Conventional Or Synthetic Oil Question

Phantom, I use Mobil 1 Synthetic and ususally go between 4 and 5 grand between changes. I have let it go in another vehicle much longer as I was away for military duty and my wife drove it occaisionally. It's easy to get at Wally world and doesn't break the bank. it will hold up fine for your purposes.

 

Just changed my oil yesterday for the first time, went with Mobil 1 and Wix. You absolutely cannot go wrong with synthetic oil. I will take the peace of mind and the extra cost every time. When the zombies come, you'll be glad you won't have to stop to change your oil as frequently.

 

What I've been told about oil change interval is this -

If you do a lot of short trips (cold start up, drive 10 miles, shut off for hours), definitely want to change the oil / filter at 3k intervals? Why?

>> cold starts are the 'worst time' for a motor. All the oil is at the bottom of the oil pan/motor, you start up and the upper engine parts (i.e. camshafts) are contacting with no oil flowing for some seconds.

If I did mostly long trips, I'd probably stick with 5k oil/filter changes.

...

and if you think car oils are expensive, check out motorcycle oils ... $9.99 / liter (~quart) for decent quality synthetic blend (i.e. Spectro Golden 10W-40).

 

Talked to the owner of an independent HD repair shop when I lived in TX. One of his customers had a 600k mile TC88 HD. It had a top end @ 100k with the bottom end never being touched. This was on dino oil, the mech was pretty down on the HD Syn 3 as he stated the HD big twin was originally designed to run on dino. The chemical properties of syn ate up the alternator windings and tensioners.

I'm not saying syn is bad, but modern dino oil that is changed when it is time is not a problem either...

Bill

 

600k, as in 600,000 miles? Is this customer an Iron Butt member? If the TC88 came out in 1999, 600K a year would put him at around 66,000 miles a year for the first year of that engine, give or take. I'm moving back to Texas, their riding season is phenomenal! That has got to be a record, you don't even see BMW's with that mileage. I don't anyway...

Good for him.

 

With only 35K miles - you shouldn't have leakage problems. However - synthetic oils tend to penetrate further/better than conventional oils. So - you might see some seeping in areas you didn't have before. I put Mobile 1 in my 96 tacoma when it had 60K miles....and it seeped at the oil pan seal. I attempted to tighten it up but it still seeped. I actually lost 1/2 qt oil every 4K miles to. Synthetics also act as cleansers....it'll help remove sludge rather than allowing it to buildup. Sometimes with higher mileage engines - after using synthetics for some time, you'll get some extra rattles/lifter taps, etc.

My Jeep has a lifter tap at startup but goes away after it warms up. I change the oil in the jeep once a year.....(always use mobile 1) as I'm lucky if I drive it 2,000 miles per year.

I personally change my oil at regular intervals as recommended especially if the oil is 'dark' (on my daily driver). Synthetic oils get dirty (dark) from the cleansing (not from breaking down). I changed my tacoma over to Mobile 1 at 2900 miles and I haven't changed it yet (6200miles). I'm curious to see how dark it gets. Most 6 cyl & 8cyl engine's I've had over the years...the oil always got dark. The 4cylinder's I've owned never got dark.

 

I plan on using Castrol full synthetic and Wix filter. I run Castrol R4 in my streetbike and its a little noisier than with the dino oil, but I haven't had any problems with it. I beat the snot out of it at the strip and on the dyno with the nitrous.

When we bought my wifes BMW 3 series brand new it didn't need the first oil change until 14,500. The next change was at 36k. I don't know if they are trying to get more money out of the consumers by killing the car before 100k due to insufficient oil changes or if its legit. BMW uses full synthetic right from the start.

 

He lived far north of Houston and worked on the S side, a good 75-100mi's each way. The owner of the indy shop has serviced the bike for most of it's life. He said the rear belt snapped @ over 500k when the owner was doing wheelies in front of the shop. BTW, I lived off of 120th near Colorado Blvd back in the 90's, we had a Brighton address, but were closer to Thornton.
Now back to Toyota's!

 

I'll have to stay with the GTX 5-30 dyno. If I'm going to change oil and filter every 4 to 5000 with either anyway I'm not spending the $'s on the syn. I do run synthetic on the Harley but it is a air cooked engine.