What do you use?

Oil and Filter?
Oil Additives?
Fuel Additives?
Air Filter?

I have been using Mobil 1 for a while now. I have been looking for the right filter, Fram for now.

Lucas Oil and Fuel additives have been great.

K&N and Wix for my air filter.

 

k&n cold box

castrol high milage oil

no oil additives

 

Generic Oil and Air filters
Quaker State 10W/30
No Additives
Gasoline Anti-freeze when weather is below -30C (Friggin' Cold)

 

Far as filters go, I use WIX oil and fuel filters, and K&N air filters. Have done that for over 20 years.

I use Shell Rotella T 15W40 Diesel oil in all of my vehicles, except the wife's PT Cruiser, which gets Valvoline 5W30.

I use a Diesel fuel additive (4 oz per 30 gallons of fuel) that helps keep the sulfur level high - this ULSD Diesel fuel our gub'mint has foisted on us, has resulted in higher wear and less mileage. Yet another "wonderful" gub'mint idea gone to hell.

We use the Lucas fuel additive every other tank-full in the gas-burners.

 

Oil?..Whatever's cheapest among the name brands.Usually Mobil...No Raylube or plain wrap oils...10w40 in both the Mercury and the Ford...
Filters?...Usually,whatever Jiffy Lube puts in there...Keep the fuel filter in mind,when it's time to change such things.The last time the Taurus went to Jiffy Lube,they took out it's original fuel filter.That what was pouring out reminded me of chocolate milk,except that it was booger green. Now that times are hard,will probably be doing more of that stuff myself...
Additives?..You got to be carefull with those!..Oil additives thicker than molasses will probably ruin your engine...Added some LucasOil stuff to the transmission in the Mercury a while back.It made a positive difference,right at first.It's thicker than molasses though,so thin it out with tranny fluid before trying to get it go down that soda straw sized funnel...Octane additives help on long haul cruises.And probably red light to red light street racing.Make sure it's real octane booster tough.There was a news report down here in LA,about how most of those are just injector cleaner with a little extra oxygen added in,somehow...AND!!! Just fix the radiator!!! Those add to the coolant powders really DO make things worse.Trust me.

 

You guys in the south sure use heavy oil - 10W/40 or 15W/40. In the winter, I go as light as 5W/30. If I can't plug the block heater in, on a -35C day (-2xx F), it just might not start. The truckers leave them running all night when it gets that cold.

 

From that link:

Is that like

???

 

Minus -45C and minus 45F are the same. This is the point where they cross.

Celsius to Fahrenheit = C-temp x 1.8, then add 32.

100 degrees C x 1.8 = 180, add 32, equals 212 degrees F (The boiling point of water)

Fahrenheit to Celsius = F-temp, subtract 32, then divide by 1.8

212 degrees F - 32 = 180, divide by 1.8 = 100.

SAY "NO!" TO FRAM FILTERS!!!

They are junk junk junk! Cut one open and compare to a WIX!

 

Typo!! -45F !!!. Not that it matters. I hide in both!

 

If you're looking for a GOOD quality oil filter, look no further than Hastings, Baldwin, or Wix....best filters on the market. Even their private label versions are of better quality than Fram and other brands main line filters.

Purolator, Supertech, K&N, AC Delco aftermarket, are all made by Purolator, IIRC...none have good filtering capability, in my professional opinion.

K&N is the Chevy Cavalier of air filters and cold air kits.....while they claim good increases in airflow, it's at the sacrifice of filtering capability. Everyone knows the name, so they sell....ALOT. Wouldn't have one in any vehicle of mine. I have a Volant cold air kit in my truck, which runs a better quality filter, and standard paper filters on everything else. AFE would be the Monte Carlo or Impala, and Airaid would be the Cadillac in the quality, engineering, and design department.

The only additives we recommend to our customers is Lucas fuel injector cleaner and Sea Foam products, which have proven to do well in both the Engine Tune and Trans Tune products. I don't believe in using or recommending additives to bandaid a problem.

As far as synthetic oils, Royal Purple products are all we sell.....they've outperformed Mobil 1 and Amsoil on several customers cars, especially VW diesels...I've seen people switch from Mobil 1 to Royal Purple and gain 1-2 mpg, the gear lubes and trans fluids are top notch, as well as the rest of their product line. Filter changes at 3000-4000 miles, and oil change intervals up to 12,000 mi.

We add ZDDP to the oil when breaking in any overhead valve camshaft( read: older v8 engine), or Valvoline VR3 racing oil to break a fresh motor in on...the newer oils don't have the zinc and phosphorus levels that the older oil did, and can easily wipe a camshaft upon breakin.

 

I was going to go back to Wix for my oil and air filter, but the price is always an issue. (I just wish Walmart would carry the stuff) If you are changing your oil 3k or sooner (I drive 100 plus miles a day) the oil filter should be good. So why pay more, I know it is just a few dollars more, but it does add up at the end of the year. The same goes for the oil why not use veggie 30w instead for the synthetic. I have rebuilt a few motors, I would use a break in lube and an additive. The motors were good for everyday driving. If I was racing that was different, but the motors were torn down after the race and were gone through. I know now there is teflon coatings for pistons and other parts. But have we been drawn into this we need to add this for better mileage, cleaner this for longer driving, and so on....I have been driving for over 40 years. What was wrong with a GOOD tight motor from the factory with a proper break in and 30w oil? I know the oil has changed a lot (no ZDP for one) but if your are changing your oil at 3k does it break down that much to make the added cost of the synthetic. I had a 1965 Impala that I ran only Arco Graphite - no oil changes just filter (had the tall cartrige type) and added oil if it was low. I still have the motor and it would still be in use if the timing chain had not worn out. I know the motor has over 265k (thats when the speedo stop working). I guess the newer the car the more you need to add to it to make it last longer.

 

I beg to differ on the K&N air filters. I've run over 400,000 miles on them, in five vehicles total, since 1987. Not a single problem with them, period. Two were/are on Dodge Cummins Diesel pickups, one on a '66 Coronet with a big block, and a couple of others. I've had far better luck with them than ANY regular paper filter. On a beater car I plan to just drive into the ground, I'll stick a cheapo paper filter on it.

To each, their own.

 

Part of the point of going to synthetic is to not HAVE to change oil every 3000 miles.....synthetic does not break down like conventional oil over time, nor is it as susceptable to temperature fluctuation like conventional oils are. Also, synthetic maintains a more stable viscosity throughout the temperature range, so at -30 or 100 degrees, it's viscosity remains more consistent. Synthetics also have better detergents, which equals a cleaner running engine.What does this mean???

A. Longer mileage intervals between service
B. Less chance of engine damage due to cold startup.
C. More consistent oil pressure throughout the range.
D. Better viscosity equals less drag and a more efficient running engine, not to mention possible benefits in fuel economy.

The cost point is moot...if you figure out the cost of a standard oil change every 3000 miles, vs. a synthetic oil change every 6000,or 9000, or even 12000 miles, you're SAVING more $$$ than you're spending, and creating better operating conditions for the engine at the same time. What's NOT to like??

So if you can save a buck or two, even though you may be sacrificing filtering ability and long term effects, it's ok? I fail to see how it's saving anything.....if you're driving 100 miles per day, you're changing oil once a month if you were driving every single day, roughly. So you choose to buy a cheaper quality filter and oil and save, say $10 per oil change. Over the course of 12 months that would equal $120......Is it REALLY worth $120 to take chances on possible engine damage, lesser quality filtering, and such? To each their own, I guess....

That's because back in the day, this type of technology and advancements in oils, filters, and such simply were not available. I have yet to see a customer change over to synthetic and not find benefits in driveability and mileage.


Patrick, I'm not saying that K&N's don't work....they're excellent at improving airflow, but less than stellar at filtering capability, plus they cause more run problems on certain vehicles than good....pretty much anything that runs a mass airflow sensor in the intake duct between the filter and the throttle body. The K&N's are notorious for allowing the oil in the filter to pass thru and contaminate the MAF sensor, causing run problems, shifting issues, etc. A K&N in a car such as a VW diesel, Grand Am, Alero, and many of the other 3.1 and 3.4 equipped GM cars are a BIG no no.

I'm simply saying that there are MUCH better quality reusable filters currently on the market that will simply outdo a K&N filter in all aspects.

As you said...to each their own.

Oh..on another note, someone mentioned octane booster....not recommended in a fuel inected car, since it will contaminate the oxygen sensors and catalytic converters, when equipped....just like running high octane leaded fuel is a problem for the same reasons.

Also, when you look at a can of octane booster, and note the "will bump your octane 3-5 points, that does NOT mean it will take your 89 octane fuel and make it 92-94 octane...it means it will take it from 89 to 89.3 or 89.5 octane.

 

I have a stash. Almost embarrassed to list the inventory. I should take pictures.
But I always buy stuff on sale, like the 24 bottles of Redline I got for about $7 each.
About 20 bottles of Valvoline Synpower for $2 each on closeout.
A jug of Maxlife here, a jug of Pennsoil Platinum there, a box of Valvoline dino, umm and a jug of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant that I use religously. I like Redline S1 too.

I have Petro Canada Dexron -VI synthetic in the 4L60E and Canadian Tire Motomaster Type F in the C4.

There's GTX High Mileage in the Chevy, and it's in the middle of an Auto-RX rinse phase. I'll run another Auto-RX clean and rinse with dino oil, and then start using the Redline.

I'll break the new Ford I6 engine in for about hour with a jug of diesel oil I got for $1, fortified with some ZDDP additive, then run dino for the next 1000 miles. Then switch her over to synthethic.

Pennsoil dino in the Honda outboard, and I have a 4.3l V6 in another boat. I don't know what's in there, but I need to get a vacuum pump or something to change it.

Wix, Napa Gold, and a stash of Motorcraft FL1As. Got some Pure Ones too.

And I have Redline 75-90 in the differentials.

heehee,