synthetic car oils

[hung-solo]

hey guys any of you shade tree mechanics have any comments on using syn oils? also which is the best? from what i have read mobile 1 is #1 synthetic.. let me know what you guys think.

[cpt steele]

amsoil is the best.. Put it in a friends boat and had to idle it down almost 200 rpm's

[hung-solo]

amsoil is the best.. Put it in a friends boat and had to idle it down almost 200 rpm's

i have read about amsoil. its expensive and its viscosity doesnt hold up as much as they say it does. around 18,000miles its thicker than molasses. but hey if i can get 10,000 mile out of my oil i would be pleased

[jc3]

Synthetics are great oils. I personally would only run them in a very high performance vehicle (high horsepower or torque). Also, I would only use them on a new motor as an older one will already have some wear and been coated and run on regular oil. If you do have a new high performance motor you should contact the people who put the block together for you and ask their opinion of what to run. A lot of the time, it's more the weight of the oil that is important. On a side note, most all the different car oil companies out there are made my the same 3 or 4 companies so watch your price when shopping around...more expensive doesn't = better oil. I am by no means an expert, but my father owns a shop and all my uncles and cousins have been working on cars since before the great depression.

[co2boi]

Synthetics are great oils. I personally would only run them in a very high performance vehicle (high horsepower or torque). Also, I would only use them on a new motor as an older one will already have some wear and been coated and run on regular oil. If you do have a new high performance motor you should contact the people who put the block together for you and ask their opinion of what to run. A lot of the time, it's more the weight of the oil that is important. On a side note, most all the different car oil companies out there are made my the same 3 or 4 companies so watch your price when shopping around...more expensive doesn't = better oil. I am by no means an expert, but my father owns a shop and all my uncles and cousins have been working on cars since before the great depression.

No, no. Never use synthetic oils with a new engine, they are so slippery the engine won't break in properly. At least wait 4 - 5k miles. Blends are better too, especially if your oil is lubricating something other than the engine...like a clutch.

[9000rpm]

No, no. Never use synthetic oils with a new engine, they are so slippery the engine won't break in properly. At least wait 4 - 5k miles. Blends are better too, especially if your oil is lubricating something other than the engine...like a clutch.

Don't tell Porsche or Ferrari that. Their engineers must be stupid or something.

[co2boi]

Don't tell Porsche or Ferrari that. Their engineers must be stupid or something.

Ok, I won't argue with you. Go ahead, buy a new vehicle and fill it up with syn... you'll see

[OGPackin]

I use Mobil 1 in my s2000

OG

[9000rpm]

I use Mobil 1 in my s2000

OG

Hey, me too.

Mine is the one in my avitar. Well, it is the same color.

Synthetic oils are only necessary in high performance cars or trucks. If you are looking for an oil for a simple daily driver economy car or a truck that sees no off-road time, dino oil is fine. I would actually prefer dino oil for a normal vehicle since it is WAY cheaper and does just as good under normal driving.

But cars such as the S2000 regularly see peak rpm and sustained peak rpm. The S2000 peaks at 9200rpm. The average 4cyl only peaks at about 6500 to 7000rpm, 6 and 8cyl engines average aroun 4500 to 6000rpm.

But when my baby is screaming at 9grand, she needs an oil that will hold it's ground.

[Benches505]

Synthetic is the best as long as you run it in your car from brand new. If you have 30k miles and want to use it you are wasting your money. Mobile1 is an excellent choice but I still wouldn't go more than 5,000 miles between oil changes.

[hung-solo]

Synthetic is the best as long as you run it in your car from brand new. If you have 30k miles and want to use it you are wasting your money. Mobile1 is an excellent choice but I still wouldn't go more than 5,000 miles between oil changes.

well my jeep has about 60k on it. been running havoline or castrol. i was told by my mechanic and my best friend which is a mechanic also to run synthetic. when you start synth dont switch back to regular. supposedly its been proven to clean your motor including piston heads and etc.. also it has a longer lifespan than conventional oils. they are rated great up to 9k miles under normal driving conditions

[Blown_SC]

It's good, but I'll never use it to break an engine in........

Royal Puple, Kendall, Mobil1, are all good brands.......

[hung-solo]

It's good, but I'll never use it to break an engine in........

Royal Puple, Kendall, Mobil1, are all good brands.......

?? why not?

[Blown_SC]

?? why not?

The reason for this is that synthetic oils, which have extreme lubricity, and lubricant film strength, do not allow the metal wear required for the piston rings to 'seat' properly.

A change to synthetic motor oil should wait until your engine has completed the break-in period, of about 6-8000 miles.......

[hung-solo]

The reason for this is that synthetic oils, which have extreme lubricity, and lubricant film strength, do not allow the metal wear required for the piston rings to 'seat' properly.

A change to synthetic motor oil should wait until your engine has completed the break-in period, of about 6-8000 miles.......

ahh gotcha !

[the original jason]

In other words, synthetic oils do not quickly lose their ability to maintain viscosity at high temperatures as petroleum oils do.

[hung-solo]

In other words, synthetic oils do not quickly lose their ability to maintain viscosity at high temperatures as petroleum oils do.

so in your educated opinion, should i stay with conventional oil or switch? mind you i have 60,000 miles on my grand cherokee. i use the 4 wheel drive somewhat often on hunting trips and snow and whatnot. or should i just save my $$ and stickwith conventional?

[Blown_SC]

so in your educated opinion, should i stay with conventional oil or switch? mind you i have 60,000 miles on my grand cherokee. i use the 4 wheel drive somewhat often on hunting trips and snow and whatnot. or should i just save my $$ and stickwith conventional?

If this is an open question:

Stick to a good conventional oil like Kendall....... not worth your $ at this point with your Cherokee...

If your engine was between 6-12,000 miles into it's life, I would tell you to use synthetic.......

But wtf do I know.....

[hung-solo]

If this is an open question:

Stick to a good conventional oil like Kendall....... not worth your $ at this point with your Cherokee...

If your engine was between 6-12,000 miles into it's life, I would tell you to use synthetic.......

But wtf do I know.....

haha thanx, i just like the fact that the synth doesnt have to be changed but every 5-9k miles which benefits me b/c i drive 3k in less than 2 months.

[Blown_SC]

haha thanx, i just like the fact that the synth doesnt have to be changed but every 5-9k miles which benefits me b/c i drive 3k in less than 2 months.

Think about it this way:

You spend how much more on a good synth oil?

It takes how much time to change your oil? 15 minutes, tops?!

If it were me, I'd run Kendall, and change it every 2 months... I mean honestly..... it's only 6 times a year....

[Benches505]

Switch to Synthetics?

"I am considering replacing the mineral oil in my engine with a synthetic oil. The engine has 50,000 miles on it. I have heard that the mineral oil and synthetic oil are compatible. Is this true?"

Generally, the reference to synthetic oil for an engine, means a lubricant is formulated with a polyalphaolefin (PAO) base oil. PAO, which is often called synthesized hydrocarbon, is pure and is compatible with mineral base oils.

However, because the PAO base oil does not dissolve additives effectively, it is usually formulated with an ester co-base (usually di-ester and/or polyol ester). The additives are soluble with the ester and the ester is soluble with the PAO.

Likewise, the PAO tends to cause seal shrinkage and the ester causes seal swelling, so the effects are offset when both base oils are present. It is the ester that can cause problems when one changes from mineral to synthetic. Ester base oil used alongside PAO base oil in lubricant formulation has excellent natural detergency. In other words, it will clean up varnish on component surfaces as a result of thermal and oxidative degradation of the lubricant. When one switches from a typical mineral-based engine oil to a typical synthetic-based oil, the varnish layer will be removed by the ester in the synthetic oil and become suspended.

This suspended material can rapidly clog filters and can block oil flow passageways and lead to component starvation. The same is true for gearboxes and other industrial machines. So think twice about switching to synthetic oils in applications where the engine or other machine has been operating for some time with mineral oils. If you decide to make the switch, try to clean the system before making the change, then monitor it carefully once you start it up.

Drew Troyer, Noria Corporation


I did a little search on the topic and copied this from a site for you. The only thing that seems to match from site to site is Blowns advice on not switching till an engine is well broken in for the reasons he stated. Google search your question and a ton of crap pops up.

[Blown_SC]

Well what do ya know

[hung-solo]

Switch to Synthetics?

"I am considering replacing the mineral oil in my engine with a synthetic oil. The engine has 50,000 miles on it. I have heard that the mineral oil and synthetic oil are compatible. Is this true?"

Generally, the reference to synthetic oil for an engine, means a lubricant is formulated with a polyalphaolefin (PAO) base oil. PAO, which is often called synthesized hydrocarbon, is pure and is compatible with mineral base oils.

However, because the PAO base oil does not dissolve additives effectively, it is usually formulated with an ester co-base (usually di-ester and/or polyol ester). The additives are soluble with the ester and the ester is soluble with the PAO.

Likewise, the PAO tends to cause seal shrinkage and the ester causes seal swelling, so the effects are offset when both base oils are present. It is the ester that can cause problems when one changes from mineral to synthetic. Ester base oil used alongside PAO base oil in lubricant formulation has excellent natural detergency. In other words, it will clean up varnish on component surfaces as a result of thermal and oxidative degradation of the lubricant. When one switches from a typical mineral-based engine oil to a typical synthetic-based oil, the varnish layer will be removed by the ester in the synthetic oil and become suspended.

This suspended material can rapidly clog filters and can block oil flow passageways and lead to component starvation. The same is true for gearboxes and other industrial machines. So think twice about switching to synthetic oils in applications where the engine or other machine has been operating for some time with mineral oils. If you decide to make the switch, try to clean the system before making the change, then monitor it carefully once you start it up.

Drew Troyer, Noria Corporation


I did a little search on the topic and copied this from a site for you. The only thing that seems to match from site to site is Blowns advice on not switching till an engine is well broken in for the reasons he stated. Google search your question and a ton of crap pops up.

yeah i read this somewhere, ok lets say i do want to change the oil to synth. should i run a "motor flush" before switching and do kind of like a trial period to where the first few times i run synth change the oil more frequently and gradually work my way up?? this was just for argument sake

[Hed]

When a new motor is built, regardless if its a 150hp 4cyl or a 700hp V8, you run regular mineral oil in it. Like Blown said, metal needs to wear to seat rings, bearings need to seat, and small metal particles need to be flushed out.

I bought my camaro with 56,000 miles on it, and i started running mobil 1 the day i got it. I still change it every 3,000 miles.

Few key things to remember:

Dont start using synthetic if you have over 75,000 miles on the engine
NEVER switch from synthetic to regular oil, its a great way to get leaks.

[hung-solo]

When a new motor is built, regardless if its a 150hp 4cyl or a 700hp V8, you run regular mineral oil in it. Like Blown said, metal needs to wear to seat rings, bearings need to seat, and small metal particles need to be flushed out.

I bought my camaro with 56,000 miles on it, and i started running mobil 1 the day i got it. I still change it every 3,000 miles.

Few key things to remember:

Dont start using synthetic if you have over 75,000 miles on the engine
NEVER switch from synthetic to regular oil, its a great way to get leaks.

well mine has 60k miles. the only reason why this was brought up was b/c both mechanic friends keep wanting me to change to synth. they have done studies and **** and swear up and down by it. either way it doesnt matter to me whether i change oil at 3k or 9k. it doesnt take too long to change it i was just wanting somthing that is "better" for my motor

[mfenske]

When a new motor is built, regardless if its a 150hp 4cyl or a 700hp V8, you run regular mineral oil in it. Like Blown said, metal needs to wear to seat rings, bearings need to seat, and small metal particles need to be flushed out.

I bought my camaro with 56,000 miles on it, and i started running mobil 1 the day i got it. I still change it every 3,000 miles.

Few key things to remember:

Dont start using synthetic if you have over 75,000 miles on the engine
NEVER switch from synthetic to regular oil, its a great way to get leaks.

What about cars like the Vette, Evo, and Benzes that run synth from the factory? Mark

[Blown_SC]

What about cars like the Vette, Evo, and Benzes that run synth from the factory? Mark

Aston Martin
Bentley Amage and Bentley GT
Cadillac CTS, XLR, SRX and STS
Chevrolet Corvette
Dodge Viper
Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi EVO
Pontiac GTO
All Porsche vehicles

That's a more complete list....

The technology was designed for its use from factory, the Cherokee does not fall into this category.........

[Blown_SC]

If it were me, I'd stay with conventional... end of story IMO....

EDIT: Also, I wouldn't steer you wrong bro... just advising you on what makes sense... 75,000 is too long IMO... but, to each his own....

[hung-solo]

If it were me, I'd stay with conventional... end of story IMO....

EDIT: Also, I wouldn't steer you wrong bro... just advising you on what makes sense... 75,000 is too long IMO... but, to each his own....

thanx bro!

[BigJames]

I would stick with conventional. I just spoke with my bro about this who is a mechanic and he says that it is very difficult to clean out all the mineral oil and you end up with the suspensions that the post above described from the varnish. Then your motor is screwed. I personally like Castrol GTX.

[needmorestrength]

If your thinking about switching for the sole purpose of longer time between oil changes don't bother.. I still change mine at every 5000km

[Blown_SC]

If your thinking about switching for the sole purpose of longer time between oil changes don't bother.. I still change mine at every 5000km

I'm assuming you run Synthetic? And how would your maintenance 'routine' affect his? You baffle me once again... must be the city water

[needmorestrength]

I'm assuming you run Synthetic? And how would your maintenance 'routine' affect his? You baffle me once again... must be the city water

I fail to understand what your getting at? freak lol.. Yes I run synthetic.. and I am telling him that if he is thinking of switching for the sole purpose of longer time between changes don't bother

[Blown_SC]

I fail to understand what your getting at? freak lol.. Yes I run synthetic.. and I am telling him that if he is thinking of switching for the sole purpose of longer time between changes don't bother

But what I'm saying is, who says that what YOU do is proper? Maybe his engine (being something that isn't a GM product) won't dirty the oil up as quick........ you know where I'm going with this bitch...

* > Chev...

[needmorestrength]

But what I'm saying is, who says that what YOU do is proper? Maybe his engine (being something that isn't a GM product) won't dirty the oil up as quick........ you know where I'm going with this bitch...

* > Chev...

Bahh haha you Facker.. Maybe I just take care of my car.. If it was a ford I just wouldnt' change the oil jj

[jonnytour]

From what I have researched you can switch back to conventional oil after running synthetic. It used to be that you couldn't, but with the new formulations you can....supposedly. I wouldn't suggest it though. You may also want to look into a high mileage oil which I believe can be run after 75 000 miles. DO NOT run the high Mileage oil before 75g though! I knew someone that tried it before they were wupposed to and their engine smoked and sputtered until he changed back to regular oil. So fo rnow I would reccommend sticking with the conventional oil.

[Blown_SC]

From what I have researched you can switch back to conventional oil after running synthetic. It used to be that you couldn't, but with the new formulations you can....supposedly. I wouldn't suggest it though. You may also want to look into a high mileage oil which I believe can be run after 75 000 miles. DO NOT run the high Mileage oil before 75g though! I knew someone that tried it before they were wupposed to and their engine smoked and sputtered until he changed back to regular oil. So fo rnow I would reccommend sticking with the conventional oil.

Don't switch back unless you want leaks....

[needmorestrength]

Don't switch back unless you want leaks....

Id listen to Jonny he's pretty smart since its his job

[Blown_SC]

Id listen to Jonny he's pretty smart since its his job

We just talked about it on MSN, and he agreed with me...

Mech Engineers know things too

[needmorestrength]

We just talked about it on MSN, and he agreed with me...

Mech Engineers know things too

Yea but I thought you failed after the first week