Max Life Synthetic

AdamG · May 30, 2004

I'm an avid Castrol and Valvoline Synthetic user.

I detest Mobil cause it always made my Sonoma knock and ping.

My dads 93 Blazer 1500 w/350 and 108k miles uses Valvoline Max Life and up until I ditched my 99 Sonoma (w/76k miles) I only used Synthetic.

(also, my mom's 93 Concord w/100+ miles uses synthetic and my sister 94 Caravan w/153k uses Maxlife, my 72 Javelin uses a combination of normal oil with lucas or restore additives as well as my dads 70 Lemans)

I am now faced with this dilema: I know Max Life isn't a waste of money and I know Synthetic oil isn't a waste of money.

I am guessing that Maxlife Synthetic is good stuff, but I was wondering if anyone here has used it?

I have no idea when my Sierra saw its last oil change, i know its been sitting on the dealer lot since 2/10/04 and has only had about 200 miles put on it since then.

I swear by K&N oil filters (well worth the $10) and do my own oil changes.

snoman · May 30, 2004

I'm an avid Castrol and Valvoline Synthetic user.
I detest Mobil cause it always made my Sonoma knock and ping.

My dads 93 Blazer 1500 w/350 and 108k miles uses Valvoline Max Life and up until I ditched my 99 Sonoma (w/76k miles) I only used Synthetic.

(also, my mom's 93 Concord w/100+ miles uses synthetic and my sister 94 Caravan w/153k uses Maxlife, my 72 Javelin uses a combination of normal oil with lucas or restore additives as well as my dads 70 Lemans)

I am now faced with this dilema: I know Max Life isn't a waste of money and I know Synthetic oil isn't a waste of money.

I am guessing that Maxlife Synthetic is good stuff, but I was wondering if anyone here has used it?

I have no idea when my Sierra saw its last oil change, i know its been sitting on the dealer lot since 2/10/04 and has only had about 200 miles put on it since then.

I swear by K&N oil filters (well worth the $10) and do my own oil changes.

I never cared for Castrol Syntec. Engine did not feel the same and oil was not very slick feeling after several thousand miles. I have been a big fan of Mobil 1 10w30 for many years. I would not waste money on synthetic if you are not planning and going well past 100,000 miles and keeping car for a long time. I hve 170k on my 89 4x4 Suburban and put over 200k on a Toyota using it too. My wife has a 2000 Cherokee 4cyl manual that I have bee trying/using Pennzoil Sythetic in and so far so good. Whe I used to travel a lot in Suburban I would change filter at 3,000 miles and top off oil and change everything between 5 and 6,000 miles. I never bother with 10 dollar filters and engine is very quiet and silky smooth still and run great too. I can get 17mpg or better on a trip if I stay at 65 or so with it even with A/C on. I have no plans of replacing it and plan to run it for atleast another 5 or 6 years and well over 200 k too. It has been pretty trouble free.

AdamG · May 30, 2004

I plan on keeping the truck for 30-70k.

I have used Pennzoil synthetic in the past once or twice and have had no complaints.

Mobil 1 is the only synthetic I have ever had problems with and i'm guessing it was just my Sonoma.

snoman · May 30, 2004

I plan on keeping the truck for 30-70k.
I have used Pennzoil synthetic in the past once or twice and have had no complaints.

Mobil 1 is the only synthetic I have ever had problems with and i'm guessing it was just my Sonoma.

I have used it for over 15 years with no complaints. You might check out a Synthetic blend oil for your use and mileage as it would be a better value and cost about half the price of full synthetic. I use Mobil Synthetic Blend in my 2000 K3500 because it now only has 25k on it and I bought it new Nov 99. I change oil in it more often mileage wise because it sits a lot and I push snow wih it in winter.

intruder217 · June 1, 2004

How does the use of Mobil synthetic oil make an engine knock and ping?

I detest Mobil cause it always made my Sonoma knock and ping.

snoman · June 1, 2004

How does the use of Mobil synthetic oil make an engine knock and ping?
I detest Mobil cause it always made my Sonoma knock and ping.

The only way I can figure is that the rings are a bit loose and the Mobile 1 slides through them or past worn valve guides/seals to mix with incoming mixture and lower its octane rating and cause ping/knock. There could be no other way that I can think of that it could cause it.

AdamG · June 1, 2004

I honestly have no logical explanation for what caused it, I only know that it happened with Mobil 1.

Maybe its the high altitude, maybe its the 85 octane gas I use out here, maybe its the fact that my Sonoma was just one strange truck.

496 CUBIC INCHES · June 1, 2004

How does the use of Mobil synthetic oil make an engine knock and ping?

Check out Bobistheoilguy.com,there are alot of guys complaining about M1 and increased engine noise. There is a common misconception that all oils of the same viscosity are the same. M1 is "thinner" than other oils of the same viscosity,which may lead to some increased engine noise.