i got 46K on my teg, and i was wondering if it was worth switching to synthetic?
also my buddy was saying that synthetic is much thinner than regular and since the engine isn't used to it, it will start leaking thats why you have to switch at super low miles

 

I had around that same number of miles when I switched to Mobil 1. I've run on it for about 45,000 miles now. I haven't been able to notice a difference. Except that the oil gets dirtier faster. (And yes, I change every 3,000 miles.) Next time I'm switching back to regular oil. But I didn't have any problems with leaks or the engine consuming excess oil, or anything like that.

 

No. When you switch to thinner oil, it just uncovers problems that may already exist. You could switch from regular 10w30 dino to regular 5w30 dino oil and have the same results. It doesnt matter whether it's synthetic or dino.


[Modified by tilt, 1:09 AM 1/8/2003]


[Modified by tilt, 1:10 AM 1/8/2003]

 

Since the engine isn't used to it? I didn't know engines had feelings.

Thinner oil will pass through the finer gaps of your gaskets and washers, more so than conventional motor oil. I have 88k and run synthetic oil. The oil leaves a very slight drip at the drain plug but that's about it for my car.

 

Synthetic oil = waste of money. Not unless you drive you car really hard or live in like Alaska where it can dip below 0 degree or LV where it's 100 degree+, you don't need it. Hondas/Acuras Motor are design to last a very long time as long as you just maintain them as recommended by the manufacteur.

 

regular oil = low income, financial problems
synthetic oil = money grows on tree for you

 

There has been argument agains dino vs. synthetic oil for years. I've long since gone to the dark side since, and IMHO, it is better in so many ways.

Reduced wear: oil has a property called "film strength" keeps oil molecules from being pushed apart, causing metal to metal contact. Mineral oil will break at around 500psi and synthetic breaks around 3000psi. Synthetic oils stick to hot metal surfaces better than mineral oils, so when you crank up a cold motor that's been sitting for weeks and it had synthetic oil in it: it's still coating contact parts before the lubrication system can begin to circulate oil.

Speaking of circulating oil at low temperatures (no, not 0 but 30 degrees; or however cold it gets in your area). Take a bottle of synthetic and mineral oil at the same viscosity. Leave it outside, then pour them into a container in the morning. Which flows better? Would you rather be the crank bearing with the synthetic or mineral oil????

Less gunk: Mineral oil begins to evaporate around 350 degrees, synthetics do above 600 degrees F. The less that evaporates, the less crud is left behind on the metal surface.

More power: Synthetic lubricants are slipperier than mineral oils because the polymer chains are more uniform in length and size. This allows it to flow easier through channels and orfices. This being the case, there's also less heat created (less friction within the oil).

Less heat: Laminar flow vs. turbulent flow. Synthetic oils will remove heat better than mineral oils because mineral oils will hold the heat on the surface of the flow rather than within the flow of oil.

Sealing: There are tiny grooves and pits in the cylinder walls. The oil has to fill those in order to get proper compression. Synthetics do this better. In addition, when the surface layer of any leftover oil burns off in the combustion chamber, the synthetics burn cleaner than mineral oils.

Longer drain intervals: less pollution, fewer oil changes.

Car companies don't like synthetics because they'd rather sell you a new car every 5 years.


[Modified by PupaScoopa, 12:05 PM 1/9/2003]

 

Synth also works best for a lazy man who forgets to change their oil on the 3k intervals

 

Interesting...

 

Synthetic oil is not thinner than Dino oil. If you compare a 5w30 synthetic oil w/ a 5w30 dino oil they should have similar viscosity. How they perform under load could be different but regardless if you change your oil pretty regularly at 3k then go with whichever oil you are more comfortable with.

Edit spelling


[Modified by Eva01, 6:15 PM 1/9/2003]

 

i recently switched to synthetic because i now have to drive 130 miles(round trip) everyday to work, so id rather have the extra protection and i wont have to change as much.

7,500 mile oil changes
3,000 mile oil changes

 

I started using Mobile1 5W30 when my car had 97k miles on it..... so far.

 

I am in a similar situation. I drive 100 miles a day round trip and change my oil every 8kMile. The oil analysis said my M1 is still within range but just slightly more in the particle count dept, but it is still good enough for continuous usage to probably 10kMile.

 

i have been using synthetic oil for many years until my honda accord died with 160,000 miles on them...i used 15w50 all year long...never had any trouble...my teggy has 40,000 and i have been usign synthetic for 5 years and no problem...i dont understand when people say that synthetic is thinner than conventional oil. The only thing i didnt like about synthetic is too darn expensive...considering the benefit that i get on my car...dont really mind at all...