After purchasing my 2010 Mustang V6 new and using the factory-recommended Motorcraft 5W-30 Synthetic Blend motor oil and Motorcraft filters for the first three oil changes, I decided to switch over to a true full synthetic.

We sell Amsoil and Royal Purple where I work (among others), and I went with Royal Purple 5W-30 for my first full synthetic oil change. Right away, the difference was noticeable, and I was kind of impressed that the claims posted on Royal Purple's website actually seemed to hold true in actual use! The erratic, rough idle smoothed out (still don't see how that could be oil-related, but it's something other users have noticed too), it runs slightly cooler on the temperature gauge, and most of all, the engine responded MUCH better in off-idle performance.

With the conventional synthetic blend oil (which includes very little synthetic), the best way to describe how the car felt was as if it were pulling a heavy trailer all the time. It would 'lug' at low rpm ranges in the gears and just felt sluggish. After switching to Royal Purple, it became possible to shift at a lower rpm (5-speed) without lugging the engine and it was very smooth. It felt like that heavy, invisible trailer had been removed and that the car was almost being 'pushed'...just a better all-around 'feel' to it.

But, I noticed that those attiributes dropped off after 2,500 miles, and the car began to revert to how it had run with the Motorcraft oil. So, my next (and most recent) change was to Penzoil Platinum full synthetic 5W-30 and a Fram filter. Instantly, the performance went back to how it had been when first installing the Royal Purple synthetic oil, and now...5,000 miles later, it still performs the same as it did when first changed. Being that my drive out of the sub-division means going up a steep grade on a residential street, it's easy to note the difference that the full synthetic oil makes. I can motor up the grade effortlessly in third gear at 25-30 mph with no lugging. With the conventional oil, I had to maintain second gear to the end of the block.

I will admit that I was as hessitant and skeptical as anyone at first, but after running 5,000 miles on the Penzoil Platinum oil, I won't use anything else in this car! Of course, the filtration is equally as important as the oil, so I'm opting to change the oil and filter at 5,500 mile intervals, even though the oil can go beyond that, simply because I'm not comfortable running the filter much longer than that. The oil can be had at Wal-Mart in 5-quart jugs for $25 so it isn't an expensive oil change at all.

Try it out in your Mustang...I couldn't be happier with how it's worked for me!

 

Pennzoil Platinum is a group III (hydrocracked petroleum) and group IV (PAO true synthetic blend). It's not a 100% true "full" synthetic as claimed on the bottle.

What Royal Purple oil did you use? Was it the newest bottles of bottom grade Royal Purple? If so, that stuff is OK, but not even remotely close to the more robust and superior formulation that Royal Purple HPS or Amsoil Signature Series could give you.

 

I've been using PP 5W20 in my wife's 2004 Honda Odyssey for almost all it's 155,000 miles. I peaked in the oil fill and was amazed that the valve train is free of varnish. It has performed well for me.

 

Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra are awesome cleaning formulations.

 

I would like to hear more about this oil on a race motor. Does it perform hard as purple royal on race motors? If I was you, I wouldn't run purple royal on a daily anyways.

 

I use PP as well. I suggest using a different filter, such as Mobile1. Fram oil filters aren't the best. Also, you can change filters without draining the oil. That's what I do when extending my oil change interval.

 

For a race engine that isn't daily street driven, you can't find better protection for it than Amsoil Dominator or Royal Purple XPR. Since you can buy Amsoil @ dealer cost as a preferred customer, XPR is out of the question in my opinion. Who wants to pay $14.99-$19.99 per quart of Royal Purple XPR when you can buy Amsoil Dominator for $9.15 per quart.

 

Would there be any negative effects running that amsoil dominator in a street car?

 

I'm currently testing Amsoil RD30 10W-30 in my 2009 GT500 engine. Expect detailed monthly interval reports over the next three to six months.

Here are my guesses for what I will discover.

1. Wear numbers will be as good or better than my current UOAs using Amsoil Signature Series.

2. TBN content will be lower, not able to make a one year oil change interval like Signature Series. I'm expecting no greater than a 3-6 month oil change interval. Monthly UOAs will be taken to test the oil for longevity.

In my conclusion of this test, I will see if the extra price is justified for the decreased oil change interval. (wear metal decrease would have to be noticeable) If not, it's back to Signature Series.