Synthetic Oil

Oil of Choice

  • Castrol Syntec/Edge

    Votes: 224 8.4%
  • Royal Purple

    Votes: 317 11.9%
  • AMSOil

    Votes: 376 14.1%
  • Valvoline Synpower

    Votes: 157 5.9%
  • Mobil 1

    Votes: 952 35.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 632 23.8%

  • Total voters
    2,658

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Yardbird

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Western NC
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2018
Engine
3.6
You never know what a dealership uses. They could change brands as easily as another distributor giving a better price and a few perks.

Several years ago I owned a gas station with a garage bay. I was thinking about converting it to a quick lube/inspection station.

I called a regional bulk oil distributor about him supplying me. The rep came down and looked my place over. We were talking about what equipment he could ge me when I asked him about the quality of the oil he sold, as I wasn't that familiar with the name.

He said it's good oil, in fact it's what is in the Ford dealership less than a mile from you, and their two other dealerships (other brands) down the road.

So..........The lowest price with the best service wins out at dealerships.
 

JHoward

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5.7 Liter
Well... I'm just trying to confirm what kind of oil dealership puts into my engine... So I do want oil to be clean.

I don't entirely trust dealership, they can pour good oil for my test sample but pump blend into my new truck (hopefully not lol but who knows!)

My engine now has 3k miles, previous oil change at 1k miles, so I think that oil should be just fine and I don't need to really test it?

Maybe the dealership can give you an sample of the oil that they are going to use a long with type/viscosity, etc. You would then have the info for Blackstone Labs for your self assurance?

Fwiw, I have done oil analysis/reports with Blackstone Labs on my current and two previously owned RAM trucks(~ 8 years)to stay informed on the health of my engine and they are very good on advising/alerting me.

So, the benefit is now I have an recorded history of oci's from the start that helps me to keep track of how well my HEMI is doing.

Happy motoring!
 

tidefan1967

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Summerville, South Carolina
You guys may go insane when I tell you what I put into my wifes Ford Edge with a 3.5 last week.

I thought I had 6 quarts of Castrol Edge on hand, so I drained the old oil out.

Looked and all I had was slightly over half a jug of Edge, and less than half a jug of Magnetec, both 5w20. So, mixed together I ended up with 4 1/2 quarts of the mixture.

To make up the difference I added enough PUP 5w30 to get to 5 3/4 quarts, to which I added Lubgard Biotech to get up to the 6 quarts I needed.

Engine is the quietest I've heard it since we bought it. Only has 58k miles.

I'll run this around 5k miles, then change to whatever research deems to be the best oil at that time.

I always research and stress over what oil to use, which is why I had leftovers of these three brands.

Each appeared to be the best at the time they were bought, so, I figure three very good oils together should give three times the protection....lol
I did the same thing with my F150 last oil change. Thought I had 6 quarts of PUP 5W30 on hand but no, more like 3.5. I had two quarts of Rotella Gas Truck left over from 2-3 years ago and used those and then topped it off with some Redline 5W30 to make up the difference. Run’s just as quiet as the six quarts of PUP that I used the last 3 oil changes.
 

U&A

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Location
Michigan
Ram Year
2016 3500 SRW
Engine
6.4 HEMI
Day late and a dollar short but here are the promised pics if anyone cares to see.

Ford 10 speed trans pan drop fluid and filter change on a 2019 ford Ranger. Was not difficult at all. Just messy AF being there is not drain plug. . Pretty normal to get screwed on that account tho as we all know.

It took exactly 8 quarts to replace what came out after the truck set over night.

The plastic pan is a piece of garbage. It with “oil pan” (pun intended) if you push on it. What a joke. It will get a better aftermarket pan next change. It called for 8 foot pounds of torq on the 8mm bolts. There are a few 12mm….or was it 13mm…. :think: The bolt holes in the pan have an aluminum bushing molded into them for some strength but im tellin yah what. All 8 of the foot lbs felt very mushy. I DID NOT feel right giving it all 8 so i went a bit less and will check/re-torq in a few days if needed. Can we please stop using plastic???? Steel (or cast aluminum as a close second) is so much more forgiving and predictable. It dose however have a large magnet inside it. Nice to see. Pic shows the “pile” of shavings that I pushed togtfor the pic. Not bad at all. …..Oh..And i wont lie. Found it hilarious to see the trans was “pink on the inside”;);). See pics.

Gasket seems to be good to re-use. Has a single green O-Ring that doesn’t circle the bolt holes. No leaks yet. Drove it today (in the 90’s for temps) a good 60 miles round trip. Shifted and performed perfectly.

Filter goes on easy with zero problems. Plastic as well so when you are tightening the 8mm bolts be easy. Filter is pleated felt it looks like or some kind of synthetic fiber. Definitely does not look like cellulose. as said before it does not come with the press fit seal like our transmissions do on the RFE it has a rubber sleeve that’s super easy to use. And apparently there’s is very important Small brown pc of paper that is cut perfectly square in the box with the filter. Lol. Guess this is the packaging material…LMAO

Lots of plastic bits, wires, wires connections, who-haas, dood dads, and thingamajigs inside that trans. Bit odd to see. Looks like a computer inside there.

Re-fill was super easy with the Motive Power fill.

Dip stick. Has a 19mm screw on cover with an O-ring seal. Also says Mercron ULV right on the dip stick. Still wana smack someone in the mouth for putting one in that spot. Need to be a bit of a contortionist to get the dip stick in and take it out without turning it upside down so the fluid doesn’t run up the stick messing up the reading. It’s between the catalytic converter and the passenger side of the trans housing about 3” above the machined surface for the trans pan seal. 200.gif

its vehicle dependent on how to read the dip stick. Some 10speeds (F-150) have a basic “A & B” mark to stay between. This one has numbers 1-6. If you’re checking for the procedures at full operating temp as your vehicle specifies and it has the one through six designation, the manual says to be between five and six. (Still check your manual. Im not chris fix)When it’s cold, it’s a different story obviously. They dont give cold check procedures so use your noggin.
200.gif



Mercron ULV trans fluid is about as thick as monday morning coffee. 50,000 miles and it came out clean but a Slight tint to it. Ill do 30,000ish next time.

Don't think im missing anything important. Hope this is helpful to someone.

Oh and do t tell the wife I used her “Christmas stuff” tote to catch the trans fluid. Ill report back this Christmas on that one.

Sorry about the photo links. Its All I can do.











 
Last edited:

U&A

Senior Member
Joined
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Posts
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Location
Michigan
Ram Year
2016 3500 SRW
Engine
6.4 HEMI
Day late and a dollar short but here are the promised pics if anyone cares to see.

Ford 10 speed trans pan drop fluid and filter change on a 2019 ford Ranger. Was not difficult at all. Just messy AF being there is not drain plug. . Pretty normal to get screwed on that account tho as we all know.

It took exactly 8 quarts to replace what came out after the truck set over night.

The plastic pan is a piece of garbage. It with “oil pan” (pun intended) if you push on it. What a joke. It will get a better aftermarket pan next change. It called for 8 foot pounds of torq on the 8mm bolts. There are a few 12mm….or was it 13mm…. :think: The bolt holes in the pan have an aluminum bushing molded into them for some strength but im tellin yah what. All 8 of the foot lbs felt very mushy. I DID NOT feel right giving it all 8 so i went a bit less and will check/re-torq in a few days if needed. Can we please stop using plastic???? Steel (or cast aluminum as a close second) is so much more forgiving and predictable. It dose however have a large magnet inside it. Nice to see. Pic shows the “pile” of shavings that I pushed togtfor the pic. Not bad at all. …..Oh..And i wont lie. Found it hilarious to see the trans was “pink on the inside”;);). See pics.

Gasket seems to be good to re-use. Has a single green O-Ring that doesn’t circle the bolt holes. No leaks yet. Drove it today (in the 90’s for temps) a good 60 miles round trip. Shifted and performed perfectly.

Filter goes on easy with zero problems. Plastic as well so when you are tightening the 8mm bolts be easy. Filter is pleated felt it looks like or some kind of synthetic fiber. Definitely does not look like cellulose. as said before it does not come with the press fit seal like our transmissions do on the RFE it has a rubber sleeve that’s super easy to use. And apparently there’s is very important Small brown pc of paper that is cut perfectly square in the box with the filter. Lol. Guess this is the packaging material…LMAO

Lots of plastic bits, wires, wires connections, who-haas, dood dads, and thingamajigs inside that trans. Bit odd to see. Looks like a computer inside there.

Re-fill was super easy with the Motive Power fill.

Dip stick. Has a 19mm screw on cover with an O-ring seal. Also says Mercron ULV right on the dip stick. Still wana smack someone in the mouth for putting one in that spot. Need to be a bit of a contortionist to get the dip stick in and take it out without turning it upside down so the fluid doesn’t run up the stick messing up the reading. It’s between the catalytic converter and the passenger side of the trans housing about 3” above the machined surface for the trans pan seal. View attachment 522490

its vehicle dependent on how to read the dip stick. Some 10speeds (F-150) have a basic “A & B” mark to stay between. This one has numbers 1-6. If you’re checking for the procedures at full operating temp as your vehicle specifies and it has the one through six designation, the manual says to be between five and six. (Still check your manual. Im not chris fix)When it’s cold, it’s a different story obviously. They dont give cold check procedures so use your noggin.
View attachment 522491



Mercron ULV trans fluid is about as thick as monday morning coffee. 50,000 miles and it came out clean but a Slight tint to it. Ill do 30,000ish next time.

Don't think im missing anything important. Hope this is helpful to someone.

Oh and do t tell the wife I used her “Christmas stuff” tote to catch the trans fluid. Ill report back this Christmas on that one.

Sorry about the photo links. Its All I can do.











Oh shoot forgot to mention one cool thing.
Pretty positive there’s a magnet inside the transmission filter. If you look at the picture of the trans filter, the top left corner shows a circle. The old filter (no picture sorry) had five lines of shavings showing five magnetic poles in that circular diameter. Like a clock

So it’s probably collecting shavings on that spot outside the filter as I saw it but also inside the filter
 

Burla

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Posts
22,072
Reaction score
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Ram Year
2010 Hemi Reg Cab 4x4
Engine
Hemi
Day late and a dollar short but here are the promised pics if anyone cares to see.

Ford 10 speed trans pan drop fluid and filter change on a 2019 ford Ranger. Was not difficult at all. Just messy AF being there is not drain plug. . Pretty normal to get screwed on that account tho as we all know.

It took exactly 8 quarts to replace what came out after the truck set over night.

The plastic pan is a piece of garbage. It with “oil pan” (pun intended) if you push on it. What a joke. It will get a better aftermarket pan next change. It called for 8 foot pounds of torq on the 8mm bolts. There are a few 12mm….or was it 13mm…. :think: The bolt holes in the pan have an aluminum bushing molded into them for some strength but im tellin yah what. All 8 of the foot lbs felt very mushy. I DID NOT feel right giving it all 8 so i went a bit less and will check/re-torq in a few days if needed. Can we please stop using plastic???? Steel (or cast aluminum as a close second) is so much more forgiving and predictable. It dose however have a large magnet inside it. Nice to see. Pic shows the “pile” of shavings that I pushed togtfor the pic. Not bad at all. …..Oh..And i wont lie. Found it hilarious to see the trans was “pink on the inside”;);). See pics.

Gasket seems to be good to re-use. Has a single green O-Ring that doesn’t circle the bolt holes. No leaks yet. Drove it today (in the 90’s for temps) a good 60 miles round trip. Shifted and performed perfectly.

Filter goes on easy with zero problems. Plastic as well so when you are tightening the 8mm bolts be easy. Filter is pleated felt it looks like or some kind of synthetic fiber. Definitely does not look like cellulose. as said before it does not come with the press fit seal like our transmissions do on the RFE it has a rubber sleeve that’s super easy to use. And apparently there’s is very important Small brown pc of paper that is cut perfectly square in the box with the filter. Lol. Guess this is the packaging material…LMAO

Lots of plastic bits, wires, wires connections, who-haas, dood dads, and thingamajigs inside that trans. Bit odd to see. Looks like a computer inside there.

Re-fill was super easy with the Motive Power fill.

Dip stick. Has a 19mm screw on cover with an O-ring seal. Also says Mercron ULV right on the dip stick. Still wana smack someone in the mouth for putting one in that spot. Need to be a bit of a contortionist to get the dip stick in and take it out without turning it upside down so the fluid doesn’t run up the stick messing up the reading. It’s between the catalytic converter and the passenger side of the trans housing about 3” above the machined surface for the trans pan seal. View attachment 522490

its vehicle dependent on how to read the dip stick. Some 10speeds (F-150) have a basic “A & B” mark to stay between. This one has numbers 1-6. If you’re checking for the procedures at full operating temp as your vehicle specifies and it has the one through six designation, the manual says to be between five and six. (Still check your manual. Im not chris fix)When it’s cold, it’s a different story obviously. They dont give cold check procedures so use your noggin.
View attachment 522491



Mercron ULV trans fluid is about as thick as monday morning coffee. 50,000 miles and it came out clean but a Slight tint to it. Ill do 30,000ish next time.

Don't think im missing anything important. Hope this is helpful to someone.

Oh and do t tell the wife I used her “Christmas stuff” tote to catch the trans fluid. Ill report back this Christmas on that one.

Sorry about the photo links. Its All I can do.











good work thanks. yeah that fluid is some thin stuff, 4.5 at 100C, that is the thinnest I think I have seen ulv is. Funny all of the transmission maintenance issues makes some guys want their rfe back, lol. Glad it was easy for you.

pretty scary to see all those doodads up in there though. Just more stuff that can break, and since most of it is plastic, a little troublesome. It is what it is though.
 

Travis8352

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Houghton michigan
Ram Year
2018
Engine
5.7 hemi

Here is a VOA for the SP mobil 1 FS 0w40. looks like esters were replaced with alkylated napthalenes based on the oxidation number. Calcium was cut in half and replaced with magnesium. Boron also cut in half likely due to needing less of it now that their using ANs. Moly remained the same. According to a PDS i found HTHS is 3.6. Its also half PAO and half GTL with ANs as well
 
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