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Maintenance & Repair Synthetic motor oil
8536 messages, Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 9:34 AM
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rascal8, you can hardly call synth oil manufacturers an "objective source." They, like your mechanic, have something to gain - your business. Though your advice is good - anyone know of any true objective sources? The empirical evidence, at least, suggests that for most drivers, and especially for those who plan to trade in their cars before they hit 100k mi. anyway, it doesn't make a difference what type of oil is used. |
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garth - Point taken, these are not true objective sources. The only true objective source I can reference off hand is the Society of Automotive Engineers (www.sae.org). The only reason I trust some of the Amsoil literature is that they quote specific tests and papers produced by the SAE. This stuff is tough reading, and you need to pay for the SAE material. True, if you trade your car every 2 or 3 years then who gives a rip about engine wear and such; however, other benefits touted by the synthetic sellers is that you use less oil (environmental impact), have to endure fewer oil changes, and in the long run it should be cheaper. |
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Thanks for the responses. You seem to be saying that you are going longer between oil changes using a synthetic. I assume that I can go 7500 miles between changes in stop and go city driving conditions instead of the 3750 the manual says. If this is the case than using a synthetic has its advantages because it is a hassle to change the oil and the less I have to do it the better. I will do my research. One other question, how many miles should I have on a vehicle before I switch to a synthetic? Thanks again! |
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| This one is REALLY debateable. You hear all kinds or recommendations on this. I think the concensus, and what most auto manufacturers recommend, is to break your engine in using regular fossil oil, then switch to synthetic. For example, I bought a 2000 Toyota Celica in November. I ran the car 1,000 miles and did the first oil change - still using fossil oil. At 3,000 miles I considered the engine to be sufficiently broken in and I changed the oil to synthetic. Some vehicles supposedly take longer to break-in than others (e.g. BMW and Mercedes say 7,500 miles I think). You may want to call your auto manufacturer or dealer for a proper break-in mileage. Hope this helps. | |
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#32 I realize what I am saying goes against organized religion though I have no bone to pick with organized religion. The 3k conventional oil/filter change is practically a foundation of religious faith. Yet in practicality, 3k oil changes are WAY extreme in the sense that you are doing it 2.5 X faster / sooner than you should even think of it (for example my manual lists 7500 miles). A rule of thumb, when going to synthetic is 2x to 3 x the service period of conventional oil. While I do a daily driver every 15k it has 68k and the oil changed 4 x., it has been trouble free and the dealer had the value covers off to measure for whether or not it needed valve adjusting. In that inspection, they said it was clean as a whistle, and to boot, needed no value adjusting. I plan to keep it past 150k. But like I have said, if you keep it till 80k why do you want to change oil so much with the conventional stuff? Especially if your problem terminates when you sell/trade/get rid of it? Finally change to synthetic when you are comfortable with the initial break in period, for me it was 1k miles. |
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I would like to say a few words on this subject if i may. I'm an Amsoil Dealer. Been using and selling the stuff for five years now. I also been working on cars and also a car nut for over thirty years and i'll tell you that the Amsoil is amazing. This is really the oil to use if you want your car to last for many many years. You change oil every 25,000 miles or one year. I know this sounds weird but you have to try it to believe it, it's that good.They been making this stuff since 1972 so they know what they are doing. Give it a try, you can't go wrong. Wayne |
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| am I the only one that gets nervous at the thought of putting the product of a Pyramid scheme (er, sorry - "multi-level marketing") into my car? | |
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Synthetic oil has the ability to resist breakdown from water. That's what makes it last so much longer in use. Acid buildup in oil comes from the little bit of sulfur in the gas that mixes with the h2o from combustion and poof! you've got the building blocks for acid formation. Since dyno oil has loose or incomplete (open ended) hydrocarbon molecules, this attracts the free ions of water and acid. That's what breaks down the oil. Synthetic oil I learned from a professor has the great ability to resist absorbing water. It's molecules are a complete hydrocarbon chain with out loose ends. Remember when they first advertised that Mobil one was good for 25,000 miles? It was the 'cause of water resistance. But do you think they going to screw up the public's mind trying to explain that? Oil is water and carbon, hence the term HYDROCARBON. |
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Is there any site which gives a comparision of features and performance of various synthetic oils?(namely, mobil-1, castrol syntec, amsoil...) also, by the way, my car manual say 7500 miles between oil change('99 mazda protege es). Dealer says 3500. What do I follow? |
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I DRAINED THE GREEN FACTORY OIL FROM MY FORD E-150 SIX CYLINDER VAN AT ONLY 400 MILES.IT SEEMS TO BE SIPPING MOBIL-1 AT 800 MILES NOW. SHOULD I PUT REGUALR OIL BACK INTO IT FOR BREAK-IN PERIOD. HOW LONG? WILL IT REALLY MATTER? WHAT DO I KNOW
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