This was posted on another forum from someone real experienced with oils and fluids...
BRAKE FLUID
A while back, I discussed the ins and outs of brake fluid. The short version is that it is often best to stay with the manufacturer's recommendation, as that assures compatibility with the brake components, seals, etc.
DOT3 and 4 are all polyglycol based. BOT4 adds borate esters which provide an extra buffer for the fluid against acids formed when water is heated. All glycol-based fluids are miscible with water.
Brake fluid loses its anti-corrosion factors gradually, and water is absorbed from the reservoir (plastic "breathes" a bit, which is why you should buy fluid either in a metal container or with a recent birth date on the bottle). After 2-3 years, it is shot, with risk of corrosion in the calipers and the valves in the ABS system, and about 3% water. This lowers the boiling point below 300 degrees Fahrenheit - not good.
I recommend at least every two years, regardless of mileage, or every one year if you are as anal as me. It is cheap insurance.
Racing fluids such as Motul and Ate (German, pronounced Ah-Tay) have higher boiling points, but also higher absorption rates - so do not switch unless you replace the fluid every two years or sooner - not a problem for racers, but not for do it once and forget it types. Ate comes in both Yellow and Blue colors, so one option is to switch between the two every change, so when the fluid color changes at the bleeders, you will know you have thoroughly flushed.
http://www.spmotorsports.com/lubricants.html#ate
Valvoline Synpower has high boiling temps and is DOT4, widely available, and not highly absorptive. Ford fluid is very high quality DOT3, with a much higher boiling point than required by DOT3 spec - I think it comes in a metal can which assures stable storage life.
Dot 5 is almost always silicone fluid, and it is used widely only in the US Armed Forces for extreme conditions - it requires very specialized maintenance equipment and procedures, and once the new formulations of syn fluids emerge from development, I predict silicone DOT5 will go the way of the dinosaur.
It does NOT absorb water! Quite to the contrary, that it is both its best and worst feature. It absolutely will not allow corrosion. But, and this is the big but - any water that enters the system or is left over from previous fluid will accumulate at the "high spot" - which can be in the calipers or the master cylinder, or both. In glycols, the water is distributed fairly evenly throughout the fluid, so boiling point drops very slowly. With silicone, water can buildup rapidly at a point where it will vaporize in the brake lines, causing partial or complete loss of brake performance!
Silicone mixed with glycol can sludge up, and it very hard to flush all the glycol out of the brake lines if considering switching to silicone.
And, ABS systems are not set up to accept silicone - it can mess up the expensive actuator valves. Very $$$ to fix. And silicone is hard to bleed, as bubbles form during pouring. You end up with frequent bleeds, and end up with a characteristic soft pedal anyway.
It is often used in show cars where longevity and absolute protection of irreplaceable components is needed, but usually this is done after all the parts and line have been pulled off the car and meticulously cleaned.
MOTOR OIL
Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil, which has been around for more than 25 years, is changing its formula and viscosity ratings to reflect the latest changes in automotive technology. Starting in February 2002, Mobil 1 has been reformulated with a new secret ingredient called "SuperSyn" which Mobil says will improve the oil's anti-wear and anti-friction qualities even more. Mobil won't say exactly what SuperSyn is, but only that it is a special hydrocarbon molecule that takes synthetic oil technology to a new level of performance -- which will also be reflected in a price increase for Mobil 1.
The average shelf price today for Mobil 1 and other synthetic oils is usually $3.79 to $3.99 per quart. The reformulated Mobil 1 will probably sell for $4.79 to $4.99 per quart.
The new ingredient gives Mobil 1 a slightly darker color than before, which improves visibility when reading a dipstick. The new additive also allows Mobil 1 to pass a much wider battery of industry oil standards, including ILSAC GF-3, American Petroleum Institute's SL/SH/CF specifications, European ACEA standards and Japanese valve train requirements. The oil is approved for use in virtually all gasoline and light duty diesel engines, and is used as the factory-fill oil for Porsche, Mercedes Benz AMG vehicles, Aston Martin, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang R Cobra and Dodge Viper.
Mobil 1 will also be available in 5 different viscosity grades:
* 5W-30 -- For newer vehicles
* 10W-30 -- For older or high mileage vehicles
* 15W-30 -- For performance, hard use applications (excellent for turbocharged & supercharged engines, muscle cars, off-road trucks, etc.)
* 0W-30 -- For improved fuel economy & cold weather starting
*0W-40 -- For new European cars (meets Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and BMW requirements).
SYNTHETIC MARKET GROWING
According to ExxonMobil market research, synthetic motor oils now account for 14% of all retail motor oil sales. Of this, Mobil 1 has a 63% share of the market.
Synthetic motor oils have numerous advantages over conventional motor oils; such as greatly improved high and low temperature performance, greater resistance to oxidation and viscosity break-down, and potentially longer service life.
Though ExxonMobil has taken a conservative approach and says the oil should be changed at the interval recommended by the vehicle manufacturer (typically 3,000 miles/3 months up to 7,500 miles or more/12 months depending on the type of driving), a company engineer also said that if the OEMs went to a once a year 10,000 miles change interval, Mobil 1 would have no trouble meeting the standard. The oil is so stable that it shows little deterioration with extended drain intervals.
For more information about Mobil I, visit
www.mobil1.com http://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/c...luids/paos.html
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Cobra'03 adds: So it is a fortified PAO - note in the technical analysis they specifically mention it is a Group IV lube - this will validate my previous posts on the topic of Groups, and also verify that when oil professionals discuss lubes, they do not discuss API-this or Star-symbol that - they know the intrinsic lube issues, and that the Group typologies tell you what you need to know more succinctly than anything else.
On Mobil 1 website, they answer the question specifically, suggesting that anything a petro 5w20 claims to do, their 5w30 will do equally well (well, better).
I have to give ExMo credit - they are moving their product upstream while others (Castrol, Valvoline) seem to be moving in the opposite direction. Perhaps that is why Mobil is a factory fill for hi-po cars (of course, market forces are at work as well) while the others are also-rans. Performance talks, BS walks.
Well, I have been digging through the data sheets and talking to the pros at various companies and have some new info that may clear up some confusion and misconceptions:
1) Pennzoil's "Synthetic" has followed the course of Castrol - it is no longer a Group IV lube, but uses hydrowax Group III lubes. This allows them to remain cost competitive with Castrol and the cheap store name "synthetic" oils. I and other tribologists do not consider these true synthetics, in that they are mineral-oil based and run through a Severe Hydrotreating (HT) process. They are then run through a isodewaxing process, with similar enhancements. While this does produce a base stock with a changed chemical property and fine lubricating properties, it is neither as expensive nor ultimately as capable as a Group IV or Group V lube. Unless it is sold at a substantially reduced price, a Group IV is a better choice in my opinion if you want to run a true synoil.
Which leads me to:
2) Pennzoil invested $250M is processing capability to HT its base mineral oils, leading to high Group II lubricants. These perform so close to G.III and at a fraction of the cost, that they are very fine indeed. You will find these in the Multi-Vis (i.e. Wal-Mart "oil aisle") products. They are definitely a step beyond previous conventional oils. These oils are one reason that Consumers Union finds little real-world perf. benefits to 3k vs. 6k change intervals. They are that good. It also seriously questions the old 3000 mile change interval if you use a good filter.
3) Pennzoil says the rest of the synoil industry is moving towards Group III lubes. This is not entirely true. Mobil 1 still has PAO (Group IV) stocks, but also has Group III's from its experimentation/development of other lube fluids.
Of course, NEO and Red Line and Motul still make ester-based oils, either dibasic or polyol. These are Group V.
I would say yes, but it is getting perilously close to Group 3.5. In fairness, both Mobil and Pennzoil techies told me that they believe these new formulations outperform previous G4's, but what would you expect them to say - it is unfortunate in my view that Castrol and the cheap Pep Boys synoils forced the industry to dumb down. I would use Mobil 1, but not Pennzoil for the reasons stated - if I want synoil, I do not want a compromised version - or I would stick with a Group 5 and never worry a bit.
INJECTOR CLEANERS
There a lot of products, lots of confusion over what is what.
Hope this helps.
1) Do you need to run a cleaner? Yes. Fuels have reduced the amount of quality detergents they add to the gas. It has been falling for years. Plus, components added to reduce air pollution tend to cause valve and injector pintle deposits.
2) How often? For a strong cleaner like Red Line SI-1, Gumout Regane, or Chevron Techron, do it every oil change. Too often between oil changes and you can cause deterioration of the oil.
3) What is in them - what is the difference between them, if any?
Let's look at the Gumout line: It is typical of others such as STP in this price range.
1) Gumout Fuel Injector Cleaner - Carb Cleaner
2) Gumout Xtra Concentrated Fuel System Cleaner
3) Gumout Professional Fuel System Cleaner
4) Gumout XL Fuel Injector Cleaner
5) Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner
Components by % weight:
1) Kerosene (95-99), Detergent/dispersant (1-5), Stabilizer (<1)
2) Kerosene (85-95), Detergent/inhibitor(5-15), Stabilizer (<1)
3) Kerosene (40-45), Detergent/dispersant (55-65)
4) Kerosene (90-95), Detergent/dispersant (<10), Stabilizer (<1)
5) Kerosene (60-70), polyether amine (30-40)
Analysis: Pretty pricey kerosene, no? You will note that the more expensive products such as the Pro series or the XL, do contain more detergent.
Regane has powerful and costly amine cleaners, and will do a much better job of cleaning the whole system - injectors, intakes valves, combustion chamber, fuel lines.
Are these the best? No. There are better.
The best are Red Line and Techron. Both use costly and special formulations. They are similar in basic componentry:
Solvents:
Naphtha, Stoddard, hydrotreated light distillate, trimethylbenzene, xylene, and cumene.
Stoddard is chemically similar to kerosene but purer and with more factions: straight and brached-chain paraffin’s, napthene’s, and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Both Red Line SI-1 and Techron are concentrated, full function products, designed to clean the entire system. Used full strength regularly, but not every tank, they will effectively clean the entire system to 5% or better residual garbage.
What do I do? I run SI-2 on a per tank basis - this is basically a titrated ("watered down") version of SI-1, designed to prevent deposits in the first place, while not affecting the oil. You could do the same with SI-1 or Techron by adding a fraction of the bottle per fill-up. SI-1 is equivalent to BMW's tech spec for continuous system cleaners.
OIL ADDITIVES
Additive "Hall of Shame"
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/9710/valve.htm http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/9607/slick.htm http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1995/9512/stp.htm http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9905/duralub2.htm http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9904/motorup5.htm http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9909/prolong.htm
Snake oil, from small shysters to large conglomerates.
One thing to think about is that the FTC debunks the oft-stated position that huge amounts of wear occur at startup, ostensibly because oil pressure has not built up. This is not really true - there are anti-friction and AW's (anti-wear) compounds in the oil, primarily zinc di-thiophosphate (ZDTP) and phoporous, that deal with boundary lubrication, which is metal to metal caused by asperities (roughness) of the metal, or high pressures such as the top piston rings, valve train, rockers, and cam lobes. The separation of metal can be as little as a few molecules thick! The "roughness' quickly diminishes as the car warms up, in part because the various metals reach their optimum operating temps and consequent tolerances. These AW compounds tend to stay on these surfaces even when the oil drians back to the pan. Ester syntehtics tenaciously leave lube on these surfaces due to their intrinsic electical polarity (+) which tends to be attracted to the the internals, which are negatively charged.
Current ILSAC and API spec have lowered the amount of phosporous, due mainly to complaints (concerns) from auto mfrs. that the catalytic converter can be clogged prior to expiration of the emissions warranty. Never mind that it may result in excessive wear to the engine, which only has to last through the 3 yr/36k warranty. See my drift? Amsoil and Red Line have maintained higher levels of AW and AF's - in RL's case, it meant they did not get an official API donut, but their tribologist is more concerned about your engine than the mfr's catalytic. Which would you rather replace prematurely. Aha, thought so,
Favorite oil. 
