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.
Ordering and pickup
Our opening range includes 5L packs, with more sizes and products added as the catalogue grows. Orders are usually ready within 2 hours 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.