Hey guys hope you can help me out...
I have 36K on my lude, I currently run regular penzoil, but would it be bad to switch to synthetic now? I overheard that Synthetic was a little "thinner" and that switching this late in the game may show some leaks? what ya think?
thanks -
Yeah...im wondering somewhat the same thing! Whats up with using synthetic anywayz...can anyone relay some knowledge?!?1 Whats the importance..y is mobil 1 soo popular?(I tried searching...but little info)
I know that you don't have to change till 7k with Synth and people say it's cleaner...other than that I hear that a lot of people prefer Synth...but I dunno if I can switch so late in the game.
It's not that synthetic is that much thinner than dino oil, it's just cleaner and will clear out mineral deposits in your engine that act as "seals" against leaks.
36k isn't too late to switch, but if you do start burning or leaking oil, you can always switch back.
If your engine has been properly broken in and the clearance is tight, switching to synthetics will NOT do any harms. Some people may concern about the seal compatibility but this is no longer a problem nowadays. Today's synthetics are formulated to be compatible with the seals designed for conventional mineral oil; not like the old synthetic oil produced 20 years ago which would cause the seal to shrink and thus leak.
Synthetics are far superior to mineral oils in every aspect. The only situation you don't want to use them is when the engine is too new (say less than 5000 miles) or too old (if you observe excessive oil consumption). The synthetics are too slippery for a new engine which would prevent proper break-in. While an old engine will burn more oil with synthetics.
At 36k you should have nothing to worry about. As long as you don't use full ester-based synthetics designed for jet engines you'll be fine. Those oils would cause the seal to swell.
By the way, with synthetics you still want to do the oil change at the scheduled intervals as you would a mineral oil. The synthetics are not intended for longer drain intervals. They are designed to give better protection and performance. Even the synthetics give a little wider safety margins, the contaminants and some by-pass products collected by the oil still need to be removed regularly thru oil change.
FYI: Here is a list of the general advantages of the synthetics compared to mineral oil with same viscosity range.
1. True multi-grade viscosity: Much lower pour point than the minerals and much thicker oil film at high temps.
2. Require less (and some no) viscosity index improver.
3. Higher VI (viscosity index): Lower rate of change in viscosity within a given temp range. This keeps your bearings happy.
4. Higher flash point: Less tendency for the oil to suffer vaporization loss at high temps and to burn off on hot cylinder walls and pistons.
5. Higher thermal stability: Reduces decomposition at high temps and thus a cleaner engine.
6. Lower ash content: Less solid material will be left when the oil burns therefore less sludge and deposits in the engine.
7. Do not require zinc to be used as an extreme pressure, anti-wear additive. High zinc content can lead to deposit formation and plug fouling.
8. For car nuts like us the synthetics are not that expensive.
Hey Simon what's up? Yeah you can call me an oil nut. Before I knew anything about the synthetic fluid I had the same concerns as other people and it drove me crazy! Then I read a lot of articles regarding the synthetics and the more I understand it the more I am comfortable with it. Just thought I should share with people so they too can have a peace of mind.
I disagree with some of this. In my household we have been using synthetics exclusively in our cars since the first Mobil 1. Oil change intervals can be longer with synthetic. Due to the fact that they are more durable and the ability to retain its viscosity longer than dino oils. Am I saying go 10k between changes, NO but you can go longer than 3k. New engines in corvettes, camaros, all BMWs, porsches come with synthetic in them. In a new BMW you get a maintenance program when you buy the car. BMW dealers won't change the oil until the service light comes on. You can pay to have it changed sooner but they ask you why you are wasting your money. The first time that it came on it our 528 12k. If it breaks its on them but they have been doing this since the early 90s and there are more trouble free cars following this schedule than not.
Personally I change the oil in the lude every 5 track days and during the remainder of the year about 4k with Bosch filter. Mobil 1 10/30 because the structure is better than the 5/30. If I can find the article to prove it Redline 10/30 is the best in lab testing.
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ImagePree if price is what concerns you maybe a lumina would be a better form of transportatio cause sports cars never have been an never will be free to work on.
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I was researching old Cadillacs a few months ago (I want one) and asked on another board about putting synthetic oil in an old GM 472. They universally told me that it would leak--something about the gaskets/seals.
Switching back to dinosaur oil stopped the leaks. Not sure why, but they all seemed to think that newer engines wouldn't have the same problem. So I wouldn't worry about leaks on anything less than 10 years old.
Originally posted by thekidinthehat I disagree with some of this. In my household we have been using synthetics exclusively in our cars since the first Mobil 1. Oil change intervals can be longer with synthetic. Due to the fact that they are more durable and the ability to retain its viscosity longer than dino oils. Am I saying go 10k between changes, NO but you can go longer than 3k. New engines in corvettes, camaros, all BMWs, porsches come with synthetic in them.
Did I say oil change every 3k? No. I said scheduled intervals which in our case 7,500 for normal conditions and 3,750 for severes. Hehe... I knew someone would pinch me on this one. If you do oil change every 4k then you pretty much stick to the scheduled maintenance intervals... you disagree with the statement of disagreement you made yourself.
By the way, Porsche dyno their cars with conventional oil before selling to you with Mobil 1. They are partially broken-in already.
Originally posted by BlueLude1 ImagePree if price is what concerns you maybe a lumina would be a better form of transportatio cause sports cars never have been an never will be free to work on.
that's not the point.
but if you justify spending that much on motor oil, then more power to you.
you don't seem to understand how OFTEN i have to change my oil as i drive a LOT, hence racking up the miles very quickly.
IF you're saying that since Mobil 1 isn't good enough, then i wouldn't know what to tell you -- since 99% of us here use it.
Mobil 1 is the BEST, i expert advice from a 55 year old 30 years in the field chemical engineer that agrees mobil 1 is the best oil available from a chemical standpoint
hmmm... am just curious, does it matters... or is it safe to switch from castrol syntec to mobil 1 saying mobil 1 is the best oil available from a chemical standpoint.
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Whats the importance..y is mobil 1 soo popular?(I tried searching...but little info)
beaty, dropping some knowledge on synthetics....good stuff!
Hey Simon what's up? Yeah you can call me an oil nut. 
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