Your Favorite Oil And Why ?

[427HISS]

With so many oil brands out today, some that l've never heard before, what do you use ?
  Conventional, 50% synthetic or full synthrntic and why ? 

I know anybody can buy oil and slap your company's name on the containers, like with appliances, electronics, etc.....
Oil is oil, but it's the additives that can be different.

[chilly460]

For flat tappet I ran Brad Penn.  One, because I grew up in Pennsylvania and the base crude is from Pennsylvania, therefore making it better   Two, there were so many racers that I'd seen testify to it's quality back from the Kendall days, through Brad Penn days, that it seemed like a good product.  They were "high zinc" before that became a thing. 

Roller cams, pretty simple I just grab jugs of Mobil One synthetic from Walmart.  Hard to beat for a proven oil for $23 for 5qts. 

[Lenz]

Same here for the same reasons in my 445 and 300 (Brad Penn for the flat tappet blend).  Other than that in most everything else I have I run synthetic blend, usually Motorcraft 5W-20 or 5W-30, it's actually one of the most reasonably priced oils around here and I've not heard anything negative about it.  Haven't gone full synthetic with anything to this point, never saw the need.

[Drew Pojedinec]

I run 10w30 VR1.  Works great, no issues.

[My427stang]

I was a Brad Penn guy for most stuff, also because I used to love Kendall Green (which despite Brad Penn's words, looked NOTHING like their green oil), but word is they recently changed a little.  Now called PennGrade, still seems good, but many have been seeing a little bit of a pressure drop, reportedly due to some thinning agent.  I still have a couple cases to burn through, but I think I'd call my consistent favorite Valvoline VR1 for flat tappet engines

For roller engines, I agree, Mobil 1, or any of the modern synthetics are hard to beat for cost and performance.

[e philpott]

Vavoline VR1  20w50 because it gets warm on street with a half filled block or 10w30 for most other applications (customer cars ) , never any issues and easy to get at the local parts store

[manofmerc]

Valvoline vr1 in my 460 bracket race car after ten years my solid flat tappet cam (reed) still looks good with 385 lbs open spring pressure .the same results for my 66 comet with solids in a 63 center oiler 427 with no lifter oil galleries .That engine is 10-12 years old with about the same open spring pressures .I pulled it down this past winter to have a valve job done to my heads .The cam (lunati) and lifters (dumbbell) look good .Open spring pressure 365-370 .I loves me some Valvoline vr1 ! Doug

[BattlestarGalactic]

VR1 20w50 in all my stuff since they are all flat tappet.  Been a Valvoline guy forever.  Run valvoline 10w40 in my '95 F150.

The local AZ and other parts stores are not stocking VR1 anymore.  But Summit has it and they are 15 minute away.  Plus I earn points on that $100 case of oil(groan).

[cjshaker]

Valvoline VR1 20w-50 here as well. All flat tappet stuff. I used to run regular 10w-30 in my mostly stock stuff, but since oils have changed, I've went to the VR1 for the last 15+ years or so.

[TJ]

I used VR1 (mostly 10w-30 but also some 20w-50) for the first 10,000+ miles on my FE.  On a whim I recently tried Motorcraft 10w-30 synthetic blend.  My fuel economy jumped from the 10-11 mpg range (mostly freeway) to the 11-12 mpg range...about a 1 mpg increase.   No changes to timing or carb and my driving route has been the same stretch of interstate to my folks so I'm thinking it's the oil.  So far I've only run 3 full tanks of fuel (different gas stations) so maybe it's a fluke.

Engine has a roller cam, btw.

[Stangman]

Just asking why everybody is running 20-50 are your tolerances big or thats what you run regardless.
I used to run 20-50 castrol 20 something years ago. Now have been advised to run 10-40 for clearance reasons.
I do use Brad Penn and I think i might notice the small pressure drop after this last oil change with the Penngrade.
Usually about 24-25 hot in gear at idle, maybe 20-21 psi. At 900 rpms I still dont think that is a problem but now that you said that I will be watching more closely. 

[Falcon67]

30wt or 10w-30 VR-1 in the race cars, Valvoline synthetic in the daily drivers.  One takes 5w-20, the other I think 0w-20.  Been using Valvoline for years, never an issue.  I use O'Reilly house brand in the mowers, generator, etc.  I used it kinda off/on for years with Penz then got pretty standard on Valvoline after my daughter wanted to meet Joe Amato and after standing in line for almost an hour Joe took extra time to sign her hero card and pose for a picture. 

20w-50 is what the parts stores seem to stock - not sure why.  But the store can order anything I need, so not a big deal.  Sometimes I'll defect over to NAPA for a case if I get a 20% coupon.

[chris401]

Rotella 15W40 in the FEs. Castrol GTX in everything else. All with 20% Reslon. Good experience with both in my own and cars that would come through the shop.

[BattlestarGalactic]

I used to run 20w50 years ago in my '70 f100/302.   It was just the thing to do.   "Thicker oil is better" kinda thing.  Got to make that oil pressure gauge peg!!  LOL!!

Most all my hot rods have .003 mains so, the thicker oil is better.  You don't want to put something that thick in a newer car as the clearance are not set up for it.

[mtburger]

Valvoline VR1 straight 40.

My stuff is older, usually has plenty of miles on it and for the most part is used in the summer time only.

It provides "Piece of mind" by bumping the oil pressure reading at idle over 10w-30 (when hot) by about a full 10 PSI.

Thanks, Mike H.