So I'm changing my oil today...

[06MidnightBlue]

Thought it would be good to change the oil for the first time since owning it from the dealership...couldn't hurt right?

Thought I would start a thread on the "preferred" oil by other users....so what does your oil change consist of?

Mine:

6 Qts. of Valvoline Syn-Power 5W-30

1 Qt. of Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer

1 Fram Tough Guard Oil Filter

[BSalty]

Mobil 1 full synthetic and a Mobil 1 extended milage filter. Change the filter at 3k, 6k, and change the filter and oil at 9k. Next one I might go 12k before I change the oil. My bro is a mechanic and he says the oil will go 15k easy, and some guys push it to 30k. But I do too much low rpm grunt work on hills to go that far.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I haven't used the lucas but mine is pretty much the same.

Not really worth paying someone to do our oil changes, we never get the advertised. It's always like $40+ for the standard oil when I can use full syn for the same $$ or less.

I used the mobil 1 extended guard oil once in my blazer went 10,000 miles without changing oil/filter and the oil came out looking new. I couldn't afford it anymore and just never went back to it when I could.

[Flying Monkey]

I just did mine about 2000 miles ago and I put Lucas in mine as well. I always have with high mileage motors. Im pushing about 170k right now. Im a Castrol guy and always have been so I used Castrol High Mileage.

[Diacom]

I use Mobil 1 and the K&N oil filter about every 5k.

[06MidnightBlue]

I too have used Mobil 1 in my time...at one point it was an exceptional oil. however over time I've noticed that Mobil does tend to break down rather fast and becomes literally the viscosity of water.

Castrol is an EXCELLENT oil IMO...however it may just be that fact that its a little too rich for my blood, by paying $9 for a single quart of EDGE oil seems a little excessive...yet again, IMO....unless I'm racing the vehicle I put it in.

As for changing intervals...I dont buy the "every 3 months or 3K miles" crap. I've tried changing my oil at these intervals and find that my oil still has a thick viscosity to it. I usually always change my oil at about 5K miles...no more than 6.

Mobil Oil filters are good...however in my experience I've found that the Fram Tough Guard does the same thing for half the price.

I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong with their input...I am merely stating my opinion about such things.

[TangoBravo]

I run Amsoil and Amsoil extended filter, I change my oil based on analysis results usually around 15-20 thousand is when it's due I just had it checked at 14,000 and it has another 4,000 before it needs changing. But im a dealer so I don't pay the high price and have there products in everything I can on my TB it sure makes things easy. Is it better or worse then other oils? I don't know but it's what I use just personal prefferance.

[06MidnightBlue]

I've never used Amsoil...so I cant really comment. However I know those who have used it and from what I'm told its a good oil to run if you dont like changing your oil sooner rather than later.

[wink]

I usually use a Fram TG oil filter and whatever oil is on sale at that time. The last few oil changes I have noticed that at 6qt. it's full, even after running it a few days it's still full.

[navigator]

I usually run whatever synthetic(other than Quaker state) is on sale and any filter other than fram.
I usually end up with Valvoline or Castrol Edge synthetic with the Purolator Pure One filter.
I just watch the sales at Advance Auto
I change mine at 7500 miles.

My TB manual says to change it when the light says to.
My light never comes one.
My S10 manual said every 3k for heavy duty or 7500 for light duty.
I figure 7500 for medium duty with synthetic is a pretty good compromise.


I know a lot of folks run fram filters and I ran them for years with no issues but if you do research you'll find they are the lowest quality filter out there.

I think a good oil and air filter are just as important as the oil you run.

[bartonmd]

I too have used Mobil 1 in my time...at one point it was an exceptional oil. however over time I've noticed that Mobil does tend to break down rather fast and becomes literally the viscosity of water.

Castrol is an EXCELLENT oil IMO...however it may just be that fact that its a little too rich for my blood, by paying $9 for a single quart of EDGE oil seems a little excessive...yet again, IMO....unless I'm racing the vehicle I put it in.

As for changing intervals...I dont buy the "every 3 months or 3K miles" crap. I've tried changing my oil at these intervals and find that my oil still has a thick viscosity to it. I usually always change my oil at about 5K miles...no more than 6.

Mobil Oil filters are good...however in my experience I've found that the Fram Tough Guard does the same thing for half the price.

I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong with their input...I am merely stating my opinion about such things.

The newer (last 3 years or so) M1 5W30 does break down faster (literally, at about the rate of $1.88/qt dino oil), since they took the sulfer out of it, like a lot of oil manufacturers did, for emission reasons... The M1 "truck and SUV" 5W30 doesn't seem to break down as fast, and neither does the "extended performance"... This is per oil analysis, not what it looks like when it comes out, which will vary with temperature... I have started using Penzoil Platinum, because the oil analysis shows it to be about the best mainstream distributed oil going, even though it's not full synthetic base stock like the M1... Additive package has as much or more to do with how well an oil performs as what it starts as... I basically just switched because it's like $1 cheaper per jug than the M1, and it's getting harder to find the "truck and SUV" M1 that's basically what the regular M1 5W30 used to be before they dumbed it down...

My expernience with Fram filters is that 50% of the time, they will put cardboard pieces into your engine, causing you to do a top end rebuild... At least 1 of the 2 I've ever used (the second and last one) did that... I then researched and found out that FRAM filters suck, as far as filtration capacity, filtration effeciency, small particle filtration, anti-drainback valve design (doesn't seal well, which causes to engine to start dry on every cold start), and can thickness, which is why you hear of them blowing up more than other brands...

I use Mobil 1 or Pure 1 filters... Every used oil analysis I've sent in with a Pure 1 filter has come back saying "We don't know what filter you're using, but keep using it! Filtration is excellent!"

Mike

[Trail X]

My TB manual says to change it when the light says to.
My light never comes one.

The light seems to come on between 9k and 10k for me.

[bartonmd]

My TB manual says to change it when the light says to.
My light never comes one.

The light seems to come on between 9k and 10k for me.

Yeah, between 10k and 11k for me...

Mike

[navigator]

good, then at 7500 I'm only changing my oil about 2X per year and it isn't hurting anything.
I might check into getting an oil analysis if they aren't too expensive.
it would be interesting to see how the Walmart SuperTech synthetic does with the AC Delco filter.
That is what I bought last time because my parts store was closed.

[rgraboske]

I just changed mine yesterday using Castrol GTX High Mileage, and an AC Delco filter. I always use the delco filters because I've seen other filter break down and cause major problems.

[Trail X]

Based on my research (lurking at bobistheoilguy), the best two syn oils are Pennzoil Platinum and Mobile 1. I keep considering PP, but haven't made the switch yet.

[navigator]

James, I learned a lot from reading bobistheoilguy. It is a great read and puts to bed a lot of the myths you read on the web.

[bartonmd]

James, I learned a lot from reading bobistheoilguy. It is a great read and puts to bed a lot of the myths you read on the web.

Exactly! That's where I found out about PP being awesome, and the new M1 being not nearly as good as it once was, as well as the T&SUV still being similar to the old M1...

Mike

[DJones]

I've been using Mobil1 since the day after I brought the TB home and won't go less than 10k. If thet don't put sulfer into it anymore, what would it take to add some? Is it plain sulfer or a sulfer compound? Would it be as good or would it be easier buying a better oil?

[Saxis]

I've put Penz Plat in mine since the day I bought it with 200 miles. I change it when the counter gets down to about 10-15%, which is usually about 7k miles.