What oil Should i use ?!?!?!
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 8,172
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From: The Republic of TEXAS
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Synthetic oil is the best.....won't ruin ANY engine. Is it necessary to use synthetic, certainly NOT, conventional oil is fine. Lots of new cars come factory filled with synthetic.....to say it's not good to use in a new engine or that it's thinner than conventional oil just perpetuates two of the many Internet oil myths. All current generation oils have less zinc today than a few years back.....EPA required.
Last edited by djb383; Mar 25, 2010 at 09:12 PM.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,199
Likes: 1
From: Britt, MN
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
all oils have zinc. its just how much zinc is in the oil. synthetic oil will not "ruin" an engine. i jump for diesel rated oil for my Jeeps.
Last edited by xjrev10; Mar 25, 2010 at 09:26 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 999
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From: Brentwood, TN
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Synthetic oil is the best.....won't ruin ANY engine. Is it necessary to use synthetic, certainly NOT, conventional oil is fine. Lots of new cars come factory filled with synthetic.....to say it's not good to use in a new engine or that it's thinner than conventional oil just perpetuates two of the many Internet oil myths. All current generation oils have less zinc today than a few years back.....EPA required.
good to know... I am sticking with my choice.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,867
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From: Fauquier County, Virginia
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I-6 4.0 HO
I run Mobil 1 High Mileage Full Synthetic. So far everything runs great, I was burnin oil a bit, but that was even before I used synthetic. Fixed that with a bottle of StopLeak. Anyway, synthetic I always heard has better cleaning and running properties, and since its lab made it doesnt have as much debris as conventional oil may have. Now Im not tryin to start an oil war, just stating what I use and how it runs.
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I just switched over from Valvoline 5w30 or 10w40...I do not recall which one it was.
Now I am using Castrol GTX 10w30. I must say my engine sounds more quiet and smoother. I also stopped using fram and now use Napa Gold(WIX).
Anyone know how much zinc the Castrol GTW has in it?
Now I am using Castrol GTX 10w30. I must say my engine sounds more quiet and smoother. I also stopped using fram and now use Napa Gold(WIX).
Anyone know how much zinc the Castrol GTW has in it?
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I'll start by quoting the single best post in this entire thread....
Plus it saves me from going through typing all this again....
Other things synthetic oils will NOT do.
1. Deteriorate bearings... Synthetic oils have better lubricating properties not worse... Not sure where this would have even gotten started...
2. Make you buy good beer... MGD and Corona??? Come on people.. that's like asking for a coke and getting a diet...
Some other myths here...
Bob is the Oil guy...Its a website of people obsessed with lubricants. There is a ton of information over there for the learning. BUT the site is sponsored by Schaffer's Oil. So all of their technical testing magically shows Schaffer's as the best lubricant in every situation. Its nothing different than any other company puts out for advertising, how likely is it that Royal Purple would put out advertising that shows Mobil One products are better??
Lucas Oil Stabilizer... Some proclaim it as some kind of wonder product for quieting motors and slowing leaks... Its really just a viscosity modifier. It raises the effective viscosity of your engine oil. If you really want to run a heavier oil... Just do it... Save the money spent on Lucas and spend it on GOOD beer.
On the subject of Zinc and Phosphorous in oil..
The EPA has mandated that the levels of Phosphorous being burnt in the Catalytic converter be reduced. They deemed oil to be one of the culprits in this problem. So the API introduced the API-SM specification. This spec says that oils can only have a maximum level of 800 ppm of Zinc and Phosphorous. The issue is that many engine builders have reached a consensus that older engines with flat tappet camshafts need to have a minimum of 1000 ppm of Zinc and Phosphorous in them. So if your oil bottle has a API-SM on the back... you are already below the recommended levels for your engine.
I will try and look up the actual numbers for some of the oils asked about here this weekend. On the Bob forums. there is a sub-forum called Virgin Oil Analysis.. there is a load of oils listed in there already. If you need help interpreting the numbers I would be happy to help.
If anyone has a question.. feel free to PM me here or email me at my business e-mail: amsoiljeeper@verizon.net
synthetic is not thinner, the 10W30 is the viscosity which is basically a measure to how thick an oil is
the reason people think synthetics cause leaks is because all synthetics have detergents and additives in them, most of which are used to clean bearing surfaces of gunk and what not, Usually its the case that a gasket will fail in a certain area, but because conventional oil has passed through the hole in the gasket it will be eventually plugged up by gunk
WELL the plugged holes will get "cleaned" by the synthetic oil which will cause the previously plugged leaks to reappear
the reason people think synthetics cause leaks is because all synthetics have detergents and additives in them, most of which are used to clean bearing surfaces of gunk and what not, Usually its the case that a gasket will fail in a certain area, but because conventional oil has passed through the hole in the gasket it will be eventually plugged up by gunk
WELL the plugged holes will get "cleaned" by the synthetic oil which will cause the previously plugged leaks to reappear
Plus it saves me from going through typing all this again....
Other things synthetic oils will NOT do.
1. Deteriorate bearings... Synthetic oils have better lubricating properties not worse... Not sure where this would have even gotten started...
2. Make you buy good beer... MGD and Corona??? Come on people.. that's like asking for a coke and getting a diet...
Some other myths here...
Bob is the Oil guy...Its a website of people obsessed with lubricants. There is a ton of information over there for the learning. BUT the site is sponsored by Schaffer's Oil. So all of their technical testing magically shows Schaffer's as the best lubricant in every situation. Its nothing different than any other company puts out for advertising, how likely is it that Royal Purple would put out advertising that shows Mobil One products are better??
Lucas Oil Stabilizer... Some proclaim it as some kind of wonder product for quieting motors and slowing leaks... Its really just a viscosity modifier. It raises the effective viscosity of your engine oil. If you really want to run a heavier oil... Just do it... Save the money spent on Lucas and spend it on GOOD beer.
On the subject of Zinc and Phosphorous in oil..
The EPA has mandated that the levels of Phosphorous being burnt in the Catalytic converter be reduced. They deemed oil to be one of the culprits in this problem. So the API introduced the API-SM specification. This spec says that oils can only have a maximum level of 800 ppm of Zinc and Phosphorous. The issue is that many engine builders have reached a consensus that older engines with flat tappet camshafts need to have a minimum of 1000 ppm of Zinc and Phosphorous in them. So if your oil bottle has a API-SM on the back... you are already below the recommended levels for your engine.
I will try and look up the actual numbers for some of the oils asked about here this weekend. On the Bob forums. there is a sub-forum called Virgin Oil Analysis.. there is a load of oils listed in there already. If you need help interpreting the numbers I would be happy to help.
If anyone has a question.. feel free to PM me here or email me at my business e-mail: amsoiljeeper@verizon.net
"CF Moderator"
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,045
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From: N.J. Shore Area
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: l6 HO
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 3
From: Austin, Texas
Year: 1991
Engine: 4.0 I-6 H.O.
"CF Moderator"
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,045
Likes: 3
From: N.J. Shore Area
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: l6 HO
I've been using Castrol since my racing days (Corvette 373 stroker and 396 chevy motors) we also used it in the racing boat motors we used to build for the offshore powerboat races...I Love It...Tj
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 2
From: WI
Year: '99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.o
Ill stick with my moble 1 migh millage in a stock moter and amsoil in my trail rig witch I use to run royal mistake. FYI out of anyone on this topic Whowey if he is the guy I think he is (the guy I met at LKQ). Then he knows more about oil then anyone I have ever met. And probably more then anyone else on this post combined. Not to give him a big head but. He knows his ****!
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Here are the Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Phosphorous numbers for GTX 10w-30
Calcium: 1736
Magnesium: 8
Phosphorus: 522
Zinc: 643
These are expressed as parts per million....
The calcium and magnesium are both cleaning agents.. neither of those levels is outrageous..
Phosphorous and Zinc are fairly low for a flat tappet camshaft motor. If you were running a roller rocker motor you would have no concerns. There are still ZDDP additives available that would easily boost those numbers into the range we really want for the 4.0l/2.5l family.
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
You didn't say which viscosity you are using.. the Dura-Blend I found was 5w-30. I would venture to guess this is the one you are using? or are you using the Max-life blend?
Dura-Blend
Calcium: 2239
Sodium: 0
Zinc: 766
Phosphorous: 688
That Calcium is an engine cleaner.. this oil will REALLY clean out a motor...
The Z and Ph are low.. but something like ZDDP plus or GM EOS additive would really help.
I'm still looking for a definitive analysis on the Max-life... Valvoline gave both the semi and the full synthetic the same brand name. That makes it a bit tougher to separate them out.