Recommend me: Oil/Filter

It's a pretty basic question.

I joined this forum shortly after moving to Hungary. Before I left I was ignoring the "interwebz" and their condemnation of Fram filters because... well it was the interwebz (and I never seemed to have any problems with them).

Anyhoo, you guys aren't your average "interwebzers" and you still don't like Fram filters... Then a recent post about sludge led to various "Quakerbake" comments... Really? First Fram and now my "Quakerstate"? I've been using this crap for overever! (I think it was my grandfather who first introduced me to "Quakerstate...)

Anyhoo, I need new oil and filter brand recommendations before I move back to the states. I've been using Castrol Edge over here, but really it was only because my landlord is a distributor and I get a good deal (that and they didn't have Quakerstate)

Thanks!

We use Shell Rotella in most things at work.

AC Delco, Purolator or Wix filters.

Cut open a Wix and a Fram and you'll see why.

Even good filters are cheap compared to engine damage.

Wix or NAPA Gold.. they are the same thing, they are good...

the heft of a K&N oil filter gives me warm fuzzy feelings, as does the cool hex nut welded to the end.. but i'm torn on their air filters..

As far as I am concerned any modern name brand oil is perfectly ok when changed regularly. Obviously if you buy the oil from the "everything is a dollar" type stores you may find some issues.

With dead dino oil I always buy whatever the brand on sale is. I do like the Wix filters after seeing a display of cut open ones, but I also dont see a problem with Fram when used on a DD.

When I was at the Honda dealer we had a service news article come out on VTEC solenoid codes caused by KN and other specialty oil filters. They filtered so good they would slightly drop oil pressure just enough to trip a fault. The recommended fix was to swap on an OEM filter. Never saw it happen, but I thought it was interesting and always remembered it.

People are passionate about this stuff so I imagine this thread will get interesting.

Agree with logdog on oil and filters. most will work just fine when changed regularly. For the best value in synthetics I use pennsoil platinum and wix filters(and this is exactly what I actually use in all my vehicles). If you want to spend more money on oil, I highly recommend Redline oil first then Royal Purple.

On my new cars I use Castrol GTX because I have had good luck with it and can get it pretty much anywhere. I like to stick to one brand because old stories about the additives in one brand maybe not playing well with additives in another make just enough sense to me that I avoid the question since I can.

On used cars where the history is unknown I'll either use the same Castrol or WalMart brand synthetic when it is on sale. I figure with all the rules about what can actually be called full synthetic the fact that they can must mean they are buying good stuff from someone, and if it's the same price why not?

I use wix or Napa filters almost exclusively.

For filters I like NAPA, Baldwin & Mann. I don't turn down a Bosch, or motorcraft oil filter when they are part of a special deal at the chain stores.

As for motor oil, Quakerstate is the only brand that I make a point to avoid. My favorites are Shell Rotella for the bimmer, and Castrol for most everything else. I wouldn't use synthetics unless specified by the manufacturer, or in an engine that is used for racing.

While we are on the subject of oils brands, I've heard that the WallyWorld brand oil is produced by Mobil, can anyone confirm that?

The Fram hate by the people using at least some science are hating it because its a poorly constructed filter made of cheap materials that costs quite a bit more than many far better built filters. The orange can charges midgrade money for a marginal product.

The higher dollar Frams are great, but for the money you could be buying WIX, Bosch, Mahle, Denso, etc. For the cost of the low buck orange can of doom (and IIRC, the QS filters are the same thing with different paint) you could have a Purolator with way more media and metal end caps, and have some change left over.

What car are we talking about? In my miata, I throw anything at it. In the SAAB, I was a little bit more careful and actually cared. In the BMW, I would pay attention as well. Crown Vic? If the cabbies aren't killing those engines, I'm not, so I would again, throw whatever was cheap in it.

If its a newer car, the most important thing is to meet the criteria set by the cars manufacturer. First, you don't want to void the warranty...but thats not such a problem in this crowd.

What are you changing the oil in? An old Impala, for instance, would probably be happier with a diesel rated oil, for the higher level of extreme pressure additives and the thicker SAE ratings to deal with worn tolerances and gasoline dilution from the crude old carb. A new vehicle with variable cam timing and way tighter tolerence will choke to death on that, and needs a nice modern 5W20 or 5W30. Read the specs and approvals on the can, and make sure they match what you want. I really don't think brand of oil makes a very big difference.

I have said many times, and I still believe, that most of the oil we drain out of the sump is better quality than what we poured in a few decades ago...unless you go by the oil life monitor and then ignore that for a few months. Those are the people with the sludging problems.

Interesting. I've been using WIX on SWMBO's car since we've been here. I'll see about continuing the tradition when we get home. For my Impala it's just been whatever I could find. Most of the brands I've never heard of, and most of the time the filters they give me don't fit...

Good times.

logdog said: As far as I am concerned any modern name brand oil is perfectly ok when changed regularly.

That's always been my thoughts on the matter (and my advice to friends). It was just a bit shocking that when a picture was posted of an oil pan full of sludge the only brand that was mentioned by people (not the O.P.) was "Quakerbake". I thought that maybe I was missing out on something.

logdog said: People are passionate about this stuff so I imagine this thread will get interesting.

Indeed. I think the intelligence level here is high enough that it will be informative though (as opposed to the: "Royal Purple or yur stoopid" remarks)

I use OEM filters for all my imports. It's about the same price as your aftermarket junk, made by the manufacturer to their specs for the car. Oil is usually the Wal-mart synthetic changed every 5k.

Streetwiseguy wrote: If its a newer car, the most important thing is to meet the criteria set by the cars manufacturer. First, you don't want to void the warranty...but thats not such a problem in this crowd. What are you changing the oil in? An old Impala, for instance, would probably be happier with a diesel rated oil, for the higher level of extreme pressure additives and the thicker SAE ratings to deal with worn tolerances and gasoline dilution from the crude old carb.

Double interesting as I've been using oil that meets VW's Diesel 504 rating in SWMBO's car. I just checked my empties and noticed that they were rated similarly for the oil I just changed in my Impala.

for whatever it's worth: i run Mobil 1 synthetic oils in most of my junk... right now, my '01 GTP with 140,000 miles on it has 0W-30 in it that still looks pretty good... i just had to add a quart after 7000 (seven thousand- i didn't put an extra "0" in there on accident) miles, but that was mostly due to the rear valve cover leaking. i fixed that last friday night- and everything under the cover looked damn near brand new with no sludge on anything... i don't know what was ran in the car or how often it was changed before i got it 10,000 miles ago, but i do know that the Mobil 1 seems to be keeping things nice and clean and lubed up... also, it's cheap for a good synthetic oil- $24 at Wal Mart for a 5 quart jug... i think it's got a K&N filter on it...

For my DD's I use AC Delco, Wix or Purolator filters. I try to stay away from any house brand oil filter. I also will not buy a Fram product, as I have seen first hand what happens when their filters fall apart.

For oil I will use Mobil 1 Synthetic or Rotella T6. If it's going in an old non roller engine, I use Brad Penn only. I stay away from Pennzoil, Royal Purple, and Amsoil oils.

We cut open a few filters at work and have them on display. I don't think we've sold a single fram filter since. Even our el cheapo store brand filter has metal end caps and way more filter material than a fram.

The DD gets whatever oil special is on sale, as long as it doesn't include a fram. The race cars have always gotten Mobil one oils and filters.

FWIW, K&N and Mobil 1 filters are the exact same with the exception of paint, labeling, and the nut K&N has welded on the end. Champion Labs "Performance" filter. Great filters.

I normally go with those. When a local Advance closed, I stocked up on the common Mopar (M1204) and Ford Modular (M1210) size. I have a ton of filters in stock in case I need to do an oil change and the oil I run isn't on sale. Will also go for a Purolator PureOne or Motorcraft (PureOne medium in reg Purolator can). I work part-time at an Advance on the weekends, and my dad runs another local store for them, so I usually pick up my supplies form there. But I've also run Napa/Wix filters with great success. We carry Mann filters, so when I work on any German car, I usually end up going with those.

The Neons and anything I run hard gets M1 0W-40. Buick gets M1 Extended Performance 5W-30. Mountaineer and/or Town Car get Motorcraft 5W-20 or what other synthetic Advance might have on sale that month (usually M1 or Castrol). The Powerstroke runs Rotella, as did my Jeep. Corvette is going to be run on either Rotella or Brad Penn, whenever I get around to putting the motor together.

I've also been known to run cheap oil/filters in a car I am going to be flipping in the near future.

One thing to keep in mind, oil and filters is almost like a religion. What I do might not suit you, or vice-versa. It's always good to do some research.

What ? No Amsoil .

All three of our DDs get Penzoil Platinum 5W-20 Synthetic oil in the 5qt containers at Wal-Mart. The Ody and RAM get NAPA Gold (Wix) Filters, and the RAV4 gets OEM Toyota filters. If I can't get Penzoil Platinum, Mobil One synthetic is my backup.

My new (to me) '01 Mustang GT will get Valvoline conventional and either Motorcraft or NAPA Gold (Wix) filters.

The Malibu gets Mobil 1 and an AC or Purolator every 7500 miles, and I just picked up a couple OEM filters for the Fiat, and when I change the oil that will get Mobil 1 as well. In 20 years I have never had a car that used much oil or an oil related failure using synthetics and a good filter.

I run Castrol GTX generally with Wix filters.

The truck and Taurus get Motorcraft filters because they are just as cheap and available as any other filter. Other cars get Wix or K&N or Bosch or some other higher-end filter.

I usually run OEM filters...only cheap brand that I'd heard good things about before is Prime Guard.

iceracer wrote: What ? No Amsoil .

I use Amsoil in the "racecar" and Rotella in the Integra, and whatever "name brand" is on sale in the F150

Wix filters or (Japan sourced) OEM on the CRX, NAPA or Wix for the Integra and Motorcraft for the truck

iceracer wrote: What ? No Amsoil .

I sold Amsoil for a while.

The filters are made by WIX, just open the same application filter and notice that the sticker is different but the inked number on the end is the same.

Don't buy amsoil, it's not any better than any other quality synthetic but it costs a lot more.