Why synthetic?

Now is the time to switch! Synthetic (mobil 1) will run good in your truck. You will notice a big difference in the sounds that come from your engine on cold starts this winter.

 

Ok...you guys got me thinking. I've never used synthethic but it sounds like pretty good stuff. Is 15,000 miles too late to make the change. Would you use semi synthethic first before going to full synthethic with that many miles?

 

no 15,000 miles isnt to late, and ya i would prolly do a semi synthetic for a oil change or 2 then go on to a full synthetic

 

Well done. I just performed my first oil change at 8000 kms on my new truck and used Mobil1 full synthetic for the reasons stated above. I also feel that under extreme cold conditions synthetic retains it's viscosity more consistantly than conventional particularily on startup which is where some of the most nasty engine wear occurs.

 

I'm at 85k, have always used conventional oil. Should I switch to synthetic or high mileage or keep on using the same stuff? Also any downside to the walmart brand synthetic? Plus what about 0w-20 in an 05 taco?

 

0w-20 would not be a good idea. Your manual is going to advise a 10w-30. So, you should have that number range in whatever oil you buy. IE: 0w-30 is fine, so is 10w-40. Both contain the range requested by your manufacturer. 0w-20 is not going to provide you with the high temperature protection you want.

What your manufacturer is telling you is that you need an oil that will handle everything a weight 10 up to a weight 30 oil can handle. That's a matter of the heat range at which the oil has the right viscosity. Trimming on either side of that range is not a good idea.

Walmart sells mobil1, which is good oil.

 

I switched my moms Acura RL with 150K+ miles on it to synthetic. Straight over no half breed in the middle. And it doesnt burn oil, doesnt leak. Nothing. All the rumors are just that.. rumors.

 

Switched over at 60k miles. Runs perfect.

 

Is it ok to switch to synthetic after 140,000 miles? I heard it may make the engine start using oil if you have only run regular oil.

 

Its fine. I switched at 156k and don't burn a drop over my 5k mile oil change intervals.

 

I'm around 30,000 miles in my 06 and I've been doing roughly 5000 mile oil changes so if I switch to synthetic how often should I change it, what weight should I use and what brands would you guys recommend?

 

synthetic oil, I use mobile 1 and have in all of my vehicals here is why
-your vehical will start regardless of the temperature outside (even when you forget to plug it in)
-it has been proven to better lubricate by penitrating deeper into your internals
-cleans better
-extends oil life (however I do change filters inbetween oil changes most of the time

 

Any name brand oil in the recommended weight for your engine will do, I personally use Pennzoil Platinum. If you want to extend the oil change intervals past 5k I would get an oil analysis done at 5k to see what kind of life the oil still has. There are people who go 15k on amsoil.

 

We bought a 50HP centrifugal air comp in 1987. Paid $800.00 extra for synthetic oil since the manufacturer then gave a 5 year replacement warranty instead of 6 months with regular oil. Figuring manufacturers go on a lot of numbers, for a new 93 Ranger we used synthetic. It just got broken up for parts with nearly 400,000 mi on the clock and no engine work. A 98 Ranger now has over 200,000 mi. We change oil every 10,000 mi whether it needs it or not. Just got the Taco, and looked here to find out why it didn't come with synthetic. Remember the old Chevy with noisy sticking valve lifters and the trick to throw in a quart of transmission fluid for a hundred miles before an oil change to free them up? Transmission fluid is synthetic oil and that's what it does for you full time.

 

I switched at 25000 miles yesterday 5w-20 Valvoline Synthetic....let's see how she rolls

 

I thought about swithching but I heard that if my truck had leaks that the leaks would get worse??? Just a rumor?

Its got 122K miles

 

I know about that trick but I thought there were cleaning elements in trans oil that did the deed. Completely wrong ?

 

Using oil may not be as bad as it sounds as long as it isn't making smoke, it means the oil is getting places it didn't get before and that may include places not receiving enough lubrication. The classic case was the early 60's Ford Falcon. The oil seals on the valve stems were so good the valve guides got no oil. That engine occasionally dropped a valve into the cylinder. The fix was seals that leaked a bit, when you rebuilt the engine, if there was anything left worth fixing.

 

So long story short, switch to synthetic after 30,000 miles. My tacoma has 32000 and conventional has been used the whole time. Getting oil done this week, going for the synthetic after reading through all the BS ha ha.