Synthetic Oil, Regular Oil, and Switching

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Quick question:

I found 5 quarts of synthetic Castrol on clearance for 10 bucks. There are a couple of jugs of it available. I've always used regular in my vehicle. Could I switch back to regular in the future without issues with wear and/or leakage?

Thanks.

[BroncoDork]

The beauty of synthetic is cold starts. Like 0 degrees F and lower. I like the synthetic gear oil in my differentials, transfer case and trans also. Huge difference getting the truck going on below zero days. Amsoil, baby. Get it.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Had to share this. Too damned funny:

Im changing the oil on my sisters 2007 Toyota highlander, i was under the thing for a good 20 min looking for the oil filter..i swear to god you have to have slant eyes to work on the thing. who ever put the oil filter where it is now should have their nuts nailed to a stump and pushed over backwards..i had to Google it just to find the fucker. and now that i found it idk how the hell im going to get to it...japcrap..screw Toyota buy a Chevy

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_is_t...ota_Highlander

I agree with this.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Yes you can switch back, but I don't know why anyone ever would.

The synthetic does NOT break down with heat and you can safely go 5k between changes, and many go even farther. Not breaking down with heat is a big deal with these new cars, as most have a hot thermostat to help with the emissions.

I have always been that guy that changed every 3k, so this has been hard for me to wait, and I have even changed the synthetic many times at 3k. I still do every spring and fall, as I don't want the corrosives sitting in the oil pan.

You can go to Walmart any day of the week and buy a 5qt. jug of Mobil One for about $25.

Is it truly necessary to change oil every 3000 ? I'm one of those skeptics that think its a scam to make more money for auto shops.

[BroncoDork]

Originally Posted by penguinz

You change your oil way too much. Even the low mileage rated synths you should get 5-6K out of. More important to use a quality filter. Not a FRAM.

Chickenshit that I am I'm gonna replace the engine oil filter every 5000 miles, but keep the Amsoil in for 1 year or 20,000 miles whichever comes first. It's so easy on these new Tacoma V6's to replace the oil filter I figure why not for $5 every 5000 miles.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Is it truly necessary to change oil every 3000 ? I'm one of those skeptics that think its a scam to make more money for auto shops.

It wildly varies depending on the car. The only real reason to change the oil, is because the oil gets dirty. So it depends on how tight your seals are, how much dust and dirt you expose your car to and how much gets into the engine, how clean your engine burns, type of gas, etc. Which is completely different from car to car.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Fish

It wildly varies depending on the car. The only real reason to change the oil, is because the oil gets dirty. So it depends on how tight your seals are, how much dust and dirt you expose your car to and how much gets into the engine, how clean your engine burns, type of gas, etc. Which is completely different from car to car.

It also depends on the type of driving you do. If that 3000 miles is all in town, then I would definitely change it then. For highway driving, 3000 miles is way too soon.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Is it truly necessary to change oil every 3000 ? I'm one of those skeptics that think its a scam to make more money for auto shops.

No it isn't. The 3k rule is outdated. Conventional oils can run 5-7k in some cars. Oil tech has come a long way in the last 20 years.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Is it truly necessary to change oil every 3000 ? I'm one of those skeptics that think its a scam to make more money for auto shops.

Fossil Oil, yes I truly believe it. Especially since the oil filters have gotten so much smaller.
With a lot of people, the season change is a bigger issue with all the corrosives in the oil from the extreme temp change.

[CoMoChief]

All my vehicles have had synthetic oil ran in them and I change my oil every 5000 miles. easy to remember that way.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by KC native

No it isn't. The 3k rule is outdated. Conventional oils can run 5-7k in some cars. Oil tech has come a long way in the last 20 years.

Yes it has, it has gotten worse for fossil oils due to EPA restrictions. The good shit is gone!
Another reason why I won't use anything but synthetic.
In town driving for 3k makes for some nasty looking and smelling oil, I can only imagine what double that would do.

[ShortRoundChief]

Okay since we're on the subject of oil I have some questions myself. Last time I got it changed it was way low due to a leak, however since then it doesn't show that it's been leaking, but it still smells like it's burning oil when I come to a stop.

Any ideas?

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by BroncoDork

Chickenshit that I am I'm gonna replace the engine oil filter every 5000 miles, but keep the Amsoil in for 1 year or 20,000 miles whichever comes first. It's so easy on these new Tacoma V6's to replace the oil filter I figure why not for $5 every 5000 miles.

sounds like typical dumbass logic from a Bronco fan .

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Okay since we're on the subject of oil I have some questions myself. Last time I got it changed it was way low due to a leak, however since then it doesn't show that it's been leaking, but it still smells like it's burning oil when I come to a stop.

Any ideas?

Wear nose plugs.

[R8RFAN]

Todays engines don't need synthetic... Bone oil is fine if you change it regularly...

[Exoter175]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I was almost certain of this, then heard someone say otherwise, wanted to scream bullshit, but figured I'd make absolutely sure.

The back and forth on whether you can go back was always a sales pitch more than anything.

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I think the main issue is (and i am not sure if this is still applicable or not) that Synthetic oil has/had detergents in it, so when used in a high mileage car it would end up cleaning up some of the sludge. When the sludge was cleaned up, it would cause leaks from old worn out seals that the sludge had basically kept from leaking.

Maybe Frosty is right and Detergents have been removed, idk.

That's one part of the equation, break down, true viscosity, clearances, and contaminants come into a bigger issue.

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

Mix a little antifreeze in with it and you'll be fine

Hell no.

Originally Posted by WV

I switched to synthetic hoping for better MPG and it didn't do a thing. Can't say I won't keep using it though.

Never switch motor oils for MPG's, if you did, you are a sucker. Unless you're comparing the difference between a 20 weight and a 50 weight oil, which even then is so miniscule it won't matter; avoid trying to get MPG out of an oil change.

You could inflate your tires 5 more lbs, or switch to a narrower tire, and get better MPG's than an oil change. Better yet, change your air filter, do a tune up, and enjoy great MPG's.

Originally Posted by penguinz

You change your oil way too much. Even the low mileage rated synths you should get 5-6K out of. More important to use a quality filter. Not a FRAM.

I agree with you on the filter part, but there is NOTHING WRONG with changing your oil before it "needs" to be done.

It largely depends on how you drive, the clearances of your motor, and your environment. Not whether or not you can go X miles.

As an example, from KC, did a lot of Drag Racing, Auto-X, and Street Racing. I'd change my oil after every Auto-X, every day at the drag strip, and every 2500 miles in between those if I were out street racing during that month or what have you.

I drive my car hard enough to where I want CLEAN, FRESH oil in my car on the daily. I'm not willing to chance thousands of dollars in repairs on a simple oil change.

Originally Posted by BroncoDork

The beauty of synthetic is cold starts. Like 0 degrees F and lower. I like the synthetic gear oil in my differentials, transfer case and trans also. Huge difference getting the truck going on below zero days. Amsoil, baby. Get it.

That isn't the beauty of synthetic at all. That's the beauty of weight and viscosity that keeps your engine safer on cold starts.

Originally Posted by KC native

No it isn't. The 3k rule is outdated. Conventional oils can run 5-7k in some cars. Oil tech has come a long way in the last 20 years.

You know what hasn't come a long way in 20 years? The way we drive our cars.

A prius driver might get 10K miles in between oil changes doing his "Green" thing. A Mercedes might get 15k because it uses the most scientifically over engineered oil on the planet, with a green conscious driver behind the wheel.

But you give a kid a Mustang for a weekend, and you're changing your oil every 3k miles.

Know why? Its all about how you drive the car and the heat and duty it receives.

I could drive my mustang 5k miles on a synthetic oil and not have an issue.

However, I won't be able to get "into" it and have fun with the car, having the expectation to last 5k miles on a change. Knowing what I know about contaminants in your oil and what it can do, hell no.

I'll stick with every 3k miles, Amsoil, Mobil, or otherwise.

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Okay since we're on the subject of oil I have some questions myself. Last time I got it changed it was way low due to a leak, however since then it doesn't show that it's been leaking, but it still smells like it's burning oil when I come to a stop.

Any ideas?

Its entirely possible that you used a different weight/viscosity and it can no longer seep out. The old oil, however, is probably going to make itself to the back of the motor, closer to the cabin, and drip down onto the pavement, or perhaps in this case, your exhaust manifolds, H pipes, X pipes, or what have you. It doesn't exactly dry up over night, some oil can puddle up indefinitely and just slowly burn off giving you that smell.