synthetic oil

[KaGee]

Re: synthetic oil

And here we go......

 

[ron7000]

Re: synthetic oil

read this:<br /> http://www.synthetic-solutions.com/definitions.htm <br /><br />I have the original article from the L&G magazine, unfortunately their digital copies don't go back that far but this reprint is accurate.<br /><br />you may also pick up info on lubrication- which includes engine oils both mineral and synthetic, from machinerylubrication magazine at http://media.noria.com/ml/ <br /><br />Some of you need to understand the basics of lubrication, and just about everybody needs to understand what's what and not take one manufacturer's definition or recommendation of what they think it is.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: synthetic oil

I hate those sites that pose as oil information but in reality are just Amsoil ads.<br /><br />And yes...I do use synthetic oils...just not Amsoil.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: synthetic oil

I didn't say Europeans drive more than us. I said Europeans tend to log higher miles on their vehicles because they don't buy new cars just because the ash tray is full like Americans.

 

[tonyvail]

Re: synthetic oil

I would not use semi-synthetic at all. Go full synthetic or use the best of the conventional 30 weight oil. My motor leaks so I stay with 30 weight Castrol GTX. It is good oil! I use Castrol synthetic in my cars that don't leak oil. Many new car engines coke up with sludge using conventional oil and recommended oil change intervals. This is because they have narrow oil passages and are so pumped up with dual overhead CAM tech that the heat gets to the oil. Synthetic doesn't break down where conventional oil will, so it is good insurance to use synthetic oil in many cases. Toyota has this problem and Chrysler has the problem with the 2.7 L car engine . The cab study noted in one of the postings involved old tech V8 engines, not the high reving overhead CAM design. Our boat engines are typically the old tech design as well, but they do run hotter at higher revs. Something to think about!

 

[Manipulator]

Re: synthetic oil

Now that I go back and read about the cab story I have noticed there are a few variations. One is that they used synthetic oil and didn't change it for 60K and then took the engines apart and noticed that the engines that had the synthetic oil had no more wear than the conventional oil cars that had their oil changed every 3K. So this would favor synthetics. That study is on the Amsoil site so who knows if it is true or not as it looks to be there to impress people considering buying their synthetics. Then there was another variation of the story that had to do with sludge and I believe showed that there was no difference between the conventional and the synthetics. I really do not know what to believe. I am all for my engines lasting longer and running more efficiently. I'm just not sure if using synthetic oil is the answer. I would spend the extra money on the boat as I plan on keeping it for some time. If you trade cars in every 3-4 years then who cares? I am thinking of running it in my boat but an 83 and it already leaks some. I have always heard older engine seals cannot handle synthetics and the seals swell and fail. Is there any truth to that? Or is it that synthetics are thinner and that is why people notice leaks. My engine recommends 30 SAE so I'm not sure what I should use if I were to use a synthetic. The other concern of mine had to do with a conversation I had with a mechanic. He said that the contaminants in the oil is what causes a lot of the wear on the engines moving parts and said that synthetics get just as dirty. So 3K oil changes should be done regardless of type of oil. Not sure if that is true or not.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: synthetic oil

I believe the easy answer to this is if you don't mind the higher cost go full synthetic. It surely won't hurt the engine. I use synthetic in everything from my lawn mower to boat. I change oil once a year or 7500 miles in the car and truck. The truck has 145000 miles doesn't use a bit of oil between changes.