Oil is application-specific. There is no single “best oil” for every engine.
What worked in an engine 5, 10 or 20 years ago may not necessarily be the best choice today. Engine design, fuel, operating temperature, bearing clearances, valvetrain loads, emissions requirements and lubricant formulations all change over time.
Large oil manufacturers formulate products around a combination of industry specifications, emissions requirements, OEM approvals, production cost and commercial considerations. Meeting a specification does not automatically mean an oil is the ideal choice for a highly modified, competition, flat-tappet or specialised engine.
Every lubricant manufacturer will tell you why their product is the right one. We prefer to look at the data.
At Mechanics Choice, we select oils and fluids according to the actual application, not simply because a product is easy to obtain, carries a familiar brand name, offers the best margin or represents the cheapest option.
We actively study tribology, the science of friction, lubrication and wear, and use that knowledge when selecting products for the engines we machine and build.
Where appropriate, we send both virgin and used oil samples for laboratory analysis. We look at viscosity, additive chemistry, wear metals, contamination and how the oil has actually performed in service.
Our recommendations consider
- Engine design and intended use
- Bearing and piston clearances
- Valvetrain type and loading
- Operating temperature and oil pressure
- Fuel type
- Expected RPM and load
- Lubricant formulation and additive chemistry
- Laboratory analysis
- Real-world engine and teardown experience
We don’t select oil based on hearsay, internet popularity or what happens to be sitting on the shelf.
Oil is one of the cheapest parts in an expensive engine. Cutting corners on lubricant choice makes very little sense when it is protecting thousands, or tens of thousands, of dollars worth of components.
The aim is simple: use the lubricant that best suits the engine and the way it will actually be used.
Why we use ULX110
We use ULX110 because we want an oil that stays where it is needed and keeps its properties under real engine conditions. We're an authorised ULX110 reseller.
Resists fuel dilution and wash-down
ULX110 is formulated to resist dilution from nitromethane, ethanol, methanol and leaded or unleaded petrol, so the oil stays on critical surfaces instead of being stripped away.
That matters most on the cylinder wall. Keeping an oil film on the bore supports ring seal, reduces metal-to-metal contact and gives the ring pack a consistent surface to work against, rather than relying on a film that has already been washed off.
Proven in the real world
Back in 2013, a methanol engine had a needle and seat stick open, flooding the engine with methanol. When the oil was drained, the methanol had separated out and beaded on top of the oil rather than mixing into it. The oil did not dilute, and no damage was caused to the engine.
Credit to Mondo Baker for the feedback and photos.
Protection through every stage of the Stribeck curve
At low speed and high load, an engine is close to boundary lubrication. There, you need the oil and additive package to stay attached to the surfaces and protect them before a full oil film has formed. That's the stage where many oils have already run off. As speed rises, the engine moves through mixed lubrication and into hydrodynamic lubrication, where viscosity and film strength take over.
In simple terms, we want an oil that is still protecting components in the first stage, transitions cleanly through the mixed-friction region, and holds a stable film once full hydrodynamic lubrication is established.
Why that matters
- Reduced friction
- Resists shear, so viscosity is maintained
- Lower oil temperatures
- Better protection under load
- An oil film that stays on the components when the engine is most vulnerable
We don't use an oil because it's fashionable, cheap or convenient. We use it because its lubrication behaviour makes sense for the engines we build and the way they're actually used.
Shop ULX110
Ordering and pickup
Our opening range includes 5L packs, with more sizes and products added as the catalogue grows. We ship Australia-wide with Aramex, or orders are usually ready within 2 hours for pickup at 72 Lee Street, Maitland NSW 2320.
Call us on 02 4933 7222 to discuss what your engine requires.
Monday–Thursday 7am–3pm. Friday 7am–12pm. Weekends by appointment.