Forum Discussion
Copperhead
Mar 17, 2018Explorer
Could use a in between. Delvac, Rotella, and Delo have outstanding synthetic blends. I have actually grown fond of syn blends. Been using them commercially for several years. Darn good value for the dollar.
But really, it is not so much the base oil as it is the additive package in the oil, which makes up about 20% of any motor oil. That actually has more impact on how good an oil is than the base oil. Conventional base oils are light years ahead of where they were just over a decade ago. Knocking on synthetic base oil's door. But add packs are proprietary concoctions that differ from one brand to the next, even in the same classification such as CJ-4 or the new CK-4.
I primarily use Schaeffer oil that I get commercially, with the Delvac Extreme syn blend being my next choice if I was buying off the shelf, but that doesn't mean the others are total slouches.
I have found that motors and oil brands are like .22 rifles and ammunition. You can take a well made rifle, feed it two or three top name brands of ammo, and the results will be different. Nothing wrong with the rifle or the ammo. Take another well made rifle and feed it the same ammo, and likely the results will be even different from the first rifle, with a different brand of ammo giving the best results. Motors and oils are similar. The trick is finding that brand that actually plays the best with you motor. I have found that certain brands of motors tend to favor certain brands of oil. All due to slight differences in metallurgy in the motors between brands and certain oil brands tend to match up better with those metallurgical differences.
Most folks don't have to go into this depth of analysis. Those of us that have motors that alone cost as much or more as many folk's complete 1/2 ton pickups, we take the time to get down to this level of critique.
For anyone interested even the least little bit in this sort of thing as it applies to typical pickups and motors, The BITOG website has a lot of discussion and used oil sample analysis to sink your teeth in to.
But really, it is not so much the base oil as it is the additive package in the oil, which makes up about 20% of any motor oil. That actually has more impact on how good an oil is than the base oil. Conventional base oils are light years ahead of where they were just over a decade ago. Knocking on synthetic base oil's door. But add packs are proprietary concoctions that differ from one brand to the next, even in the same classification such as CJ-4 or the new CK-4.
I primarily use Schaeffer oil that I get commercially, with the Delvac Extreme syn blend being my next choice if I was buying off the shelf, but that doesn't mean the others are total slouches.
I have found that motors and oil brands are like .22 rifles and ammunition. You can take a well made rifle, feed it two or three top name brands of ammo, and the results will be different. Nothing wrong with the rifle or the ammo. Take another well made rifle and feed it the same ammo, and likely the results will be even different from the first rifle, with a different brand of ammo giving the best results. Motors and oils are similar. The trick is finding that brand that actually plays the best with you motor. I have found that certain brands of motors tend to favor certain brands of oil. All due to slight differences in metallurgy in the motors between brands and certain oil brands tend to match up better with those metallurgical differences.
Most folks don't have to go into this depth of analysis. Those of us that have motors that alone cost as much or more as many folk's complete 1/2 ton pickups, we take the time to get down to this level of critique.
For anyone interested even the least little bit in this sort of thing as it applies to typical pickups and motors, The BITOG website has a lot of discussion and used oil sample analysis to sink your teeth in to.
About Travel Trailer Group
44,056 PostsLatest Activity: Dec 27, 2025