Big GMC truck
Registered Member
What is the best conventional oil?
CK5
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oil choice
- Thread starter Big GMC truck
- Start date
SUBFAN
1/2 ton status
Lots of debate on this subject....Decide for yourself 
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Indyblazer
Registered Member
CLEAN OIL IS the BEST!!!
Check your owners manual for the proper grade and viscosity. Then CHANGE IT & THE FILTER REGULARLY. All of the major brands will provide excellent lubrication if it is clean and the proper grade/viscosity for your vehicle. If you live in an area of the country that has COLD winters switch to the viscosity recommended for colder temps. I change the oil and filter in all five of my vehicles every 3,000 miles. (I do the change myself to save money)
Check your owners manual for the proper grade and viscosity. Then CHANGE IT & THE FILTER REGULARLY. All of the major brands will provide excellent lubrication if it is clean and the proper grade/viscosity for your vehicle. If you live in an area of the country that has COLD winters switch to the viscosity recommended for colder temps. I change the oil and filter in all five of my vehicles every 3,000 miles. (I do the change myself to save money)
I am a triple master technician at a Ford dealer and I use and recommend Valvoline. We use motorcraft but it is distributed by Valvoline with the motorcraft name on the bottle. I personaly have seen some nasty effects from years of using Penzoil. The owner changed his oil regularly but over time the Penzoil left a thick waxy type of build up in the engine till if eventually restricted oil flow to the rod bearings and cause a rod knock. As for other name brands I'm not sure, but just use a quality oil (not the .69 cent Pep Boys special) and change it regularly and your engine will last for years.
I personally run Valvoline. I know that Penzoil and Q-state both run wax and a lot of detergents in their oils. That is where the buildup comes from. I've used Valvoline for years now with no ill side effects.
Rick
Rick
since 1989 I have run pennzoil 10w30... once I ran quakerstate 4x4.. someone told me I would blow up my engine... guess what ... I did.... went back to pennzoil... no problems.. will never switch again
I think you will get alot of answers here but I run Valvoline also
Jishory
1/2 ton status
castrol
k20
3/4 ton status
Anything that takes conventional get Castrol. My truck gets mobil1 synth.
resurrected_jimmy
1/2 ton status
I run penzoil in vehicles that use regular oil, but my truck has been fed mobil 1 its whole life, currently at 189,000 rode hard and put away wet miles
justwhatido
1/2 ton status
Keep whatever oil you use changed
and they all do a good job.
I purchased a Ford F150 new in 1995. We used it here at work. Then I sent it to our shop in New Orleans and they let it go approximately 20,000 miles without changing the oil. I brought it back and took it home to use on weekends. When I changed the oil it was black and really thick. I could tell that it had new oil, but the engine still felt like it was "grinding".
I have a friend that is an engineer by education. (He builds racing carburetors for a living now.) He was working for a company called Prolong. They make oil additives. Now I have always considered oil additives to be "snake oil". But we were at Indy and most of the cars were running Prolong in the motors that year (I guess they still do).
Anyway, I drove to the local Walmart and bought a bottle. I added it to the oil right there in the parking lot and when I cranked the truck and drove off, I could feel the engine freeing up. Darndest thing that I have ever felt in an automobile. Now I add a booster with every oil change. I have over 218,000 miles on the truck and it runs great and burns no oil.
I do not work for these folks, I run a truck lines. i'd put it in the big trucks if I could get them to discount it in bulk. But I run it in my car, my wife's car, the kids cars and even in my lawn-mower.
Good stuff
Fred
and they all do a good job.
I purchased a Ford F150 new in 1995. We used it here at work. Then I sent it to our shop in New Orleans and they let it go approximately 20,000 miles without changing the oil. I brought it back and took it home to use on weekends. When I changed the oil it was black and really thick. I could tell that it had new oil, but the engine still felt like it was "grinding".
I have a friend that is an engineer by education. (He builds racing carburetors for a living now.) He was working for a company called Prolong. They make oil additives. Now I have always considered oil additives to be "snake oil". But we were at Indy and most of the cars were running Prolong in the motors that year (I guess they still do).
Anyway, I drove to the local Walmart and bought a bottle. I added it to the oil right there in the parking lot and when I cranked the truck and drove off, I could feel the engine freeing up. Darndest thing that I have ever felt in an automobile. Now I add a booster with every oil change. I have over 218,000 miles on the truck and it runs great and burns no oil.
I do not work for these folks, I run a truck lines. i'd put it in the big trucks if I could get them to discount it in bulk. But I run it in my car, my wife's car, the kids cars and even in my lawn-mower.
Good stuff
Fred
10w40 Castrol GTX, Castrol Full Synthetic, or Mobil 1 depending on the time of year and which is cheaper.
For things that need high quality oil to survive I run Royal Purple.
Anyone besides me find it amusing that synthetic oil prices rose just as much as dinosaur oil now that crude costs so much? Must be beans and laboratories are getting expensive too.
For things that need high quality oil to survive I run Royal Purple.
Anyone besides me find it amusing that synthetic oil prices rose just as much as dinosaur oil now that crude costs so much? Must be beans and laboratories are getting expensive too.
hunterguy86
1/2 ton status
My dad and I run rotella in our diesels. He runs moble 1 in his truck since we rebuilt the motor. I run valvoline in my K5.
Personal preference...
I used Castrol 20W50 in all my vehicles for many years--changed to 10w30 in the winter...never had an engine problem...
Then I quit my job to work on my own,and money wasn't so plentiful--and my trucks sat more than they got driven for the most part...I started using Wal-Mart "Tech 2000" brand cheap oil,probably made by Quaker State or some other big brand name...I havent had any problems with them running the cheap stuff--but again,I dont drive long distances or even go far at all anymore lately...had I been using them to do the 130 mile commute to work each day like I did in years past- ,things might have been different..
I think its most important to change oil often,rather than what brand----I usually have to drop the oilpan,and replace the timing chain and gears and oil pump in most of my trucks after I get them(I put motors in most of them)--,and if I see lots of sludge,I just run cheaper oil...but 99% of my engines looked nice and clean inside,so I now use the 15W40 diesel oil I buy in 2 gallon bulk jugs from Wal-Mart,or a local heavy truck supply place in ALL my engines,gas or diesel..its cheaper in bulk,and better oil to boot..
It keeps the motor much cleaner than regular oil,and I notice if the motor uses a bit of oil between changes,it uses less of the 15W40 than even 20W50 for some reason (probably a higher "flash point" on the diesel oil)...I also change the filter EVERY time,and I used to use the 2qt filters--but I felt they were overkill for a normal street driven truck--if I towed or it was 100 degrees all summer here,I'd use the 2qt. filters..(extra qt.of oil,and the big filter helps cool the oil--but its overkill for my needs)..
I think synthetic is too costly,and unessasary in older trucks driven on the street..I dont trust mixing synthetic in with whatever its been run on for years!--I fear sludge getting loosened up and passing thru everything--and they say synthetic will leak more and burn more than dinosour oil,if your motor uses oil....I'd use it in a newer vehicle with low mileage--IF I had the money too!--but "regular" oil is pretty good nowadays..its good enough for my trucks..again,if I towed or drove my truck hard,then perhaps I'd consider synthetic oil...Right now I can hardly afford the "cheap stuff"..
P.S.--I dont trust many of the "miracle" oils like Prolong,Slick 50, etc--only car I used Slick 50 in had noisy lifters from that day on!--and it ate a cam lobe shortly thereafter...I did use "Tufoil" and did notice a bit more power and gas milage in my van--but the 250 six had noisy lifters too,dont know if I can blame the teflon in the tufoil for that..I'd only add Lucas motor treatmemt or "Motor Medic" to an engine that needs thicker oil to survive..I dont believe in ads for stuff you can drain your oil out,and drive 500 miles with no damage!
...
I used Castrol 20W50 in all my vehicles for many years--changed to 10w30 in the winter...never had an engine problem...
Then I quit my job to work on my own,and money wasn't so plentiful--and my trucks sat more than they got driven for the most part...I started using Wal-Mart "Tech 2000" brand cheap oil,probably made by Quaker State or some other big brand name...I havent had any problems with them running the cheap stuff--but again,I dont drive long distances or even go far at all anymore lately...had I been using them to do the 130 mile commute to work each day like I did in years past- ,things might have been different..
I think its most important to change oil often,rather than what brand----I usually have to drop the oilpan,and replace the timing chain and gears and oil pump in most of my trucks after I get them(I put motors in most of them)--,and if I see lots of sludge,I just run cheaper oil...but 99% of my engines looked nice and clean inside,so I now use the 15W40 diesel oil I buy in 2 gallon bulk jugs from Wal-Mart,or a local heavy truck supply place in ALL my engines,gas or diesel..its cheaper in bulk,and better oil to boot..
It keeps the motor much cleaner than regular oil,and I notice if the motor uses a bit of oil between changes,it uses less of the 15W40 than even 20W50 for some reason (probably a higher "flash point" on the diesel oil)...I also change the filter EVERY time,and I used to use the 2qt filters--but I felt they were overkill for a normal street driven truck--if I towed or it was 100 degrees all summer here,I'd use the 2qt. filters..(extra qt.of oil,and the big filter helps cool the oil--but its overkill for my needs)..
I think synthetic is too costly,and unessasary in older trucks driven on the street..I dont trust mixing synthetic in with whatever its been run on for years!--I fear sludge getting loosened up and passing thru everything--and they say synthetic will leak more and burn more than dinosour oil,if your motor uses oil....I'd use it in a newer vehicle with low mileage--IF I had the money too!--but "regular" oil is pretty good nowadays..its good enough for my trucks..again,if I towed or drove my truck hard,then perhaps I'd consider synthetic oil...Right now I can hardly afford the "cheap stuff"..
P.S.--I dont trust many of the "miracle" oils like Prolong,Slick 50, etc--only car I used Slick 50 in had noisy lifters from that day on!--and it ate a cam lobe shortly thereafter...I did use "Tufoil" and did notice a bit more power and gas milage in my van--but the 250 six had noisy lifters too,dont know if I can blame the teflon in the tufoil for that..I'd only add Lucas motor treatmemt or "Motor Medic" to an engine that needs thicker oil to survive..I dont believe in ads for stuff you can drain your oil out,and drive 500 miles with no damage!
... Pookster
1/2 ton status
not saying that synthetics wont loosen up sludge, but synth acutally has LESS detergents than conventional. By far, the most detergents occur in diesel rated oils. Synthetics do have a tendency to find any crack it can flow through, so it has penetrating power to go through any build up, and leak out through seals.
I usually get whats on sale. For conventional (gas) I like to use exxon/mobil, mobil 1 synth if I run the car hard a lot. On the v8's, I used to just run regular oil as well, but now have switched to either rotella, rotella T, delvac, delvac 1(rare) or Mobil 1 truck and SUV. (which is apparently very similiar if not the same as delvac one, but substantially cheaper).
I was able to find a mislable of Delvac- 1 gallon jugs of delvac for 3.50. (their usually about 7-8 dollars a jug). I bought 8 jugs. Lol. I forgot to go back the next day for more...
There has been no real reason why motor oil prices have went up- (same with gas, but thats another story).
Starts making those "bypass" filters look reasonable!
I usually get whats on sale. For conventional (gas) I like to use exxon/mobil, mobil 1 synth if I run the car hard a lot. On the v8's, I used to just run regular oil as well, but now have switched to either rotella, rotella T, delvac, delvac 1(rare) or Mobil 1 truck and SUV. (which is apparently very similiar if not the same as delvac one, but substantially cheaper).
I was able to find a mislable of Delvac- 1 gallon jugs of delvac for 3.50. (their usually about 7-8 dollars a jug). I bought 8 jugs. Lol. I forgot to go back the next day for more...
There has been no real reason why motor oil prices have went up- (same with gas, but thats another story).
Starts making those "bypass" filters look reasonable!
87BrnRsd
1/2 ton status
If im running conventional oil, then I wont use anything other than Valvoline. But personally, I run Mobil 1 Full Synthetic in my K5. Great stuff, but a little pricey.
-Harrison
-Harrison
Valvoline - use to be able to get it for 59 cents/quart - now it goes on sale for 79 cents/quart
2High4U
1/2 ton status
I use Amsoil SYNTHETIC 
Roz
1/2 ton status
AMEN brother, AMSOIL here to. i HAVE noticed the difference. when wheelin in the desert with all the heat its a huge difference. other then that almost always have used catrol gtx, never a bad experience -so far<knock on wood>
