what conventional motor oil are you using for your PRIUS and why ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smokey1 @ Jul 9 2007, 11:12 PM) [snapback]475947[/snapback]</div>

Whatever 100% Synthetic is on sale made by a recognized brand (MOBIL, Penzoil, etc). Won't touch the cheapo Walmart Syn.

Why? Because I have to???? No brand loyalty here.

 

I use plain old 5W-30 Napa brand oil, yes I could spend more money on branded oils or synthetics but with modern oil additives being so good you never hear of car engines needing to be rebuilt because of worn out piston rings or valve guides. I have owned multiple cars with over 250,000 miles on them and still showing perfect compression on all cylinders. Unless it is a high stress, high compression motor (definitely not a Prius) I simply don't see any added value to using branded oils or synthetics.

 

Mobil 1 synthetic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 10 2007, 02:46 AM) [snapback]475998[/snapback]</div>

same


It just feels like the right thing to do haha :lol:

 

http://www.synlube.com/synthetic.htm says:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrmgkia @ Jul 10 2007, 01:20 AM) [snapback]475994[/snapback]</div>

As a child I lived in St George, and later went to U of U. SLC and Provo/Orem may never see -40 like Winnipeg does, but it really wasn't unusual to have lows of 5-15 F. Around 10 degrees colder at Park City, Kimball Junction, Heber, Alta, etc. At that temp, a 10W-30 gets a bit too heavy especially for overhead cam motors.

As far as high temperature "protection" a 10W-30 offers little advantage over a 5W-30, with much poorer low temperature protection.

I recently purchased a 2007 FJ Cruiser, and was *very* surprised when I sampled the oil at 2,000 km. The factory oil had badly sheared already. I changed the oil using Mobil 1 0W-40, and will sample again in October when I have perhaps 5,000-6,000 km on it.

 

I have been using 5 w 30 Trop Artic Synthetic Blend since the first Oil change , at $1.68 a quart and it gets replaced every 5k, why buy the more expensive stuff.
Also when I compared to Amsoil it was a pretty close race.
So I think it is a pretty decent product.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Jul 10 2007, 11:21 AM) [snapback]476250[/snapback]</div>

My mistake I do use 5w-30 I just got in a hurry and had a brain fart, I've now edited the post. I agree that 5w-30 is a much better choice with todays tight clearances and the lighter weight oil should get a few more MPG's over the life of the car but I doubt it is much.
P.S. I am a BYU grad student, but right now I am in Cupertino California doing an internship with Apple Computer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrmgkia @ Jul 10 2007, 10:52 PM) [snapback]476599[/snapback]</div>

At normal operating temperatures, and at the kinematic test temperature of +100 C, a straight SAE 30, 10W-30, 5W-30, and 0W-30 are virtually identical in viscosity. This brings up a pet peeve of mine (Our absurdly short oil change intervals, and our crap North American oils) which I have covered in other posts

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=23000&st=100

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=34433&st=20

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=35216

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=34658

Congrats on the Apple gig. Had a few friends who went to the Y. We used to go out to the Stage Coach Trail on weekends to do target practise. You could see the gunnery range from where we were popping away at tin cans