I'm 73 years old and have used vehicles for hauling loads, drag raced, raced gocarts, farm tractors. I have used Castrol in everything that burns gas,Rotella in the deisels. The miles between oil changes depend more on how a vehicle is used. A vehicle driven 25 miles or more on start up can go with longer oil changes than a car that is driven 5 miles on start up, reason contamination, oil does no't wear out in gets contaminated, driving farther at start up evaperates moisture from the crank case. If a manufactor recomends syn I would probably use it.I have never had an engine to blow up. Pretty cans and fancy words cost you money.
Ronnie Vaught Or if you like me on a place where it heats up to 110 F and there's 100% humidity and dust, you are better off with Synthetic or anything Mobil or Castrol
Porsche tested the difference between conventional and synthetics 25 years ago and determined (among other benefits) that cam shaft chains stretched less with synthetics than with conventional oils. Following this, they began recommending synthetics in their cars.
I live in Canada and use synthetic oil in my car because of the big temperature difference between winter and summer (I guess that it could be sort of like extreme temperature conditions. It could be 35 celcius during the summer and -35 celcius during the winter.). Synthetic oil is suppose to cause less ware on the engine and circulate through the engine faster compared to mineral oil.
It's not a huge can of worms, it's clear. Synthetic oil is better in every way. It lasts longer, it goes 2x longer between changes, but it costs 2x more. If you want fewer oil changes and a longer-lasting engine, get synthetic. Not a valid comparison to higher octane gas because it's not any better if the engine isn't programmed/designed for it. Synthetic is always better.
TheArfdog synthetic is not 2x as expensive. It’s marketing bs. Amsoil and maybe 2 other manufacturers are the only ones making 100% group 4 synthetic oil
I don't know why people keep saying synthetic oils are so expensive, because they simply are not. On 11/1/2014 i bought a 5 quart jug of Pennzoil Platinum Full synthetic oil for $22.97 at Wal-Mart; which is only a few dollars more exspensive than the CHEAPEST 5 quart jug conventional oil sold at Wal-mart. Also, Wal-Marts' brand of Full-synthetic oil "Motor-tech" was only $17.97. Personally i wouldn't use that brand, but you can get Full-Synthetic oil with out paying an arm and a leg.
The reason people say Synthetic oil is expensive is because what you are buying isn't synthetic at all. Full synthetic is petroleum oil. 100% synthetic is PAO oil at over $20/qt.
Fairly important. In older vehicles you wold get detonation (knocking and pinging) that would cause excessive wear and possible failure of the motor. In modern vehicles the engine computer will back off the timing and prevent this detonation however the engine will not be running as it was intended to and this will cause a loss in power and efficiency.
First off yes, it is a better grade of oil when comparing it to conventional oil. However, that is not the problem. The real problem exist from the fact that no matter what type of oil you use, it becomes a problem because of contamination. Contamination occurs when hydrocarbons, exhaust gases, and unburned fuel enter the crankcase as a result from these harmful gases slipping by the rings. In a newer car, not so bad. But when an older car becomes older and more worn, this is when it becomes a factor in a shorter period of time. When contamination occurs, that is when the oil should be changed. The chemical change that takes place when and how a vehicle is used in relation to how many miles it has mainly decides when the oil should be changed.
That's all true. But the one big difference is that conventional oil has additives to make it multi-grade (say 10w-30 as opposed to a straight 30) while a synthetic simply is multi-grade by design. If synthetic is used too long, it simply gets contaminated. But if conventional is used too long, the grade additives break down and stop working, essentially leaving you with a single grade oil that is also contaminated. If there was some way to clean the oil and put it back in the car, you theoretically could use the same synthetic forever. But conventional outright has a limited life regardless of how clean it is.
I was a person who thought synthetic was a waste of money until I tried it. My 96 Tahoe had 185,000 miles and a cold start knock. I don't remember which synthetic i use 1st but i notice the knock went away. I thought it maybe n my head so i went back to conventional oil my next oil change. The knock came back a few days later. My truck now have 302,000 miles and the knock came back but is lighter than before.
Nice job guys! May I interject an idea here. First, I use synthetic, baby my car, and do all the work on it myself. My car is known for high reliability, but is on the lower end of the expensive electronic equipment equipment. With the ever increasing costs of vehicles, people should consider running their reliable cars a lot longer. Granted, you won't have the latest technology nor the best looking women chasing you, but you just might have some money to retire on! 500k miles, here I come!
+sploofmonkey True synthetic oils are engineered in a lab to do a specific job and are not taken from refined crude oil. They most certainty out perform conventional oil hands down in all aspect, other then cost. There is no real good reason to still be using conventional motor oils. It is like running a lead acid battery in a laptop, you could do it but why would you.
***** I am not talking about the "Synthetic" named oil that is marketed as a such, category 4 oils are crap... they are basically filtered petroleum oil, that was once crude oil. The Synthetic oil I am talking about are category 5 oils. Ones that are lab made like AMSOIL, MOTUL are examples of category 5 oils. They can come from natural gas, ester, or other sources. I understand that the synthetic name is misused in the sense that some companies take a normal oil and filter it to the point that there is no waxes and or contaminates in the oil (well there is but at such a low level there might as well be none) Then they throw some additives in it and call it a synthetic. Those are a waste of money. FYI I have done a study and thesis on oil for a paper during my masters program, so I am not some uneducated naysayer.
+Rex Holes But I wonder, if two oils are rated 10W-30 and one is synthetic and one is conventional, don't they have the same pour properties at cold temp and at 100 deg C operating temp? Like, don't they have identical pour ratings and therefore would pour identically?
+sploofmonkey No, when they refer to the oil being "cold" that doesn't mean what we normally think as cold. Normal operating temperature in an engine is 300+ degrees F, and it's at that temperature that the oil is at the correct viscosity. Even on a warm day at 80 or 90 degrees, the oil is much thicker than at operating temperature. So it still needs to warm up before it can flow through the engine. A heater wouldn't help.
Didnt detail WHY. Another reason why to use synthetic (under harsh conditions) is to avoid sludge buildup that can happen from oil breaking down. Sludge build up could create hot spots in the engine and could lead to engine ping in the sort of pre-ignition. Also coat better for cold starts. Synthetics are better, but i think a good question might be how long are you going to run that vehicle for before getting rid of it? Would you care how long it runs perfect for the next guy? I guess i do.
I have a 2008 dodge caliber SRT-4...Being turbocharged and high performance I only use Mobil 1 0w40 full synthetic. It does very well with my internals and keeps turbo temps in line as well.
It comes down to what you doing with the car and its environment. If your car is a straight cruising daily driver I'd go regular oil. But if that daily driver sees traffic jams every morning if go synthetic. Then of course if its a sports car or work truck I'd go synthetic. You can make up for the added cost of synthetic with a longer change interval assuming a good filter is used.
Here's one for you guys, you mentioned it somewhat in the video. What is your opinion about factory service intervals? 15 years ago, a lot of cars had a "standard" interval of 7500 miles but a lot of people changed their oil sooner. As oil and car tech had advanced, oil change intervals have gone up over 20k with syn. Opinions are all over the place but what do you think?
being a mechanic I have been using synthetic oil in my family car for a long time and have noted better fuel economy and a smoother running engine. Where as in my run around work vehicle it gets Semi Synthetic and never has issues at all and all my servicing of vehicles get the same with some folks doing some big miles. It comes down to regular oil and filter changes for thats what keeps your car running properly for years without a problem. If you neglect oil changes there is trouble.
For $55.00 I get my Jeep GC oil changed with Mobil One full synthetic and new filter. I also get the tires rotated and a full inspection of the car. The regular stuff brakes exhaust tires all the fluids leaks of the shocks and struts. I do it twice a year. I drive about 9,000 miles a year.
I can post 2 critical area's about synthetics. One is if you want to keep you car a long time. If you take most cars with say 100k miles on it and run it on a dyno you will see a HP loss. One thing about synthetics is it keeps it's ability to flow better over a wider temp. Most people comment on how thin synth. oils seems to reg. oil but this is only because the reg. oil is cold. So using a oil that gets to high wear parts (cams) slower can cause higher wear leading to less HP over time.
The second part is reg. oil has a low flash temp so it gets thicker as you use it leading to higher wear in rings and the cam and seals. It holds it's viscosity range over it's useful range while reg oils do not. If you want to keep you car over a long period and keep as much of the stock HP it came with you have to run synthetics or rebuild or replace high wear parts. It's more critical the colder area's you live in. If it never gets down under 70deg or so it may not impact it as hard.
Building a turbo motor for my car. thinking of using Evans + waterless coolant instead of anti freeze. The reason of using is that it has a higher temp rating and won't boil and create pressure in the radiator. also it has a lifetime usage warranty and can be used for 200,000+ miles
I have 300,000 miles on my 95 gmc 4.3liter kotec engine and still runs fine here in minnesota, thats one tiny reason i use top of the line oil/gas, everything else on my van fell off rusted or rotted off but the engine trans still handles with the best of them. Former otr driver 3 mill accident or murder miles.
I live in Manitoba Canada where it regularly gets very cold in the winter (-30 is not uncommon). Would that qualify as extreme conditions? Would synthetic oil perform better on a cold day?
Pennzoil Ultra in my gas engines, conventional in my diesel. Royal Purple transmission fluids and Amsoil gear oil. I was taught by a 40 year experienced aviation mechanic that you can't outdue straight mineral oil (conventional)
quick lube tech tip actually theres only 2 true synthetic and thats moblie one and royal purple engine oil you can make the switch at anytime dexous is a brand of oil that gerneral motor which is a mix between conventional and synthetic so you can mix them synthetic anf comventional is pretty much the same change oil every 5000 miles and you will be fine
we blew the turbo 3 times in the car due to low oil pressure to the turbo because the previous owners neglected oil changes. my family still owns a 2000 volvo with 195K even after a long time of non regular oil changes
I generally shop for my oil based on the price tag. If I can get 5 liters of Canadian Tire brand 5w30 for $18, that's what goes in the vehicle. Oddly, I'll spend the extra $3 or $4 for a Fram oil filter, but not the extra $20 or $25 for name brand oil. I do my oil, and filter, change every 5000 km religiously. So far this method has served me well in my 21 year old Ranger (174,000 km), my girlfriends 11 year old Corolla (130,000 km) and my 10 year old Subaru (338,000 km).
I'm an Amsoil dealer. No, synthetic oil "burns" (oxidizes)(evaporates) way less than petroleum oil. What you may be experiencing is the synth oil is cleaning the sludge and varnish left behind by the petroleum oil and that is being burned off. You should reach a point when oil level remains constant. If not, then you have a leak somewhere or you're using the wrong viscosity oil. You can go to amsoil.com, vehicle lookup and see what the manufacturer recommends.
Years ago, like most people, I knew nothing about oil. I changed oil in my Oldsmobile every 3,000 miles using SuperTech, the cheapest oil at Wal-Mart. On cold mornings here in Minnesota, my car often did not start. I'd hook up jumper cables and mess around for over an hour. I now know conventional oil can thicken in cold weather to the point the crankshaft can't turn enough to start the engine. Long story short, I now use synthetic and have no problems. Plus fuel mileage is a bit better.
Category 4 oil is derived from crude (mineral oil) There was no mention of the category 5 oil (which is a synthetic oil, derived from a natural gas or other places and do not come from crude oils. Which also has higher ratings)
I spoke to someone but I need a 2nd opinion. I have a 20 year old car with 210k km mileage with some mod to the engine and exhaust. It's a 4 cylinder with 12 valve Carb engine still still good and strong. Currently I'm using normal oil change in between every 5000km thinking of changing to semi syntetic to increase my hp. I was told to stick with normal oil what is your opinion?
I like the idea of added protection in my car since i live in a harsh climate (hot) so i use synthetic. I do my own oil changes so its only a couple dollar difference. but i agree i could use either in a Toyota V6. all day.
Take a quart of dino 10w30 and a quart of synthetic 10w30 and set them outside on a cold winter day (like 32f) and then open them a few hours later and pour a little into your trash can...the dino oil will pour like molasses, the synthetic will pour like when it was warm...which oil do you want flowing (or not flowing in the case of the dino oil) on the first engine startup on a cold day.
Last I checked Mobil one was using mostly dino base stock with a higher grade carriers, and specifically their 0W-40'euro' & 10w-30 HighMilege: GF2/3 ACEA A3/B3/4 AND Castrol Syntec European Formula 0W-30 are quite comprable oils, and both are PAO based oils.
-30c is quite common in the north. I would recommend 0W or 5W oil and synthetic. Pumpability temperature limit is -40c for the 0W and -35c for the 5W (to my knowledge 0W is always synthethic) Synthetic oils have the following features: Excellent low temperature properties such as start-up and lubrication in cold conditions. Properties such as excellent heat resistance to oxidation, low volatility and low oil consumption.
They should play this video on loop at Jiffy Lube and any other of these quick stop oil change shops that are telling customers to ignore recommended oil change intervals from manufacturer and change oil ever 3,000 miles.
If you have a high tech motor with variable valve timing or direct injection or turbo charging or supercharging you definitely should use a quality full synthetic oil. If you are towing in summer or live in an extremely cold area (15-20 degrees or lower) you are better using synthetic. If you have longer oil changes designed in by your manufacturer you need synthetic. Under most modern cases synthetic is the way to go.
Most European cars have to use synthetics due to exhaust treatment systems. Synthetic oil is conventional here in Europe. Mineral oils are very rare indeed.
If someone has spoken that other viscosities is alright do not listen use whats recommended by the owners manual or factory, recommendations the reason is your engine and vehicle will last. If you live in the salt belt or cold belt areas always use Fullsyntetic oils if it isn't written on your manual your vehicle wasn't designed for those conditions or consult with your manufacturer nor dealer to see whats best for your vehicle. If your vehicle was new at purchase change the conventional quick before it is to late so your engine get use to fullsyntec or flush engine with clean oil from a synthetic blend so that it will always perform at its best!
If the engine is in good running condition with no oil leaks or oil burning I'd say yeah go for it, but if it leaks the synthetic being more slippery than conventional may leak out of the seals even more
If you have an old worn engine and switch to synthetic, you will notice leaks. Synthetic oil does not create leaks, rather it is able to get thru worn gaskets, and porous castings that conventional can not. As soon as you switch back to conventional, the leaks will not be there.
+SuperCyril2 experience, others, and the inherent properties of synthetic. It's properties allow it to seep thru the porous aluminum castings, and the gaskets. Google it, and no one would deny it.
+David James I deny it. What additive material in synthetic causes it to seep through porous metal that conventional does not have? Answer: Bro mystery. "Check google, everybody knows it" (logical fallacy)
+Grunchy i give up. Listen, hopefully you will not also deny that the flow rate of synthetic oil is much greater than conventional oil. It's like saying driving holding a mug of water vs driving with a cup of honey will spill the same. The synthetic oil flow rate of synthetic is creater, and it will move around the engine at a greater rate. If there are any worn out seals or gaskets, the convention oil might not have been flowing around there at such a high rate. Now with synthetic, it will, and it will get passed the worn seals. So in short, it is not a chemical that makes this happen, as much as just what synthetic is and does (flow better) especially after cold starts. isn't that why it is a better oil?
hey Ben! i am in the shop for my first car and i am wondering how to find a good used car? Like what should one look for? what should one ask and what shops will take the time and do a good check up on a used car?
Thanks for the great video, guys. Question: I just bought a 2010 Honda Insight and want to treat it right. The "Multifunction" display shows percentage of oil-life remaining. How does it know? Honda recommends a change around 15% to 5% remaining. Should I really go by that of by mileage? If mileage, how many? Thanks in advance.
most new cars come with synthetic oil from the factory, some manufacturers are now going 30k miles between oil change most are staying around the 20k mile18 months markers but if the oil is staying clean and not breaking down what's the point of changing and wasting it.
Regardless of what the manufacturers say, I'd never go above 10k (it was 2k when I started driving 45 years ago). The car makers only care that your car makes it through the warranty period.
Excellent video thanks I read PM on my ipad via Zinio. I have a oil leak in our Perkins Sabre M225Ti. on board the yacht I run. We have a Gori Propeller which has two gears so to get 9 knots we use the Over drive gear at 1600 RPM, out of this gear we run @ 2300 RPM giving us only 8.5 knots but wow does it cost alot. What will be the long term internal ware to suspect doing this? Cheers
+Bob Barker I'm not denying that the brands and products you mentioned are the best. But let's say there was a way to comparatively measure between two different things in a numerical fashion. Let's say 2 piles of money, and the values are X and Y respectively. Anyone would be able to identify the more valuable pile and moreover, answer some simple questions such as "how much more valuable", etc. Using this kind of anti-BS criteria, are you (or anyone alive) able to state to what numerical extent one brand of oil is better than any other, by such criteria anyone can measure? To my knowledge there is only 1 measureable criteria of functionally equal oil products (let's say, API service SN), and that one and only one measurable criteria is cost per litre. What I have found is that conventional oil is Always superior to synthetics - 100% of the time.
just a comment about synthetic vs regular oil. I have a 2004 Chevy Cavalier with 195 000 KMS (i think that s about 150 00 Miles), not sure exactly. I switched to Synthetic with Lucas in it and the difference is night and day. The engine dosen t overheat in the summer, it starts much better when things get frigid here (in Canada), and just driving around stop and go in Toronto traffic, the car is much smoother. Also, the engine is much quieter now. (2.2 ecotec) I wouldent go back to regular
Back in the day...when i was a young lad, I would change my oil at first sign of it turning light brown. I was so happy thinking how clean my engine was, go 2500 - 2700 miles and run that clean. Now i am wondering if the oil was really cleaning the engine.
I had a 1983 mercury lynx with i believe 54 Hp with a 5 speed man..The RS was 84 Hp. I got around 28/40 MPG but u have to remember that car only weighs 2100 lbs
Marine gear oil is different from auto and all purpose even thou both meet the same basic ratings. Marine (and sit is also different between brands and type) is specifically engineered to resist separation and emulsification when water is introduced into the gearcase and also still provides better lubricication and protection for the spiral gears when water is present. These marine oils are also designed to operate in gear cases with thru hub exhaust heat extreme high gear rpms
Thanks a lot to take up this oil issue. my car(year 2000,diesel) is waiting since 3 months for engine oil change. until now i used conventional 15W40 but wud it be risky to switch to Full synthetic 5W40 ?
How many owners manuals say "use traditional 5w-30"? In my experience, owners manuals say to use an oil meeting a certain specification, such as an API, ISLAC, ACEA or proprietary specification (ie, use they might say API SJ or ISLAC GF-4 or ACEA A1,B1 or GM dexos1, Ford WSS-M2C930-A, Chrysler MS-6395 etc). I've never seen an owners manual say "use traditional" anything. That being said, many conventional AND synthetic motor oils can meet/exceed those specifications as outlined in the manual.
If your truck is an 04, the seals shouldn't be affected by any oil, petroleum or synthetic. Switching to synthetic is not a problem, doesn't matter what you used before. If you're pulling a trailer, then synth is a good idea, usually better gas mileage (less friction), vehicle will run cooler, and oil will last longer, especially if you get a good oil and air filter. You might want to put synth in your transmission and differential, (less friction). Amsoil will make you a believer.
not true for all synthetics. I had a FC and FD and about 400k miles between the 2 of them and my brother has 110k miles on his FE and I was running redline and he runs pennzoil ultra.
I stand by synthetic oil. I've ran it in my 4runner since it hit 100,00 miles and that has been 143,000 miles ago. Its one of those "spend more little now, save a lot later" times.
Here is the thing Ford was testing on their fleet vehicles ...the cars were required to do 100 000 miles on the same engine oil without change, but they were allowed to change the filters...guess what? the engine after 100 000 miles looked like new ...i dont remember what type of oil they were using but this just proves these guys right lubricant is fine but additives might give up after some time ...GOOD JOB guys imma stick with stick with synthetic
i have a 1966 mustang with an inline six engine. i live in southern California where it is really hot, so i was wondering what is the best oil to use and what oil filter works best?
Currently I'm using castrol active 20w-50 for 150cc fz16 I hope to move to semi synthetic motul 15w-50 oil But mechanic said if you are not using bike every day do not move to synthetic if will ally to engine Is that true I am not riding my bike very long distance .only 30km maximum that is also only 3days per week But I want my bike to be last longer and work fine so please help me for this question
i use Mobil1 Extended Performance 5w 30 or castrol edge with titanium they both say that protect for 15,000 miles i change the oil in all my cars every 10,000 miles with a good filter i use only synthetic but regular oil is going to be good but only for 3000 miles
not true really. To some of us synthetic are group 4 and group 5 ... what you are talking about is mineral Group 3 oil. Group 3 is allowed to be called synthetic by USA court ruling in the court case between Mobil and Castrol because they managed to prove that chemistry done on Group 3 oil is enough to call it synthetic.
hmmm... I know, but some people are really passionate about this :) I ride bikes and use "SHEER FREE" oils to maintain viscosity for 6 months or riding. To do that Group 4 and 5 are the only mix that can do it. Synthetic is just an Add Man's method of keeping people ignorant.
Ned Blagojevic it's funny because Mobil delivers better on cold than amsoil, motul, castrol, royal purple, red line, liquid Molly and most of these (except Castrol) get their base stocks from Mobil
I switched to synthetic oil at 40k mi. on a 2009 Acura TSX and I have had to add 1-2 qt.'s of oil between oil changes because it was low.Dose Syn. oil burn more than conventional oil?
I know for our RX8, mineral oil is hard to find here in France, Mazda say to use only theirs, called "Dexlia" (sp)? its 24 euros a litre, on the back label is a Total symbol; on their website are 2 for a Mazda RX8 and they seem much cheaper. Same for my Jaguar synthetic oil is not recommended, I have seen "Synthese", seems to me to be a blend of the two?
Hi guys,I got 2001 Dodge Dakota with 4.7 motor with 99887 and I just used synthetic for the first time.what do u think about synthetic in my truck.10w 30 pennzoil.state N.J
And those specs also pertain to emissions too; Some overly protective synthetics use a very high amount of ZDDP (good for classic cars with non-roller valve-train that dont have catalytic converters). BUT if you use lots of ZDDP the cats will clog in a modern day car!
On a brand new car, should the first oil change be sooner than the manufacturer recommends or just go by the owners manual. My car has synthetic blend from the factory, can I go ahead and put full synthetic at the first oil change?
so true just make sure you change your oil regularly and engines will run forever.I have owned a 96 Volvo that i beat the shit out of. Iit was my first car and the transmission was the first thing to go after a lot off miles of abuse. but my family later buaght a vovlo with high milage that wasn't properly maintain and we had a lot of trouble with the turbo on that car due to the bad oil
Synthetic oil offers a lot of benefits for engines under extreme conditions. This is an informative video, by the way. Thanks!
in a nutshel synthetic oil is more thermal stable and has much higher shear strength than regular oil
nickacelvn I
I'm 73 years old and have used vehicles for hauling loads, drag raced, raced gocarts, farm tractors. I have used Castrol in everything that burns gas,Rotella in the deisels. The miles between oil changes depend more on how a vehicle is used. A vehicle driven 25 miles or more on start up can go with longer oil changes than a car that is driven 5 miles on start up, reason contamination, oil does no't wear out in gets contaminated, driving farther at start up evaperates moisture from the crank case. If a manufactor recomends syn I would probably use it.I have never had an engine to blow up. Pretty cans and fancy words cost you money.
Agreed. Cold shutdown actually does more damage than cold startup. You end up with damp acidic gases that literally etch away at the engine internals.
Ronnie Vaught Or if you like me on a place where it heats up to 110 F and there's 100% humidity and dust, you are better off with Synthetic or anything Mobil or Castrol
Porsche tested the difference between conventional and synthetics 25 years ago and determined (among other benefits) that cam shaft chains stretched less with synthetics than with conventional oils. Following this, they began recommending synthetics in their cars.
I live in Canada and use synthetic oil in my car because of the big temperature difference between winter and summer (I guess that it could be sort of like extreme temperature conditions. It could be 35 celcius during the summer and -35 celcius during the winter.). Synthetic oil is suppose to cause less ware on the engine and circulate through the engine faster compared to mineral oil.
So there's no negative effects of using synthetic. That pretty much answers it for me. Thank you!
It's not a huge can of worms, it's clear. Synthetic oil is better in every way. It lasts longer, it goes 2x longer between changes, but it costs 2x more. If you want fewer oil changes and a longer-lasting engine, get synthetic. Not a valid comparison to higher octane gas because it's not any better if the engine isn't programmed/designed for it. Synthetic is always better.
DING DING DING we have a winner.
Nicely said! Synthetic is more heat resistant, better in winter, and overall just saves you time and life of engine.
OEMSynthetics.com
averagejoeusername
lol
Yes sirrr
TheArfdog synthetic is not 2x as expensive. It’s marketing bs. Amsoil and maybe 2 other manufacturers are the only ones making 100% group 4 synthetic oil
This video is by far the best information been provided on Syth & Mineral oils. Cheers !
I don't know why people keep saying synthetic oils are so expensive, because they simply are not. On 11/1/2014 i bought a 5 quart jug of Pennzoil Platinum Full synthetic oil for $22.97 at Wal-Mart; which is only a few dollars more exspensive than the CHEAPEST 5 quart jug conventional oil sold at Wal-mart. Also, Wal-Marts' brand of Full-synthetic oil "Motor-tech" was only $17.97. Personally i wouldn't use that brand, but you can get Full-Synthetic oil with out paying an arm and a leg.
I love Wal-Mart!
TheJbo614 Most people do not change there own oil...
The reason people say Synthetic oil is expensive is because what you are buying isn't synthetic at all. Full synthetic is petroleum oil. 100% synthetic is PAO oil at over $20/qt.
Full synthetic is not synthetic at all. That oil is group 3 hydro cracked oil. There a good reason they don’t put 100% synthetic on the bottle.
Group 4 pao 100% synthetic is not $20 a quart. I get it for nearly $7 a quart and run it for 25,000 miles
Fairly important. In older vehicles you wold get detonation (knocking and pinging) that would cause excessive wear and possible failure of the motor. In modern vehicles the engine computer will back off the timing and prevent this detonation however the engine will not be running as it was intended to and this will cause a loss in power and efficiency.
First off yes, it is a better grade of oil when comparing it to conventional oil. However, that is not the problem. The real problem exist from the fact that no matter what type of oil you use, it becomes a problem because of contamination. Contamination occurs when hydrocarbons, exhaust gases, and unburned fuel enter the crankcase as a result from these harmful gases slipping by the rings. In a newer car, not so bad. But when an older car becomes older and more worn, this is when it becomes a factor in a shorter period of time.
When contamination occurs, that is when the oil should be changed. The chemical change that takes place when and how a vehicle is used in relation to how many miles it has mainly decides when the oil should be changed.
That's all true. But the one big difference is that conventional oil has additives to make it multi-grade (say 10w-30 as opposed to a straight 30) while a synthetic simply is multi-grade by design. If synthetic is used too long, it simply gets contaminated. But if conventional is used too long, the grade additives break down and stop working, essentially leaving you with a single grade oil that is also contaminated.
If there was some way to clean the oil and put it back in the car, you theoretically could use the same synthetic forever. But conventional outright has a limited life regardless of how clean it is.
I was a person who thought synthetic was a waste of money until I tried it. My 96 Tahoe had 185,000 miles and a cold start knock. I don't remember which synthetic i use 1st but i notice the knock went away. I thought it maybe n my head so i went back to conventional oil my next oil change. The knock came back a few days later. My truck now have 302,000 miles and the knock came back but is lighter than before.
Nice job guys! May I interject an idea here. First, I use synthetic, baby my car, and do all the work on it myself. My car is known for high reliability, but is on the lower end of the expensive electronic equipment equipment. With the ever increasing costs of vehicles, people should consider running their reliable cars a lot longer. Granted, you won't have the latest technology nor the best looking women chasing you, but you just might have some money to retire on! 500k miles, here I come!
Synthetic oil has better cold starting ability because it flows better at lower temps
+sploofmonkey
True synthetic oils are engineered in a lab to do a specific job and are not taken from refined crude oil. They most certainty out perform conventional oil hands down in all aspect, other then cost. There is no real good reason to still be using conventional motor oils. It is like running a lead acid battery in a laptop, you could do it but why would you.
*****
I am not talking about the "Synthetic" named oil that is marketed as a such, category 4 oils are crap... they are basically filtered petroleum oil, that was once crude oil.
The Synthetic oil I am talking about are category 5 oils. Ones that are lab made like AMSOIL, MOTUL are examples of category 5 oils. They can come from natural gas, ester, or other sources.
I understand that the synthetic name is misused in the sense that some companies take a normal oil and filter it to the point that there is no waxes and or contaminates in the oil (well there is but at such a low level there might as well be none) Then they throw some additives in it and call it a synthetic. Those are a waste of money.
FYI I have done a study and thesis on oil for a paper during my masters program, so I am not some uneducated naysayer.
*****
I see you edited your comment. Thank you I will do the same.
+Rex Holes But I wonder, if two oils are rated 10W-30 and one is synthetic and one is conventional, don't they have the same pour properties at cold temp and at 100 deg C operating temp? Like, don't they have identical pour ratings and therefore would pour identically?
+sploofmonkey No, when they refer to the oil being "cold" that doesn't mean what we normally think as cold. Normal operating temperature in an engine is 300+ degrees F, and it's at that temperature that the oil is at the correct viscosity. Even on a warm day at 80 or 90 degrees, the oil is much thicker than at operating temperature. So it still needs to warm up before it can flow through the engine. A heater wouldn't help.
Didnt detail WHY. Another reason why to use synthetic (under harsh conditions) is to avoid sludge buildup that can happen from oil breaking down. Sludge build up could create hot spots in the engine and could lead to engine ping in the sort of pre-ignition. Also coat better for cold starts.
Synthetics are better, but i think a good question might be how long are you going to run that vehicle for before getting rid of it? Would you care how long it runs perfect for the next guy? I guess i do.
I have a 2008 dodge caliber SRT-4...Being turbocharged and high performance I only use Mobil 1 0w40 full synthetic. It does very well with my internals and keeps turbo temps in line as well.
It comes down to what you doing with the car and its environment. If your car is a straight cruising daily driver I'd go regular oil. But if that daily driver sees traffic jams every morning if go synthetic. Then of course if its a sports car or work truck I'd go synthetic. You can make up for the added cost of synthetic with a longer change interval assuming a good filter is used.
Here's one for you guys, you mentioned it somewhat in the video. What is your opinion about factory service intervals? 15 years ago, a lot of cars had a "standard" interval of 7500 miles but a lot of people changed their oil sooner. As oil and car tech had advanced, oil change intervals have gone up over 20k with syn. Opinions are all over the place but what do you think?
being a mechanic I have been using synthetic oil in my family car for a long time and have noted better fuel economy and a smoother running engine. Where as in my run around work vehicle it gets Semi Synthetic and never has issues at all and all my servicing of vehicles get the same with some folks doing some big miles. It comes down to regular oil and filter changes for thats what keeps your car running properly for years without a problem. If you neglect oil changes there is trouble.
Great format Ben & Russ!
For $55.00 I get my Jeep GC oil changed with Mobil One full synthetic and new filter. I also get the tires rotated and a full inspection of the car. The regular stuff brakes exhaust tires all the fluids leaks of the shocks and struts. I do it twice a year. I drive about 9,000 miles a year.
Thanks guys, what you say makes so much sense.
I can post 2 critical area's about synthetics.
One is if you want to keep you car a long time. If you take most cars with say 100k miles on it and run it on a dyno you will see a HP loss. One thing about synthetics is it keeps it's ability to flow better over a wider temp. Most people comment on how thin synth. oils seems to reg. oil but this is only because the reg. oil is cold. So using a oil that gets to high wear parts (cams) slower can cause higher wear leading to less HP over time.
The second part is reg. oil has a low flash temp so it gets thicker as you use it leading to higher wear in rings and the cam and seals. It holds it's viscosity range over it's useful range while reg oils do not. If you want to keep you car over a long period and keep as much of the stock HP it came with you have to run synthetics or rebuild or replace high wear parts. It's more critical the colder area's you live in. If it never gets down under 70deg or so it may not impact it as hard.
Building a turbo motor for my car. thinking of using Evans + waterless coolant instead of anti freeze. The reason of using is that it has a higher temp rating and won't boil and create pressure in the radiator. also it has a lifetime usage warranty and can be used for 200,000+ miles
I have 300,000 miles on my 95 gmc 4.3liter kotec engine and still runs fine here in minnesota, thats one tiny reason i use top of the line oil/gas, everything else on my van fell off rusted or rotted off but the engine trans still handles with the best of them. Former otr driver 3 mill accident or murder miles.
I live in Manitoba Canada where it regularly gets very cold in the winter (-30 is not uncommon). Would that qualify as extreme conditions? Would synthetic oil perform better on a cold day?
Pennzoil Ultra in my gas engines, conventional in my diesel. Royal Purple transmission fluids and Amsoil gear oil. I was taught by a 40 year experienced aviation mechanic that you can't outdue straight mineral oil (conventional)
quick lube tech tip
actually theres only 2 true synthetic and thats moblie one and royal purple engine oil you can make the switch at anytime dexous is a brand of oil that gerneral motor which is a mix between conventional and synthetic so you can mix them synthetic anf comventional is pretty much the same change oil every 5000 miles and you will be fine
we blew the turbo 3 times in the car due to low oil pressure to the turbo because the previous owners neglected oil changes. my family still owns a 2000 volvo with 195K even after a long time of non regular oil changes
I generally shop for my oil based on the price tag. If I can get 5 liters of Canadian Tire brand 5w30 for $18, that's what goes in the vehicle. Oddly, I'll spend the extra $3 or $4 for a Fram oil filter, but not the extra $20 or $25 for name brand oil. I do my oil, and filter, change every 5000 km religiously. So far this method has served me well in my 21 year old Ranger (174,000 km), my girlfriends 11 year old Corolla (130,000 km) and my 10 year old Subaru (338,000 km).
I'm an Amsoil dealer. No, synthetic oil "burns" (oxidizes)(evaporates) way less than petroleum oil. What you may be experiencing is the synth oil is cleaning the sludge and varnish left behind by the petroleum oil and that is being burned off. You should reach a point when oil level remains constant. If not, then you have a leak somewhere or you're using the wrong viscosity oil. You can go to amsoil.com, vehicle lookup and see what the manufacturer recommends.
"Everything else will break around it..." starting with the radio...every time.
Years ago, like most people, I knew nothing about oil. I changed oil in my Oldsmobile every 3,000 miles using SuperTech, the cheapest oil at Wal-Mart. On cold mornings here in Minnesota, my car often did not start. I'd hook up jumper cables and mess around for over an hour. I now know conventional oil can thicken in cold weather to the point the crankshaft can't turn enough to start the engine. Long story short, I now use synthetic and have no problems. Plus fuel mileage is a bit better.
Category 4 oil is derived from crude (mineral oil) There was no mention of the category 5 oil (which is a synthetic oil, derived from a natural gas or other places and do not come from crude oils. Which also has higher ratings)
I spoke to someone but I need a 2nd opinion. I have a 20 year old car with 210k km mileage with some mod to the engine and exhaust. It's a 4 cylinder with 12 valve Carb engine still still good and strong. Currently I'm using normal oil change in between every 5000km thinking of changing to semi syntetic to increase my hp. I was told to stick with normal oil what is your opinion?
I like the idea of added protection in my car since i live in a harsh climate (hot) so i use synthetic. I do my own oil changes so its only a couple dollar difference. but i agree i could use either in a Toyota V6. all day.
Good discussion guys.
Take a quart of dino 10w30 and a quart of synthetic 10w30 and set them outside on a cold winter day (like 32f) and then open them a few hours later and pour a little into your trash can...the dino oil will pour like molasses, the synthetic will pour like when it was warm...which oil do you want flowing (or not flowing in the case of the dino oil) on the first engine startup on a cold day.
Last I checked Mobil one was using mostly dino base stock with a higher grade carriers, and specifically their 0W-40'euro' & 10w-30 HighMilege: GF2/3 ACEA A3/B3/4 AND Castrol Syntec European Formula 0W-30 are quite comprable oils, and both are PAO based oils.
-30c is quite common in the north. I would recommend 0W or 5W oil and synthetic. Pumpability temperature limit is -40c for the 0W and -35c for the 5W (to my knowledge 0W is always synthethic)
Synthetic oils have the following features:
Excellent low temperature properties such as start-up and lubrication in cold conditions.
Properties such as excellent heat resistance to oxidation, low volatility and low oil consumption.
They should play this video on loop at Jiffy Lube and any other of these quick stop oil change shops that are telling customers to ignore recommended oil change intervals from manufacturer and change oil ever 3,000 miles.
If you have a high tech motor with variable valve timing or direct injection or turbo charging or supercharging you definitely should use a quality full synthetic oil. If you are towing in summer or live in an extremely cold area (15-20 degrees or lower) you are better using synthetic. If you have longer oil changes designed in by your manufacturer you need synthetic. Under most modern cases synthetic is the way to go.
Most European cars have to use synthetics due to exhaust treatment systems. Synthetic oil is conventional here in Europe. Mineral oils are very rare indeed.
Alan Holmes amsoil.
If someone has spoken that other viscosities is alright do not listen use whats recommended by the owners manual or factory, recommendations the reason is your engine and vehicle will last.
If you live in the salt belt or cold belt areas always use Fullsyntetic oils if it isn't written on your manual your vehicle wasn't designed for those conditions or consult with your manufacturer nor dealer to see whats best for your vehicle.
If your vehicle was new at purchase change the conventional quick before it is to late so your engine get use to fullsyntec or flush engine with clean oil from a synthetic blend so that it will always perform at its best!
use royal purple full synthetic its the best oil you can buy with exception to maybe AMS oil
xXthewigglerXx Mobil 1 is better and cheaper!
If the engine is in good running condition with no oil leaks or oil burning I'd say yeah go for it, but if it leaks the synthetic being more slippery than conventional may leak out of the seals even more
If you have an old worn engine and switch to synthetic, you will notice leaks. Synthetic oil does not create leaks, rather it is able to get thru worn gaskets, and porous castings that conventional can not. As soon as you switch back to conventional, the leaks will not be there.
Who told you that crap.
+SuperCyril2 experience, others, and the inherent properties of synthetic. It's properties allow it to seep thru the porous aluminum castings, and the gaskets. Google it, and no one would deny it.
+David James I deny it. What additive material in synthetic causes it to seep through porous metal that conventional does not have? Answer: Bro mystery. "Check google, everybody knows it" (logical fallacy)
+Grunchy i give up. Listen, hopefully you will not also deny that the flow rate of synthetic oil is much greater than conventional oil. It's like saying driving holding a mug of water vs driving with a cup of honey will spill the same. The synthetic oil flow rate of synthetic is creater, and it will move around the engine at a greater rate. If there are any worn out seals or gaskets, the convention oil might not have been flowing around there at such a high rate. Now with synthetic, it will, and it will get passed the worn seals. So in short, it is not a chemical that makes this happen, as much as just what synthetic is and does (flow better) especially after cold starts. isn't that why it is a better oil?
hey Ben! i am in the shop for my first car and i am wondering how to find a good used car? Like what should one look for? what should one ask and what shops will take the time and do a good check up on a used car?
Thanks for the great video, guys. Question: I just bought a 2010 Honda Insight and want to treat it right. The "Multifunction" display shows percentage of oil-life remaining. How does it know? Honda recommends a change around 15% to 5% remaining. Should I really go by that of by mileage? If mileage, how many?
Thanks in advance.
Hi
You have very nice video,may I use it on my website?
I use aviation 20w50 conventional in my Harley Davidson m8 its awesome and faa approved.
most new cars come with synthetic oil from the factory, some manufacturers are now going 30k miles between oil change most are staying around the 20k mile18 months markers
but if the oil is staying clean and not breaking down what's the point of changing and wasting it.
Keith, that's the dumbest premature conclusion I've ever read on youtube.
Regardless of what the manufacturers say, I'd never go above 10k (it was 2k when I started driving 45 years ago). The car makers only care that your car makes it through the warranty period.
Thanks for the video. its help me a lot to understand about motor oil.
what do you think of oil extractors
Excellent video thanks I read PM on my ipad via Zinio. I have a oil leak in our Perkins Sabre M225Ti. on board the yacht I run.
We have a Gori Propeller which has two gears so to get 9 knots we use the Over drive gear at 1600 RPM, out of this gear we run @ 2300 RPM giving us only 8.5 knots but wow does it cost alot. What will be the long term internal ware to suspect doing this?
Cheers
I like high mileage oil, its semi synthetic and it keeps the seals in good condition. 1999 f150 144k miles and no leaks at all.
Full synthetic high mileage oil is the best Mobil 1 HM and Valvoline Synpower Maxlife are the best
+Bob Barker I'm not denying that the brands and products you mentioned are the best. But let's say there was a way to comparatively measure between two different things in a numerical fashion. Let's say 2 piles of money, and the values are X and Y respectively. Anyone would be able to identify the more valuable pile and moreover, answer some simple questions such as "how much more valuable", etc.
Using this kind of anti-BS criteria, are you (or anyone alive) able to state to what numerical extent one brand of oil is better than any other, by such criteria anyone can measure?
To my knowledge there is only 1 measureable criteria of functionally equal oil products (let's say, API service SN), and that one and only one measurable criteria is cost per litre. What I have found is that conventional oil is Always superior to synthetics - 100% of the time.
Excellent and very informative!
it does ake a good different. help my engine run smoothly and it what make the car run longer
just a comment about synthetic vs regular oil. I have a 2004 Chevy Cavalier with 195 000 KMS (i think that s about 150 00 Miles), not sure exactly. I switched to Synthetic with Lucas in it and the difference is night and day. The engine dosen t overheat in the summer, it starts much better when things get frigid here (in Canada), and just driving around stop and go in Toronto traffic, the car is much smoother. Also, the engine is much quieter now. (2.2 ecotec) I wouldent go back to regular
Back in the day...when i was a young lad, I would change my oil at first sign of it turning light brown. I was so happy thinking how clean my engine was, go 2500 - 2700 miles and run that clean. Now i am wondering if the oil was really cleaning the engine.
Your cars must have run like champs. What kind of mileage did you get outta them?
I had a 1983 mercury lynx with i believe 54 Hp with a 5 speed man..The RS was 84 Hp. I got around 28/40 MPG but u have to remember that car only weighs 2100 lbs
Marine gear oil is different from auto and all purpose even thou both meet the same basic ratings. Marine (and sit is also different between brands and type) is specifically engineered to resist separation and emulsification when water is introduced into the gearcase and also still provides better lubricication and protection for the spiral gears when water is present. These marine oils are also designed to operate in gear cases with thru hub exhaust heat extreme high gear rpms
Thanks for the great explanation.
Thanks a lot to take up this oil issue.
my car(year 2000,diesel) is waiting since 3 months for engine oil change.
until now i used conventional 15W40 but wud it be risky to switch to Full synthetic 5W40 ?
How many owners manuals say "use traditional 5w-30"? In my experience, owners manuals say to use an oil meeting a certain specification, such as an API, ISLAC, ACEA or proprietary specification (ie, use they might say API SJ or ISLAC GF-4 or ACEA A1,B1 or GM dexos1, Ford WSS-M2C930-A, Chrysler MS-6395 etc). I've never seen an owners manual say "use traditional" anything. That being said, many conventional AND synthetic motor oils can meet/exceed those specifications as outlined in the manual.
If your truck is an 04, the seals shouldn't be affected by any oil, petroleum or synthetic. Switching to synthetic is not a problem, doesn't matter what you used before. If you're pulling a trailer, then synth is a good idea, usually better gas mileage (less friction), vehicle will run cooler, and oil will last longer, especially if you get a good oil and air filter. You might want to put synth in your transmission and differential, (less friction). Amsoil will make you a believer.
good stuff, enjoyed the info!!
not true for all synthetics. I had a FC and FD and about 400k miles between the 2 of them and my brother has 110k miles on his FE and I was running redline and he runs pennzoil ultra.
I stand by synthetic oil. I've ran it in my 4runner since it hit 100,00 miles and that has been 143,000 miles ago. Its one of those "spend more little now, save a lot later" times.
I use quicksilver 20w-50 in my harley, jaso and ma2 rated $28. Gallon, works fine, half price of amsoil...
Pennzoil platinum is natural gas derived instead of oil. Equals special product.
Is that the guy from the movie 'Cabin Boy'?
Here is the thing Ford was testing on their fleet vehicles ...the cars were required to do 100 000 miles on the same engine oil without change, but they were allowed to change the filters...guess what? the engine after 100 000 miles looked like new ...i dont remember what type of oil they were using but this just proves these guys right lubricant is fine but additives might give up after some time ...GOOD JOB guys imma stick with stick with synthetic
i have a 1966 mustang with an inline six engine. i live in southern California where it is really hot, so i was wondering what is the best oil to use and what oil filter works best?
That was great very informative thanks!!
Currently I'm using castrol active 20w-50 for 150cc fz16
I hope to move to semi synthetic motul 15w-50 oil
But mechanic said if you are not using bike every day do not move to synthetic if will ally to engine
Is that true
I am not riding my bike very long distance .only 30km maximum that is also only 3days per week
But I want my bike to be last longer and work fine so please help me for this question
Thanks for the info.
i use Mobil1 Extended Performance 5w 30 or castrol edge with titanium they both say that protect for 15,000 miles
i change the oil in all my cars every 10,000 miles with a good filter
i use only synthetic
but regular oil is going to be good but only for 3000 miles
Dude with the beard has the mannerisms of Steve Buscemi..sounds just like him! Funny ,it must the New York thing..Steve is from Brooklyn
not true really. To some of us synthetic are group 4 and group 5 ... what you are talking about is mineral Group 3 oil. Group 3 is allowed to be called synthetic by USA court ruling in the court case between Mobil and Castrol because they managed to prove that chemistry done on Group 3 oil is enough to call it synthetic.
Ned that level of intelligence isnt allowed in oil discussions on youtube.
hmmm... I know, but some people are really passionate about this :) I ride bikes and use "SHEER FREE" oils to maintain viscosity for 6 months or riding. To do that Group 4 and 5 are the only mix that can do it.
Synthetic is just an Add Man's method of keeping people ignorant.
Ned Blagojevic it's funny because Mobil delivers better on cold than amsoil, motul, castrol, royal purple, red line, liquid Molly and most of these (except Castrol) get their base stocks from Mobil
I switched to synthetic oil at 40k mi. on a 2009 Acura TSX and I have had to add 1-2 qt.'s of oil between oil changes because it was low.Dose Syn. oil burn more than conventional oil?
I just got my oil change: SRT8 300c Supercharged. 7 quarts of synthetic= $74
I know for our RX8, mineral oil is hard to find here in France, Mazda say to use only theirs, called "Dexlia" (sp)? its 24 euros a litre, on the back label is a Total symbol; on their website are 2 for a Mazda RX8 and they seem much cheaper.
Same for my Jaguar synthetic oil is not recommended, I have seen "Synthese", seems to me to be a blend of the two?
SHOULD I USE SYNTHETIC OIL ON MY 1989 BUICK LESABRE WITH 287,000 MILES?
Hi guys,I got 2001 Dodge Dakota with 4.7 motor with 99887 and I just used synthetic for the first time.what do u think about synthetic in my truck.10w 30 pennzoil.state N.J
What email do we send them to?
for my mitsubishi pajero(3.2 diesel engine+dpf) i'm using valvolne 5w30 XL iii.(c3\2 certified+B4)
great oil.
my van has at this moment 183 thousand miles. most of my cars lasted way over 300 thousand miles. one so far had yes 675 thousand miles!
is royal purple as good as they say
after installing a new head unit my radio is alot worse. The antenna is plugged in but reception performance dropped way off. any ideas?
Iv been using synthetic for over ten yrs and i never want back to conventional oil, i get good gas mileage as well, way better in my opinion.
Great video. Thank you.
oil is like blood, so you can either choose good enough blood, or you can choose superior blood, which will help you feel better?
Where the gearcase is in a sterndrive or outboard powered boat.
And those specs also pertain to emissions too;
Some overly protective synthetics use a very high amount of ZDDP (good for classic cars with non-roller valve-train that dont have catalytic converters). BUT if you use lots of ZDDP the cats will clog in a modern day car!
What about using synthetic oil in four stroke outboard engines?
On a brand new car, should the first oil change be sooner than the manufacturer recommends or just go by the owners manual. My car has synthetic blend from the factory, can I go ahead and put full synthetic at the first oil change?
what year would it be because 2011 and newer are strictly synthetic oil from what I was told and taught
Joel Dale
2015 Mustang GT
most likely synthetic oils strictly or look in your owners manual to find out but im sure its pure synthetic though
A gm You can put conventional, synthetic blend or full synthetic..
that guy asking questions is a friggin genius
ok so if your car recommends premium fuel, how necessarily is it to put premium?
Amsoil case closed! 25,000 mile oil change interval. Do your research on your preferred oil and it’s group
so true just make sure you change your oil regularly and engines will run forever.I have owned a 96 Volvo that i beat the shit out of. Iit was my first car and the transmission was the first thing to go after a lot off miles of abuse. but my family later buaght a vovlo with high milage that wasn't properly maintain and we had a lot of trouble with the turbo on that car due to the bad oil