Anyone using Valvoline ?
 

I'm just curious if anyone is using the Valvoline Blue oils ? Extreme or regular ? Are there any other good oils out there other than Amsoil ? Are there any brands that can cover the entire truck (engine, auto tran, diff oil, etc). I see the Valvoiline was developed with Cummins and that is what Cummins Alberta is selling to their customers.

Valvoline is OK, average, yes approved. If you want to use an approved oil (amsoil is not approved), you can use mobil delvac 1 5w40 - which is also relabeled and sold as mobil 1 truck and suv (yellow cap, sold at most walmarts). I like mobil's synthetic diff fluid as well. Trans fluid I used dodge atf+4 just in case of any warranty concerns. The dodge fluid was $14/gal from the dealer- not crazy expensive as people seem to rant about.

If there was any ONE line that I'd want to use if I had to be cute and say I used only products from one company - it would be Redline. They have a great 15w40 diesel specific oil, 75w90 gear lube, and a synthetic trans fluid. None are API certified - same deal as amsoil though - just RATED. I like redline's products better overall though. They are also $$$.

Premium Blue or Delo 400 work just fine. Save the money for mods...not overpriced oil. Both are the least smelly oils I have used in this truck.

I'm using Valvoline now. Will be changing to Redline after more miles. I keep it in stock and have had great results with it in my turbo cars. Valvoline makes good oil, always has. The fact that they are Cummins fill doesn't hurt either.

Redline makes fluids that fulfill the needs of all the parts of the truck. Not that I think it's a big deal necessarily. But one stop shopping is easier. :D

Before I spend the money on Redline motor oils, I'd check the many websites available on the net with actual used oil analysis results. I think you will find that the results are well below expectation. Im sure many Redline fans will flame me, but don't take my word for it check it out yourself.

The ISB is so easy on oil, I don't see any real benefit of a synthetic oil except in very cold conditions.

I currently have a 93 Ford with the 7.3L NA diesel in it that has 303,000 miles on it, and the only underhood work done on it has been a new radiator and water pump. It has ran on Royal Purple 15w-40 at 6000 mile changes since 50,000 mile mark. No make up oil between changes is required. Believe it has a healthy dose of moly in it. Just a suggestion. I am running Delvac 1 in my truck now as it is locally available, cheaper, and probably as good as the RP. I do wish it had moly though.

I put Mobil Delvac in this time and am really impressed with it so far . Winter temps are moving in here and the gauge doesn't spike when ya start her cold . Mileage seems up a bit too but too early to tell .

Premium Blue has the Cummins seal of approval right on the jug. Good enough for me :D

If the original poster didn't live so far north I would have possibly suggested dino oil as an alternative, but with the cold starts up there in Canada, I'd say a 5w40 synthetic is a must.

You could theoretically use Premium Blue Extreme, Rotella 5w40, delvac 1/mobil 1 truck suv 5w40, etc, etc. I just suggest Delvac 1 because it's easy to find at walmarts and the best of the bunch by far.

Walmart is importing from China to Canada now too :confused:

You know Walmart is basically headquartered in China now don't you?

I have run Premium Blue since new. The dino 15W-40 variety is what your engine had in it from the factory. I am currently running 5W-40 Extreme. There are no doubt better oils out there, but IMHO you won't be realizing any benefit unless to go to bypass filtration and extended drains.

I am satisfied, always good oil analysis but I change every 5,000 miles or so.

Valvoline and Cummins worked together for this oil.... I use it exclusively...

Not sure what this has to do at all with the oil topic at hand - but no I didn't know or care to know that. I actually buy my m1 truck/suv at autozone, however it's widely available, most easily found at walmart. Most of us just want to find the oil and buy it, not analyze the profit trail after our purchase and work backwards to find a place to shop..

You really won't see much difference in any oil if you never have a problem in terms of an analysis. I've had documented trouble with Mobil1 (and more than once), yet a lot of folks use it and are happy.

I've seen first-hand what happens with turbocharged vehicles and some oils (even some synthetics) and it's not good. Case in point, I had a Datsun 280ZX turbo. Oil cooled turbo and factory oil pressure and temp gauges. @ 300 degree oil temps, the idle oil pressure with 15/50 Mobil 1 was less than half of what it was with 10/30 Redline. That showed me the Mobil 1 was shearing down, which isn't exactly good. Frankly I didn't care that it came back with good wear results. The additive pacakage was abou shot and being that turbo's spin upward of 80k rpm and ride on oil film, I can't live with it. What are the chances of actually having a problem? Not likely. But it's cheap insurance, and god forbid something happens that costs me oil pressure or something I want the oil in there that I believe will give me the best chance of not hurting anything.

FWIW, in that old Datsun, even regular Valvoline performed better in both analysis and oil pressure than the Mobil 1. The Redline just did better yet.

I completely agree the engine is easy on oil. Helps it doesn't turn a lot of RPM and has 3 gallons of oil too. It's more insurance for the turbocharger for me, and Redline is made from the same basestocks (polyol esters) that are used for jet engines. As far as I'm aware that's the only oil made from those materials.

To each his own. God knows there are plenty of opinions out there. Just passing along some of my experiences. I would be interested in a seeing a link to those tests you speak of, because I can't seem to find them on my own.

I have used V-Premium Blue a couple of timers in the past, I tend to switch back and forth between that and RotellaT. I have even tried MotorCraft 15W40 PowerSmoke oil twice and they all seem about the same. Odor, discoloration at change. Always run fleetguard filters as well.