180k, would you change to synthetic

[RalphVa]

I had a co-worker in the lube process area whose response to mixing stuff (like synthetic and dino oils) as like putting a tad of excrement into water and declaring it drinkable. You should either stick with a good dino oil and change 3-5k miles or go synthetic and double those change intervals.

Ralph

 

[Charolais]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="red"> </font> likely to cause leaks after that many miles. )</font>

<font color="black"> </font> Not trying to pick on you for this comment but I sure don't agree with it.

Either way this is just more of a good reason to run synthetic oil. You won't have to worry about all that gunk building up on seals,rings and anything else in the engine with a good synthetic oil.

I can only speak for the oil I use and can say with confidence that it doesn't cause anything to leak. Now if you already have a leak it may leak more with synthetic oil because it flows better.

It's comments like that, that have kept a lot of folks from running synthetic oil. If your engine is sound and you have good gaskets and seals it will not cause them to leak.

Now so far as switching an engine over with a lot of miles. The engine should be flushed. I've seen one Ford 351 that was switched at 105,000 miles and wasn't flushed. In about 800 miles the synthetic oil had cleaned all the parts and all the gunk wound up on top of the heads. This plugged the head drain holes and then the oil started going by the valve seals. Needless to say there was a trail of smoke behind this truck at all times. The valve covers were removed and the gunk spooned out and cleaned. Put new valve cover gaskets on and no more smoke. All this came from the type of oil that had been run in the truck for those 105,000 miles.

So if you have a clean engine and want to keep it clean, run synthetic oil in it. Then you don't have to guess is my engine clean or not.

You can run a new engine 25,000 miles on the best non synthetic oil and do a fresh oil change. Then pour in a can of engine flush at operating temp. and it'll turn that brand new oil black in 10 minutes from build up that's in there from running just motor oil. I've seen this many times. It's always the same. "Well I thought my engine was clean". /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'll get off my soap box now. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[cp1969]

I am one of the unhappy synthetic customers whose engines developed leaks after switching to synthetic.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You can run a new engine 25,000 miles on the best non synthetic oil and do a fresh oil change. Then pour in a can of engine flush at operating temp. and it'll turn that brand new oil black in 10 minutes from build up that's in there from running just motor oil. I've seen this many times. It's always the same. "Well I thought my engine was clean". /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)</font>

I challange you to get 25,000 miles in several engines without changing conventional motor oil. Two engines come to mind; a Cadillac Catera or any Chrylser 2.7 liter engine. You will never make it to 25,000 miles without changing your conventional motor oil. One, you will void your warranty (if you have one) and two, you will fill your engine with sludge long before 25,000 miles and it will self destruct due to lack of lubrication.

Do a search on Google on these engines, you'll find plenty of people upset because they are sludged up and blown. There is no single oil brand that sludges more than any other that I've found. However, I'm yet to see one of these people complaining about their sludged and blown 2.7 liter who took care and changed their oil (no matter the brand) on a 3 month or 3000 mile basis.

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My situation is: 93 chevy w 180k on it. Engine runs fine. )</font>
i ain't no oil expert, but after that many miles, why switch? your current oil seems to be doing ok.

 

[Moon]

Good point Frank f15.
The reason I would consider changing is to extend the life of the motor and get a few more HP. I tow our boat up a very steep hill every weekend from Memorial day to Labor day. If synthetic would make it run cooler while adding a few horses I'd be all for it.
However, since this is not a daily driver, I would not be able to extend the OCI (oil change interval). Normally, time would be the gauge I would measure by for when its time to change oil since it takes awhile to put 3k on the truck.
Since there is no sure thing, I'll probably just keep using dino. I have never changed the transmission fluid in this truck. A couple of years ago i asked my mechanic to change it and he advised against it. Said it could cause me more problems by loosening up the crud that has collected in the corners of the tranny over the years. I double checked with a transmission dude we boat with and he concurred.

Thanks all;
Moon of Ohio

 

[JJT]

Synthetic oil alone isn't going to give you any more horsepower.

Personally I'd switch, I'm a convert. For 20+ years I used dino and 3000 mile oil changes. Based on oil analysis I've doubled my oil change intervals and picked up some gas mileage by using the synthetic. For me it's cheaper than the dino oil.

 

[Hambone]

Here are some interesting articles. I was browsing for a new camshaft for my hotrod and came across these. Some interesting stuff on synthetic oils.

Camshaft company

Oil FAQ

 

[Moon]

Good find Hambone! Thanks.

JJT - less friction should create some addtional hp. Not sure it would be noticed, but it should be there.

In my new vehicle my MPG went up (1/2 mpg).

Moon of Ohio

 

[gsxr1100]

As much as I am pro-synthetic, since you are doing normal drains with over 150K miles, I do not see any advantage to swtiching; unless you plan on keeping the truck till about the year 2023.

It is up to you but the short drains are killing you wallet I feel.

Oh, in the last 10 years of using Amsoil I have never ever seen any improvment in MPG. The only benefits are better oil protection over longer drains; hence, better OAI results. To me the better protection and more time with fmaily is worth the money.