Switching to Synthetic

[Smed]

I have yet to do my first oil change - but when I do I am pretty sure I am switching over to a synthetic. I've done a fair amount of reading on it over the last few weeks - a lot of good information came from these forums!

My impressions are that there is a significant benefit for synthetics over dino oil - but that there isn't much difference between one synthetic and another used for non racing applications. I'm fairly convinced that any differences are very small and not worth $3 more a quart.

I'm considering Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal Purple and Redline. I'm leaning toward Mobil 1 currently becasue of price and the above statement. Are the prices I am seeing on the others ever going to get close to the Mobil 1 price? Can anyone give me some hints on how to obtain one of the others at close to the Mobil 1 price?

[algolfer69]

Originally Posted by Smed

I have yet to do my first oil change - but when I do I am pretty sure I am switching over to a synthetic. I've done a fair amount of reading on it over the last few weeks - a lot of good information came from these forums!

My impressions are that there is a significant benefit for synthetics over dino oil - but that there isn't much difference between one synthetic and another used for non racing applications. I'm fairly convinced that any differences are very small and not worth $3 more a quart.

I'm considering Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal Purple and Redline. I'm leaning toward Mobil 1 currently becasue of price and the above statement. Are the prices I am seeing on the others ever going to get close to the Mobil 1 price? Can anyone give me some hints on how to obtain one of the others at close to the Mobil 1 price?

I havent done a change from regular oil to synthetic in years (1998). Back then I heard a lot of people saying that if your engine was not properly broken in, and you change to synthetic, that your rings would not seal against the cylinder walls properly causing lost compression and performance. I'm not 100% on this but I would check into it. When I switched oils the engine had 23,000 miles on it. Got rid of the car last year with 245,000 miles on it and the engine never seemed to lose any power and the fuel economy only dropped about 1 mpg over that time. The engine never burned oil either.

Anyone else know about switching to synthetic oil to early and causing engine problems?

[RunItHard]

Originally Posted by algolfer69

Anyone else know about switching to synthetic oil to early and causing engine problems?

That's been proven to be a myth.

I know for a fact synthetic is better because I've personally run it in every street and racing engine I've built or owned for the last 30 years. I had a Ford Mustang with a 351 Cleveland and 170k miles on it and when I took the oil pan off it was clean as the day it rolled off the assembly line. The windage tray, crank, bearings, rods, everything was clean without a speck of tar, varnish or sludge. I mic'ed the bearings, crank and cylinder bores and they were all very close to spec for a new engine.

I remember using conventional oil before that, and even with 3k oil changes, still having to take a putty knife to scrap the crap out of oil pans after 40 to 50k miles.

[Mickey]

Castrol synthetic from the begining....I was told from the start it had synthetic and kept it that way.... So if I pay $75 for an oil change so be it. It has to go along with lifetime warranty...But what's the price for PIECE OF MIND?

[Smed]

I haven't worked up a price on total peice of mind - but I'm sure I can't afford it. I have to pick and choose.

One of the main reasons I am going this route is that I think overall it will not cost me more - I plan to change my oil less often. I'm not sure how far I will let it go yet -but it will be somewhere between 3k and 10k. 3k seems to be the number reccomended by organizations who make money off frequent oil changes only and is IMHO absurdly low. 10k is what I've read on some synthetic oil manufacturers sites, but I'm uncomfortable letting it go that long. I'm thinking 5 - 8k.

Originally Posted by Mickey

Castrol synthetic from the begining....I was told from the start it had synthetic and kept it that way.... So if I pay $75 for an oil change so be it. It has to go along with lifetime warranty...But what's the price for PIECE OF MIND?

[Mickey]

Originally Posted by Smed

I haven't worked up a price on total peice of mind - but I'm sure I can't afford it. I have to pick and choose.

One of the main reasons I am going this route is that I think overall it will not cost me more - I plan to change my oil less often. I'm not sure how far I will let it go yet -but it will be somewhere between 3k and 10k. 3k seems to be the number reccomended by organizations who make money off frequent oil changes only and is IMHO absurdly low. 10k is what I've read on some synthetic oil manufacturers sites, but I'm uncomfortable letting it go that long. I'm thinking 5 - 8k.

BTW that's dealers price...Amsoil or royal purple sound great to me. I would love to do it myself and save the duckies....

[Nukedog]

Love me some cheap dino oil. Synthetic is too rich for my blood and i have many vehicles over 150K miles with no issues so far...

[Mickey]

Originally Posted by Nukedog

Love me some cheap dino oil. Synthetic is too rich for my blood and i have many vehicles over 150K miles with no issues so far...

This is the only truck I used synthetic.....All my other vehicles never touched the stuff...

[whateverz]

I ran M1 for years in my 2000. Now it's on RP. I am going to go dino at 1500 mi then RP after that. I switched to RP in my 03' A4, and I swear that thing had more power, or at least felt like it unlike any other oil change. I was impressed. I know, I know...."you dont get more power from oil" but there felt like a difference.

Main reason for not using M1........f*#k exxon/mobil! I won't use there fuel or oil. No more of my $ going to record profits, they are the worst ones. Good product though!