100K, safe to switch to Synthetic?

Join and read. Awesome site. It will take away many fears, wive's tales and superstitious people have about oil

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

 

Oh....and just to send some people into a tizzy. Walmart brand SuperTech oil scores quite high on oil analysis checks

 

Believe it or not my cheap lawn mower came with a recommended oil chart just like that one. My neighbor told me his new mower's manual says to never change the oil, I find that hard to believe with as much metal was in the first oil change for every small engine I've ever owned.

 

Both my pressure washer and lawn mower (Briggs engines) call for 5w-30 synthetic and officially no changes. But it's a 5 minute job....so I do

 

Just bought a generator for 3-4 day events and it calls for first change at 20 hours, and every 50 hours after that. First event took 66 hours, so I missed that first change but will change oil tomorrow, and it looks like i'll change it after every event, maybe 5-6 times a year. 1 quart.

I also work with a Hotsy pressure washer that has a pump that hasn't had an oil change in years. Turns out they want the pump oil to be changed every 3 months. 10w-40 with special additives. I'm thinking once a year will do.

 

I've always got M1 5w-30 sitting around for the Taco. I just use that. Doesn't take much. 15 ounces for the mower, 20 ounces for the pressure washer

 

I'm assuming that's only the engine oil for the pressure washer? The Hotsy has an electric motor, and the oil is only for the water pump.

 

Yes....Briggs 8.5 horse.

 

Here is the pump case for the Hotsy, the oil cap is the blue cap. Curious if your pressure washer has a similar pump.

 

Not sure. I'll have to check and see sometime

 

Back on topic: OP, you can switch to synthetic if you like. You shouldn't have problems.

Some people will give you crap for going synthetic because ""grrr science says you don't need to." Some people will say you don't need to change it every 5k with synthetic because "grrrr that's stupid you're throwing away money." In reality a 5 qt jug of Mobil 1 is $25, so $5 a quart. Dino oil is $3.50 to $4 a quart. $5 difference, big whoop.

 

^ That

Back in the day there use to be a big price difference, but not any more.

 

Ther isn't a lot of reason to not run synthetic these days. If the price is an issue then then should probably spend less time on your phone! Maybe get a flip phone, save some money there LOL..

 

I have a generac generator that is running the original oil from the factory. It's well over 10 years old now. I'm scared to change it at this point. We are talking hundreds of hours of use over the years. Probably pushing into the thousands.

 

Uh oh now you did it...you just freaked out a lot of people with that statement. That's blasphemy on an oil thread! How dare you simplify things like that!

 

I buy my oil/filters from Meijer because they have a good selection of M1 products and they always got specials on them.... $2-3 off per jug or buy a jug get the filter half off.

But I ran SuperTech HM 10w-40 in my old Mazda B2000. I also currently run ST HM is both of my father in law's vehicles....'04 Sienna and an '03 Dakota.

 

So wait, you're telling me that all the money I spend on Royal Purple is just a waste of money and the warm fuzzy I get from using it is just me own foolishness and gullibility!?!?

Sir, you can go fuck yourself.

/s

(For those that are unfamiliar that means Just Kidding, waiting to be reported.....)

 

Here's the thing. Oil use is a lot like religion. Everyone has their reasons for what they believe in. And we'll even argue and get upset about it.

But the reality is....there's not huge amounts of difference these days when it comes to modern oils....conventional or synthetic. With the exception of very long extended intervals and exteme heavy duty situations...it really doesn't much matter what you use. The proper viscosity is the most important thing.

But, in the end, use the brand/type that makes YOU feel better. But like religion....just don't try to sell other people on it.

 

Completely agree, if I had a Walmart closer to me I would just get Supertech, but Autozone is closer to me.

 

I keep taking a pledge to stay out of oil threads, but like that pledge to stop drinking so much beer it only lasts so long...