Motor OIls - Last Time??

I've been trying to understand rating systems for oils. I'm beginning to believe after all the unending blah-blah-blah, it is pretty straightforward;
Viscosity - Get the correct viscosity; if the engine calls for 10W-30, get it. The 10W means it meets the API winter "W" designation for 10-viscosity. The -30 means it meets the API summer designation for 30-viscosity. If different oils all say 10W-30, their viscosities equal each other, according to their manufacturers.
Service - "C" service means it is rated for Compression-ignition engines [diesels]. There are three current designations, CJ-4, CI-4, and CH-4. CC is obsolete.
"S" service oils are rated for Spark-ignition engines. Current designations are SN [the latest one], SM, SL and SJ. {Previous S-designations are obsolete. They may work, but just for one example previous S designations may have enough phosphorus to harm your catalytic converter.]
CJ-4 CAN be rated for SL or SM service by the maker.
CI-4 CAN be rated SL.
CH-4 CAN be rated SJ.
What I'm coming to believe, if my gas pick-up calls for 10W-30, and if I run a 10W-30 Service SN oil, the rest of it is just anecdotes and advertising.

I'll go ya one further,

Doesn't even matter what weight oil. After all the blah, blah, blah, it will still run on baby oil if ya take the human "emotion" out of it. :>)

Allan

Pretty simple really, any oil in the parts house is better than old dirty oil. I have not seen an engine ruined by the wrong oil in 50 years but have fixed a few with dirty or no oil. You said it all in your last line, advertising.

FBH44: I see many people on here debating the engine oil issue. IF you really look at the amount you spend in your life time on engine oil. Then even if you cut that cost by 30-40% you still would not have much money.

So I run a good quality NAME brand engine and hydraulic oil. I am not going to risk a failure of an engine or transmission by running some "cheaper" oil or grease. Now finding that product at a good price is GREAT.

I have had an engine fail due to the engine oil. It only did this in the middle of spring planting too. So I not only had the cost of the engine repair I also had to rent a tractor to replace the one that failed.

So you guys can buy your oil where ever your comfortable with, even if that is Walmart, Costco or TSC. I am not going to do so.

I also try to run exactly what the machine manufacture recommended in the operators manual. I try to only vary from that if there has been an improvement in oil technology. There again if the manufacture is still in business they usually have an updated list for what to use in the older equipment.

I would be careful of using the advise given on any forum as to what oils to use. This caution also extends to salesmen as well. They will always say their product in the best in the world to use.

(quoted from post at 11:02:44 04/20/14) Pretty simple really, any oil in the parts house is better than old dirty oil. I have not seen an engine ruined by the wrong oil in 50 years but have fixed a few with dirty or no oil. You said it all in your last line, advertising.

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Ahh yes but you can ruin an engine by mixing certain oils.

I had been running Castroil in my old Subaru. I got low and added a quart of quaker state oil one winter. Within a day my oil pressure dropped to virtually nothing. When I pulled the oil drain plug the oil glopped out like soft jello. The poor little Subie was never quite the same afterwards.

I Worked for a company that used name brand high quality oil always, Now here is the kicker they bought 5 brand new Chevy 2500 with 6.0 engines, the shop manager did not belive that the 5w-20 oil was thick enough for the engines and stuck with the old tried and true 15w-40, every one of the engines was swapped out or had new oil pumps within 100,000 miles. Now I bet if you would have used walmart 5w20 it would not have scraped out so many engines. By the way check the web and it is not a GM problem it was old school stupidity, Also the 15w40 was doing a number on the replacement engines when I moved on to another job. My point is no matter what you prefer cheep or high dollar oil stick within the manufacture guidelines and you should be ok.

Funny how some guys will marvel at the power, performance, and ingenuity that goes into a modern engine,and all the amazing technological advances that make it so efficient and smooth running -

Then decide the engineers who did all that advanced engineering don't know squat about what oil to put in it.

We probably all know a few people like that.

I can add that in my 2001 Chevy 454 Vortec it called for 5 W 30,,,,,,,,so being me I used 10 W 30 (Mobil 1),,,,,,,,,,BUTTTTTTTTT it developed a short term hydraulic lifter clik n clak upon start up grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr so I changed back to 5 W 30 (Still Mobil 1) a pint of Marvel Magic Mystery Oil (to clean up the lifters supposedly) and changed to an oil filter having the anti drainback feature

AND NOW THERES NO INITIAL START UP LIFTER CLIK N CLAK

Soooooooooo QUESTION was it due to 5 w 30 oil,,,,,,,,,orrrrrrrrrrr the Marvel Mystery cleaner,,,,,,,,,,,,orrrrrrrrr the anti drainback oil filter hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Regardless, Im sticking with 5 W 30 (as called for) and an anti drainback oil filter from now on

John T

There's never a last time when it comes to oil's. Everyone has their own idea's and what works for them may not work for someone else. 5wt came along as a way to increase fuel mileage, not because of a necessity, just like thinner metal. I tend to stick to what's called for by the manufacturer until I feel the mileage or hours necessitates a higher viscosity but I never go for a cheaper oil trying to save money.

I've always ragged the neighbor for buying everything at the JD dealer - from oil to cotter pins. However, when there is any kind of issue with machinery there is never any grief about what might have caused it or whether it is a warranty issue. When a machine gets everything from the manufacturer it takes out a lot of variables.

I always pick a oil using the viscosity and API rating given by the manufacture.
I use to be brand loyal till one day I was at a oil bottling plant picking up a load.
I sat there and watched a worker pull chevron stickers off 55 gallon drums and put no name stickers on the drums.

Great advice. Argued many times with my father over a few extra dollars for oil, filters and even more importantly about half a roll of paper towels used during greasing/oil changes. Claimed it was "wasteful" Finally told him since I was coming home on both my vacation and holidays to do help him on the farm and was providing the paper towels, I was going to use them as I believed necessary or wasn't going to do any other maintenance. No further complaints.

(quoted from post at 11:02:44 04/20/14) I have not seen an engine ruined by the wrong oil in 50 years

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I have first hand experience with several Detroit Diesels damaged by somebody that thinks motor oil is motor oil. I'm familiar with a manager of a fleet of city buses. He thought that going to one oil for the mixed fleet would save money.
There are a lot of scored sleeves and plugged exhaust ports that using the proper low ash straight weight oil would have prevented.
Sad to say most people are too smart to read the operators manual, they don't need to waste their time because they know everything.
A pre 2007 HD diesel oil in a post 2007 particulate filter diesel engine will cost the owner as well.
A post 2007 motor oil will not fully protect a pre 2007 engine equipped with flat tappet cam followers.

Most newer engines are engineered with closer cam tolerances and such than older engines.
It is important to use the correct weight and type of oil.

With me as the engines goes to higher mileage and the oil pressure drops a bit I go to a thicker oil.
This method has worked for me.

I had lifter clatter when I used Fram filters, switched to Wix and it went away.

Castrol r oil had castor oil mixed with it, this may cause a reaction but oils with a the same service rating should be interchangeable. Bill

Not all API-rated motor oils are the same. Many OEMs, notably GM, have determined that the API ratings aren't good enough and have come up with their own ratings. GM now expects you to use oils with their "Dexos" rating in their newer vehicles. You can hardly blame them, given that they're guaranteeing the powertrain for 100K miles.

Well said.................. I agree..........

(quoted from post at 07:58:15 04/20/14) I'll go ya one further,

Doesn't even matter what weight oil. After all the blah, blah, blah, it will still run on baby oil if ya take the human "emotion" out of it. :&gt

Allan

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I couldn't have said it any better!