Which Oil Is The Best?

[doveslayer]

Hi there. I drive a 1998 chevy k1500 with a 5.7. I just reached 130,000 miles and I have always taken it somewhere regularly to have the oil changed. recently, I have been doing a lot of my own mechanic work (power steering pump replacement, rear dif. fluid change, things like that), and i got to thinking about engine oil. I have heard it is bad to switch to synthetic if you have always been using conventional. Whatever the case may be, is there a certain brand of oil that works best with this engine?

[Rocco715]

When I had always used to get my oil changed at valvoline and use dino oil when the time came I switched to valvoline max life full synthetic, it's a full synthetic designed especially for high mileage vehicles.

[svensk]

I actually use that stuff too and it really does OK. Doesn't leak oil, even at 135K.

[Cdale2k]

Personally, I'm a synthetic type of a guy. I like Valvoline when I'm broke, and then Royal Purple. Royal purple actually got me 3MPG extra, but at $7.28 a quart, it gets pricey. So its your choice more or less as to what you want to get, but I would suggest a synthetic of some sort.

[unit731]

I respect all that use synthetic oil in their trucks.

 

Me, I use regular ordinary motor oil. My truck:

 

1990 Chevrolet 1500 4.3 with 136,000 miles - 18 year old truck. With regular motor oils, this truck engine has never leaked oil either from bottom nor top. Valve gasket don't leak. Nothing leaks. I do change oil every 3,000.00.

[carndog]

Personally, I'm a synthetic type of a guy. I like Valvoline when I'm broke, and then Royal Purple. Royal purple actually got me 3MPG extra, but at $7.28 a quart, it gets pricey. So its your choice more or less as to what you want to get, but I would suggest a synthetic of some sort.

 

 

I always run synthetic. Royal Purple is great. Thats what I have been running. It is pricy but good. A buddy of mine said wal-mart is now selling it. Maybe get it for a buck or two cheaper.

 

If I want to run something cheaper I would use Mobile1 synthetic $20-25 for 5 quarts.

[ujtruck]

synthetic oil blew one of my motor

 

again it was synthetic oil was at baby stage - todays synthetic oil will do fine

[willysts]

I just bought my 2003 Silverado with 5.3 with 169,000 miles on it. I changed everything over to Amsoil synthetic, has not leaked a drop in 2 months.

 

I always do this changeover on all my cars with never a problem.

[Gripenfelter]

Recent studies have shown that Mobil 1 and Amsoil actually produce less zinc and metal in the oil AFTER you have put some miles on the oil. They are now recommending you don't change your oil until 10000 miles and just do routine top-ups.

 

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oil-life.html

[EXSlider400]

I changed oil to get me through school and ran a NAPA for 2 years, so i have seen alot of oils. I use Pennzoil for Air cooled and Valvoline for water cooled. My dad used Kendol and his 1990 1500 4.3 has 375k miles!!! with rebuilt tranny but engine is stock. Mostly hwy miles. In my 07 i use valvoline semi-synthetic. Most of their websites have stats. but don't trust them too much. I also use Wix filters.

[EXSlider400]

PS. Kendol is made by Amsoil i belive. Nor sure.

[zibzer]

i had a 98 sonoma with 2.2l engine and i used "valvoline max life". when i sold it it had over 260,000km (+160 000 Miles) and still ran like a top. didnt burn any noticable oil, no leaks, it was a great truck. And i constantly abused it. the last year i drove it i wanted to blow it up so i had an excuse to buy something new but it just kept trucking. Anyways, i dont know if the oil made a difference or not, but ive had great success with it so ill keep using it.

[RyanZ71]

There are MANY vehicles out on the road going well over 200,000 miles just FINE on ordinary regular dino oil. When it comes to Dino, I use Valvoline. Because I now do alot of short distance driving and Winter is amung us, I will be switching to Mobil-1 Synthetic (Mobil 1 is cheaper then Amsoil around here but from what I hear all your doing is paying a few extra $$$ for the "name" its really no different then Mobil-1 and Royal Purple? No one has ever heard of it much less carries it)

[MS3DALE]

There are MANY vehicles out on the road going well over 200,000 miles just FINE on ordinary regular dino oil.

 

Yep,My Corsica has just over 241,600 miles on it right now,and its had nothing but conventional 5W-30 Pennzoil all its life!!

I do run Mobil 1 5W-30 in my truck.

[pm26]

I have good experience with conventional Castrol GTX. My 1999 Mazda 626 v6 with 181K miles runs like a top, and there is absolutely no sludge buildup in the engine. I change the oil and filter every 3k miles. And always use OEM filters. Cheap insurance.