nick

iTrader: (10)

Hi everybody - my 97 se (auto) is at 116k , now problems ,bought it with 80k year ago, since then I have been using valvoline max life for high milage vehicles with regular oil changes every 3k
I want to switch to mobil 1 fully synthetic oil - my question is
can I just drain Valvoline 5w30 and put in Mobil 1 , or should i start with semi- synthtic first?

thanks a lot !!!!
and happy new year


97 se black on black (auto)
frankencar/budget/focuz fart can
kyb agx/sprints/fstb/rsb
clear corners all around
35%tint/shaved butt

Kashoggio

iTrader: (11)

i wouldnt, syntethic is a thiner oil that will leak alot faster on a engine that has your kind of milage. Unles you have noleaks you can still use it, but honestly I dont see the point.

nick

iTrader: (10)

I will stay with valvoline max life - I think it's very good oil overall
V/R
Nick

Paonessa

i changed over to mobil one full synthetic at 113k.
no leaks, engine doesn't burn oil. i looked at my cams recently and there are no grooves or anything

pmg

I don't think synthetic would make a big difference anyways. My buddy's turbo Supra has 240,000 miles on an all original engine and it's still going strong. He drives it hard too. He just got a 350Z by the way and took me for a ride. The break-in period lasted about 8 miles

I figure if he got that many miles on conventional oil, I might as well stick with it and save some money.

D1NOnly34

iTrader: (4)

I would go all out and make a full tuneup, nothing would make you and your engine feel better than a good nice tuneup to start the year

gsleve

You might want to use some Autorx next oil change not a bad price only 25.oo to cleanse the motor and continue with oil regiment you've been using, the Autorx would perhaps breathe some new life in the vehicle and it's only a one time thing for about 50k, you would be doing the valve seals a world of good along with you're rest of the motor seal and internals of the motor, it's really a minor investment if you plan to keep the car for a while.

mrbill

If you want the best lubricant you can buy for your engine use sythetic oil, and it doesn't get much better than Mobil1. Your engine will experience less wear using Mobil1 with changes every 8K as opposed to using "ANY" dino oil changed at 3K.
Looking at some of the responses to your question it appears there still are quite a few of myths floating around regarding the use of synthetic oil.

PeTeRtheEaTeR

i got 130k on my max and i switched from regular chevron oil to valvoline synthetic blend (not full synthetic) and it felt so much better. It was smoother, the acceleration was barely noticable but i felt a difference so i decided to use the valvoline synthetic blend.

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

I beg to differ, there are products out there better than Mobil 1.

I agree with the rest of your post though

Paonessa

I would choose mobil one over any other.

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

Any particular reason, other than it's probably the best one off the shelf?

mrbill

Have seen few independent tests results for different brands of oil. Mobil1 is always at or near the top. "Amsoil" (synthetic) claims they are better than any other but some of their claims appear to be exaggerated and I haven’t seen any independent verification. Some of the other major brands claim to be full synthetics but are really not (the rules governing the definition of synthetic oil are a bit vague right now, there are a couple of lawsuits flying around, etc.) However, probably all brands of synthetic oil, or even semi synthetic mixes, generally provide “much” better protection than virtually any brand of dino oil.

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

I don't question whether or not any off the shelf "synthetic" is better than a dino, or even that Mobil 1 is an excellent oil. I think that saying whether or not it's the best is highly subjective.

There are lots of used oil analysis reports (independent) available that back up Amsoil's claims to some degree. There actually is some substance to the products, they are not all hype. They do get carried away sometimes though.

mrbill

Totally agree (not too often that happens!) I just don't know what to think or conclude about Amsoil. How can their product be that much better than any other synthetic oil on the market (as they claim)? If they exaggerate that claim no telling what else they fudge on. However, to leave open the possibility that another oil is equal to or better than Mobil1 I did say: It doesn't get "much" better than Mobil1.

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

There are a few reasons they can turn out a higher quality oil. One of them is their quality control. When new materials arrive, it's quarrantined until it's been verified that it's up to their standard. The materials they use are also top notch, not a compromise in price, something directly reflected in the cost of course. Companies like Exxon Mobil are certainly capable of turning out products of the same quality but are hampered by market and political forces. The population has decided that a quart of synthetic motor oil should cost around $4. In order to be successful in the market, something like Mobil 1 has to be a compromise between quality and price. In order to land the lucrative contracts with the automakers, oil companies have to subject themselves to their whims, again a compromise. Automakers hardly have the consumers best interest in mind. Large oil companies are also responsible to stockholders who demand maximum profits, not what's best for the consumer.

How does Amsoil differ here? Their philosophy is to make the best product period. If that costs $5/quart, so be it. Amsoil doesn't have the capacity or distribution system to be competive right now as a supplier for the automakers. The formulations have the consumer in mind as a result. As a private company, Amsoil is very dependent on the reputation of their products. If they were junk, word would get out and their business would decline. One guy tries the oil, and tells his buddy. His buddy tries it and tells his. That's the only way for Amsoil to grow. I would think that's a pretty strong incentive for them to turn out products that exceed the quality their competitors produce. Does their marketing raise eyebrows at times, yes? That doesn't mean their isn't any substance behind the products. After all, they been in business for 30 years.

Personally, I've run Mobil 1 TriSynthetic 5W-30 and Amsoil 5W-30 for 8K miles which included city, highway and roadcourse driving. Analysis results indicated wear at that interval was about the same bewteen the brands. What was notable was that the Mobil 1 was starting to thicken while the Amsoil stayed in grade. Since Mobil 1 had a tendency to thin out with use, it's obvious this oil was worked hard and about ready to be changed. Amsoil was still good to go for more. Those results are what finally convinced me that their products were worth the money and the reason I became a dealer as well.

Rickalodeon

To the original question, "...at 116K - should I change to synthetic oil?" -
There's overwhelming evidence that synthetic oil is superior to dino. As with all things, there are lots of exceptions...I have an aunt who's in her 70's and has been smoking for most of her adult life without health problems...Doesn't mean that everyone will have the same experience. I have another aunt who quit smoking in her 60's. Don't know if her health is improved, but the obvious perspective is that even if moderately improved, it's a good thing.

So...Dino oil should be just fine; if you're lucky, consistent changes will contribute to a long motor life. Synthetic properties are superior to dino; assuming the average life expectancy for our max motors, anything short of a couple hundred thousand miles is a good time to convert to a healthier product.

funnylittlman

iTrader: (1)

Only 8 miles.. huh? I don't blame him!

Just to add, I put synthetic on my car w/ 51K miles on it. 5w30 MOBIL 1. NO leaks.

Also I put sythetic on my mohters 1980 380SEL Mercedes at 128k miles. There MAY be a little leak, but the stick still reads full. That was 4K miles ago.

dmplus

Never used synthetic, cant see how it could be that much benificial than regualar. I change the oil every 5000-10000 miles and have 204,xxx plus miles on my 95 with hardly a problem.

mrbill

Synthetic is a much much better lubricant than dino oil. Just think, you are either using a product that was taken from the ground and refined or you are using a product made specifically to provide the best lubrication currently possible for just about every engine. (I have read that the only engine that should not have synthetic oil was the old Mazda Rotary engine...but don't know why). Synthetic oil is now a factory fill for many new high end cars. (BMW, corvett, Mercedes, etc.) and I think it is only a matter of time before others fall in line. Even the semi synthetics are a vast improvement over dino oil. Do a couple of searches on the internet and read the facts. You will change your mind!

lilserve67

I use Mobil1 and have been for years. My Max has 12?K and I change it every 10K. No problems. Had a truck that had 100K when I bought it and I put 125K plus, used Mobil1 every 10K. The rest of the truck died but motor was still strong. I live buy it.



'97 SE

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

It's not unusual for those engines to burn 1 quart every 700 miles. A high quality synthetic can extend that a little bit, but you'd still be poor pretty fast! I don't think I'd ever change the oil on one of those, just spin on a new filter every once in a while.

Paonessa

you guys wait a long time to change your oil. i used mobil one synthetic and i still change it every 4500 miles at the most

MaxKlinger

Amen brother! Synthetic oil drains your wallet faster than it helps your engine. I pulled into the garage today with 160,650 on the odometer, every mile of which was on regular 'dino' oil. The car doesn't burn or leak a drop, and still runs smooth and strong. I change my oil and filter religiously every 3,000 miles.

Even if synthetics do have superior lubrication properties, I would think it necessary to change the FILTER every 3,000 miles. The filters aren't being improved for such longevity, and you may still be getting the same amount of dirt in the engine - therefore you're running dirtier oil!

In addition, the advantages of synthetics are reduced volatility, higher viscosity index, and higher film strength, meaning it can lubricate the same as a regular oil, but in a thinner sheet. This is good for an engine that has just broken in w/ regular oil, and then switched, but it's bad for a high milage motor because the clearances have expanded with wear.

Best of luck on whatever you choose, but I'm staying with regular petroleum oil every 3,000 for the next 100,000+ miles!

ryanmc

iTrader: (3)

I agree with the first post the synthetic is gonna be a thinner slicker oil that will find itself places to escape your motor easier
blow by, gaskets and seals but i use one synthetic and three regular
and have been doing this for a long time with good results.

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

You're missing a few things here. Some filters are better than others and have been designed for a longer life, as well as filter more efficiently. Paper media filters don't last very long, and I would agree that they should be changed more frequently. Through the filters like Amsoil or Mobil 1 in there, and they have a seperate media that doesn't break down as quick, allowing the filter to do the job longer. The "good" synthetic oils also contain a greater concentration of detergents/dispersants that help control deposits so they are suspended in the oil where they can't do any harm. Since conventional oils break down, they actually contribute to those deposits.

You mentioned synthetic oil lubricates the same as conventional oil, but in a thinner sheet and higher mileage engines are a problem because of the increased clearances. You also mentioned that one of the advantages of synthetic oil was a higher viscosity index. Since the higher VI index means the oil is more resistant to viscosity change with temperature, let's look at your scenario another way. Synthetic oil will mainatin it's viscosity at normal operating temperature and higher, but conventional oil will thin out dramatically at the same temperatures. In this case, lubrication would hardly be the same, and the advantage goes to the synthetic.

Changing conventional oil every 3k can work fine, as it obviuously has in your case, but there are many people who can benefit from using a synthetic. For example, those that don't want to crawl under the car every 3k (or trust the jiffyboob guy), those that push the car very hard (a lot of people on this board), and those that see lot's of short trips in very cold weather.

speedtrip

I switched from dino to synthetic at 102,000 miles. Now that it is getting colder I really appreciate having synthetic oil now. I'm not experiencing any more oil burn off than I did running dino oil. My temp gauge also dropped a needle's width since I changed to amsoil. It's more money but I feel it's worth it.

mrbill

Up until this past summer I had never used synthetic oil in any vehicle that I had ever owned. Then, prompted by seeing some bulletin board discussions on the subject, I have since read every article, from every source I could find, on the subject of motor oil, primarily involving the use of dino vs synthetic oil. .
My Conclusion: Synthetic oil is significantly superior to any dino oil made. Even the semi-synthetics offer significant advantages over the use of dino oil. In most situations an engine will experience less wear using synthetic oil with 8-10K change intervals than when using dino at 3K-4K change intervals. Anyone who is willing to take the time, do the research, and separate the facts from fiction will probably never pour another drop of dino oil into any mechanically sound vehicle they own. This is not necessarily because dino oil is bad, it’s because the synthetic lubricants are so much better.
Reading material?? You may want to start with “FAQ” on the Mobil1 and Amsoil sites. Then do some searches to find info on some of the independent studies. Let us know what you find out and conclude. I would be very surprised if your conclusions are much different than mine!

96BLUMAX

iTrader: (3)

When i went to synthetic my engine started leaking a lot more, but that was with a old engine that had a bad seal. It all depends on the engine.