Oil Test Comparison
 

Hello All,

The other day I went to my local import shop to get my usual AMSoil 5w-30 only to find out that someone bought out the rest of their inventory. I decided to try out Redline Oil for once since I heard good things about them. I like to pervent as much wear and tear as possible so I would like to get the best fluid as possible. After purchasing the oil I decided to really look at other well known and lesser known brand such as Brad Penn's (great oil but lot of zinc from PA.) Long story short I found a research article comparing a bunch of motor oil done in 2008.

http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf

I know its about 3 years old but oil can't change that much over the course of 3 years and if it did it does not mean it gotten any better (e.g Mobil-1 GL-4 to GL-3.) But anyways, I hope this information is helpful to some of you for whatever purpose or even for those whom are looking to try new oil. I know people swear by some brand more then others.... So for each his own.

EDIT: You'll be surprised at some of the test results for the better known brand and some bigger surprises with the cheaper brand.

tl;dr version:

Buy Royal Purple racing oil; all oils suck compared to it and Penrite.

What type(s)/brand(s) of oil do people use? I have yet to do an oil change. I live in a pretty cold climate for much of the year.

Hey, great, an engine oil thread preparing for take-off! Let's have a sweepstake as to how long it takes to spiral out of control. :lol:

I'm using Castrol Edge Sport 5W-30.

Rich

Haha, I didn't mean to start this thread to being an "oil war." I figured I post it up for others to come up with what they WANT to use. Like I said some people swear by the oil they use which is fine - To each his own. This thread is just to educate people on the type of oil that are out there. The type of oil your getting for the price and the best bang for the buck. Never actually favor one oil to be honest. Using my 4th oil brand since I got my Ralliart. So far I am happy with all 4, some more than others.

This will most likely turn into one of those audiophile type fiasco's on whether speaker A (which costs $8 grand a piece) or speaker B (which costs $10 grand a piece) sounds better.

Modern day oils, all of them, are probably so advanced that almost any name brand full synthetic will get you your 3000-5000 miles between oil changes. The test doesn't really measure how well the oil works at temperature, nor does it test how well it resists heat, sludge, how well it holds up it's consistency due to age, moisture, acids, fuel, etc. But all those are moot because I've never heard of a single engine failure in a modern car that's been properly maintained due to something other than a defect or abuse or neglect.

That said, I just buy whatever's on sale and whatever has the fanciest packaging. So far I've used the factory oil (I think it's mobil-1 but god only knows what they put in it at the dealership), mobil-1, M1 EP, pennzoil platnium, pennzoil ultra, and castrol edge (the old one, which is now titanium i think).

The car seemed to start easiest and was quietest with castrol edge. That said, it seems like the thinnest oil out there (it's on the low end of the tolerance for it's weight it). The factory fill was the loudest. The 3 separate non-consecutive times that it had the factory fill, I could definitely feel and hear an increase in NVH above 2800rpm and again at 5000rpm. M1 EP was slightly better. Pennzoil didn't have the transition at 2800rpm and had a little at 5000. With edge, it was smooth all the way to 6 grand. That said, I think I'll stick with something heavier like M1/PP/PU for the summer and edge for the winter.

I know some people will say that when it starts to get cold we should switch to 0w-30 because the oil is thinner and offer a better flow rate. However, most of the wear and tear happen when you start your car. If that's what your worried about then go ahead switch to a different oil weight, really the only real benefit of switching to a lighter oil (0W30.)

Due to engine technologies nowadays it is always best to use the type of oil that the manufacture tells you. In our case 5w30 and whatever brand you feel conformable using/afford. Personally, I like the best protection when I WOT on the track. So I shop for oil that perform best overall because technically speaking when your car is warmed up the temperature should range from 190F-210F.

Of course this all changes when your talking about the type of driving you do, the type of mods you've done to your car, and the temperature. But we're speaking bone stock daily driving conditions.

I always run Royal Purple 5w-30 and I've always been pleased. I ran it in my old M3 for 82,000 miles and the internal engine was insanely clean. I also run it in my 69 Mustang I6/250 but at a little thicker dosage 10w-30.


**Forgot to mention. The thickest I've done with Royal Purple 20w50 in a 93 BMW 318i that had some issues.***

Awesome find! Looks like im switching to Royal Purple 10w-40. THanks!

That test is pointless. Oils operating temp is not reached with that test. Also as someone said before there more to oil than friction cutting. How about cold starts, cleaning, high temp, breakdown etc. You want to see if your oil is working good. Send a sample to a analyze like blackstone and see what they find. Best oils out are not what you think and it's not mobile1 with sucks. Try rotella and Penn plat.

I wouldn't say pointless, but the point of the test is to show you under a controlled and even playing field regardless of the test conditions, which oil is better under those said conditions. This test is by no mean the most indept test but it was never meant to be. The test was just to show you wear and tear during a "perfect" world condition. And yes Penn are great oil but someone should have told me that it will eat my cat up!

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

Your welcome, like I said this post was meant to educate people and maybe offer some insight to whats out there. People can say that this test is pointless, but hey a test is a test and if it's enough to make you switch to something else, power to you. Glad I can help a fellow member.

Not rain on your guys parade about royal purple but I have had bad experience with it and many others. https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...you-think.html

In my case only rp and m1 0w-30 green cap have caused ticking in my engine. M1,m1 hm, m1 ep, and amsoil have been awesome and got rid of the ticking induced by the other 2 oils

Also check out the links posted by smile in that thread I linked

Technically, isn't the primary function of oil friction cutting (viscosity breakdown I lump in with friction cutting, because that's its ability to continue friction cutting at elevated temps)? Yes "cleaning" (or not adding *more* sludge), is important but wouldn't it be considered secondary?

YOu are right and many others that have responded,,, that type of testing conducted has been challenged over and over with a failure to comply with all the true testedng standards that the oil industry requires.

Take a look at this video it will explain to you why that type of testeing is flawed and tells me nothing about an oil and its performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne7ayhPVVYY