Best Synthetic Motor Oil?
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I USE VALVOLINE SYNTHETIC BLEND 5w20 .. ANYONE TELL ME IF THAT'S GOOD FOR MY 03 CIVIC EX .... WHAT SHOULD I USE? PLEASE E-MAIL ME Madein_vn@hotmail.com OR AIM @ aixdimsum !
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
Rep Power: 0 Originally posted by Flashlightboy
crackhead,
Using Castrol hasn't messed anything up in your engine. To a large degree regular oil changes with a high quality oil are more important than a syn that is neglected.
You can safely and comfortably use syn at any time. Changing to M1 won't hurt your engine at all! Remember that oil and filter technology has changed enormously in the last few years - take advangtage of it to your cars delight!
I currently use Redline 5W-20 and the M1 104 filter in my 03 EX. Redline is expensive oil and at 5k change intervals I'm getting among the best oil performance their is but I'm probably changing it too soon because their additive package is that good. Nevertheless, I still suggest 5k intervals because it's easier to keep track of on your odometer or I'd change it every 6 months whichever comes first.
PLEASE don't buy into the hype of IffyLube and other quick change places that you need to change your oil every 3k. In the past that was a good practice but now it's just a scare tactic to get you to part with more of your money sooner and more often.
Since RL is harder to find than other brands, I'd suggest using M1 0W-20 or their 5W-30 if want to use a syn. You could use the Purlator Pure One filter which gives good performance at about half the cost of the M1.
If you want to use dino oil you should consider Havoline 5W-20, Pennzoil or Chevron. Even Castrol does well in UOAs. Remember that all currently marketed 5W-20 oils are formulated to meet the latest Honda and Ford specs which is what our cars call for.
crackhead,
Using Castrol hasn't messed anything up in your engine. To a large degree regular oil changes with a high quality oil are more important than a syn that is neglected.
You can safely and comfortably use syn at any time. Changing to M1 won't hurt your engine at all! Remember that oil and filter technology has changed enormously in the last few years - take advangtage of it to your cars delight!
I currently use Redline 5W-20 and the M1 104 filter in my 03 EX. Redline is expensive oil and at 5k change intervals I'm getting among the best oil performance their is but I'm probably changing it too soon because their additive package is that good. Nevertheless, I still suggest 5k intervals because it's easier to keep track of on your odometer or I'd change it every 6 months whichever comes first.
PLEASE don't buy into the hype of IffyLube and other quick change places that you need to change your oil every 3k. In the past that was a good practice but now it's just a scare tactic to get you to part with more of your money sooner and more often.
Since RL is harder to find than other brands, I'd suggest using M1 0W-20 or their 5W-30 if want to use a syn. You could use the Purlator Pure One filter which gives good performance at about half the cost of the M1.
If you want to use dino oil you should consider Havoline 5W-20, Pennzoil or Chevron. Even Castrol does well in UOAs. Remember that all currently marketed 5W-20 oils are formulated to meet the latest Honda and Ford specs which is what our cars call for.
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If the bottle says that it meets the Ford and/or Honda specs it will be fine for your engine. That said, it's my opinion that there are oils that have a proven track record based on used oil analysis. I'm not aware of any used oil analysis on this particular oil but I'd like to see any that might exist.
Motorcraft oil will be a fine choice and so is Exxon/Mobil which produces Honda brand oil. Other 5W-20 oils have a proven track record that you should also consider and so it's difficult to say that Brand A is categorically better than Brand B.
I personally would be very comfortable with M1 0W-20 in your application. If you always run your car at full throttle, run it very hard, have NOS or other mods that are generating greater HP or engine heat, I'd run a syn 0W or 5W-30.
For even greater info you should spend some time at the BOB site someone linked too earlier.
If the bottle says that it meets the Ford and/or Honda specs it will be fine for your engine. That said, it's my opinion that there are oils that have a proven track record based on used oil analysis. I'm not aware of any used oil analysis on this particular oil but I'd like to see any that might exist.
Motorcraft oil will be a fine choice and so is Exxon/Mobil which produces Honda brand oil. Other 5W-20 oils have a proven track record that you should also consider and so it's difficult to say that Brand A is categorically better than Brand B.
I personally would be very comfortable with M1 0W-20 in your application. If you always run your car at full throttle, run it very hard, have NOS or other mods that are generating greater HP or engine heat, I'd run a syn 0W or 5W-30.
For even greater info you should spend some time at the BOB site someone linked too earlier.
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Your 0W-20 question isn't easily answered but I'll try.
A 20 weight oil is thin but oil, as it comes out of the ground, isn't this thin. It simply is too thick to be a 20 weight oil without some help.
There are other oil properties that also need help and so the manufactures need to "massage" the oil through mixing with syn or making it wholly syn to meet the Ford/Honda specs along with adding their additive packages. This is the very short answer but in essence, the oil is engineered to be and to stay within this grade.
Your 0W-20 question isn't easily answered but I'll try.
A 20 weight oil is thin but oil, as it comes out of the ground, isn't this thin. It simply is too thick to be a 20 weight oil without some help.
There are other oil properties that also need help and so the manufactures need to "massage" the oil through mixing with syn or making it wholly syn to meet the Ford/Honda specs along with adding their additive packages. This is the very short answer but in essence, the oil is engineered to be and to stay within this grade.
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