Castrol Synthec or Mobil 1?

[Lloyd Smale]

my mistake  super tech is what it called. Ive used it for about 3 years now in everything. car truck jeep 4 wheelers lawn movers snow blowers generators ect and have never found it lacking. keep your eyes open at walmart ive seen it on sale for 10 bucks. I usually stock up when its on sale. Now that price was before oil went nuts so i dont know what the sale price would be anymore.

[bilmac]

Super Tech is the WalMart brand for oil. Blue bottles for regular petroleum, gray bottles for the Synthetic. I used their standard oil for several years before switching to synthetic. Never had any problems with it either. I figured that oil has to meet government testing standards, that little circle with the letters in it, so if the grades in the circle are the same as those of high priced oil there probably isn't any reason to buy the more expensive. Oil filters however are not graded by the gvt.

[Lloyd Smale]

nephew works there and is charge of ordering and said its nothing but mobil one in super tech jugs that walmart contracts them to make. Only thing is next year it may be quaker state or something else if they get the bid but it sure isnt walmart oil.

Super Tech is the WalMart brand for oil. Blue bottles for regular petroleum, gray bottles for the Synthetic. I used their standard oil for several years before switching to synthetic. Never had any problems with it either. I figured that oil has to meet government testing standards, that little circle with the letters in it, so if the grades in the circle are the same as those of high priced oil there probably isn't any reason to buy the more expensive. Oil filters however are not graded by the gvt.

[james25889]

i have always used mobil 1 in my 2002 honda civic changed every 10,000 miles and always used genuine honda filters very happy so far have 240,000 miles and still runs like new


yes there have been limited supplies of it

[torpedoman]

I figure gas mileage on every tank of gas I buy. Next oil change I'm going to Mobil 1 just to see if it improves my mileage. It would certainly pay for it's self with a 3 mpg increase.

  I calculate my mileage ever time i fill up and Mobil 1 has added 3 m.p.g. or better to every truck i'v put it in. I think it is cheap because in the long run it now only pays for itsele it saves me money in gas. I hate to waste money too.

[Longknife 76]

I'm surprised no one mentioned checking the "API Services" (American Petroleum Institue) that are printed on every container of oil. This is the governments method of testing and grading the oil. If two brands have the same API services listed then they are basicaly the same type of oil. All of your big chain stores, Wall-Mart, etc do not have a refinery, they just contract a refinery to produce oil for them and bottle it with their name on it. Look closely it will be printed somewhere "bottled by XYZ oil co". The question was asked about synthetic oils causing oil leaks is because syn. oil is highly detergent, if you put it in an older engine that is sluged up it will break the sludge loose and the grit will eat up your seals. This is also true in old sludged up Auto transmissions as tranny fluid is highly detergent also. Here are some links of interest....Ed (Retired Mechanic of 35 years)

http://www.api.org/aboutoilgas/motoroil/index.cfm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_oil

[jager]

   I use (Rotella) synthetic from Walmart that is about the same price as "Super Tech" and is produced for "Shell". It meets all the same API parameters as Mobil 1 at a "cheaper" price and seems to be "in stock" in every Walmart store I've visited in the 5 state area.
   Nearest I can figure, I'm getting between 1 and 2 more mpg over the "conventional" oil I was using in my Dodge diesel and it enables the truck to start easier during the winter months.  I totally agree with buying a better filter than Fram (a brand no auto parts store seems to like). I'm changing oil every 10K and could probably go longer.
   I also run this oil in my Victory motorcycle without any clutch "slippage"; and I'm going to change my 138K Subaru over to it in the near future. (I currently don't have any leaks on the engine and from past experience, don't expect any with the change.)

[Empty Quiver]

You may find that the Rotella isn't aproved for service in gas engines. I don't know that as fact but for some reason your post got me thinking. Rotella is a great oil but is optimised for use in diesel engines, you may be able to do better for the gassers. {edit}  OK maybe I oughta read better, didn't notice the Rotella "synthetic" part, that I'm not familiar with.

[bilmac]

Years ago when I worked in a gas station for awhile, guys were running diesel oil in their gassers and getting fantastic-for those days- engine life, like 200,000. I think diesel oil is just a higher grade than oil for gas engines. More detergent.