What brands of oil do you use?

Oil? The Prius needs oil?!? I thought it was electric. Oh, oh, I better go take a look...

Tom

 

Oil filter - what is left off of the inquiry. I purchase double Mobil 1 oil filters from:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail....artNumber=M1209

Kragen - same filters arre $10.99 in the store, $9.99 via mail. I have done a print-out with the online price, then gone to a Kragen and obtained a filter at the online price. Easier to install and remove because the filter is longer (taller).

 

For the Prius, I use Mobil 1 0W-20. Very good used oil analysis reports so far.

For the FJ, I'm currently using Esso XD-3 0W-40. Have had issues with oil shear running conventional 5W-30, but the heavy duty 0W-40 oil is holding up great. Toyota now recommends either a 5W-30 or 5W-20 in the FJ V6, recently put in 5W-20. Will resample at 2,000 km to determine if it is appropriate

 

I started using (non-synthetic) Pennzoil in all my cars years ago. I think most of the major brands are probably the same but Pennzoil has treated me well so I stick with it. I have bought new cars and driven them up to 200,000 miles before selling the cars and never had to rebuild a motor. Even at 200,000 miles, I've never had oil consumption more than 1 quart between oil changes! I do change my oil and filter faithfully every 3000 miles. Many here on PC say this is too often for the Prius engine since it only runs "part time" but all my Prius miles are commuting to work at speed limits of 65-75 mph so my engine runs continously. Colorado is also a dry and dusty place so I think my engine is happier. I suppose an oil analysis would be fun to do sometime.

I do my own oil changes and we have a local oil recycle center that happily accepts my old oil. The cost for 4 qts of Pennzoil 5-30 and Toyota OEM filter/plug gasket are cheap enough so I plan to keep my 3000 mile routine on my Prius.

On a side note, I've enjoyed the opinions of those of you using synthetic oil. I tried it one time in the late 70s when Mobile 1 was relatively new. I put it in a GM V-8 engine. While the high qualities of synthetic where known back then with reguard to long mileage and high heat stability, I found the oil then had the thickness properties of what looked like sewing machine oil, very thin. I found my engine gaskets were much more prone to leaking as the oil seem to find any and every weak or soft spot on the gaskets. Have the synthetics changed in this area? Thanks in advance.

 

I checked Castrol and synthetic, but that's all I've used so far in my Prius. But I agree with the poster who said whichever of the "Brands" that are on sale. Do some research with Google about Fram oil filters and you may find yourself not ever wanting to use one again.

 

oils we will never use:
-anything off-brand
-pennzoil

the prius gets mobil 1 synth at 5k intervals
the es250 gets castrol dino at 3k intervals

 

Something wrong with pennzoil? Are their oils that bad? What about their synthetic variants?

 

DH used to work at a shop that used only pennzoil oils. the regular customers that came there would get this white scummy gel on the inside of their oilcaps.

the explanation he got for that buildup was 'the wax additives they use.' after that, he refuses to touch it. regardless of where that buildup comes from, wax or something else, our cars don't need that.

since leaving that shop, he has not seen that again except from the off-brand oils.

 

Thanks, I'll definitely avoid purchasing any more of pennzoil's oils.

Any idea of the synthetic version of pennzoils also have the same problem?

Either way, I'll be sure to steer clear of the white crummy iceburg marked pennzoil...

 

he doesn't think they used synthetic oils there, this was his very first shop job so it was a long time ago. not really sure about the contents of pennzoil synth.

 

Penzoil makes excellent regular and synthetic oils.

There is no WAX in Penzoil. That is a myth that has been repeated far too many times. Argh. Look it up on the internet. Bad bad myth.

 

wax aside... "scummy white gel" is enough.

 

I seriously doubt Pennzoil caused the "scummy white gel"

 

i used mobil 1 first, recently i switched to belray 20w50, i have like 4 buckets so i wanna use it up.

 

I use the Mobil1 5w30. Doing my own oil changes makes it easy not to care that it's a little more $$ since I'm not paying labor for someone to open my oil drain and close it again

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Winston @ Nov 9 2007, 12:08 PM) [snapback]537259[/snapback]</div>

How can you "seriously doubt" that? Galaxee and her DH are no dummies. You're either calling them liars, or you're saying that *something other than oil* went into the same place the engine oil goes in the cars he worked on.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 8 2007, 08:10 PM) [snapback]536998[/snapback]</div>

That is probably condensation. Sounds to me that the engine is not run "at temperature" long enough to evaporate the water out of the engine. Alot of short, around town trips in cool/cold weather will promote water condensation like what you are seeing.


That aside, I use Amsoil in my 3 vehicles and change the oil once per year (~15-18K miles).

 

funny that in the 10 years since then, he hasn't seen that again... being a full time mechanic and all.

[shrug] whatever.

 

Just switched to synthetic Mobil 1 yesterday, but first I wanted to read everyone's comments about it on this site, and there is soooo much to read. I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing.
My husband was totally against it...he said its a waste of money, since I have to change it every 3,000 miles to stay within Toyota's warranty. I thought it was every 5K miles?
It is costly having someone else do it, and they are not even willing to discount if I bring in my own filter, and in fact, this particular place for $59.99 throw in a free exterior car wash, but if I use my own filter, then they don't offer the "free" car wash. I found another place for $49.99 and uses Mobil 1, no discount on my own filter either, and threw in a free tire pressure check! Gee...thanks, but no thanks for the tire check, I do my own.
So, I went to the dealer and purchased more filters, they had a sale...buy 3 get 4th free at $8.05 each. Bought the whole case. The next oil change is going to be "on me!" Haven't change my own oil/filter for over 20 years....I think its about time I started doing it again.