The International Cessna 170 Association

I have always used AeroShell W100 in my B-model, and used to buy it from a local supplier. But lately the price has become irritating, so I starting shopping online. Spruce has it for $77.45/case but charges shipping ($23) that drives the price over $100/case.

An online search found a supplier which really pleased me: Aviation Oil Outlet which charges $89.97/case... but ships FREE.

The recent purchase we made of a 172 "trainer" which has been using Phillips 66 100AW (SAE 50, same mil spec as the Aeroshell...except it also has the anti-wear, anti-scuff additive Lycoming recommends "(LW-16702) as mandated by Lycoming Service Bulletins 446E and 471B and Service Instruction 1409C. It is recommended for use in opposed piston and radial piston aircraft engines where cam lifter wear is a concern.") prompted me to order two cases from them during the annual inspection. Aviation Oil Outlet charges $67.94 and free shippping, which arrived here in 4-days. So two cases ended up here for $111 (price increased since then to that posted in this msg.)

Thought I'd pass the info along. https://aviationoiloutlet.com/search.ph ... AW&Search=

Paul Wood turned me on to Aviation Oil Outlet this past summer. I'm very pleased with the price and delivery (Phillips).

I just recently switched 53C to Phillips due to the cost of Aeroshell. I cant find anything to support the difference in cost so I switched.

VernH wrote:I just recently switched 53C to Phillips due to the cost of Aeroshell. I cant find anything to support the difference in cost so I switched.

Agree. I've always been a loyal AeroShell customer, but Quoting my previous post is an example of why I think I'm getting MORE out of the switch: ..."Phillips 66 100AW (SAE 50, same mil spec as the Aeroshell...except it also has the anti-wear, anti-scuff additive Lycoming recommends "(LW-16702) as mandated by Lycoming Service Bulletins 446E and 471B and Service Instruction 1409C. It is recommended for use in opposed piston and radial piston aircraft engines where cam lifter wear is a concern."

21C that I recently purchased was serviced with Phillips 66 XC. I ordered a case from Aircraft Spruce because of the price, but I had to pay shipping. I will try this source next time I order and save the shipping. Thanks for pointing this source out.

What Phillips oil is equal to Aeroshell W100 plus? I've been using this oil that I picked up at SunNFun for $60.00/cs or $5/qt--no tax. Only makes sense if you are going to be at SNF anyway. Can't stand Aviation Oil's $8.00/qt.
Always wonder if there is anything wrong with changing from one mfg to another?

170C wrote:What Phillips oil is equal to Aeroshell W100 plus? I've been using this oil that I picked up at SunNFun for $60.00/cs or $5/qt--no tax. Only makes sense if you are going to be at SNF anyway. Can't stand Aviation Oil's $8.00/qt.
Always wonder if there is anything wrong with changing from one mfg to another?

Do you worry about changing from one fuel supplier to another? If the product meets the same ASTM or Mil Spec or other spec... they should be fine.
Many years/decades ago there was a significant difference in various brands. Remember when "Pennsylvania-Grade Crudes" were promoted?
That's because those crudes were indeed better because they had long-chain molecules that resisted break-down better.
Nowadays... all the oil we get comes from Saudi, Emirates, West-Texas, So. Calif., Penn., Canadian-shale... etc etc and gets dumped into the same refinery tanks where it is processed with better/modern chemistry to meet the required specs ....(Notice the "Meets automakers warranty" statements, or the sun-burst symbol of API,... statements that the product meets industry and gov't/epa standards ... standards which are highly regulated... Anyway, that crude is all dumped into the pot together and refined, then put in to Castrol, or BP, or Shell, or WalMart Supertech, or Quaker State or Pennzoil... or Phillips... and the only major difference is the price charged per bottle.
Aviation oil meets the engine and FAA requirments as well via Mil-spec, etc. There are some additive differences such as that already mentioned. Exxon and AeroShell had some problems with additives that contained phosphorus and ate at "yellow metals" (bushings, some plain bearings, etc.) but they've largely corrected that. Mobil also had a problem with their AV1 oil and they dropped it. (Failed to scavenge lead.)
There are aftermarket additives, some "approved" and some not. (Approved... does not necessarily mean "good", BTW/IMO)
Point I wish to make is that before modern standards established, it was considered good practice to use the same product-brands consistently because before those products met those standards there might be some issues with additive conflicts, but that has been pretty well overcome these days by regulation and oversight. Ashless dispersant oils are addressed by J1899/Mil-22851 while "straight" mineral oils are J1966/Mil-6082. TCM and Lycoming and most other engine mfr's specify those standards.
I do not personally like the "Plus" oils or the multi-grades. The Plus oils had EP additives (Extreme Pressure) and developed bearing issues and the multi-grades had leaking problems in my leaky Baron engines. (I'd never know if any particular oil contributed to a leaking problem in my O300 engines.) I don't use multigrades because I don't need to pay for their prominent characteristic when/where I fly.... they are great for cold-weather starting. I preheat and I live in Texas. If I were up "Nawth"... I might reconsider, especially if I can't preheat and can't hangar it.
I would not recommend a major change like say, from non-AD oil to AD oil.... (Might suddenly find a lot of deposits floating around that were quite happy to stay put)... or switching from all-petroleum to semi-synthetic at mid-TBO...(might introduce a change in wear-pattern)... but I don't personally see a problem switching between similar products from different brands as long as they meet the same basic requirement of the engine mfr'r.
Another concern about some additive packages have been blamed for starter-clutch failures. I mentioned my recent purchase of another airplane a 172C that was already using the Phillips 100AD oil that contains the Lycoming recommended additive LW-16702 outlined in AD 80-04-03 R2. I'm going to continue to use that oil. That engine is an O300D with a starter-clutch I wouldn't normally introduce to that additive...but the airplane history seems to have tolerated it. I don't expect a problem with the pull-start clutch in the 170 because it's a roller-type clutch that does not rely on friction.

Here's what Blackstone Labs say: "Our conclusion from this (and other tests we have run using wear data) is, it does not make any difference brand of oil you use in your aircraft engine. There may be a correct grade. There is not a correct brand. "
https://www.blackstone-labs.com/about-aircraft-oils.php

Many years ago we used to use Exxon due to the fact they would sell it in 44 gal [imperial] drums at the right price . It was like filling up your engine with dish water. It didn’t cut the mustard in our environment . So a change was made to shell and BP oils . Shell oils are very expensive and BP oils hard to get . Then a “Total” oil rep turned up on the door step . “Total” oil is a French brand name . Initially it was at the right price and each month it went up in price to be like liquid gold in the end [BUT it was a very good oil]. Then one day when I was in a aircraft parts supplier , they had a box of Phillips oil on the counter. The conversation got around to oils and price and and how good they were . Every body had a opinion which was the best including the cleaner .
So the next thing I was “given “ a box of Phillips oil and asked to add it to the highest hour aircraft in the fleet that came through the workshop. Then get back to to the supplier and tell us what we thought of Phillips .
So I have been using Phillips oil for the last 10 years at the right price . AND for the right reasons .

Just an FYIm if you have a Sam's Club in your area, they sell Aeroshell W100 for $67+ any tax, that's what I get it for here in Naples FL, works out with our sales tax to about %5.98/quart, been buying it since Sept 2014 for my C170A with an O-300A engine thats 400 hrs over tbo and runs fine, good power, good comps and about 2-2 1 /2 hrs per qt oil useage

Years ago I purchased Aeroshell from several Sam’s in the Fort Worth/Arlington TX area. Then they stopped carrying it. The couple of times I have checked the local one here in TN they didn’t carry it. (Might have been out?? I haven’t had a membership in 10+ yrs). Might be time to consider a change to Phillips as they have a local distributor and the Shell distributor went out of business last year.

I don't know about the rest of the country but it was announced yesterday all 3 Sam's Club stores in Alaska will be closed as of January 31, 2018.

All items are currently 25% off so if they have any oil it would be a good time to buy it.

Here is a list of the Sam's Club stores being closed:

8801 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK
1074 N Muldoon Rd, Anchorage, AK
48 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK
3900 Grants Mill Rd, Irondale, AL
2425 E Florence Blvd, Casa Grande, AZ
5757 E State Route 69, Prescott Valley, AZ
1375 S Arizona Ave, Chandler, AZ
15255 N Northsight Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ
3360 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA
17835 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA
12540 Beach Blvd, Stanton, CA
12920 Foothill Blvd, Sylmar, CA
69 Pavilions Dr, Manchester, CT
2 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT
355 FL-436, Fern Park, FL
7233 N Seacrest Blvd, Lantana, FL
5135 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL
2994 Turner Hill Rd, Lithonia, GA
501 N Randall Rd, Batavia, IL
21430 S Cicero Ave, Matteson, IL
6600 44th Ave, Moline, IL
808 S Illinois Rte 59, Naperville, IL
900 S Barrington Rd, Streamwood, IL
1055 McHenry Rd, Wheeling, IL
460 S Weber Rd, Romeoville, IL
3015 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN
10859 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN
4024 Elkhart Rd #1, Goshen, IN
9598 Cortana Pl, Baton Rouge, LA
9750 Reisterstown Rd, Owings Mills, MD
1 Tobias Boland Way, Worcester, MA
340 E. Edgewood Boulevard, Lansing, MI
32625 Northwestern Hwy, Farmington Hills, MI
3745 Louisiana Ave S, St Louis Park, MN
2800 27th Ave S, Moorhead, MN
11 Batchelder Rd, Seabrook, NH
81 International Dr S, Budd Lake, NJ
1900 E Linden Ave, Linden, NJ
301 Nassau Park Boulevard, Princeton, NJ
2649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
720 Fairmount Ave, Jamestown, NY
700 Elmridge Center Dr, Rochester, NY
1600 Marketplace Dr, Rochester, NY
5085 Dawn Dr, Lumberton, NC
1101 Shiloh Glenn Dr, Morrisville, NC
4825 Marburg Ave, Cincinnati, OH
9570 Fields Ertel Rd, Loveland, OH
615 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN
1805 Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN
1615 S Loop W, Houston, TX
13331 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
22296 Market Place Dr, New Caney, TX
12919 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, TX
741 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA
4571 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA
901 S Grady Way, Renton, WA
1101 Outlet Collection Way, Auburn, WA
13550 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA
7050 Watts Rd, Madison, WI
1540 S 108th St, West Allis, WI

I just picked up two cases, 12-1qt bottles, of Phillips 20w-50 at 61.75/cs including tax from;

STEAGALL OIL CO
3000 N SYLVANIA
FORT WORTH, Texas 76111
817-831-6722
steagalloil.com

Steagall Oil is east of the Ft. Worth Stockyards, just east of IH35W and north of NE 28th St.

Check your local distributors, they may have similar good prices. I did not ask for any discounts nor do I have a business account with them, just a retail purchase.

Some of the questions I've read here as well as received off-line led me to do a bit of reading. I've enjoyed "Bob is the oil guy" for years, but he's recently improved his website with some articles that added to the general knowlege. They say that the definition of "learning" is a "change in behavior".
After reading this particular article I come to a difference in my opinion in certain areas. I hope you guys enjoy this also: https://bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

I just paid $6.29 for ONE quart of Pennzoil 30w auto motor oil at the local auto supply today, so the $5.15/qt I just paid last week for Phillpis 20w-50 doesn’t sound so bad after all.