Is Quaker State full synthetic oil really complete crap?

[Meghan54]

Just wondering. I was in Advance Auto today to pick up a fresh bottle of brake fluid and saw they're running a special on 5 qts. of Quaker State full Ultimate Durability synthetic oil for $19.99--includes an el cheapo Driveworks filter, too. (They did say they'd change the filter out for a Purolator Classic filter for no charge.)

I'm rehabbing a recently acquired '95 Volvo 940 turbo and it desperately needs an oil change, and while I'm no fan of Quaker State--prefer Castrol GTX and Valvoline for conventional oils--the price of this stuff is actually cheaper than the Castrol.

Tempting, but it is Quaker State after all.

This is the stuff:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...e_8050020-p?searchTerm=quaker+state+synthetic


Thoughts on the stuff? Figured it'd be at least decent in the old Volvo....couldn't be any worse than WalMart syn and it's way cheaper right now.

 

[phucheneh]

I put the same stuff in my Mazda a few weeks ago. Think it was on sale for like 22.99 with a 'purolator gold' or whatever filter. How it can be 'crap,' I don't really know. The majority of people go to quick lube places and get $1/qt bulk recycled oil and never have problems. Why one brand of full synthetic would give you issues, I don't really know.

Since we all know what the markup is on oil changes, guys at work asked me why I was using that oil. I said...because I know what the markup is on our oil. I.e. even if they gave it to me at cost (or free), I'd rather pay the $20 for something else.

I did question why full synthetic was so cheap. But legally I'm pretty sure they have to tell you if it's a blend (including if with recycled oil), and it meets the same specs as anything else (other than the picky manufacturer-specific stuff like Dexos). I just don't see a danger.

If they didn't always have a sale on a trustworthy filter and a jug of name-brand oil, I would just get the house-brand oil, as they give it to me for 2.19 a quart or something like that. That's just new conventional in bottles, which I trust over bulk recycled 'blend'...I've wondered if they just call it blend because they don't know how much of what type of oil is in there...

Not that I'm condemning anything based on its delivery in quantity. In addition to one or two large tanks filled from a tanker (if they have one tank, it's 5w30, a second is probably 5w20, both conventional or blend), most places that do a lot of oil changes will also keep drums around filled with their 'niche' oils. 5w30 synthetic, 0w20. 0w40 if they service a lot of Euro cars. A decent place will give you the right stuff (but charge a hefty markup, especially on what's not in their main pump) and it's perfectly usable...

...again, I just like to pay the 20 bucks for peace of mind.

 

[Meghan54]

Well, upon further review, it probably isn't crap. Seems to be a Shell Oil base so can't be too bad. And it's dexos2 rated, the "tougher" of the two dexos designations to obtain. So, really should be decent enough to run in most anything, actually.

I was really worried about sludge creation and viscosity problems, but over at the oilguy forum, oil analysis done on this stuff indicates it's rather robust over time.

Crisis averted. The oil is probably too good for the Volvo, actually.

 

[phucheneh]

Heh, I googled it yesterday and was probably reading the same stuff. I thought: 'dude...these guys are really into...oil...'

People's weird fetishes can lead to good info, though. :awe:

 

[tortoise]

Some oil comparisons.

 

[Jimzz]

I've used it many times and never had any problems. I always buy the cheapest name brand Syn oil in the weight my car calls for.

 

[Meghan54]

Heh, I googled it yesterday and was probably reading the same stuff. I thought: 'dude...these guys are really into...oil...'

People's weird fetishes can lead to good info, though. :awe:

Dude, you just have no idea. While I do understand oil analysis on occasion, to see how your engine is doing long term, some of those guys spend $25 several times during an oil fill to determine if they need to change the oil.

Spending the cost of an oil change to extend an oil change, and doing it several times over the duration a particular oil remains in the crankcase, just seems rather foolish to me. Maybe once a year....but as a routine, not from me.

Some oil comparisons.

Good info there, but the one thing I found particularly interesting is the burn off test results....the D5800 NOACK volatility mass % loss, 1 hr @250°C test results. Surprisingly, this QS oil does remarkably well at only 8.8% burn off. Even more surprisingly, Amsoil, the one that touts itself as being "the best" turned in middling results at 10.9%, slightly better than some, slightly worse than others.

Thanks!

 

[Nessism]

Dude, you just have no idea. While I do understand oil analysis on occasion, to see how your engine is doing long term, some of those guys spend $25 several times during an oil fill to determine if they need to change the oil.

Spending the cost of an oil change to extend an oil change, and doing it several times over the duration a particular oil remains in the crankcase, just seems rather foolish to me. Maybe once a year....but as a routine, not from me.




Good info there, but the one thing I found particularly interesting is the burn off test results....the D5800 NOACK volatility mass % loss, 1 hr @250°C test results. Surprisingly, this QS oil does remarkably well at only 8.8% burn off. Even more surprisingly, Amsoil, the one that touts itself as being "the best" turned in middling results at 10.9%, slightly better than some, slightly worse than others.

Thanks!

Oil analysis often tips off things like head gaskets that are leaking, and fuel dilution issues related to fuel system problems.

Regarding this oil, I'm sure it's perfectly good stuff.

As an aside, Napa synthetic is on sale for about $3.50 a quart this month, and they have a $20 oil change special that included a filter. Napa synthetic is identical to Valvoline Synpower which is decent oil.

 

[soccerballtux]

Just wondering. I was in Advance Auto today to pick up a fresh bottle of brake fluid and saw they're running a special on 5 qts. of Quaker State full Ultimate Durability synthetic oil for $19.99--includes an el cheapo Driveworks filter, too. (They did say they'd change the filter out for a Purolator Classic filter for no charge.)

I'm rehabbing a recently acquired '95 Volvo 940 turbo and it desperately needs an oil change, and while I'm no fan of Quaker State--prefer Castrol GTX and Valvoline for conventional oils--the price of this stuff is actually cheaper than the Castrol.

Tempting, but it is Quaker State after all.

This is the stuff:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...e_8050020-p?searchTerm=quaker+state+synthetic


Thoughts on the stuff? Figured it'd be at least decent in the old Volvo....couldn't be any worse than WalMart syn and it's way cheaper right now.

On my Scion tC:
all oil is oil until about 3000 miles, when
1. bulk oil from random shop starts breaking down at 2700 and finishes breaking down by 2850 miles
2. Pennzoil conventional breaks down at 2850-2900 miles

Castrol Edge w/o Titanium goes to about 6.5k before wearing out (honestly very surprised with this)
Mobil1 I think went endlessly until 7.5 when I changed it out of fear that I had long passed the wearout point, in retrospect it was still going strong but I hated the gas mileage as it was 5w30 in a 5w20 engine.
Castrol Edge w/ Titanium I don't remember...I think also about 6.5k.

I drive pretty hard, if I'm allowed to call it that.
If I weren't considering selling I would bother to try some Mobil1 synthetic again and see what kind of ECI I can get.

 

[CraigRT]

QSUD (Quaker State Ultimate Durability) is good oil. Use with confidence, and run it a few thousand miles longer than you would with conventional. This is just a basic guideline, but in general that is what synthetics are for (Longer intervals)

 

[BW86]

Rotella T6 is awesome and pretty cheap for a good oil. ~$18.99-$21.99 for a gallon

 

[Eureka]

Just to put things into perspective, with all the different opinions of oil brands, types, weights, and OCI, put into usually the same few engines, with very few breakdowns attributed to oil....

You're good using whatever name brand oil you want, as long as it's near spec and you change it appropriately as needed.

 

[Meghan54]

Yeah, the internet, among elsewhere, is awash with opinions on every type of oil that exists.

I was just looking for a viable alternative to the Mobil 1 EP I'm currently running in our trucks. At $4/quart, the Quaker State looked like a decent choice, esp. considering at its current sale price of $20/5 qts., it's cheaper than Rotella and Wally World's stuff, and world's cheaper than the Mobil 1 and Royal Purple I've used.

I have enough stock of it now to do 4 more changes.

 

[fog_cutter]

Quaker State oil is a good quality oil! Back in 1979 Quaker State was the top and most popular oil, some people seem to think if their car called for 10W-30 then sae30 should be fine! Not!! No detergent! So it sludged up engines! And Quaker State got the blame!!:thumbsdown: Quaker State is and always has been a quality motor oil.

 

[fog_cutter]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_State
Bet you didn't know it use to be owned by the same company as Pennzoil, and now owned shell, producers of Rotella.

 

[Vetterin]

QSU is the only oil I have used on my 2011 Cruze Eco 6MT since new and I change it every 6000-6500 miles (3-4 months). Car now has 66,800 miles and has never had a problem. FWIW, I also use QS Defy on my 85 Corvette. For the most part, I have been a QS guy since the 70's.
Anyone living near a Menards can get QSU when it's on sale (almost every other month) for $2.50 qt AR.