Synthetic VS. Regular oil reliability

[TheSilkySmooth]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

I'll probably do my OC today, using M1 0w-30 AFE...they're predicting near zero with -20 wind chills for the next few days, plus it's been nearly 5k miles since the last service. ... ...

Let me know how it works for you. I may have gotten the WM special misformulated bottle Also what filter are you planning on running with the AFE? - I would rec against the purolator gold or any high efficiency unit in the winter - given the incredible loud startup and warmup racket I had with the bosch(purolator). Please report back. I dont want to be alone in my AFE woes!

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

Let me know how it works for you. I may have gotten the WM special misformulated bottle Also what filter are you planning on running with the AFE? - I would rec against the purolator gold or any high efficiency unit in the winter - given the incredible loud startup and warmup racket I had with the bosch(purolator). Please report back. I dont want to be alone in my AFE woes!

I'm stuck using the Pennzoil PZ38 filters for a loong time; bought a case of 12 @ $2.00 each, shipped. Looks a lot like a Fram filter, except the media in the Pennzoil has more pleats when compared to a Fram.

I snuck regular YB Pennzoil 5w-30 in my Yaris for about 3K miles of my last OCI because I was eager to install my Fram sure-drain...sure-drain works great, but YB Pennzoil was a little noisier when pulling into my garage. Pennzoil Platinum is the quietest I've used, slightly beating the Eneos and HP Amsoil...the Mobil 1 isn't any louder than the PP, maybe even less noise than the PP, definitely much quieter than the conventional I had in there.

[Hershey]

using PLATINUM 5w-30 in the '09 5 door . Got it for less than $3 a qt.. TOYO ( Denso ) oil filter at $3.50 each . Use its brother , SHELL 5w-30 full synthetic ( $3 a qt. ) in the '08 sedan along with TOYO filter .

[TheSilkySmooth]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

Let me know how it works for you ... I dont want to be alone in my AFE woes!

I just changed fuel from Shell where I had been getting a terrible 33 mpg ave over 3 tanks to Mobil. Mobil was crummy in the summer, but this batch seems very good and I know that the last batch of shell has been killing my mileage and causing all kinds of noise and driveability issues - suspect it was misformulated or had WAY too much ethanol in it. My 17 deg cold start on the mobil was "acceptable" and warm run just peachy! So at leat part of my perceived "woes" are due to fuel quality.

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

I just changed fuel from Shell where I had been getting a terrible 33 mpg ave over 3 tanks to Mobil. Mobil was crummy in the summer, but this batch seems very good and I know that the last batch of shell has been killing my mileage and causing all kinds of noise and driveability issues - suspect it was misformulated or had WAY too much ethanol in it. My 17 deg cold start on the mobil was "acceptable" and warm run just peachy! So at leat part of my perceived "woes" are due to fuel quality.

I have worked at a gas station before and just because it says "Shell" or "Mobil" on top of the building doesn't mean thats the brand of gas they are selling. For the most part, all gas in your region comes from the same holding tank and a lot of times even comes from the same transporter. Meaning a tanker goes and gives 1500 gallons to the Shell station and then goes down the street and gives 1500 gallons of the same exact fuel to the Mobil station.

[supmet]

^^ That's weird because mobil has their own tankers that I see refueling mobil and nowhere else. And are claims of additives(v-power, techron, etc) all false then?

[Yaris Hilton]

Around here I see all brands of gas stations getting their tanks filled from trucks that say, I think, "Appalachian Petroleum." This jobber may add the brands' own proprietary additives, I don't know. Those are normally added to the tanker truck when it's filled at the terminal.

[yaris2010RS]

wow, this is news to me, i have never seen a shell truck at an esso or anything of the such

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by supmet

^^ That's weird because mobil has their own tankers that I see refueling mobil and nowhere else. And are claims of additives(v-power, techron, etc) all false then?

I haven't seen any Mobil tankers in years, but there is a Mobil station on every corner. Not for sure about the claims. They could very well be false. Remember, the companies don't tell you how much additives they are actually putting in. They could add 1 oz. of additive to a 3000 gallon tank and that would make their claim be true.

[R2D2]

You are correct Yaris. The gasoline is the same but the additive package of the particular brand of gasoline is added to the gas before it is delivered to the station.

Shell and Chevron for example are top tier gasolines. If a top tier brand sign is displayed it is required to meet top tier gas standards.

More info here: http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by R2D2

You are correct Yaris. The gasoline is the same but the additive package of the particular brand of gasoline is added to the gas before it is delivered to the station.

Shell and Chevron for example are top tier gasolines. If a top tier brand sign is displayed it is required to meet top tier gas standards.

More info here: http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

I use to work at a gas station and when I would get a delivery, I would check out the Bill of Landing. On the paper work I was able to see where the gas came from and which gas station the driver's delivered to before and after my station. For the most part the gas came from my local refinery, which was about 5 miles away. The same gas would be delivered to Mobil, Shell, Exxon, Conoco-Phillips, etc. So the driver did not put the additive into his tanker before delivering the gas unless all of those companies were using the same exact formula.

The website you posted says, "In addition, all gasoline outlets carrying the brand of the approved retailer must meet the TOP TIER standards. This does not mean that the retailer has to use the brand of gas that they advertise on the top of the building. For example, a Shell station doesn't have to use Shell gas. If the Shell station decides to use Shell gas, then that gas must then meet the standards.

[yaris2010RS]

Originally Posted by b_hickman11

For example, a Shell station doesn't have to use Shell gas. If the Shell station decides to use Shell gas, then that gas must then meet the standards.

so in otherwords...ure saying its like going to walmart and in a random black bag it says pair of socks. u buy it(for a fucked up price) and when u get home u infact realize it is underware.....


and u are saying that i cannot complain because they dont have to supply as advertised.....


not saying ure wrong and i know my example is bad but if its true, that is very unreasonable and wrong what they do......

[ddongbap]

*munch munch munch*

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by yaris2010RS

so in otherwords...ure saying its like going to walmart and in a random black bag it says pair of socks. u buy it(for a fucked up price) and when u get home u infact realize it is underware.....


and u are saying that i cannot complain because they dont have to supply as advertised.....


not saying ure wrong and i know my example is bad but if its true, that is very unreasonable and wrong what they do......

The example you gave(socks and underwear) would mean you were wanting to buy gas but instead you were given diesel. I didn't say you cannot complain. They advertise their additive package but they don't tell you where the actual gas is coming from. After the tanker leaves, the retailer could pour 1 oz of their "advertised additive" into their tanks and this would make their advertising become true. They never say that they are using gas processed by their brand. They just advertise the gas they sell as having a particular additive in it. Also they don't tell you what the ratio of gas to additive is.

[yaris2010RS]

very very true.... and i had realized my example was a bad one....

so now, take for example the shell commercials that dont talk so much about additives but more fuel quality overall and a cleaner burning and longer engine life overall..... how can they make those clames if in fact shell gas is the same as esso??

if anyone is wondering y i am picking on shell and esso, that is because in ontario(GTA) 3 main companies, shell, esso and petrocanada.....doubt anyone from the states has heard of petrocanada... lol

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by yaris2010RS

very very true.... and i had realized my example was a bad one....

so now, take for example the shell commercials that dont talk so much about additives but more fuel quality overall and a cleaner burning and longer engine life overall..... how can they make those clames if in fact shell gas is the same as esso??

if anyone is wondering y i am picking on shell and esso, that is because in ontario(GTA) 3 main companies, shell, esso and petrocanada.....doubt anyone from the states has heard of petrocanada... lol

They can say what they want to say and get away with. When you are the biggest industry in the world you can do anything you want.

[TheSilkySmooth]

Originally Posted by R2D2

You are correct Yaris. The gasoline is the same but the additive package of the particular brand of gasoline is added to the gas before it is delivered to the station.

Shell and Chevron for example are top tier gasolines. If a top tier brand sign is displayed it is required to meet top tier gas standards.

More info here: http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

Top tier quals give me no comfort at all. Who is going to police the stations? Nobody. Its russian roulette buying gas around here - you never know what your going to get. The gas HAS to come from the same terminal - oTW there is no way logistically to distribute the fuel. The diff will be in the detergents IF they are properly splash blended. This doesnt happen right most of the time given the way my car responds to the fuel. I DO see Irving stations getting filled from Irving tank trucks mainly though. Everything else is JP Noonan trucking or Abannaki(sp?)

[TheSilkySmooth]

Motor fuel is supposed to have a minimum level of detergents added per federal regulations ( or provide a spec levekl of deposit accumulation in operation on a test engine )- but no one is watching the pot and anything goes. Most e10 has a good amount of water in it since the ethanol sponges up any water in the UG storage tank. I worked at a gas station and we used to have about 3" of water in the tank. U put a tell-tale putty on the measuring stick when you stick the tanks and it indicates water. The problem with ethanol it absorbs all the water. I wouldnt want to be the first guy buyng gas a day after a station converted to e10 fuel! In fast my mothers car dies and will not start a couple months ago - thats when FL went to e10. She only gets gas a couple times a year since she doesnt drive much at all.

Help with fuel problems - If you are concerned that you may have been the victim of a fuel problem wheer you have to replace filter or injectors you should test the fuel for water and alcohol level - there are test kits available - lemme go scare up a URL ....
http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_...ecautions.html