Yes, I would. Here's an interesting POV from an oil testing professional: http://www.blackstone-labs.com/newsletters.php?ID=63

 

Thanks for that info. I guess my concern is with the diesel thinking the oil takes more abuse than your basic gas engine so thus a need to go with the more expensive oils. Needless to say, I will try the ww stuff and change it after 6 mos (I dont put a lot of miles on). I think somewhat looser tolerance might exist in my truck - I would likely go with rotella if it were brand new. As to cold flow or that sort of thing, the climate here is quite moderate, we might get down to a few days of 0 degrees F here and some nasty wind chills, but temperatures in the winter are generally within a few degrees of freezing.

 

I'll preface this post by saying three things:

1) I am a member of BITOG
2) My car's engine has a noisy rocker arm
3) My car's engine (a '76 351M) uses a quart of oil every 50-70 miles.

Now, with that said, you'd think I'd want to run either the best dang oil on the market to make it last longer, or throw in the cheapest garbage I can find to save money. But I don't fall into either of those categories. I want to find something that works.

I started out adding Supertech 5W30 dino cheap sludge because it's WHAT I HAD ON HAND. Lots of ticky tacky clicky clacky crunchy valvetrain noises.

Then I started topping off with Valvoline 50-weight racing oil because I HAD A COUPON. Still had quite a bit of valvetrain noise. Seemed to use MORE oil. I thought thicker was better. Go figure.

I did an oil change and put a cheap generic convenience store SL rated 10W40 in there along with a Motorcraft FL-1A filter. I topped off with whatever I could get cheap that was 10W40. Typical offerings were Exxon Superflo, Supertech, Coastal, and Pennzoil yellow bottle. I still had valvetrain noise, took off valve covers to check it out, tightened what I could, made a nice improvement for about ten minutes. My best guess now is the threads on that rocker are stripped. Can't fix that easy so I'll drive 'til it can't drive no more.

Well, one day I stop into my favorite small town David's grocery store. I know I'm down 2 quarts so I better grab something here and now. Turns out they've got some dusty bottles of Chevron Supreme 10W40 on the shelf and at $2.99 I figure that's good enough for me not to make a special trip to Wal-Mart for oil. Awesome. I put it in. My engine's valvetrain noise is cut in HALF. I can no longer hear it from 45 up to 60mph. Above 60 it gets loud enough and below 45 there's not enough wind to mask it. But at my 50-55mph average "my neighbors hate getting behind me" cruising speed (limit around here on the highways is 70), it's silent enough I CAN HEAR MY RADIO!!!

The oil has an API rating of SJ. I'm guessing this stuff is what, a decade old or so? It is a much plainer blue bottle than what's normally on shelves at Wal-Mart or AutoZone. Graphics are different, etc. So tomorrow morning I have to go buy milk, sugar, coffee, all that, and I hope they have some more of this stuff. I'll buy 'em out and demand a restocking

Does this mean the stuff they sell at Wal-Mart and AutoZone now, that's SJ and meant for "1988 and older automobiles and light trucks" would work similar to this, or is this "new" SJ formula not anything like the "old" SJ formula?

 

I change all my vehicles oil between 3-5000 miles on average, or when it becomes obviously black and dirty. I try to use a decent quality oil and filter, and I use a motor flush with every oil change. I used to be a mechanic/technician for some years and can honestly say that if you change your oil AND filter on a regular basis that you can maintain a somewhat clean engine internally. Regardless of what oil and filter you use, if you change the oil and filter when it gets DIRTY, the internals will stay much cleaner and last longer than if you don't. I must also add that this is only my opinion.