Best Oil and Filter?

STUGOTS

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mobil one and royal purple are the 2 best, can't go wrong with either.
 

ViperJoe

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Consumer reports did a test and the overall opinion was you could use Pep Boys oil, so long as you changed oil and filter every 2500-3000 miles. I believe this is the real key.

I personally run Mobil 1 in all of my vehicles lawnmower and other small engines and have been using it for over 20 years with nary a problem. I change it every 3-5k which could be anywhere from 6 to 2 times per year depending on which vehicle (probably REAL overkill, but it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside).
I use Mobil 1 filters which along with the K&N oil filter is manufactured by Champion Labs and are both considered to be "premium" filters way out in front of your "standard" Fram as far as filtering ability and construction.
 

Tom F&L GoR

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Here's a ranking system you can use for engine oils:

45 points - mineral base oil
50 points - synthetic base oil
---------plus------------
25 points - oil meets only API gasoline credentials
40 points - oil meets API and ACEA claims
50 points - oil meets API and diesel claims

I just now made this up, so I reserve the right to change it later, but it sort of points out what to look for on the label and the relative value of the formulation components.
 

Ron

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My 2 cents:

Mobil's Delvac 1 (100 Tom points) and Mobil 1 / K&N filter. Combo dropped my minivan iron ppm by 50% from 29ppm to 15ppm at identical mileage.
 

ViperJoe

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Hey Tom "Mr Oil Guru", would you please do a quick primer for "oil dummies" on using diesel lubricting oil (Shell's Rotella, Mobil's Delvac)in any gas powered vehicle?

Thanks!
 

Tom F&L GoR

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The performance of an engine oil is largely determined by the additives in the formulation, far less so than the base oil (mineral vs. synthetic.) For many performance features, additives in a mineral oil can match synthetic oil at far less cost.

A typical gasoline engine oil rated API SL (soon SM) will have about 8%-9% additive, an oil with API and ACEA claims will have around 13%, and a diesel oil will have 16%-18%. In fact, after meeting the diesel engine requirements, the gasoline tests are almost "gimme's."

Diesel oils have tougher requirements because of extended drain, have to handle soot accumulation, handle high temperature deposit tendencies in piston ring lands... and so they have more anti-wear additive, more dispersants to keep the crankcase clean, and more detergents to prevent high temperature deposits. Basically, diesel oils increase every capability a gas engine oil has. The ACEA performance is somewhere in the middle, because in Europe, engine oils are also formulated for passenger car diesels. So you get a bump up from that.

While the actual numbers I gave may not mean anything, I did mean to point out that a mineral diesel oil has at least as good and probably better protection of your engine that a gasoline synthetic oil.
 

ViperDave

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Autozone in Panama City FL had a deal on Mobil 1, buy so many Qts and get a free filter. not to sure if it is worth it as I didn’t look to closely as I doubt the airline security would have been to happy with me showing up with 10qts of oil in my case to fly back to the UK, but may be worth a look if the Autozone in your area is doing the offer as the filter is $11 or so and with the amount of oil the viper take you would probably be able to get two for free.
 

ViperJoe

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Tom, that said, are ther any specific conditions that diesel lubricating oils should be used in a gas powered engine?

Is there a synthetic diesel lubricating oil (a syn with the extra additive / anti-wear stuff)?

And are there any Vipers that run that stuff?

What are your feelings on using it in a gasoline powewred auto?

and lastly Tom, what brand do YOU use in your vehicles?
(LOL!!!)

Thanks for all of your helpful oil info, it has definately broadened my oil knowlege!
 

Ron

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Joe,
Delvac 1 is Mobil's 100% synthetic diesel (and gas) rated oil. It is like Mobil 1 with even more of the good stuff. I use it in all of my cars including my Viper. Oil analysis confirms it's benefit, although honestly the incremental improvement in wear probably means little given that I only drive 3,000 miles a year.

Not to speak for Tom, but he uses dino (non synthetic) diesel as he feels that's more than enough for any reasonably maintained vehicle and much more cost effective than my somewhat overkill solution.

Mobil Delvac 1 fact sheet
 

Miles B

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From my research, I second what Tom said. From what I hear, Rotella T Synthetic is at Walmart over there, for $13 a gallon. That's what I'd use, assuming it is the right weight for your engines.

I've heard the Mobil 1 synthetic media filters are top notch. In paper, I believe the Purolator Pure 1 and the "good" AC Delco filters are meant to be very very good too. I think Purolator's element is used in other filters at a far lower price... a particular Motorcraft comes to mind?
 

Tom F&L GoR

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Catching up here...

Diesel oils *all* come with the extra goodies because they *all* have to meet the API "C" series of tests. And you'll see that they also all meet the API "S" categories also. Diesel oils would be an upgrade in engine oil protection in any case.

My background is engine oil formulating, both gasoline and diesel, for the US, South American, and a little of the European market. I'm a believer in the additives - they provide the performance, and that base oils are the commodity. Unless you're starting the car at sub zero temps, or going to run flat out, uphill, towing a trailer, with the oil cooler covered up, I don't see a long term advantage with synthetics, given reasonable oil drains.

I use whatever diesel oil is available at Walmart, typically Rotella T, sometimes Chevron Delo, a few times I've seen Delvac 1300. It's not a brand thing, since the step up to diesel is huge, any difference between brands in a Viper application is never going to be noticed. Mineral oil comes in 15W40. I shoot for 4000 mile drains, happy if I do it before 4500, will do it before 5000 miles.

Synthetic diesel formulations come in 5W40, which I think is a very good all around viscosity grade. Unfortunately, the -40 part doesn't allow this viscosity grade to participate in the passenger engine oil tests (would not meet the fuel economy requirements the OEMs have) and so it's never going to show up on the recommended oil lists.
 

ViperJoe

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Ron,
Thanks for the link and info.
From the Delvac link - for use in "high performance gasoline engines" (Viper V-10 falls into that category)

I would have never thought.....diesel oil in a gas engine!

Tom, what about that thing about viscosity index improvers, the wider the span (5/40)not being a good thing?

And Tom, I'll think I'll give it a try first in my daily driver / ******, but I am currently using a conventional / synthetic blend (Castrol Syntec Blend) and have always heard that you never switch back to a conventional after using a synthetic as it will cause oil useage (something about molecule size or something). (that is if I go with the dino diesel oil vs a full synthetic diesel oil)
 

Tom F&L GoR

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Viscosity index improvers have a shear stability characteristic - the more shear stable, the longer the oil remains the multigrade viscosity you thought it should be. The wider the viscosity split, the harder it is for a viscosity index improver to maintain grade.

Quick example - a 10W30 doesn't use much VII so it'll be easier to remain a 10W30 than a 5W30, 5W40, etc.

A diesel oil is formulated for applications that go 30,000 to 60,000 mile drains, so the VII selection is of the shear stable type. A gasoline engine oil, with shorter drains and a fuel economy requirement (thinned oil is better fuel economy!) will use the less expensive non-shear stable VII.

Old technology VII was sometimes problematic in that it would contribute to deposits. That meant a 10W40 might create more deposits than a 10W30 in the same application. I don't see this as a problem anymore.

Seals, gaskets, elastomers, and other materials in engines are made to not shrink or swell due to the characteristics of the oil. Similarly, the oil needs to meet seal swell requirements so that it doesn't cause volume changes in non-metal components. The result is that there is no worry in switching back and forth between mineral and synthetic oil.
 

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