FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

[Texasmark]

Reading the owners manuals for a farm tractor Cummins Diesel engine, and a Kohler Air Cooled riding mower engine yesterday.

Both recommend using parafin based oil for the first oil change then say use of syn's is ok fine with them.

Now why do you suppose that is.................because the engines have to break in, hence wear out some so that all the parts fit each other, before you put superior oil in them.

If you don't know Cummins, they will sell $1 Billion this year in diesels to 2500 hp. Kohler is one of the domestic premier air cooled engine mfgrs and has been around a long time (as long as I can remember).....also make premium plumbing fixtures in another division.

Mark

 

[Silvertip]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

That happens to be the opinion and design decision by Kohler and Cummins. You might want to know that Corvette, BMW, and others have synthetic oil in their engines from the factory. Me thinks these dudes know a little bit about engine design and lubrication requirements as well.

 

[rndn]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

I was always told the rings needed to set and synthetic didn't allow this. Don't know if it's true or not.

 

[Bondo]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

Now why do you suppose that is.................because the engines have to break in, hence wear out some so that all the parts fit each other, before you put superior oil in them.

Ayuh,........

And I Agree,.........

When I rebuild an engine,......... SBC or a Mack 6cyl or anything else,.......
I do a 20hr. Break-in with plain ole straight 30wt. Non-detergent, No Nothing...........
Then at the 20hr. Service,..........
Go to Whatever oil you care to run in that motor for the Long Term.............


Wow, JB That was Close....... Both posts are time marked 12:06..........................

 

[JB]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

Well, I, too, have heard the story about synthetics inhibiting break-in and was told by Suzuki when I bought my DF70 to break it in with petro oils, then synthetics would be fine.

But. . .

Both of my Mercedes Benz MLs came with Mobil 1 in them and a requirement to use nothing else except another premium full synthetic. MB uses an electrical conductivity sensor in the crankcase to monitor oil condition. It may be that petro oils would confuse the 'puter. I also think that MB breaks in engines on the bench before installing them. Skinnywater could confirm that.

As for Cummins and Kohler, they may have similar concerns.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

As I hear it, syn oils are slick so to use them in a engine that is not used much would not be an advantage then, right?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

My last two GM cars (Chevy Monte Carlo and Impala no less) have had oil condition monitors and they got switched between conventional and synthetic oil with no issues. I'm sure Mercedes, BMW and the Corvette all have similar systems and that the sensor is not the issue. The oil condition monitor looks, in part, at engine temperature, engine rpm and road speed. In fact my owners manual says under absolutely ideal conditions, an oil change may not be required for over a year. When the light comes on you must change oil within 600 miles and the monitor reset. There isn't even an oil change interval listed. I have gone to 5000 mile oil change intervals and use nothing but Mobil 1. The severe service notice that used to appear in manuals is now gone as well. Europeans didn't change oil nearly as often as we Americans did because most of them used synthetic so they could get by with longer change intervals and it is well known their freeway speeds are a hech of a lot higher than ours. Engines are built to much better tolerances today than years ago so "break-in oils" are not necessary. Nothing wrong with doing it, but unless the manufacturer specifies no synthetic during break in, I doubt there is an issue. As for dealers or techs telling you not to use it during break-in I guess I'd say "show me where it says that". Too much information coming from dealers and their shops is based on "personal opinion rather than fact". And that's my "personal opinion".

 

[tommays]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

My Gm oil life system does NOT like prolonged cold spells and short trips as it goes off at less than 2000 miles

I would hate to drop 5 quarts of mobil one that soon


Tommays

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

My Gm oil life system does NOT like prolonged cold spells and short trips as it goes off at less than 2000 miles

I would hate to drop 5 quarts of mobil one that soon


Tommays

Thanks, that is what I needed to know.
How about one that get's 3000 mile a month put on it, good or bad?
Edit: Sorry about the hijack.
Bad spinner, bad.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

GM monitor doesn't like cold spells?? Nonsense. I live in Minnesota so don't talk to me about cold. As I said I run Mobil 1 and the oil life monitor never activated prior to 2000 miles and in fact I don't recall it ever coming on before 3000 miles. A friend of mine and I were discussing this just recently. He has a new Buick Lucerne and it just turned 5000 miles and the monitor has not yet tripped yet. It's been in the single digits to 20's here for several weeks.

 

[JB]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

My ML430 trips the change light at anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Hardly severe usage. When she is started up she usually runs for over an hour at full temp before getting shut down.

 

[pecheux]

Re: FYI on Syn Oil use from OEM's

That happens to be the opinion and design decision by Kohler and Cummins. You might want to know that Corvette, BMW, and others have synthetic oil in their engines from the factory. Me thinks these dudes know a little bit about engine design and lubrication requirements as well.

I read similar information regarding Japanese cars (in Japan) mainly Mazda with rotary engines.