Would synthetic oil benefit me?

[hrcarver]

I was just wondering what the consensus is. It would be worth it to me I could go 5k with synthetic oil between changes instead of the 3-3500 I have been doing with conventional oil.

Is that safe? I drive my truck. Off road miles, dust, heavy towing (for a gas pickup) for a few k a year, most of my trips are a couple miles.

Does it even matter?:confused2:

 

[clemsonfor]

I was just wondering what the consensus is. It would be worth it to me I could go 5k with synthetic oil between changes instead of the 3-3500 I have been doing with conventional oil.

Is that safe? I drive my truck. Off road miles, dust, heavy towing (for a gas pickup) for a few k a year, most of my trips are a couple miles.

Does it even matter?:confused2:

Most syns actually can go 12K easily , if you trully do a lot of offroading id go 6k. By a lot i mean like say 1K of that 6k offroad or on construction jobs where its dusty.

My wife 01 highlander says to go for normal driving like 6000 or 7500 miles between oil changes with conventional oil. I switched to mobil 1 and changed it every 6 K but now am going to go more like 10-12K to save money and the oil is still just a little dark amber at 6 K. Use a premium filter with these extended oil drains and also you may want to consider a new filter half way through the oil change, just to make sure its still nice n clean and open passages.

Your prolly going to get the amsoil crazies telling you with IOA or whatever (like instant oil analysis or something) you can test your oil and go 35K-40K or something crazy. Im sorry oil is not that **** expensive yet no matter what the oil analysis says. You cant get the unburned fuel and moisture out unless you change it!

 

[hrcarver]

Thanks. I am a turf farmer and food plot manager, so lots of dirt roads on my end. I'd be happy if I could get 5k on the same filter.

 

[clemsonfor]

I think i have been to your website before. I found it from a post here i think. Im a deer hunter so the foodplot part peeked my interest.

 

[bp fick]

I still maintain the oil/filters on my own vehicles, but at my age, while I still enjoy it, I don't enjoy doing it every 2500-3500 miles anymore. It's too much and creates too much waste oil to haul off. Plus, I don't believe engines require it as frequently and the manufacturers agree and have lengthened their change intervals. The science has gotten far better and it is, frankly, a waste to do it as often as I once did.

By using a high quality filter, and top notch oil (without getting into this or that) and yes, consider the various synthetic oils, I now only have to crawl under them twice a year. 7000 miles X 2 changes = 14000 miles a year.

So, spring and fall. That's it. When, one day, our driving decreases to 8000 miles a year? Once a year. Not bad.

 

[Transit]

Install a cyclone air filter. Intake air will transport a lot of fine dust into the engine.
Here is one. Sy-Klone International:

 

[kenmac]

If your in a dusty enviroment & use cheap air filtration system. No matter what oil you use. It will be trashed

 

[HiTechTed]

how does dust get in the oil? If an engine is entirely sealed, the main way dust can get in would be through the air intake. What makes it past the filter would be both tiny and low in quantity. Then it would go through an explosion and then be propelled out the exhaust. I think "dirt in the oil" is a myth or at the very least, nothing for 99.99% of the population to worry about. It just seems like it would be nearly impossible for air that enters the intake to ever make it into the oil given what it would have to go through to get there...

 

[Toyboy]

I've been using Mobil 1 for 20 years and change between 9k and 12k. I'll replace the filter every 3k to 3,500k and add make up oil.

 

[kenmac]

run a low quality air filter or have leaks where dust can get into the engine. Then, have a UOA ( oil test performed) You will see that dust ,etc makes it to the oil

 

[HiTechTed]

run a low quality air filter or have leaks where dust can get into the engine. Then, have a UOA ( oil test performed) You will see that dust ,etc makes it to the oil

I'm not trying to derail anything here, but if there is a leak then oil would be coming out of that leak. How is dust getting past that? If there were a large enough separation between parts or a hole in the block, the engine isn't going to be running anyway. And how does the dust that gets past an air filter survive the explosion and ejection through the exhaust, then make it past all the piston rings? Even if a particle survived one cycle, it still would have to make it past the rings. I'd say that any quantity measured in an oil test would be so negligible that it wouldn't make one bit of difference anyway.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I wont enter the argument over where the dirt goes thru the air intake filter thru the pistons and into the oil, but I will say this, I would bet that more dirt gets into the oil pan from pulling the dipstick frequently to check the level or removing the oil filler cap than comes thru the pistons via air intake.
I once knew a guy that checked his oil on his brand new Chevy every time he drove it (daily) and I am sure that any oil consumption shown was from his wiping the dip stick off everytime and reinserting it which likely passed dirt particles directly into the crankcase. Once you know your engine a bit, daily checking is not normal from my point of view especially if you only ran it for 10 miles or .5 hour. Now if you see a drip spot at your parking area, then that is another issue that needs investigation.

 

[dmccarty]

I was just wondering what the consensus is. It would be worth it to me I could go 5k with synthetic oil between changes instead of the 3-3500 I have been doing with conventional oil.

Is that safe? I drive my truck. Off road miles, dust, heavy towing (for a gas pickup) for a few k a year, most of my trips are a couple miles.

Does it even matter?:confused2:

Trips only a couple of miles makes things interesting.

I have been using Shell 5Wx40 and now JD 0Wx40 oil for years in my truck and tractor along with UOA. I drive 72ish miles a day that is mostly rural, 55mph driving. Very little stop and go.

The last UOA was 12K-13K and the oil was still in great shape. I should have called the lab because the TBN was at 12 which is very high.

Years ago my route was slightly different and I would get stuck in heavy stop and go traffic for 15-30 minutes a day. It was a small bit of time and mileage on the oil but that little bit of stop and go was a problem. UOA showed fuel in the oil. Not a bad amount but enough that you could not put 10-12K on the oil. My tractor oil was showing the fuel as well. I very seldom run at PTO speeds unless mowing. I was simply not running at a high enough RPM on the tractor, 1500-1600ish, so I pushed it up to 1800ish and the fuel in the oil went away.

Without UOA on the oil you would just be making guesses regarding when to change the oil. Driving short trips would worry me regarding fuel in the oil. The off road trips could as well depending on RPM. UOA would tell you for sure. I use Blackstone Oil Labs for years and have no complaints. Years ago there was a review of UOA labs and Blackstone was the best.

Later,
Dan

 

[Jay4200]

I was just wondering what the consensus is. It would be worth it to me I could go 5k with synthetic oil between changes instead of the 3-3500 I have been doing with conventional oil.

Is that safe? I drive my truck. Off road miles, dust, heavy towing (for a gas pickup) for a few k a year, most of my trips are a couple miles.

Does it even matter?:confused2:

While synthetics retain viscosity longer, they hold dirt just the same. Extended time between changes just makes the oil that much dirtier. Honestly, if you are changing oil at 3-5k, you are better off running conventional oils and not wasting your money on synthetics.

JayC

 

[ray66v]

If you compare the test specifications, the only difference anymore is synthetic oil handles very high, and very low temperatures better. That, and synthetic oil is capable of lasting longer.

If you don't need to operate in extreme temperatures, or desire to run long change intervals, you will not benefit from using synthetic oil.

5k mile changes with mineral oil, is ideal for most people.

 

[kenmac]

I'm not trying to derail anything here, but if there is a leak then oil would be coming out of that leak. How is dust getting past that? If there were a large enough separation between parts or a hole in the block, the engine isn't going to be running anyway. And how does the dust that gets past an air filter survive the explosion and ejection through the exhaust, then make it past all the piston rings? Even if a particle survived one cycle, it still would have to make it past the rings. I'd say that any quantity measured in an oil test would be so negligible that it wouldn't make one bit of difference anyway.

All I will say is, Run your vehicle without or a low quality air filter . then, send in an oil sample for test. The dirt/dust will show up

 

[clemsonfor]

All I will say is, Run your vehicle without or a low quality air filter . then, send in an oil sample for test. The dirt/dust will show up

What about a good wix filter or bosh, or purolator, or fram (just kidding i know how so many of folks think fram is junk), will you still see the dirt?

 

[kenmac]

What about a good wix filter or bosh, or purolator, or fram (just kidding i know how so many of folks think fram is junk), will you still see the dirt?

The 1 with the lowest micron rating:thumbsup:

 

[PoorMansCat]

5-7.5K is fine for dino carcasses. Just use a quality engine oil and filter.

 

[LD1]

I agree with the general consensus here.

Technology has improved oil BIGTIME. A good synthetic and a high quality filter and you can easially go 8-10k+.

But to elaborate on a few things mentioned. When people say a quality oil filter, they arent refering to a "ph" fram or STP either.

I know there are more but I'll name a few of the "quality" filters IMO

Napa GOLD, WIX, Purolater, "xg" series fram, K&N

These are some examples of quality filters but expect to pay ~$10 each, not $2-$3.

Also, if you extend your interval, be sure and check the oil often until you get to "know" your engine and how much oil it burns.

All engines burn oil. And according to most manufactures, 1 quart burned ever 1000 miles is still an acceptable level before an overhaul/rebuild is required. So if you never check your oil, you may be burning a quart or more every 3000 miles. But you may never know if you are always changing it @ 3000mi and only a quart low. But now if you push it to 5-6k miles, you are now going to be 2 qts low. You get the idea.

My saturn gets oil changes ever 10k. It burns about 1/2 qt every 1500-2000miles, which isnt bad. And if I did oil changes @ 3k, would be no big deal. But since it only holds 4qts, if I never checked it, it would be bone dry well before my next change.

Also, my personal filter of choice is the fram "XG" series. Fram got a bad rap, but the XG's are top notch. Good synthetic media, etc.