ATF and Diff oil recommendations

ironworker40

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Sceptical of the above. Are you sure that both of those instances were a direct result of using "Walmart" oil? Was there any real proof that innadiquate film strength due to low quality oil was the cause? Several test, and I'm sure 100k more individuals would tell you they had nothing but good experience from it.

Not trying to discount your experience, but I think any expert or test you could devise,as well as a truth seeking frame of mind, would yield that any oil made in the past 15 or so years if maintenanced properly would not cause mechanical failure in Grand fashion. Not to mention it would cost much more money to design/produce a separate product than to just sell what you already have. Anyone in big business would confirm. It's the same principal that lands trucks with entire unused systems just simply missing a switch/relay, because it
Would cost more to designsell a harness without it than to just leave a plug bare

It's always best to get as much info as possible before making a decision, the more facts you can gather from the most sources, the closer to truth you are, so always be weary of blanket statements like " it's cheaper so it's worse"


No I am not sure that the oil caused the failure, but I just stated my experience and opinion.
I said "I say its like everything else they sell. Made cheaper for them so they can undercut the price" this is known fact look it up its there business model.
Lastly if you don't think that manufacturers make cheaper quality products for big box stores then you are misinformed.
I don't want to debate Wall Mart just stating my experience.
I buy my oil from from an oil distributor. It's about a 40 mile round trip but I only go there once a year. I get 15w40 Citgo in 5 gal buckets for about $30. I have been running this oil since 1987 when I bought my first 1987 6.9 new. I sold it with 300,000 miles in 2000 and its still running today.
 

BR3

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Again, not trying to agitate, but comparing something like cereal to motor oil is not quite apples to apples. Certain things are certainly cheaper to recreate, but Mobil one is not going to reformulate their oil and retool their line because Walmart doesn't wanna pay a few extra cents. I'd much more believe they sell based on bulk buy deals. Definitely don't believe that " it's a known fact" is a great way to formulate opinion on a matter. Walmarts business model is in fact-
  1. Lead on Price
  2. Invest to differentiate on access
  3. Be competitive on assortment
  4. Deliver a great experience
Taken from revenuesandprofits.com. with at least one of those point bieng that quality matters. I don't wanna take the thread any farther off topic, just trying to keep information that is repeatable and truthful present. Personal experience is part of keeping good info out there, but definitely not capable of blanket statement truth
 

IDIBRONCO

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I have no idea on whether this is true or not, but I've been told that there's only a handful of companies that actually make oil. Most of the different ones out there are just rebranded with the "manufacturer's" label. Vehicle batteries are the same way. I worked at an Exide plant for a short time (I really hated that job) in 2004. Batteries went out to Wal-Mart, Sears, Checker's Auto, Advanced Auto, and others that I can't remember right now. They all came out of our plant. I was in shipping so I got to see the end products as they were loaded onto trucks for shipping out. Of course those were all only the lead/acid types.
 

smithman

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There are many opinions about oil as we have discussed here.
For me I change driveline fluids every 30k regardless and so I buy a brand name at a good price and don't worry too much about it. I haven't researched Lucas gear oil's strict adherence to specs, but I would bet anybody that this oil protects better than the stock gear oil that Ford put into my diff in 92. Add to that the change interval that I use, so I dont't lose a wink of sleep over saving a few bucks by buying Lucas from Amazon.

To each his own!
 

BR3

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It's true, it's true. There's even a website dedicated to oil arguments haha. I'm partly guilty, but I just don't like bad info. I love to see these trucks last as long as possible, and when Lucas plasters it's name everywhere, and people believe it, I feel like I should say something. I don't like people bieng taken advantage of.
 

CDX825

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I see a lot of guys swear by lucas oil stabilizer and I just have to shake my head. That stuff is nothing but an oil thickener. It contains no anti wear additives or detergents or anything good. So all it does is make your oil thicker and dilute the additive package.

As far as Amsoil goes I run it in pretty much everything I own. Its a top a shelf product and in my opinion the best. Ive got to the point of where I don't push it anymore because someone will say using synthetics causes leaks or your engine will burn it. Neither of which is true but has been spread like the gospel. Also most people don't want to pay the higher price for it.
 

Thewespaul

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I see a lot of guys swear by lucas oil stabilizer and I just have to shake my head. That stuff is nothing but an oil thickener. It contains no anti wear additives or detergents or anything good. So all it does is make your oil thicker and dilute the additive package..

:Thumbs Up Preach it!
 

IDIBRONCO

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In the shop I used to work in, we used to say that if you're running good oil, then why do you need to add anything extra to it? I still go by it today. The only thing that I add to my oil is more oil if it gets low.
 

Macrobb

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As far as Amsoil goes I run it in pretty much everything I own. Its a top a shelf product and in my opinion the best. Ive got to the point of where I don't push it anymore because someone will say using synthetics causes leaks
I'm guessing it's probably due to the fact that until recently, you saw "15W40" conventional and "5W40" synthetic. Rarely "15W40" synthetic(though Amsoil now sells it).
5W40 will go through leaky seals like mad.

See... I have multiple leaky engines. I once went "hey, Mobil 1 synthetic 5W40 TDT is on sale... I should try it!". After changing the oil to that(from 15W40), well, it was leaking profusely from front and rear main seals. I ended up shoving a bit of lucas in there to thicken it up(Yup, it's just a thickener), and changed the oil at 3K or so.
Went back to 15W40(mobile 1 conventional) and my leaks slowed down, back to the 'acceptable' point.

I will also say that I tried the same 5W40 synthetic on a freshly-built and resealed motor and... no leaking or problems. I went back to conventional, though, because I'm not going to extend my drain interval until I get a bypass filter in there... the lifters don't like it if I change the oil at more than 3K or so.

On the plus side, at a 3K oil change interval with conventional, last motor or two I've taken apart has been spotless inside - no buildup on anything, just a clean film of oil.


Amsoil does seem like a good product, and I've used certain amsoil products(like a particular MTF for my GearVendor OD); eventually I might run Amsoil synthetic in my truck, but only after I replace the front and rear main seals and install a bypass filter or centrifuge.
 

264WSM

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I'm not going to say which oil is best as there are many good products. I use Amsoil because I run it in my big trucks and use the leftovers in my pick ups.
I will say that Eaton and Rockwell will give a 250,000 mile warranty on their trans and diffs if you run dinosaur oil and a 750,000 mile warranty if you run synthetic. The dinosaur oil change interval in the trans and diffs are 250,000 miles. With synthetic, 500,000 miles
 
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