A Question About Synthetic Oil

[Riley1123d]

My car is due for an oil change in like 9 miles, and i'm bringing her in for one tomorrow. I was thinking about having my mechanic use synthetic oil instead. Since like, you dont have to change for 10,000 miles, and I heard its just better on the engine. Anyway, I was wondering, does anybody use it? If so, what are your opinions? Is it safe, better, worse, etc?

[mthegodfather]

I love it and would never change back. I use Royal Purple 5w30 and it is great. I change it every 5,000 miles. It also helps the performance out greatly.

[doobiess]

but how much more you spend per oil change ... compared to regular oil?

[mthegodfather]

It cost a good bit more for the oil. But is well worth it. Synthetic oil is so much better for your your engine.

[Gimli]

I have used synthetic as well ever since the car's been broken in and wouldn't go back either. I follow the Oil Life Monitor (which gives me between 10k-12k km between changes) and the oil comes out looking almost like new.

Since I do my own oil changes running synthetic costs me about as much as regular oil changed by someone else (approx. 25$ an oil change).

I would be weary of having someone else use synthetic for an oil change though. They'll usually use oil that come from big drums and you have no idea what quality of synthetic oil they use or even if it is actually synthetic.

If you're just getting in the market and you're not looking for anything fancy I would suggest you use Mobil 1 in whatever weight you usually use. It's one of the best synthetic and not too expensive (Wal-Mart up here is the cheapest, 4.4l for 25$). You'll notice the difference the first time you start the car, I guaranty it.

[Riley1123d]

Well I do trust my mechanic, he owns the Mobil station, so i'm sure they have Mobil 1. I believe he normally uses 10w30 for it. I was talkin to Amanda about it earlier, and she said something like I may need to do a transition.. like half regular half synthetic. Do I need to worry about that?

[mthegodfather]

Not at all. There doesnt need to be any transition time. If you would like you could flush the engine good then switch but that is totally up to you.

[justa99se]

http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/whattoknow.asp
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php

[mthegodfather]

Very good read.

[Colin]

Synthetic Oil is the way to go in the winter also . It has very good pumpability , and most engine wear occurs on cold start up .
;)

[Xidion]

Synthetic Oil and normal oil are the same thing ones just man made. Some people say they are bad but they dont know wth they are talking about. Same with tranny fluid Synthetics are just as good if not better.

[R8DERHED5150]

I tried some synthetics for the first time two changes ago. There was deffinatly a difference in performance and gas milage. Read a few places that in most cases, using syn will gain you a couple of horses. I went back to regular oil and noticed the difference in power. It ran alot smoother with the syn as opposed to regular. I'm about 1000 miles in, but now that I found out Summit carries Royal Purple on hand, I'm changing it back this weekend.

[master]

Horsepower TV did a test one time with a 2000 Camaro LS1. They replaced the tranny and differential fluid and motor oil with Royal Purple. The car gained 8 horses on the dyno with the changes alone!!

[Texican]

The only down side I've found with synthetic is that sometimes, it will cause leaks to appear. I switched to Mobile 1 and had to switch back after 15000 miles. I also had to replace the rear main seal, a sensor and the oil pan gasket. Synthetic oil and dyno oil do different things to gaskets.

[Gimli]

Originally posted by Texican
The only down side I've found with synthetic is that sometimes, it will cause leaks to appear. I switched to Mobile 1 and had to switch back after 15000 miles. I also had to replace the rear main seal, a sensor and the oil pan gasket. Synthetic oil and dyno oil do different things to gaskets.

Synthetic oil does not "cause" the leaks, it only unmask them. Because it runs cleaner and more easily in the engine synthetic will SOMETIMES (very rarely) dislodge regular oil deposits around engine seals. These deposits might have kept a seal from leaking but what actually causes the leak is the bad seal, not the synthetic oil.

[UGAkilla]

I will use Synthetic Oil till the day I die. I had 190k miles on my 98 Olds Achieva (3100 Engine) using nothig but synthetic since 130k when I got her. That engine would have made it A LONG TIME (atleast 225k or more) if the car didn't get totaled out.

I've used it in my 2000GAGT since 33k and now I'm at 52k. Not a bit of problems and I love it.

I also wait to change my oil until the car tells me to (Change Oil Soon light). It's usually around 4500-5000 miles.

[red hornet]

My 2004'Gase with ecotec , has been using about a cup p to 12 0z of Mobil one to bring up to full in the past two or three weeks,with only 13,726 K miles on engine.I havent found any noticeable leaks and will change oil at 3k.Anyone experience this,and should I be allarmed,maybe take to dealer?Thank you,Mike

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by Riley1123d
Well I do trust my mechanic, he owns the Mobil station, so i'm sure they have Mobil 1. I believe he normally uses 10w30 for it.

Just a note that you should ideally be using 5W30 or 0W30 in your engine, particularly in the winter. 10W30 is okay but 5W30 is really what is recommended for your engine.

[red hornet]

Yes, I have the ist change of the Mobil one 5 w 30,anyone find they have to top it off alot?:???:I think Ive found my problem,everyone say on this site the ecotec,takes 4 1/2 quarts,I found it was 5 quarts in my manual.That could be why I keep having to add oil:roll2: I still get alot of info here,and thanx,Mike:D:D

[83 ranger]

I swear by synthetics, its ALL I use in my trucks, and the cars. never goin back to dino oils, even my lawn mowers ,and 2 cycles all see synthetic stuff cause of hte performance differences.