neurovish wrote:palmerwmd, why the switch to valvoline?I remember from the old thread that you were about as big of a proponent of mobil 1 as anybody.
I was also wondering what your take on the k&n oil filters is...I've heard people reccommend them, but never really more than a 'these filters are good' type thing. Mobil 1 filters are also next to impossible to find, the only place I know that has them is autozone, and sometimes it's easier to just find a nissan dealer and get an OEM
a)I still like MOBIL1 quite a bit.But I feel I need a 40 weight oil (combination of milage, driving style and summer).I figured since my cooling system is working pretty well and since I burn little oil, I deduced the rest of of engine internals are pretty tight (I know can't be certain of that), so no need to go to a 50 weight.So I have established a need for a 40 weight.And of course full syn.
The only 40 weight offered by MOBIL1 was unavailable except at MB and Porsche dealers with significant mark-up ( now available elsewhere too).
Also The MOBIL1 40 weight is a 0w-40 vs a 5w-40 for the Valvoline Synpower. A significant difference as a 5 weight base oil will need much less VI's than a 0w base oil to go up to a 40 weight.I like to keep VI's low, but not so low that I am willing to sacrifice my 40 weight preference.
I have also determined (seperate post on this elsewhere) that there is more detergent in the Valvoline Synpower.Given that my engine is not low mile and it was previously run on mineral oils with their higher varnish loads, I wanted the higher detergent oil.
An even better choice might be the AMSOIL 10w-40, but I am not a huge freind of mailorder, if my local store carried this, I would run it.
As it is, I feel I can use the ValvolineSYnpower 5w-40 as a year round oil in KY even though next summer I might go to AMSOIL 10w-40 for the summer and back to 5w-40 (VavolineSYn)for winter.Even in winter I feel no need for a 5w-30 as a 5w-40 full syn will flow plenty well for even very cold winter starts.
b)I know nothing about the K&N oil filters, I have high confidence in the MOBIL1 filters, Dennis feels that the OEM oil filters are nearly as good as the MOBIL1 filters (they are also half price).At my location WalMart carries the MOBIL1 oil filters, as does pepboys parts store.
Once I am back from a few "business trips" I will undertake in the next 2 weeks I will buy and cut open some other interesting filters and post results here.
Fred...