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Comments
BTW, is there any real reason why the conventional Mobil oil is so cheap, at least comparing to Castrol, Pennzioil, etc???
We'd better move along. I hear "host" keyboards beginning to stampede!
I have found many people use a very poor grade oil and will not hold up thus disappating either past the rings/blowby and such or by accumilating as sludge in a hot spot on the motor.
no matter what, there is a reason for the usage and if I was to spend that kind of money for a brand new car/truck, it dang well better not use a drop of oil. period. There is No excuse that a manufacture can give me that will justify oil usage of any nature.
My suggestion to you is bring in a good grade oil in for your next oil change and see if your oil consuption drops. This would be the first step in determining if its the quality of the oil or something else.
Now, in my camry, at 143,000 I use about 28 ounces in the 7,500 miles between changes (and this includes a very slight seepage on a few seals) and this has been consistent for the past 3 years. Prior to that slighly less oil.
My new Buick uses about 2 ounces every 1000 miles but it is consistent whereas my Mitsubishi twin turbo, in a year and 5000 miles same oil, may drop only 2-4 ounces.
I concur, the key is whether the usage is consistent and not increasing. Some cars use 1 quart every 3000 and it never increases as the engine ages. Lower tolerances I guess???
Our 98 Trooper has been a quart low (according to dipstick) every 2000-2500 miles. This hasn't changed in the 56k miles we've owned the truck (bought used at 7k). Am I worried about this? Not at all. It's common on this engine, and it's not getting any worse.
I get tired of hearing people make very precise claims with very imprecise measurements to back it up. It's like the people who say, 'my car gets 20 miles per gallon. I know because I usually get around 300 miles before it gets between 1/4 and "E" and then I fill up and it's an 18-gallon tank.' Sorry, but those actions don't give you an accurate MPG figure!
In addition to the dipstick reading, I track how much oil I add during the change interval and how much is drained at time of change (I know you can't get all of the old oil out).
Guess we have too much time on our hands. Need a mistress, well, maybe the cars replace the mistress, probably less expensive in the long run as well.
bob
Look forward to more now that you have the technology down. Maybe you should go into a new line, on line education, using the videos, power point presentations for all participants, new sideline.
"Unfortunately, the STP 6000 Mile Oil Extender is no longer available. Although a great number of consumers enjoyed it as you did, the sales volume was not substantial enough to warrant our continuing to market this product."
Am I missing something?
Thank you for contacting us about STP Oil Treatment. We appreciate your interest in our product.
STP oil additives are fully compatible with today's high performance motor oils and do not contain any corrosive chemicals. Some of the additives contained in STP Oil Treatment are identical to the additives used in today's highest quality API SH or SJ multi-grade motor oils, but in higher concentrations. STP also contains viscosity index improvers and dispersent chemicals that enhance the performance of all motor oils. The effectiveness and compatibility of our product with today's oils has been thoroughly tested both at independent laboratories and by STP Research & Development. In every comparative study, these tests have shown that the STP Oil Treatment Products reduce wear and extend engine life.
STP Oil and Air Filters currently are produced by Champion Laboratories. If you have questions or comments about these products, please contact Champion Laboratories at (800) 882-0890. I hope this information is helpful.
I hope this information is helpful. Once again, thank you for contacting us.
Sincerely,
David N. Mills
Product Specialist
I'm not going to banter with you about oil usage as i am quite aware of how an engine lubrication system works and how the lubrication priciples apply in and to the engine. I will also tell you that if you are saying that an engine has to use a 1/2 to a full quart of oil to provide this lubrication then you have an engine using oil or has a leak.
Now here is something I noted along the way, looking for the coupon product: At Walmart I could not find it, but noted the presence of the blue bottle STP product-- the classic STP thick petroleum. Along side it, in a very similar bottle was a house brand thick petroleum product for about half the price. I will guess it is STP under another name. This form of STP is not known to me to contain Molybdenum disulfide.
Non of my 4 (including current) vehicles have NEVER had any oil ADDED and SHOWED NO decline in the DIP STICK READING no matter what milage i have on the oil.(as I pointed out before, i don't have the time to measure and weigh the oil evertime i do an oil change to see what exact grams are consumed in an engine.)
I agree - my last 4 japanese cars have neither leaked or burned any oil. My previous GM cars all leaked - pan and valve covers, and my VW did that and burned it too.
That stuff is so thick I hate to pour it into the motor even if the motor is warm.
I have a 5 qt jug of oil that I had bought some time ago, I add the oil first to that jug, then I add the STP into that oil and shake it up. The STP mixes right in and then I pour it into the motor,,no globs of thick stuff that way..
I won't use 5w/30 at all, only use 10w/30 during warranty and shortly after, start swapping out the 10w/40 or 15w/40 after about 50k miles and start adding some STP (maybe a half bottle) after 100k.
10w/30 has merit during cold winter starts, but heavier oil really helps during hot summers,,,and "mature" engines.
see Y'all
Rando
they have it listed in their online store, but you have to call 1-800-325-3367 to order. It's $5.50 pt. Minimum 4 Pints + UPS Shipping. I'm thinking of ordering some as well.
Chris
I'm willing to spring for some pricey moly from Schaeffer's, but before I do that I want to be sure it makes sense to add their Moly 132 to an SL-rated 5W30 or 10W30 such as Citgo Supergard or Chevron Supreme.
I keep up with these threads, but unless I write up the consensus findings in a separate file, I invariably forget the main points.
I can see now that I need to explain what happens with oil mixing.
It is not advisable to mix brands of oils. each oil company has their mix of additives and one can clash with the other.
(in layman terms here is a scenario)
Additives have an infinity to metal attraction. the defomants,antioxidants,detergents,antiwear and all the other additives when mixed can cause a problem because too much of one thing can cause another additive not to work.
lets take the higher levels of mo in redline for example. because the mo is so high, the antioxidant additive has a much harder time protecting the oil from acids, therefore the detergents have to kick in sooner and clean up the acids the antioxidants couldn't keep out. That then causes the tbn levels to drop faster and once down to a certain point the oil will be overcome with the acids and the base oil will start to breakdown sooner. So to mix oils especially when you have no idea what you are mixing, would not be beneficial and in cases i have seen, sludge will form. Of course you can get away with it for a while and in some cases forever. If mixing oils is what you want, it should be the same brand of oil to avoid additive clashes since most companies maintain the same basic chemistry in each of their oils.
Now understand that redline is a good oil, and works well. I only used that as an example on how one can effect the other and that this example is only hypothetical and not nesccarely representative of how redlines oil may actually be.
I do follow the following guidelines. I try to stick to the same weight of oil as much as possible. Valvoline told me that mixing weights is uncertain, and not to do it. I always keep the oils in the same brand. So the only real mixing I do is an additional quart of syn to the desired oil. My latest was adding a quart of synthetic to an oil change with Maxlife. It seems to be working well.
I have no problem mixing oil wt, just depends on what my goal is, under warranty I use what the mfgr recommends, where I live 5w/30 is not required for ambient temps and I use 10w/30.
After the vehicle gets to 50k I start swapping either (10w or 15w)/40 for 10w/30 about 2 out of 5 qts, during the heat of summer I will use 20w/50 instead of the (10w or 15w)/40.
I have higher interest in engine protection over slightly higher gas mileage,,,the mfgrs have a MUCH higher interest in the slightly better fuel economy that thinner oil gives (CAFE standards are hard on them but don't care how long I keep a vehicle!),,,,and they know that the majority of people either lease vehicles or sell them before they really hit high mileage.
I usually keep vehicles for a long time, which is why my interest leans towards better engine protection. I try to keep the different wts all with the same mfgr, but there have been a couple times where I was changing brands that I mixed mfgrs (I used Castrol GTX before and use Havoline now)
I have only had 1 premature motor death and that was a Chevy 4.3 that only used 10w/30 until it died at 107k miles, all my others have gone to at least 190k miles using thicker oil before I sold them (all running fine when I sold them).
Different strokes for different folks, but that's how I do it.
See y'all
Rando
But how much of a risk does mixing pose? After all, aren't all API certified oils supposed to be compatible? Every time you change your oil you leave behind 10-20% of the previous oil so each time you switch, you are mixing oils ... to some degree.
However, even if the resulting mixture doesn't do actual DAMAGE to a motor, the combination of additives may cause one or the other to perform at less than optimum levels ... which means the resulting mix isn't working as well as it should ... and isn't that the point? When one mixes, they want the beneficial attributes of a better oil without using a full concentration of it, right?
All in all, I don't mix much anymore ... but there are a few applications where I want some of the flow and heat-resistance properties of a synthetic ... and the anti-wear and additive package of a diesel oil. And, with these machines (some of which I don't own) I don't bother buying Red Line. It's too expensive.
--- Bror Jace
Schaeffers is manufactured here in St. Louis and has a strong following with fleet and diesel owners.
By the way, the Moly EP can be ordered from the Schaeffers site for $5.50 per pint with a four pint minimum.
But since they are configred by the manufacturer for specific weights my preference is to stick with the real weight I want. For this reason I'm switching brands on the next oil change.
How much do you think using heavier oil hurt your mileage....In my case, it has never been significant, I just care more about keeping the engine than getting maybe 1-2 more mpg...
I have never lived up north, so I probably do not have a good perspective on thin oil,,,,,but I have lived in the south...(Florida to North Carolina..) and the summer heat is a killer down here..that's why I go with thicker oil.
see ya
Rando
The reason it can't be that bad is that I once had a ford 2.3 L and I used filters (horizontal mount) without the anti-drain back vale for years. It rattled seriously thousands of times when it started up. That same vehicle (when my son owned it) had a 90% plugged oil pump screed and rattled without the light coming on for usually a minute for about 6 months. That vehicle with 145K is still on the road. I rest my case.
Later,
Al
I just wanted to post some other results I just did while I had time. I now know that from my little personal tests that mobils tri synth seems to have some differences over the years. the oldest I had was an sj rated, when run, it would plate up in a reasonable time simular but not quite as fast as amsoils. the newer sl grade trisynth, would also plate up but after a longer period of time. Then of course mobils new supersyn oil, I couldn't get it to plate at all no matter how hard I tried.
of course this isn't scientific but it does show me that every one seems to have less and less antiwear barrier lube property the newer it was.
STP 6000 mile oil extender.. first observation showed to be dark and thin fluid like, not thick as the older standard stp additive. The older stp additive plated up in a reasonable time as expected. In comparision, the newer 6k stp didn't fair as well. After the new stp plated, I then proceeded to put some extreme pressure to see if it could be sheared and without too much force i was able to lock it up. The point of this is, that if moly is present it is near impossible to shear it once plated up. so if moly was in this product i'd think it was just barely tainted and that's all. The other indicator of zddp is the caution on the bottle states don't get into eyes also is commonly used in high does of zinc. This statement is not normally indicated in moly additives.
If you are going to use it, my suggestion is to put it into the gas where it can provide some extra lubrication to the injectors ant the rings. I occasionally use it there. I believe my milage goes up slightly when I use it. That sorta makes sense.
Al