Need to change low mileage synthetic oil?

[DarkBlack]

86' ford, less than 1k miles per year? That's easy. Change the oil once a year with cheap dino. No worries.

 

[Copperhead]

iI AGREE WITH THIS FELLA. SYNTHETIC IS A WASTE OF MONEY. SYNTHETIC OIL WILL ALSO BRING YOU SOME NICE OIL LEAKS AS WELL. IT FINDS ITS WAY THROUGH SEALS. IF YOU HAVENT HAD THIS HAPPENED TO YOU PERSONALLY. GOOGLE IT.

Really? You need to get out there and let all those commercial semi drivers that are using synthetics about that leaking problem! Especially since they are subject to new CSA regulations. I checked my Detroit Diesel, and I haven't gotten any leaks yet. And the Cummins ISX I had before that didn't have any leaks in almost 900,000 miles when I sold it. And I have run synthetics in transmissions and rears for almost 20 years. And I have averaged 700,000 miles before needing a drive axle seal change. Never had to replace seals in transmissions. And none so far on my New Holland that has been running synthetics for almost 5 years. My Jeep Liberty Diesel has been on synthetics since being factory filled with synthetic. No leaks yet with 104,000 miles on it.

i agree with others here that synthetic is not necessary in the OP's application. But this old wives tale about synthetic causing leaks is just that. It may expose a weak area that would have leaked anyway if it hadn't been plugged with dino oil residue, but it doesn't create leaks.

 

[Tig]

My .02; Keep using syn, get it tested once a year and let us know. Don't change it until it tests bad.
My experience is that the additives "boil" out of dino oil in a few months. The valve train lets me know when we reach this point.
With true syn, (Mobil1 for example) the valve train is still silent a year later, even after a hard run.
On the subject of leaks, the argument seems to be that dino gets gooey enough to plug leaks and syn will clean that goo out. If this is true, is dino really what you want lubricating your engine? But then again, I've been running syn for 10 years and I have never experienced this phenomena.

 

[Soundguy]

But this old wives tale about synthetic causing leaks is just that. It may expose a weak area that would have leaked anyway if it hadn't been plugged with dino oil residue, but it doesn't create leaks.

however.. that in and of itself.. is likely the source of the issue with 'syn causing leaks'

doesn't matter so much 'why' but if it seen doing so.. it is a cause and effect relationship.

just saying...

 

[Copperhead]

however.. that in and of itself.. is likely the source of the issue with 'syn causing leaks'

doesn't matter so much 'why' but if it seen doing so.. it is a cause and effect relationship.

just saying...

Obviously, if there is a condition that would lead to oil leaks, they would happen. But Cigar Face made a blanket statement that is not based in any objective facts, that synthetics will cause oil leaks by working it's way thru seals. He did not say it could lead to leaks by cleaning out residue that may have accumulated on seals. That is an exception and not the rule.

 

[Soundguy]

Obviously, if there is a condition that would lead to oil leaks, they would happen. But Cigar Face made a blanket statement that is not based in any objective facts, that synthetics will cause oil leaks by working it's way thru seals. He did not say it could lead to leaks by cleaning out residue that may have accumulated on seals. That is an exception and not the rule.

true. I don't disagree with that statement.

A good seal will not be made to leak, just by adding syn.. unless of course.. that seal is an older good one that may be incompatible.. like on a vintage engine or something... a stretch.. but I might be able to throw that one out.. but again. exception.. and not the rule as you point out.