I've been using Mobil 1 Tri-Synth for a few oil changes since installing the turbo, but I would like to go back to the regular stuff. Are there any concerns I should be aware of in switching? Someone (not a car person) told me you can't go back to regular after synthetic, but he's not what I'd call an "educated opinion". So I turn to you guys

P.S. I have a slow, but persistent oil leak now. Do you think the regular oil will be able to stop that?

 

I was a chemist for LoneStar Petroleum for a few years. They mainly market to trucking companies.... Basically, the idea that you can't switch brands of oil is sort of a holdover from 40 years ago when different brands of oil had all kinds of crazy characteristics. Nowadays it doesn't matter at all because the properties are so similar. Even natural vs. synthetic. Feel free to try a different brand with every oil change if you want. The main thing is frequent, regular oil changes (every 3000 miles).

 

Switch away. It might help with the oil burnage.

 

Go ahead and switch, it won't hurt you any.

 

Thanks for the feedback. My question about the oil leak wasn't oil burning, but rather a minute amount slowly leaks from where I tapped into the oil-sending unit. I heard the synthetic, being thinner (?), is more likely to leak through a space, where a regular oil might not penetrate. Any thoughts?

 

Fix the leak.

Why change oils rather than fix the leak?

You can change oils all you want, no problems.

Regular oil will be more likley to clog up the leak than synthetic will.

Randy

 

Man i love HT. I always thought it was bad to switch. Man I'd be lost without HT.

 

Getting rid of the leak isn't my motivation for switching. I'd rather not spend the extra money for the stuff when regular oil works fine. The leak issue is just a side comment.

 

The dino (regular) oil may help the slight oil leak. But really you should prperly address the leak itself. Oil sender tap is leaking.....brak out the thread sealant.

 

Yeah, if I were at home, I'd fix it immediatly....unfortuanately though, I'm without a place to work, or even the tools to do the job, here at college. It'll just have to wait til May. I have to add about a half quart per month or so, which isn't terrible really.

 

go buy a wrench and scoot under the car..?

 

No, I'm thinking I'll have to get some thread sealer to apply to the unit....which means draining the oil....which isn't allowed in the apartment complex I live in.

 

i feel you. same problem here. there's a leak coming from my the Tee in my oil feed setup (i have a 6" line off the block THEN the Tee, then the rest of the feed line). My neighborhood although it's a townhouse, doesn't allow ME to work on my car. So until I have time to take it to a friend's to fix it... i'm sol... damn i can't wait till xmas break

 

Did you guys use teflon tape on your threads?

 

I sure did...and have on every turbo ive installed

 

Yep, me too, just wondering if these guys did.

 

synthetic does seep through seals and stuff on older cars. i always have a wee bit of mobil 1 on my oil pan gasket when i had nothing using dino

 

which threads?
ive been using mobil 1 syntetic for a while... and I noticed , a couple weeks back, that on the bottom of my oil pan in one of the corners there was some oil leakage...it was very very very very small(NO DRIPPING) there was some sludge(probably dirt) and definately evidence of some oil getting out(i did notice it looked like the seal had ripped though..i should check that out )


[Modified by SiRkid, 6:18 AM 11/27/2002]

 

Doesn't regular oil not hold up well for use in a turbo application? I've thought that it doesn't meet the viscosity and temperature requirements such as spinning through the turbo at 40,000 rpm or more. If you switch to regular, you may have to change it well before 3000 miles, but I could be wrong.

 

so would the solution be 10w 30 syn?

 

Can anyone back this up?

edit: Doin a little search I found this post from VaporTrail, a tuner who's opinion I respect:

"I use and recommend regular dino Mobil oil. I have had several people try to convince me on Mobil 1, Amsoil, and other brands, and I could never justify the cost. Just change your oil regularly, use a quality filter, and you should be ok IMHO"



[Modified by Teg4e, 2:37 AM 11/27/2002]

 

Any more thoughts, before I let this die?

 

Using agressive oil change intervals 2500, 3000, 3500, etc with dino oil will survive turbo duty with no problems. I personally like Valvoline and Mobil dino oils. I just pay attentin to the oil condition at every re-fuel...just like you should anyways.

Only in extreme high load and heat conditions would I go against dino oils and move to a good synthetic oil (redline). For example track racing.......I would use synthetics for the extra stability due to the less frequent oil change intervals.