Motor oil

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

85blzrboy

Junior Member
Joined
May 18, 2012
Posts
11
Reaction score
0
Location
mcallen,texas
First Name
lee
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
k5
Engine Size
350
Does anyone have any experience with the walmart brand super tech motor oils and trans fluids? Does it hold up well? I have never used it at all before and dont know anyone that has. I assumed it was cheap because it was no good but that is not the right mentality to always have.
 

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,532
Reaction score
5,826
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD
Does anyone have any experience with the walmart brand super tech motor oils and trans fluids? Does it hold up well? I have never used it at all before and dont know anyone that has. I assumed it was cheap because it was no good but that is not the right mentality to always have.

I have been using the Super Tech oil in my boat's outboard motor for a few years now. I think it is a good quality product. I like it better than the Valvoline 2 stroke oil I used to buy.
 

skysurfer

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Posts
2,648
Reaction score
2,023
Location
west coast
First Name
John
Truck Year
1989 Suburban
Truck Model
V2500
Engine Size
5.7/TH400/NP241C
It's probably Havoline, same as the in-house brands sold through auto supply stores. Just check for the latest API rating (currently SN) and you're good to go.
 

swagger

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2012
Posts
121
Reaction score
0
Location
old house in WV
First Name
Steve
Truck Year
73
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350/SM-465/NP-205
I'll only use the trany oil from walmart
 

GOBR

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Posts
327
Reaction score
2
Location
Memphis
First Name
David
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
R10
Engine Size
355
I look at it as oil is oil. As long as its up to standards it does the same thing. Im currently runnin 15w40 oil in the truck thats Salle? brand........
 

Stroked

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Posts
2,248
Reaction score
88
Location
Beloit, Kansas
First Name
Jared
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
305
Never used their motor oil since some brands have been know to cause sludge and I don't want to take the chance.

I use Walmart brand transmission fluid in everything though. Haven't had a problem so far.
 

austinado16

Full Access Member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Posts
611
Reaction score
221
Location
Central Coast, CA
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1990 w/307k miles on the clock
Truck Model
GMC V1500 Suburban SLE
Engine Size
5.7L TBI/4L60/3.42's
I don't run cheap oils in anything. Same goes for oil and air filters. Engines and transmissions are to expensive to rebuild and a couple dollars "saved" on buying what potentially is crap, isn't worth it by a long shot.

I run Valvoline Dexron VI in the trans, synthetic in engine and diffs.

IMO, there's a reason why stuff is "cheap" at Wallyworld. Ya pay your money, and you take your chances.
 

79K10

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Posts
551
Reaction score
26
Location
Sacramento,ca
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350/th350
I don't run cheap oils in anything. Same goes for oil and air filters. Engines and transmissions are to expensive to rebuild and a couple dollars "saved" on buying what potentially is crap, isn't worth it by a long shot.

I run Valvoline Dexron VI in the trans, synthetic in engine and diffs.

IMO, there's a reason why stuff is "cheap" at Wallyworld. Ya pay your money, and you take your chances.

well said.
 

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,015
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
I buy the Super Tech brand Transfluid for Th350 and Th400's and haven't had a problem at all. Transfluid itself has good properties, even cheap Auto trans fluid can be good, and for rugged Th350's and Th400's I have not problem in using it. It's $12 a gallon and that works out to be just over $1 a quart cheaper than AZ, AA or O'Ry's house brands. In the 700r4's and 4L60-E's I do prefer better name brand fluids just because, hoping it will help with the ailments that those transmisisons are subject to have.
 

towman

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Posts
532
Reaction score
7
Location
harrisburg pa
First Name
jay
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
v10
Engine Size
5.0
i have been servicing police cars for 20 years now, use house brand oil that meets specs and hastings filters, have not had a motor failure yet, no need for the high dollar name brands
 

austinado16

Full Access Member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Posts
611
Reaction score
221
Location
Central Coast, CA
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1990 w/307k miles on the clock
Truck Model
GMC V1500 Suburban SLE
Engine Size
5.7L TBI/4L60/3.42's
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not sure servicing police cars is a valid test. No department keeps them long enough to know (or care) what condition the engines are in. Typically, they are auctioned off when they are 3-5 years old. Plus, depending on what your City allows/wants/can afford, you probably change the oil in them regularly, and often. So cheap oil may do okay, "short term, changed often, and the thing goes to auction in a couple years so who cares."

I've taken apart engines that were run on cheap oil and sure, they still ran (heck rental cars never have their oil changed until they are auctioned off 3 years later)....but the insides are caked in deposits and there's all kinds of wear in cylinders and pistons, and rocker gear.

Not trying to start an oil war. I just don't see the value in saving $5 or $10 on an oil change.

It's like people that still hang Fram filters. For a buck or 2 more you can buy factory German or ACD's, or Wix, or K&N. I'v e seen quite a few Frams fail, and run into a bunch of people online with the same failures. When the low pressure oil light is on, and you're stuck in traffic on a hot day (or any day) that couple bucks you save is pretty much chump change......and guess who's the chump.
 

towman

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Posts
532
Reaction score
7
Location
harrisburg pa
First Name
jay
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
v10
Engine Size
5.0
we service them at three thousand miles, so who really knows what the hours is instead of miles, and the department keeps them for 100 thousand miles before they go away, the real secret is a good filter, a local parts store got over three hundred thousand out of 4 cyl s10s doing 5 thousand mile oil changes and hastings or wix filters, males they use parts plus oil wich is made by amalie wich is a real good oil,
 

skysurfer

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Posts
2,648
Reaction score
2,023
Location
west coast
First Name
John
Truck Year
1989 Suburban
Truck Model
V2500
Engine Size
5.7/TH400/NP241C
My FedEx trucks used Pep Boys' house brand with no problems. The highest mileage engine had 300,000 on it when it was replaced and it was still going strong. Considering these engines rarely get shut off during deliveries the total hours was probably closer to a half-million miles.

There are less than 150 oil refineries in the United States and none are owned by Walmart so I'm not worried about quality. It's no different than buying a gallon of milk at Wallyworld, I don't have to stop and think "Hmm...did this milk come from a Walmart cow or a real cow?"
 
Last edited:

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,015
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
Personally, I don't worry about motor oil as far as quality anymore. The days of Parafine based motor oil are gone due to EPA regulations. And with added detergents, MOST motor oil is going to be clean. The other fact I'm aware of, is Motor Oil never ever wears out. NEVER EVER. It will always have lubricating properties. The reason motor oil needs changed is because it gets diluted. As said, the trick is a good filter to catch most of the contaminents, and keep your motor clean in the first place. Starting with a dirty motor that was neglected, needs more oil changes and Sea Foam crankcase treatments. I know some of you are going to fall out of your chair when I say this, but my 460 Box Van has over 180,000 miles on it, and I change the oil every 10,000 miles. I use full synthetic, and a Mobil 1 Filter. And when I do change it, it's usually still a dark golden color. Not a light gold when it first went in, but nowhere near black at all. I do also do SeaFoam crankcase treatments about every 3rd or 4th oil change. I'll put a half bottle of Sea Foam in the crankcase, and leave it there for the last 200-300 miles before changing the oil. Keep your crankcase clean, use a good filter and you'll never have a problem with black oil until your rings and valve seals and guides and letting alot of burnt combustion get into the crankcase. My squares, I usually run conventional oil and a good filter, like Motorcraft or Puroloater Pure One, which are the same filter by they way, just the Motorcraft filter is about $4-$5 compared to $8-$10 for the Purolater. I also do the SeaFoam treatments every 3 or 4 changes and I still get gold oil out of them too. It's all a matter of keeping the motor clean, not so much what brand of oil these days. I'll even use Penzoil these days, but I damn sure wouldn't 10-15 years ago. Arnold Palmer is a lying sumbish saying that tractor did what it did. Penzoil and parafined based oils were the worst back in the day. Parafine is like pouring candle wax in your motor. JMO, and I'll stick with what works for me as long as I keep getting golden oil between changes, even if it is dark gold.
 

foamypirate

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
3,302
Reaction score
453
Location
Central TX
First Name
Jake (Mr. Wilson)
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
El Camino, baby!
Engine Size
5.3L/4L60E
As far as Pennzoil goes, Shell actually purchased them a few years back, and has improved their motor oil dramatically. It's actually great stuff now.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
42,185
Posts
910,881
Members
33,677
Latest member
tnahaus
Top