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Paul McGaha
09-04-2016, 11:43 AM
Hi Creekers,

I'm a long time conventional oil person.

The guys at my work though have pretty much convinced me to switch to synthetic oil. Go 10,000 miles or so between changes instead of changing every 3,000 miles does sound pretty convenient.

I've used conventional Pennzoil motor oil for probably the last 20 years or so. I've had good luck with it. The store where I buy my oil tends to maintain a good stock of it. I've noticed that the synthetic oil from Pennzoil doesn't really cost that much more than their convention oil, So I'm kind of leaning towards switching to that.

I think the best known synthetic oil might be Mobile 1. At least it's the best known to me. Cost about the same as the Pennzoil.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

PHM

Jerry Thompson
09-04-2016, 12:41 PM
I have used Mobile One on my BMW that is 30 years old. I bought the car with 100k on it and it now has close to 450k. I started using M1 when I bought the car. It is a 6 cyl. 535i. I had a Honda that went 300k and used the same oil. It had everything but the engine die before I junked it. I had a 1993 Ford Ranger V6. I used M1 on it. M1 could not have saved that piece of junk. The best thing that happened to it was when the oil pump failed at highway speed and the bearings went south. I now have a Mazda 3 2012 and use M1. I believe it to be a great oil but it will not save crappy engineering. I am sure others are just as good. That is just my experience with it. I also take very good care of my vehicles and do my own oil and filter changes. I do not trust the quickie places and I save a lot of money over the long haul by doing it myself and having peace of mind.

Gerry Grzadzinski
09-04-2016, 12:53 PM
The guys at my work though have pretty much convinced me to switch to synthetic oil. Go 10,000 miles or so between changes instead of changing every 3,000 miles does sound pretty convenient.


Most modern vehicles have oil change intervals around 7500 miles (or more) with conventional oil.
Manufacturers were specifying 5000 mile intervals 20+ years ago.
The only people recommending 3000 mile oil changes is the oil change shops.

When I sold my 1999 Dakota, it had 200,000+ miles on it, and still ran fine, changing the oil every 5000-6000 miles.

Mike Cutler
09-04-2016, 12:59 PM
Paul

Do a little research first. There are synthetic motor oils, and there are synthetic "blend" motor oils. Sometimes the" blend" part is omitted from the big letters on the container.;)
I have two Mini Coopers, and they use a European Standard synthetic oil sold By Mini. Both cars are turbocharged, and their oil get changed at 5k frequencies. Same with my previous Saab turbo. My 2010 Denali truck is still using "Dino" oil, but I'm considering changing it over to a synthetic also.
If you have a "conventional" engine, you might be able to get away with 10K intervals. BMW used to have condition based mileage, or 15 K and they backed it down to 10K for synthetics on their vehicles. Turbos and superchargers are going to compromise oil faster, so the frequency would need to be upped. I personally consider oil to be cheap insurance, so I change it more often than recommended.

lee cox
09-04-2016, 1:00 PM
I switched to Mobil One in my Mazda car and I noticed I get 40 or 50 miles per tank more. I always set my trip when I fill up.

Ruperto Mendiones
09-04-2016, 2:42 PM
In trying to establish an oil change interval for a Toyota Sienna, I started doing trace element oil analysis. It uncovered a small head gasket defect that allowed minor amounts of coolant into the oil. Three $40 analyses saved me from a ruined engine. I can't say enough for Analysts Inc and oil monitoring.

Rich Riddle
09-04-2016, 3:24 PM
Castrol, but I use the Motorcraft in the pickup.

Jim Becker
09-04-2016, 6:15 PM
I've been using synthetic for many years. But don't assume you can just magically change the interval between oil changes because you switched to synthetic. You should still follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule. For many current generation vehicles, that's in the 8000-10000 mile range, anyway. My 2012 Grand Cherokee has 8K intervals for "normal" driving and current ones have a 10K interval. (2014+) Many folks still do the 3K dance, but they are generally wasting good oil and spending money that's not necessary with today's lubricants and current generation vehicles.

While I keep some Mobil 1 around for utility (it's cheap at Costco) pretty much all my oil changes are Penzoil...that's what both my dealer and the independent shop we also patronize uses.

Kevin Womer
09-04-2016, 6:16 PM
Change my own oil in all of our cars and truck. Always have because I am certain what oil is put in it. Used Penzoil for the last 30 years but the last few I have switched to synthetic too. I have been going with Valvaline for vehicles with over 70k. I have to say I am impressed by the milage you all have put on your vehicles.

Dan Friedrichs
09-04-2016, 6:21 PM
I used Mobil1 in everything, until one time Amazon had a crazy good deal on Penzoil (full synthetic). Now I use Penzoil, because the jug is actually well-designed and easily pour-able.

Frederick Skelly
09-04-2016, 6:24 PM
Know a couple serious car guys that swear by a mix of Royal Purple and conventional oil.
For me, Mobil 1 or Valvoline synthetics work fine.

James Gunning
09-04-2016, 6:50 PM
I use Castrol synthetic in my Audi A4. It's one of the oils recommended by Audi for their turbocharged cars. Due to problems with sludge blocking the oil ports in the turbos. I think you would do well with any of the brand synthetic oils. When I lived in Western NY years ago I used Mobil One to help the winter starting performance. Don't waste your money on 3000 miles oil changes. With modern cars and oil it isn't necessary. The only folks that like it are the oil change shops and maybe the oil manufacturers.

Paul McGaha
09-04-2016, 8:05 PM
Thanks for your input everyone.

I've been changing the oil in my vehicles for about 40 years now. Conventional oil at 3000 miles. I guess it is kind of old fashioned (and maybe a little wasteful) I don't really regret it.

Our newest ride is a 2015 Ford F-150 we bought last year. I'd have to read the owners manual again to remember what it said exactly but I think it suggested (more so than specifying) the use of synthetic oil from Motorcraft (Ford). It has some on board instrumentation that tells you what the condition of the oil is, and a light that comes on when the oil needs to be changed. I think to a large degree it's based on mileage. It's going to work out though to change the oil about every 10,000 miles. To keep it simple here at my work they use a synthetic oil and change the oil every 10,000 miles in the more late model trucks.

The Pennzoil I picked up says full synthetic. I'll give that a try. I like Pennzoil. I've been using the conventional Pennzoil a long time.

Thanks again everyone.

Bob Turkovich
09-04-2016, 8:21 PM
Thanks for your input everyone.


...It has some on board instrumentation that tells you what the condition of the oil is, and a light that comes on when the oil needs to be changed. I think to a large degree it's based on mileage. It's going to work out though to change the oil about every 10,000 miles.




Nowadays, the main contributor to oil degradation is elevated oil temperatures. Most OEM's now utilize keeping a histogram of oil time@temperature with a not-to-exceed mileage limit. If you're running high oil temperatures because of trailer towing, high payloads or extremely high ambient temperatures, the mileage limit gets lowered accordingly. When you change the oil (and remember to reset the light), the histogram gets cleared and the cycle starts all over again.

Ken Fitzgerald
09-04-2016, 8:37 PM
I am driving a 2 year old Honda Pilot. The manufacturer and my dealer recommend I use synthetic oil. My oil is changed by the dealer and it's Mobile 1. The car does have a oil monitor program and under normal driving conditions it would recommend I change every 10,000 miles. Being an ardent 3,000 mile conventional oil changer, I have changed the oil in my Pilot every 5,000-7,000 miles. I have a problem going to 10,000 miles on an oil change. To me, it seems like an unnatural act, punishable by God.

Once we owned a Toyota 4-Runner I bought used. We drove it 168,000 miles over a 16 year span. I used conventional oil and changed it myself every 3,000 miles. In a conversation with the owner of a local repair shop I mentioned I was in the process of changing the timing chain. He asked how much mileage the vehicle had. I said 128,000 miles. He smiled and said "You change oil regularly and with a filter too, don't you?" I replied affirmatively. He said "Those owners who don't change oil will lose the timing chain in that engine typically after about 80,000-90,000 miles, those who do change it but not on regular basis get 90,000-100,000 miles. Anybody who gets over 100,000 miles on that timing chain is changing oil and filter on a regular basis." This from a privately owned shop not associated with a particular brand of automobile.

Wade Lippman
09-04-2016, 8:42 PM
Most modern vehicles have oil change intervals around 7500 miles (or more) with conventional oil.

My Mazda CX3 is 5,000 miles with full synthetic.
It is probably best not to make blanket statements; someone might take you seriously.

Howard Garner
09-04-2016, 8:57 PM
It is not just using synthetic oil, but having the right mfr spec on the oil.

VW TDI diesels need a very specific spec for their oil. Then it is good for 10k interval.
One of the factors is the amount of ash generated by the oil, this factors into the emissions system

The additive load of an oil is used up at various times between changes, and this usage in factored in to the OCI.

So I would say to check your owners manual for the required specs, and then find a brand that is certificated for these specs, and not just a close spec.

John Ziebron
09-04-2016, 11:12 PM
Amsoil is supposedly the best as they are the first to come out with synthetic oil, but Mobile 1 is the most recognized due to advertising (reminds me of the beta/VHS war). I use synthetic oil in all my 4 cycle engines, including the diesel in my tractor and have done so for many years. I mostly use Mobile 1 and Penzoil because that's what I find on sale.

Scott T Smith
09-04-2016, 11:16 PM
Check out Lubrication Engineers products. Local race engine builders swear that they produce more HP on their dyno runs, with less wear on the engines, than any other oil (including the synthetics).

I have used it on and off for 40 years and not experienced any engine failures with it.

Art Mann
09-04-2016, 11:19 PM
The only reliable source of information regarding oil changes, or any other maintenance issues for that matter, is the manufacturer. I'll bet hardly anyone on this forum has the slightest idea what kind of research goes into those recommendations. I have worked in the industry and witnessed how these things are determined. Literally millions of dollars are spent establishing reliability and maintenance practices.

On the one hand, changing the oil any more often than what the manufacturer recommends for the specific kind of duty service is just wasting money. The slight increase in longevity will be more than offset by the additional maintenance expense. On the other hand, those who stretch the oil change interval with synthetics past what the specifications require are assuming that breakdown is the only determining factor. In reality, fuel dilution and combustion product contamination are just as important and are the same regardless of lubricant choice.

Jim Becker
09-05-2016, 9:40 AM
It is not just using synthetic oil, but having the right mfr spec on the oil..
This is absolutely true. Mobile 1, for example, is not to spec for my JGC, but Penzoil's synthetic is.

Matt Meiser
09-05-2016, 10:52 AM
I just use the semi-synthetic Motorcraft that Ford specs for our cars and change when the car says to, or maybe a little early if I know we are getting close and time/weather/etc make it more convenient. I do my own, and can probably do it quicker than a round trip to the neares quick lube for 1/3 the price and I'm using a good filter too. In our and my mom's generator I use Mobil 1 as they crank a lot better in COLD weather.

If you read about people who have done analysis on oils the main differences in conventional oils are fairly minor differences in additives and even cheap store brands can be quite good.

In the early 90's the auto parts chain I worked for in high school trained us that mixing brands wasn't good due to possible incompatibilities between chemistry leading to possible issues like foaming. Don't know if that's true anymore (or even back then.)

jack duren
09-05-2016, 11:28 AM
1995 Nissan pickup. Pennzoil. Change every 10,000 miles with WIX filter. Truck has 308,000 on it. Drive 96 miles round trip everyday to work. Still going.

One or another isn't going to matter. Just stick with one or another. Don't mix.

If you didn't start early with synthetic don't change now...

People spend more time worried about oil changes and not transmission fluid changes. Consider both..

Brian Elfert
09-05-2016, 12:15 PM
Many automatic transmissions these days are considered "sealed". The transmission in my Dodge Grand Caravan is a "sealed" transmission, but it still requires a fluid change around 120,000 miles. No drain plug so you have to pull pan to drain the transmission.

Bruce Wrenn
09-05-2016, 10:12 PM
Odd ball in the crowd, but I've used Walmart's synthetic in every thing we own for over seven years. Remember they don't make it, only sell it. Everything includes trucks, SUVs, cars and small engines. Couple years ago, fuel pressure regulator on 94 Ford Areostar (200K plus) puked it's guts, filling crankcase with over a gallon of gasoline in addition to oil. Luckily this was at start up. Replaced regulator, and changed oil twice, one after regulator replacement, and again in one hundred miles. Still shows oil pressure in upper end of normal range, so bearings weren't wiped out. When I had my knees replaced (2013,) grandson helped change oil and spilled some in gravel in driveway. Despite using Awesome on oil in gravel, it's still there three years later. We shoot for half a million miles on our vehicles, so oil life is a big to do for us.

Mac McQuinn
09-09-2016, 7:59 PM
I've run Mobil 1 in my cars for years and Amsoil in my M/C's for many years. My present bike is A/C and I feel a synthetic is important in this application. Engine is a big single which tends to run hot regardless and oil is shared by the gearbox. In the cars, I feel it warms up quicker which for short trips, minimizes acids, sludge, etc. I've disassembled quite a few engines and the ones with synthetic were always cleaner inside. JMO.
Mac

Dennis Peacock
09-10-2016, 12:26 AM
I've been using Amsoil since 1985 and still love using it to this very day.