Time for synthetic? 243,000...

It's it's gone 243k with conventional oil why change now??

Last thing you want to do is change out the oil to something different and start having deposits and crap come loose and plug things up.

 

I don't see that as an issue but what I do see is is wasting money on some thing that will make on difference, the engine is designed to use standard common oil it has proven it's self to work fine so frankly it's a complete waste of money for no gain what so ever. I'm still waiting for some one to prove to me that Syn oil is really the cat's ass.

 

You'll never hear me say a bad thing about Mobil 1 full synthetic. I'm a mechanic at a fleet of over 170 vehicles, it's all we run. Change intervals vary from 6k-12k depending on results from oil samples. I run my Tacoma at 10k intervals based upon oil samples I have ran.

But then again if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

My experience is that as long as you change your oil on a regular basis, doesn't really matter which is used. I have used synthetic oil on an older motor and developed a leak. Not that the leak wasn't there before, it's just that synthetic has better detergents and most likely a smaller molecular structure to seep into those seals that were not leaking before with conventional oil.

 

I hear you and that type of driving is probably the best for longevity. Long intervals in some thing like a fleet will save money, for the average person not so much. At $10+ more than plain oil the benefits are just not there. There are those that drain syn. oil at 5K because it makes there engines "feel" better that is a total waste of money at low mileage like that the syn oil has not had a chance to do what it was intended to do. The other side of the coin is general maintenance if a requirement is to check levels and grease fittings they will be skipped for 5K while the oil stays in the vehicle. In the dozens of vehicles I have owned in 55 years of driving only one got syn oil and that was a VW diesel it was a requirement for the 1.9 engine to suspend the by products of diesel combustion during the 10K changes. I have never lost an engine in any vehicle I have owned and on average they have all had at least 200 grand on them and many in excess of 300. This is a debate that can go on for ever in most cases the average person does not keep a vehicle long enough to make any discernable difference in what ever their choice of oil is. Changing oil types at 240K makes no sense it’s pretty obvious that the plain old oil worked just fine other wise he would be walking. The last engine I had to deal with before I retired was a 16 cylinder 4 turbo 2200 HP Cat it held 150 gallons of plain old diesel engine oil it only got changed when the chemistry said so like twice in 15 years.

 

I can't find the link out there, but a fleet of taxis did a multi-year test on engine oils. Synthetic, syn-blends, and conventionals. The long and short of it is that any name brand oil is fine, and just watch your OCIs...to a degree. You don't have to get psychotic about changing oil (test a sample to see how far you can go).

What they did find is the most internal wear occurred on engines where the oil brand was not consistent, leading to the conclusion that an engine may "get used to" additive packs. Don't switch often between oils that, say, use calcium vs an oil that uses molybdenum for anti wear purposes. (I may have that wrong... not sure if calcium is for anti wear, but you get the idea.)

 

Your results vary I have never been brand particular what ever is on sale as long as they meet API spec. in it goes. I can't tell you what the inside looks like because I have never had to take them apart.

 

I vote stay with conventional. It's just like some of those engine cleaners, you may remove deposits that have been keeping things from leaking and will now cause it to start to leak. I cleaned my Camry engine with Seafoam and it clogged up the oil return holes in the pistons prompting a rebuild!

 

switched to full synthetic at 143,000, got 303,000 on her now, glad I made the switch...