastic by running all the test engines on natural gas at elevated temps. If any of you are chemists, you'll recognize something about natural gas and synthetic oil at elevated temps that the rest of us just come up with a blank stare over. Something about crosslinking etc....

 

Anyway, Castrol was the best, Pennzoil was up there. I don't recall where Valvoline was but I wasn't surprised that it didn't rate near the top. Back then and before, numerous dyno tests at local shops like Iskenderian's in Gardena, and Edelbrock in El Segundo and others, showed Valvoline foamed badly at high rpm runs, which exposed the engine to shots of air in the oil system under high load/rpm. There was a big move to Kendall and other oils in the SoCal racing community back in the day.