JimBinMI - Synthetic oil discussions have a very strange effect on people who consider themselves knowledegable in lubricants and equipment. It almost becomes a religious "believers vs. non-believers" situation. If I show my numbers to someone who likes synthetics already or is "looking" or maybe just very open-minded, they're impressed. If I show them to a "non-believer", they clearly think I'm making them up, though they're usually too polite to come out and say it. They just smile and say it's interesting or whatever. But they always seem to be a little skeptical about what I say from then on. So I rarely show comparative numbers to anyone anymore, until it's clear that they're open-minded about it. I could have, for instance, posted the difference between my gph numbers on my tractor before and after switching to synthetics (it's not much, numbers-wise, but when you're dealing with numbers less than one to start with, you have to look at percentages), but it wouldn't accomplish anything. The "believers" would say "Wow!" and the "non-believers" would point out that I don't have enough data, baby the tractor more consciously or subconsciously to get the results I want, have some sort of mind-over-matter ability to help the tractor along, deliberately don't report all the fuel I put in it, on or about that date the earth's gravitational field developed an abberation that created a pushing effect for HST tractors in VA, or something.
Whatever.
If someone wants to know, I'll tell them what I've experienced. If they don't, so be it. But the expression "you never miss what you never had" is nowhere more true than it is here.
But while I'm ranting, a big peeve of mine is how many people unequivocally spew all kinds of facts about things they know nothing about. I mean, would you let somebody who's never eaten brocolli influence your view of what it tastes like? Yet everybody and his brother who falls into the "I don't like synthetics" camp spews all kinds of "facts" and the bottom line is they portray themselves as experts and don't know anything about the subject. (I'm not talking about any of the regulars on this forum, either. Pretty much all of them have shown themselves to be tolerant and moderate, whether "believers" or "non-believers".) (That's one reason I was so interested in Trvler's remarks. At least he'd made an attempt to study the issue scientifically. And he's the only one who's ever done so, that I know of, who came to the conclusion he did. That makes his situation unique, and therefore, very interesting, to me. I wish I could convince him to try it again with Amsoil, but I don't like trying to play with other people's money.) That's also one reason I make it a point never to denigrate other brands (except NH, to pick on you /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif) in a general sense. I know I love my Kubota but, while I've heavily researched all compact tractors in the sizes I'm interested in (BIG), and continue to do so, and am very confident I made the best decision for me, the fact remains that I've never owned a JD or NH, so I don't know that I wouldn't like one if I owned it. I don't think they're as good a tractor for me, but I don't know it. I have, however, tried many different petroleum oils, and only one synthetic, and I know Amsoil has worked very well for me. And I can prove it to anyone who's listening. Is it worth difference? Everybody has to decide that for themselves. And it really, really doesn't matter to me what they decide. What matters is that they decide based on facts, not errant dis-information touted by folks who can't know what they're talking about. I like the old Irish (I think?) saying: "Dinna meddle wi' things ya kin nuthin' aboot!"
Um, I think I'm about wound down now. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Mark
