What brand of oil should I use

[Texas Diesel]

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/newsletter.html



"Many people have very strong loyalties to certain brands of oil. They'll swear by their favorite brand and assure you that anything else is bound to ruin your engine. But we're here to dispel that myth. After nearly 20 years of testing oils from thousands of different engines and industrial machines, we have discovered an interesting fact: it doesn't really matter what brand of oil you use. "





If a one brand REALLY WORKED BETTER THAN THE OTHER than there would be evidence in the form of lower wear metal in the oil analysis.

There are two things not considered so far, extended drain intervals, some brands may do this better, and, detergency. Synthetics keep the insides cleaner.

 

[Sled Puller]

Originally posted by Tejas Deezul

They'll swear by their favorit... There is that ol double standard... ..... :D

 

[Snow man]

Im running Shaeffers x200 15w40 dino oil in mine,I am not a synthtic hater by any means,in fact i use it in all my gassers,and small air cooled engines where extreme heat is a problem. I do however believe that these Cummins engines will run longer than the truck will last on dino oil. I always plug in or put my truck in the garage in the winter,so Im not in need of the cold start viscosity that synthetic offers. I just dumped my oil yesterday,and sent off a sample,6600 miles if hard running,there is over 350 hrs on the oil,we'll see how it comes back. There are 170 hrs of plowing alone which only racked up 400 miles or so. The last sample came back perfect at 3200 miles with heavy use,dyno pulls,sled pulls,and lots of black smoke from Bully dog 7's. When it comes to synthetic I like Amsoil the best. i used to buy it locally but it was so $$,I got a comercial account 2 yrs ago,and buy it that way now,its much cheaper. I was thinking about trying the amsoil in the Cummins to compare samples,but my driving is so varied from season to season i dont think i could get a fair sample comparision.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Sled Puller is that a dare? Are you challenging me to buy a certain brand, use it, have an analysis done and post my observation of it's performance here? Hmmmm, I like challenges, will you give me a discount?

 

[Sled Puller]

Why, I give all Diesel owners a discount, no matter ifin they is from Texas or not!

LOL



I think somebody who has the opinion "motor oil is motor oil",

should change their brand of oil every time, adjusting drains from 3000 to 15,000, and even going between 5 -30, 5 40 and 15 40.



Just for the sake of discussion, for the TDR, and report back to us in 100,000.



Anybody up for that?

 

[illflem]

Sounds like Blackstone has done the experiment for twenty years, why waste your time doing it? I don't see that they have anything to gain by saying all oils are equal. I'll bet that other analysis companies besides Blackstone have came to the same conclusion. Consumer Reports also did a comparison of several different oil brands in NYC taxis years ago and came to the same conclusion that they were all about the same.



My feeling has always been use whatever diesel rated brand with the correct viscosity for your climate that is easy for you to acquire.

Synthetics are superior to dino in extreme climates but their high cost isn't economic in other climates.

Only other real advantage to synthetics is extended drains that eliminate frequent oil change hassles while on the road or on a vehicle that puts on tons of miles. Even then the dollar breakeven is 15k miles over dino but this doesn't take in to consideration oil analysis or mid-oil change filter and makeup oil costs which could jack up the break even point to 25k.

Synthetic supporters always use the line about eliminating the frequent changing and disposal hassle with extended drains but you still have to change the filter (filters if using a bypass), add more oil and dispose of the old filter oil at the same interval as dino. The extra effort draining/refilling the pan of dino doesn't add much more to the job in my book, the filter's the "hard" part.



Bottom line is use whatever makes you feel good but your engine will most likely last longer than you do with any correctly rated dino oil, 5k changes and no oil analysis.

 

[Sled Puller]

Your opinions are always right, illflem, and ours are always wrong.

 

[BFC]

Anybody ever try Crisco? Just checking..... :-laf

 

[Briar Hopper]

Yes, they're all good oils..... but what about temperature extremes? My truck sees everything from deep cold to extreme heat, and the heat is usually from competition or towing.

Those extremes are where synthetics really shine. That's the main reason I use synthetic oil in my own truck. But we run Rotella T in my son's 12 valve. Personal preference.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Sled Puller

Your opinions are always right, illflem, and ours are always wrong.

Notice I don't have Amsoil Dealer under my name have absolutely nothing to gain with my opinion and come to your own conclusion

 

[Sled Puller]

hhhmmm... ..... so I was right when I liked synthetics, BEFORE I was a dealer, but now I'm wrong... . ?



Maybe we should just shut down TDR, and retitle it:



"ASK GENE. "





(Hmmmm... I am sure I had "ASK ILLFLEM. " when I left today... ... . )



Ask Gene has a better ring to it, though. Ask Sleddy, Ask Diplosleddy.....

Ask the Sled Pulling KING.

Yes, thats better,

 

[Texas Diesel]

Ok kids, play nice!! This is supposed to be a hobby, remember?



Please dont let this become another oil brand war, I hoped the post from Blaskstone would show that we could all play together even though some of you run inferior oil ( < humor )

 

[C Schomer]

No Kiddin'



I've never doubted that regular petro oil changes are great engine protection. There are other ways that happen to work much better (like syn for temp extremes, or ext. program for convenience ) in many cases, and protection is in no way compromised. I can prove ext. syn program costs no more than regular petro changes - even with a bypass and analysis, and the temp. extreme issue is a no-brainer but some people refuse to accept that their own ways aren't perfect for everyone. Craig

 

[wcaldwell]

I only use Chevron Delo 400 simply because there have been many posts stating Shell Rotella gave an oil odor for about the first 500 miles after an oil change. Delo doesn't. Delo isn't the cheapest, but it also isn't the most expensive. Like so many of the TDR members, I can't afford synthetics. Since my mileage is 75 percent highway every day at 70 - 75 mph, I change my oil and filter right at 7k.

 

[Sled Puller]

Typical moderators- changing my post on a whim!





May as well have Democrats be our moderators... mumble ... gromble... . ssfrtjujy

 

[BFC]

Originally posted by Sled Puller

Typical moderators- changing my post on a whim!:rolleyes

was wondering that myself... ... ... since there wasn't a last edited by... . line at the bottom of your post

 

[Sled Puller]

Those are my buddys! LOL

 

[illflem]

Gene, resorting to personal attacks towards me just shows you have no real data or evidence to refute my opinion nor support your own.

 

[Sled Puller]

(sigh, I thought we were fooling around! ok)

Originally posted by illflem

Sounds like Blackstone has done the experiment for twenty years, why waste your time doing it? I don't see that they have anything to gain by saying all oils are equal.



( Following your logic illflem, if someone is a dealer, they can't be trusted, and yes, they do. Run cheap oil, but test it often, to make sure it is doin as good as expensive oil. )





I'll bet that other analysis companies besides Blackstone have came to the same conclusion. Consumer Reports also did a comparison of several different oil brands in NYC taxis years ago and came to the same conclusion that they were all about the same.

( Amsoil has done numerous tests with Taxis, semis fleets, etc, but if I post them, you will say they can't be trusted because Amsoil is selling oil. )







My feeling has always been to use whatever diesel rated brand with the correct viscosity for your climate that is easy for you to acquire.



(can't argue that. )





Synthetics are superior to dino in extreme climates but their high cost isn't economic in other climates.



(That is your opinion only, backed by neither fact, NOR EXPRIENCE. )



Only other real advantage to synthetics is extended drains that eliminate frequent oil change hassles while on the road or on a vehicle that puts on tons of miles. Even then the dollar breakeven is 15k miles over dino but this doesn't take in to consideration oil analysis or mid-oil change filter and makeup oil costs which could jack up the break even point to 25k.



(those things all depend on many factors, sometimes you break even, other times, more or less expensive.

BUT, easier starts, cooler running temps, all little advatages, that add up in 500,000 miles. )





Synthetic supporters always use the line about eliminating the frequent changing and disposal hassle with extended drains but you still have to change the filter (filters if using a bypass), add more oil and dispose of the old filter oil at the same interval as dino. The extra effort draining/refilling the pan of dino doesn't add much more to the job in my book, the filter's the "hard" part.



( your book illflem, once again, opinion only, what you would rather do, compared to someone else. )





Bottom line is use whatever makes you feel good but your engine will most likely last longer than you do with any correctly rated dino oil, 5k changes and no oil analysis.

(I have never disputed the last part, in fact, I have even stated those very same words.

All you have ever done, illflem, is post your opinions on here, 6000+ of them, same as the rest of us. . While I enjoy reading them and find most of your posts interesting, you are not backing your opinions up of with independant studies, or in the synthetic case, by exprience, even.



I have kept it simple about Amsoil. Tell people my exprience with it.

But, as you and a few others love to point out, My expriences can't be trusted becuase I sell the product.





Hmmmm, I bet you trust Piers when he tells you a new xyz part is working on his truck, don't you?





My apologies for the personal jab, I guess I thought I had taken enough from you, that we could banter back and forth with no hurt feelings.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I fully agree with Bill, right down the line...



My ONLY gripe with SOME of the synthetics peddlers, is the steady "holier than thou" attitiude that seeps outta their posts - that those NOT using synthetics are infidels, or some lower form of life...



Like Bill, I have NO doubt that synthetics are MARGINALLY better for the vast majority of users over the long haul - but it IS that "long haul" that is the crucial issue where ANY oil types are concerned.



Go to the bottom line - IF we assume even the minimal 300,000 mile lifespan the Cummins provides, and you reading this AVERAGE 15,000 mile on yer truck per year, you will have to drive that SAME truck for at least 20 years to wear it out!



NOW, stop for a moment, and ask yourself HOW MANY vehicles do you now have, or ever had that you kept that long or drove that far...



Sure, there ARE undoubtedly a very FEW here that fit the bill - but PRECIOUS few! SO, if using a good synthetic WOULD deliver perhaps another 50,000 miles, all things being equal - that's another 3 years or so on a truck YOU probably traded off 15 years EARLIER!



So whatinhell are ya ARGUING about? it IS all rather moot, just as Tejas pointed out in his lead post...