Synthetic Oil

[Treburkulosis]

.Awesome I went to 5w30 in the rav 4 and it also removed rattles, maybe I should have went biotech instead.

I just added it to my brand new LSX 408 for added insurance. What I learned with my Ram and what I have seen with my wifes Jeep, it can't hurt. Lots of money in that motor.

 

[Fishstickz]

Am I just snake-bit or is Redline 5W-30 hard to come by right now? My order from summit was placed on backorder with an eta in late July. I was able to get 1 quart off Amazon but cancelled my 6-quart order the day it was supposed to arrive. Can’t seem to find too many places that actually have it in stock. Might have to give PUP 5W-30 a try

 

[Tony Donato]

I chatted with Bob many times, he was literally the best of BITOG imo.

I discovered the website back in 2004. Initially, it was a blog where Bob posted his articles and experiments. I wasn’t aware of the forum until much later. One notable experiment he conducted demonstrated the detrimental effects of Lucas Oil Stabilizer on various applications. After that, I completely avoided Lucas products.

When Bob fell ill, the site was handed over to a couple. There are different stories about this transition; some say he entrusted them with the site, while others claim they bought it. Regardless, a simple Google search will reveal their names. Once they took over, they heavily monetized the site, bringing in new sponsors like Castrol. During this period, there was a significant purge, banning members they didn’t like. After the husband passed away, the wife took control. She is believed to have signed Castrol as a sponsor. Remember the German Castrol threads? They were quite entertaining. The fascination with motor oil dyed green was astounding. It was simply a PAO motor oil with an API SL additive package, nothing extraordinary. What stood out was the astroturfing. That’s why there were many discussions about German Castrol and other sponsor products. They still practice astroturfing but are not very good at it. There’s nothing grassroots about people's love for Pennzoil; it’s a commodity product sold at a reasonable price that does a decent job of protecting engines.

He has nothing to do with that place he has been gone close to twenty years and the next owner is dead, and now the owner is Mia and the inmates are running the asylum.

Well, the wife also became ill, and a long-time member stepped in to "help." He claims to have bought the site from her. After acquiring it, he set up a corporation with shares and trademarked the name. A simple Google search will reveal the relevant documents. Pennzoil was signed up as a sponsor, and their reps started posting on the forum. There was also a FRAM rep, but both have since left.

The owner is very active on the forums daily. Look for the user with an American flag avatar. He maintains a clean, friendly image but has another user whose name starts with "M" and includes numbers to do the heavy-handed moderation. This user only appears when something questionable needs to be done, and personally warns users when necessary. Two specific moderators handle most of the heavy-handed activities.

The goal is to ensure posts align with the sponsorship model, keeping the money flowing. There are three main reasons for getting banned:

1. Your posts don’t fit their model, and if they can't change your thinking, you're gone.
2. The owner doesn’t like you, no matter the quality of your posts. It’s not just about the money; his ego plays a significant role.
3. If a moderator dislikes you and the owner doesn't intervene, you're out.

Nothing on that forum happens randomly. Everything is orchestrated to drive traffic to the site. Sometimes, they allow users to post extensively before banning them. The posts remain, contributing to the site’s relevance in Google searches. This tactic helps generate new content for search engines. The owner then uses traffic data to attract sponsors and advertisers.

In conclusion, posting or even reading that forum is a waste of time. There’s very little valuable information, mostly bad opinions and conjecture. Many reputable companies in the lubrication industry do not recommend it. The guy from "Lubrication Explained" also stated it’s not a good place to learn about lubricants. His community, although more focused on industrial lubricants, is a better alternative, albeit with a membership fee.

There is one user worth following on the forum, Foxtrot08, an industry insider. He has politely pointed out that the forum members "have blinders on," implying their lack of insight. He would have been banned long ago if he weren’t a millionaire oil company owner.

I am starting to think the syn thread is about to be punked again.

Consider that many of us who contributed quality content to that forum were frustrated with being told what to think and post. We were also tired of the favoritism. However, a new alternative is coming soon, where people can share their opinions freely without ridicule. This new platform will prioritize free speech and opinion over profit. Civilized discussions, even arguments about oil, are valuable. The First Amendment exists for a reason, and as long as discussions remain civilized, they should be encouraged, regardless of who is right or wrong about lubricants or other topics.

 

[Burla]

That place already exists, it's called heaven check it out pretty cool spot.

 

[Tony Donato]

That place already exists, it's called heaven check it out pretty cool spot.

Both Heaven and Hell exist right here on Earth.

 

[HEMIMANN]

FalconHemi is back.

Again.

 

[HEMIMANN]

It was never my intent persay, but I believe my dip stick to be off because for my truck it takes 8 quarts read full. My first couple changes were done by dealer and they had it full, so I have ran 8 quarts for 15 years, no issues. I was really just following what the dealer was doing as their changes always read full to the line. So is my oil pan somehow taking more? I think not, it is possible, but my guess is the dipstick isn't seated correctly, and I have gotten away with 8 quarts.

My experiences with Dealer Service has not been good - many don't understand the basics behind their company designs. I won't tell stories here, there are too many. I never go to Dealers for service anymore.

Anyway, I've seen it happen when engine oil dipsticks go out for purchase bid, they come back incorrectly calibrated. A sloppy quality company doesn't catch or require PPAP qualification samples. Ask me how I know. I lived the dream, and we also had such a case. It's called customer field inspection.

Anyway, I'd trust the specified quantity listed in the maintenance manual first. My dipstick is dead nuts full @ 7.0 qts. An overfilled oil sump is more prone to churn and windage foaming if overfilled. Rarely can you underfill enough to starve the oil pump going down a steep hill.

Ok, one story - on my RV with GM's 8.1L big block motor, maintenance manual specified 9.0 qts oil. Turns out that was for the MARINE ONLY variant of the 8.1L motor! All automotive variants got the same 6.0 qt oil pan as the small blocks. We used GM 8.1L big blocks for gaseous fuel generators - we spec'd them with the Marine Oil Pan due to their high load cycle. I tried to get my hands on one for my RV, but never did. Oh, well.

jfc

 

[Tony Donato]

My experiences with Dealer Service has not been good - many don't understand the basics behind their company designs. I won't tell stories here, there are too many. I never go to Dealers for service anymore.

It's a common problem everywhere now. The old school guys are retired or close to retirement. I've seen entire dealerships depend on one or two guys that know what they're doing. However, most dealerships nowadays don't even have those, because they either moved to something else or retire. Dealerships don't treat mechanics very nice. At the end of the day, the customer is left holding the bag.

I don't know if you know about this, so here it is:

- Go to https://mopartsp.com and click on "AFTERMARKET".

- Once you're signed up, you can purchase 3 days of Tech Authority for $35 with access to all FCA vehicles. You get access to everything from parts numbers, diagrams, repair procedures, recalls, service bulletins, etc.

- Most importantly, when you need to do work on your truck, it gives you pretty decent instructions, torque specs, and when specialty tools (when needed) to do the job right.

I've used it many times. It's not worth trying to download all the info for a vehicle because of the way it's laid out. However, IMHO it's worth the $35 when you really need to fix something.

When you buy a new vehicle these days, warranty service isn't worth much.

 

[MontanaHandyman]

... I've been over at the BOB's the oil guru folks earlier today reading the posts.

Man, I had developed an migraine.

Lunatics over there! A long time back I posted a funny comment on my opinion of luxury cars...I thought they were gonna track me down and hang me!

 

[MontanaHandyman]

I discovered the website back in 2004. Initially, it was a blog where Bob posted his articles and experiments. I wasn’t aware of the forum until much later. One notable experiment he conducted demonstrated the detrimental effects of Lucas Oil Stabilizer on various applications. After that, I completely avoided Lucas products.

When Bob fell ill, the site was handed over to a couple. There are different stories about this transition; some say he entrusted them with the site, while others claim they bought it. Regardless, a simple Google search will reveal their names. Once they took over, they heavily monetized the site, bringing in new sponsors like Castrol. During this period, there was a significant purge, banning members they didn’t like. After the husband passed away, the wife took control. She is believed to have signed Castrol as a sponsor. Remember the German Castrol threads? They were quite entertaining. The fascination with motor oil dyed green was astounding. It was simply a PAO motor oil with an API SL additive package, nothing extraordinary. What stood out was the astroturfing. That’s why there were many discussions about German Castrol and other sponsor products. They still practice astroturfing but are not very good at it. There’s nothing grassroots about people's love for Pennzoil; it’s a commodity product sold at a reasonable price that does a decent job of protecting engines.


Well, the wife also became ill, and a long-time member stepped in to "help." He claims to have bought the site from her. After acquiring it, he set up a corporation with shares and trademarked the name. A simple Google search will reveal the relevant documents. Pennzoil was signed up as a sponsor, and their reps started posting on the forum. There was also a FRAM rep, but both have since left.

The owner is very active on the forums daily. Look for the user with an American flag avatar. He maintains a clean, friendly image but has another user whose name starts with "M" and includes numbers to do the heavy-handed moderation. This user only appears when something questionable needs to be done, and personally warns users when necessary. Two specific moderators handle most of the heavy-handed activities.

The goal is to ensure posts align with the sponsorship model, keeping the money flowing. There are three main reasons for getting banned:

1. Your posts don’t fit their model, and if they can't change your thinking, you're gone.
2. The owner doesn’t like you, no matter the quality of your posts. It’s not just about the money; his ego plays a significant role.
3. If a moderator dislikes you and the owner doesn't intervene, you're out.

Nothing on that forum happens randomly. Everything is orchestrated to drive traffic to the site. Sometimes, they allow users to post extensively before banning them. The posts remain, contributing to the site’s relevance in Google searches. This tactic helps generate new content for search engines. The owner then uses traffic data to attract sponsors and advertisers.

In conclusion, posting or even reading that forum is a waste of time. There’s very little valuable information, mostly bad opinions and conjecture. Many reputable companies in the lubrication industry do not recommend it. The guy from "Lubrication Explained" also stated it’s not a good place to learn about lubricants. His community, although more focused on industrial lubricants, is a better alternative, albeit with a membership fee.

There is one user worth following on the forum, Foxtrot08, an industry insider. He has politely pointed out that the forum members "have blinders on," implying their lack of insight. He would have been banned long ago if he weren’t a millionaire oil company owner.


Consider that many of us who contributed quality content to that forum were frustrated with being told what to think and post. We were also tired of the favoritism. However, a new alternative is coming soon, where people can share their opinions freely without ridicule. This new platform will prioritize free speech and opinion over profit. Civilized discussions, even arguments about oil, are valuable. The First Amendment exists for a reason, and as long as discussions remain civilized, they should be encouraged, regardless of who is right or wrong about lubricants or other topics.

They didn't hafta ban me...I banned myself from that site!

 

[Tony Donato]

They didn't hafta ban me...I banned myself from that site!

I know, right?

There are plenty of communities on the Internet. They're just one of them. Though I'm amazed the ownership still capitalizes Bob's good name after nearly two decades.

Now, I do have a better one for you: anyone who joins there these days must be a real glutton for punishment or a *********.

Not really worth talking about it beyond the little bit of ownership info I shared.

 

[HEMIMANN]

They didn't hafta ban me...I banned myself from that site!

Same

 

[BLUKTY2]

I have done some lurking on BITOG starting about 20 years ago, but throughout the years never spent much time on it. It didn't seem bad at first, but the more time I spent on it over the years the more I saw how argumentative, combative and just plain mean so many posters were on this site. If you don't align perfectly with their opinion then you get thoroughly bashed. And don't even THINK about asking a question that might have been asked before. WTF. IMHO, these forum sites should be a place to discuss individual experiences, knowledge and thoughts about their relevant subjects. Sure, we will certainly all NEVER totally agree on everything, but these discussions are great for sharing our combined and different experiences, background and knowledge. And to each their own; what works for one person and their particular situation doesn't necessarily work for everyone.

This is why I feel that this site, and this thread in particular, is as good as it gets! Just look at the things we have discussed in this thread: coffee, cast iron skillets, NASCAR, motorcycles and many other subjects. But it keeps coming back to the main subject- synthetic oil. Great stuff. I have not seen where someone with an opposing view has ever been "bashed" and I don't expect to ever see that with the folks here. The overwhelming atmosphere here is "If this works for you, then great! Maybe it will also work for someone else so thanks for sharing". I don't know why is this so hard on other sites but I highly suspect that personal egos and perhaps the moderators have a lot to do with it.

Let's carry on!

 

[Treburkulosis]

Am I just snake-bit or is Redline 5W-30 hard to come by right now? My order from summit was placed on backorder with an eta in late July. I was able to get 1 quart off Amazon but cancelled my 6-quart order the day it was supposed to arrive. Can’t seem to find too many places that actually have it in stock. Might have to give PUP 5W-30 a try

I can't get 5w30 Redline either. PUP is good. Its been great in my wifes Jeep.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Bad omen. Things are not well @ Red Line and Royal Purple, from my perception.
Nothing solid, just events adding up to a meltdown.

OTOH, recall some years back we couldn't find PUP?
Yeah, well it wasn't the great just in time supply chain collapse in so much that Shell decided to change from charcoal colored plastic containers to legacy Pennzoil yellow just as the pandemic hested up. Instant no product.
PUP is everywhere again, back to reasonable Group III pricing.

 

[Treburkulosis]

Bad omen. Things are not well @ Red Line and Royal Purple, from my perception.
Nothing solid, just events adding up to a meltdown.

OTOH, recall some years back we couldn't find PUP?
Yeah, well it wasn't the great just in time supply chain collapse in so much that Shell decided to change from charcoal colored plastic containers to legacy Pennzoil yellow just as the pandemic hested up. Instant no product.
PUP is everywhere again, back to reasonable Group III pricing.

Thats why I ran Castrol Edge for so long. I never had a shortage of that. It was great in all of our cars. The wifes Jeep just likes PUP. Its my odd ball.

 

[Burla]

Bad omen. Things are not well @ Red Line and Royal Purple, from my perception.
Nothing solid, just events adding up to a meltdown.

OTOH, recall some years back we couldn't find PUP?
Yeah, well it wasn't the great just in time supply chain collapse in so much that Shell decided to change from charcoal colored plastic containers to legacy Pennzoil yellow just as the pandemic hested up. Instant no product.
PUP is everywhere again, back to reasonable Group III pricing.

maybe the move is effecting production? The forever sale at amazon the last 3 years for a 6 pack 5w30 is gone and has been gone since ram member brought up the shortage. I believe that was from the amazon redline store as well. The good news if there is any is when we get new stock, we will know if they monkey'd with the formula at all with new uoa's from them?

 

[HEMIMANN]

Thats why I ran Castrol Edge for so long. I never had a shortage of that. It was great in all of our cars. The wifes Jeep just likes PUP. Its my odd ball.

$hit we may all end up on PUP+Lubegard or HPL soon.
For those of us that didn't stock a warehouse full of Red Line.

 

[HEMIMANN]

maybe the move is effecting production? The forever sale at amazon the last 3 years for a 6 pack 5w30 is gone and has been gone since ram member brought up the shortage. I believe that was from the amazon redline store as well. The good news if there is any is when we get new stock, we will know if they monkey'd with the formula at all with new uoa's from them?

Exactly what I meant by my polite cryptic comment.

 

[Treburkulosis]

$hit we may all end up on PUP+Lubegard or HPL soon.
For those of us that didn't stock a warehouse full of Red Line.

One thing about it Lubegard is some excellent stuff. My Hemi got noisy and it shut it up. I just put it in my LSX 408. I run it in my wifes 3.6 Jeep as it likes to dry start. It stopped that mess. Does Mobil 1 not work in the heavy duty trucks? Im running that in the 408 and my Flex.