School me on Synthetic

[FCAV]

What's the 4-1-1 on running synthetic oil vs. conventional oil? Does it really improve the lifespan of your engine by a considerable amount? Does it make any sort of sense to switch to synthetic from conventional after already running conventional from the onset of the vehicle's life?

[Bill Bumface]

Synthetic oil will last longer between changes. If you change at the same interval you were with dino oil, you'll be experiencing less friction in your engine and should have improved engine life. If your engine is consuming oil, it might get a bit worse with synthetic.

If you have a car where synthetic isn't required by the manufacturer, you'll be fine running dino oil if you use good filters and shorten the interval a bit. It basically boils down to how lazy you are, and how often you'd like to change your oil.

[ken0042]

I use it mostly in the winter; just because it flows better in cold weather.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I use it mostly in the winter; just because it flows better in cold weather.

Exactly.

I use it year round. It is a able to withstand extreme temps better than conventional oil. I live in the arctic and all I use is Synthetic becuase regular oil up there will pour like molasses.

[calumniate]

One tip I've heard is to have your engine cleaned before moving to synthetic. May cost you 150 bucks, but that way all you get rid of all of the grit (more than just changing the oil), and allow the synthetic to really do its work. Can translate into a lot of horsepower!

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by calumniate

One tip I've heard is to have your engine cleaned before moving to synthetic. May cost you 150 bucks, but that way all you get rid of all of the grit (more than just changing the oil), and allow the synthetic to really do its work. Can translate into a lot of horsepower!

According to any oil manufacturer that's not the case.

[MJK]

Additional HP is not why synthetic oil is better. It burns cleaner and it better in extreme hot and cold temps. It is supposed to create less wear over the lifetime of your vehicle but that's not really why I use it.

Try starting a car in -30 with synthetic and it will start up much easier than conventional oil.

I use synthetic in my engine, tranny and differentials.

[habernac]

I use it on my bike chain in the winter as it doesn't freeze up like conventional. I also used in my old Camry, which still purred like a kitten after 200,000km.

[burn_this_city]

If the car leaks oil avoid using synthetic. It penetrates the gaskets better than regular oil and will make the leak worse. I use it in my truck to extend the drain intervals. I typically get 15,000km between changes. Its better for vehicles using turbo chargers. When you shut down the motor while the exhaust is still hot, the oil in the turbo bearing will coke potentially causing premature turbo failure. Synthetic is resistant to burning up compared to conventional dino.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Can translate into a lot of horsepower!

Can not

There is no way to clean an engine short of tearing it down and if your engine has that much sludge in it, I seriously doubt anyone is going to invest in synthetic oil.

Synthetics are good but a waste of money for the average car south of 60 if you are changing your oil regularly.

Your town is so small MJ why drive ?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

If the car leaks oil avoid using synthetic. It penetrates the gaskets better than regular oil and will make the leak worse. I use it in my truck to extend the drain intervals. I typically get 15,000km between changes. Its better for vehicles using turbo chargers. When you shut down the motor while the exhaust is still hot, the oil in the turbo bearing will coke potentially causing premature turbo failure. Synthetic is resistant to burning up compared to conventional dino.

This is important.

If your car is older, then conventional oil and all of that 'nasty grit and gunk' is pretty important. Synthetic Oil will clear all that grit an gunk out of your car, but in many case that crap is plugging the holes that keep your engine from leaking Oil.

[calumniate]

Yeah sorry guys this is all just hearesay, and would apply to older cars. My friend was recommended to have the engine flushed before moving to synthetic. This was with a much older car though. He was very animated in terms of expressing how much faster the car went. (Ford Torino or something)

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Yeah sorry guys this is all just hearesay, and would apply to older cars. My friend was recommended to have the engine flushed before moving to synthetic. This was with a much older car though. He was very animated in terms of expressing how much faster the car went. (Ford Torino or something)

My car always feels way faster after I detail it...probably all in his mind lol.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Yeah sorry guys this is all just hearesay, and would apply to older cars. My friend was recommended to have the engine flushed before moving to synthetic. This was with a much older car though. He was very animated in terms of expressing how much faster the car went. (Ford Torino or something)

What kind of car/motor/mileage are we talking about here?

I'm going to tell you, if its an older car and not performance related, like a beater or something, I wouldnt recommend it. Stick with what isnt pouring out of your engine like a trauma patient.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

If the car leaks oil avoid using synthetic. It penetrates the gaskets better than regular oil and will make the leak worse. I use it in my truck to extend the drain intervals. I typically get 15,000km between changes. Its better for vehicles using turbo chargers. When you shut down the motor while the exhaust is still hot, the oil in the turbo bearing will coke potentially causing premature turbo failure. Synthetic is resistant to burning up compared to conventional dino.

I think this could be incorrect information. The way it was explained to me, very old cars had gaskets that swelled slightly in the presence of conventional oil, which is what kept them tight and leak free. The synthetics did not cause this style of gasket to swell, hence engines that leaked oil.

This is not, apparently, the case with any car made in the last 10-15 years.


For your 15,000km oil change intervals, how are you assessing that its time to change the oil? Not based on colour alone I hope.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

I think this could be incorrect information. The way it was explained to me, very old cars had gaskets that swelled slightly in the presence of conventional oil, which is what kept them tight and leak free. The synthetics did not cause this style of gasket to swell, hence engines that leaked oil.

This is not, apparently, the case with any car made in the last 10-15 years.


For your 15,000km oil change intervals, how are you assessing that its time to change the oil? Not based on colour alone I hope.

I don't buy the gasket swelling thing, gaskets have been made out of many materials including cork, rubber ect. Its also proven that synthetic is a better penetrant than conventional. My truck has an oil life monitor that I change at 20% life remaining. Usually this is around 15,000km. I can't use color to determine the life since diesel oil is charcoal black as soon as you fill it.

[Pinner]

What kind of time frame are you talking about Burn ? 15,000 km. in how many months?

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I don't buy the gasket swelling thing, gaskets have been made out of many materials including cork, rubber ect. Its also proven that synthetic is a better penetrant than conventional. My truck has an oil life monitor that I change at 20% life remaining. Usually this is around 15,000km. I can't use color to determine the life since diesel oil is charcoal black as soon as you fill it.

On the gasket thing, regardless, switching to synthetic will not cause engines to begin leaking oil, not anything that is within the timeframe I mentioned.

Question for you - did you notice the oil change interval, as dictated by the monitor, increased when you switched to synthetic?

My van has one too, which apparently monitors engine RPM, start/stop temperatures, operating temperatures, etc, to determine oil life. I don’t think it knows whether synthetic is in the engine or not, only what the lifespan for typical oil would be under the use conditions it has observed.

[burn_this_city]

6 months usually. It should be fine for that long, if I ever feel inclined I can get the oil tested at a lab for metal wear.

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

On the gasket thing, regardless, switching to synthetic will not cause engines to begin leaking oil, not anything that is within the timeframe I mentioned.

Question for you - did you notice the oil change interval, as dictated by the monitor, increased when you switched to synthetic?

My van has one too, which apparently monitors engine RPM, start/stop temperatures, operating temperatures, etc, to determine oil life. I don’t think it knows whether synthetic is in the engine or not, only what the lifespan for typical oil would be under the use conditions it has observed.

Mine measures the same things. If it can go 15,000 on dino then the same mileage on synthetic should be fine. The big benefits for me are winter starting, and turbo life. I was mostly referring to older vehicles 15 years or older. I put synthetic in a 89 mustang and it leaked way worse than conventional 10-30.

[Wiggum_PI]

Originally Posted by Sliver

My car always feels way faster after I detail it...probably all in his mind lol.

Spoilers, fake hood scoops, and new rims also add tons of horsepower.