Switch to Synthetic Oil
05-08-2001, 01:33 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 41
My max is at ~69k, and i am considering switching to synthetic oil.. Is this safe, and what do I need to do in preparation for the switch? How do I perform an engine flush? Has anyone done this before after running petro oils? Also, which is the best brand for syn oil and flush?
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks,
Dan
05-08-2001, 01:54 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 792
Don't need to do anything. Next oil change, just start using the synthetic oil.
Different people have different theories on which oil is the best. I use Mobil 1 15w50. Most people would probably recommend 10w30.
I use 15w50 because if doesn't have the friction modifiers of the ligher weight oils. You can tell if the oil has the friction modifiers from the api label. If it states 'energy conserving' then it has the friction modifiers in it. In order to 'earn' the energy conserving stamp, the oil must improve fuel mileage by some number, like 1.8% or whatever the number is. However, I've heard to do this, some engine protection is sacrificed. So for optimum wear protection, I'd try to stay away from oils with the friction modifiers. If you take a look, most oils for race cars and such when non-synthetic is 20w50. Most multiweight oils that i've seen up to the 30 range have the energy conserving seal. 10w40, 20w50, 5w50, 15w50 do not.
Theroetically, you can loose 1-2 horsepower from the thicker oil as well. So you may want to go with the 10w30. Where I live, it doesn't get THAT cold. Also, most of my driving is freeway (110mile round trip commute), or driving in which the car is running for more than 30 minutes at a time. The engine and oil hit operating temperature and stay there, so the higher weight oil may protect better. Finally, I use the same Mobil 1 15w50 in my bikes, so I only need to stock one oil. The manuals normally recommend a lighter oil, but it's hard to find non-motorcycle oils that don't have the energy conserving seal, and motorcycle oils cost a lot, $4-$10 a quart. I put on 18,000 miles on my Yamaha YZF-1000R1 and had no problems with the engine or oil. (on a bike, you want to make sure you don't have oil that has friction modifiers since the oil is shared with the transmission and clutch. having friction modifiers there would cause the clutch to slip.).
Other than that, just drain, change the filter, and fill. I don't think you need to pay for a moter flush or any of that other stuff. Whatever's in there is going to be washed out by the oil's detergents and dumped as you change the oil.
-V
Different people have different theories on which oil is the best. I use Mobil 1 15w50. Most people would probably recommend 10w30.
I use 15w50 because if doesn't have the friction modifiers of the ligher weight oils. You can tell if the oil has the friction modifiers from the api label. If it states 'energy conserving' then it has the friction modifiers in it. In order to 'earn' the energy conserving stamp, the oil must improve fuel mileage by some number, like 1.8% or whatever the number is. However, I've heard to do this, some engine protection is sacrificed. So for optimum wear protection, I'd try to stay away from oils with the friction modifiers. If you take a look, most oils for race cars and such when non-synthetic is 20w50. Most multiweight oils that i've seen up to the 30 range have the energy conserving seal. 10w40, 20w50, 5w50, 15w50 do not.
Theroetically, you can loose 1-2 horsepower from the thicker oil as well. So you may want to go with the 10w30. Where I live, it doesn't get THAT cold. Also, most of my driving is freeway (110mile round trip commute), or driving in which the car is running for more than 30 minutes at a time. The engine and oil hit operating temperature and stay there, so the higher weight oil may protect better. Finally, I use the same Mobil 1 15w50 in my bikes, so I only need to stock one oil. The manuals normally recommend a lighter oil, but it's hard to find non-motorcycle oils that don't have the energy conserving seal, and motorcycle oils cost a lot, $4-$10 a quart. I put on 18,000 miles on my Yamaha YZF-1000R1 and had no problems with the engine or oil. (on a bike, you want to make sure you don't have oil that has friction modifiers since the oil is shared with the transmission and clutch. having friction modifiers there would cause the clutch to slip.).
Other than that, just drain, change the filter, and fill. I don't think you need to pay for a moter flush or any of that other stuff. Whatever's in there is going to be washed out by the oil's detergents and dumped as you change the oil.
-V
05-08-2001, 02:15 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 41
OILS
Any thoughts on Redline or Royal Purple?
Originally posted by vmok
Don't need to do anything. Next oil change, just start using the synthetic oil.
Different people have different theories on which oil is the best. I use Mobil 1 15w50. Most people would probably recommend 10w30.
I use 15w50 because if doesn't have the friction modifiers of the ligher weight oils. You can tell if the oil has the friction modifiers from the api label. If it states 'energy conserving' then it has the friction modifiers in it. In order to 'earn' the energy conserving stamp, the oil must improve fuel mileage by some number, like 1.8% or whatever the number is. However, I've heard to do this, some engine protection is sacrificed. So for optimum wear protection, I'd try to stay away from oils with the friction modifiers. If you take a look, most oils for race cars and such when non-synthetic is 20w50. Most multiweight oils that i've seen up to the 30 range have the energy conserving seal. 10w40, 20w50, 5w50, 15w50 do not.
Theroetically, you can loose 1-2 horsepower from the thicker oil as well. So you may want to go with the 10w30. Where I live, it doesn't get THAT cold. Also, most of my driving is freeway (110mile round trip commute), or driving in which the car is running for more than 30 minutes at a time. The engine and oil hit operating temperature and stay there, so the higher weight oil may protect better. Finally, I use the same Mobil 1 15w50 in my bikes, so I only need to stock one oil. The manuals normally recommend a lighter oil, but it's hard to find non-motorcycle oils that don't have the energy conserving seal, and motorcycle oils cost a lot, $4-$10 a quart. I put on 18,000 miles on my Yamaha YZF-1000R1 and had no problems with the engine or oil. (on a bike, you want to make sure you don't have oil that has friction modifiers since the oil is shared with the transmission and clutch. having friction modifiers there would cause the clutch to slip.).
Other than that, just drain, change the filter, and fill. I don't think you need to pay for a moter flush or any of that other stuff. Whatever's in there is going to be washed out by the oil's detergents and dumped as you change the oil.
-V
Don't need to do anything. Next oil change, just start using the synthetic oil.
Different people have different theories on which oil is the best. I use Mobil 1 15w50. Most people would probably recommend 10w30.
I use 15w50 because if doesn't have the friction modifiers of the ligher weight oils. You can tell if the oil has the friction modifiers from the api label. If it states 'energy conserving' then it has the friction modifiers in it. In order to 'earn' the energy conserving stamp, the oil must improve fuel mileage by some number, like 1.8% or whatever the number is. However, I've heard to do this, some engine protection is sacrificed. So for optimum wear protection, I'd try to stay away from oils with the friction modifiers. If you take a look, most oils for race cars and such when non-synthetic is 20w50. Most multiweight oils that i've seen up to the 30 range have the energy conserving seal. 10w40, 20w50, 5w50, 15w50 do not.
Theroetically, you can loose 1-2 horsepower from the thicker oil as well. So you may want to go with the 10w30. Where I live, it doesn't get THAT cold. Also, most of my driving is freeway (110mile round trip commute), or driving in which the car is running for more than 30 minutes at a time. The engine and oil hit operating temperature and stay there, so the higher weight oil may protect better. Finally, I use the same Mobil 1 15w50 in my bikes, so I only need to stock one oil. The manuals normally recommend a lighter oil, but it's hard to find non-motorcycle oils that don't have the energy conserving seal, and motorcycle oils cost a lot, $4-$10 a quart. I put on 18,000 miles on my Yamaha YZF-1000R1 and had no problems with the engine or oil. (on a bike, you want to make sure you don't have oil that has friction modifiers since the oil is shared with the transmission and clutch. having friction modifiers there would cause the clutch to slip.).
Other than that, just drain, change the filter, and fill. I don't think you need to pay for a moter flush or any of that other stuff. Whatever's in there is going to be washed out by the oil's detergents and dumped as you change the oil.
-V
05-08-2001, 02:25 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 792
Re: OILS
Originally posted by danielbu
Any thoughts on Redline or Royal Purple?
Any thoughts on Redline or Royal Purple?
Mobil oil seems to be a bigger company than Redline, so the possibility of Mobil being able to spend $$$ on R&D seems like a better bet...
The only direct comparison I can make between Mobil 1 and Redline is driving three Miata's back to back, one with stock fluid, one with Mobil 1 Synthetic Transmission fluid and one with Redline MTL. To tell you the truth, couldn't really tell too much difference between the three. The MTL seemed to be the thinnest, it was quick shifting but not quite as smooth. The Mobil one seemed thinker, more silky, but slighly heavier. The stock fluid seemed the notchiest, but you couldn't feel the grain of the metal while shifting as much as you could the MTL.
-V
05-08-2001, 02:57 PM
#5
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 41
Re: Re: OILS
Sorry I wasn't clear.. I am talking about synthetic motor oils... I already have the tranny on MTL... Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks again,
Dan
Thanks again,
Dan
Originally posted by vmok
Redline is supposed to make good stuff. I don't know what the cost of their synthetic oil is. I've never heard of Royal Purple. I've used Mobil 1 because I read something a long time ago (way before the tri-synthetic formula came out) that there's only like 2 or 3 manufactuers of synthetic oil, and that most of the other brands were produced and at the same plant and relabled.
Mobil oil seems to be a bigger company than Redline, so the possibility of Mobil being able to spend $$$ on R&D seems like a better bet...
The only direct comparison I can make between Mobil 1 and Redline is driving three Miata's back to back, one with stock fluid, one with Mobil 1 Synthetic Transmission fluid and one with Redline MTL. To tell you the truth, couldn't really tell too much difference between the three. The MTL seemed to be the thinnest, it was quick shifting but not quite as smooth. The Mobil one seemed thinker, more silky, but slighly heavier. The stock fluid seemed the notchiest, but you couldn't feel the grain of the metal while shifting as much as you could the MTL.
-V
Redline is supposed to make good stuff. I don't know what the cost of their synthetic oil is. I've never heard of Royal Purple. I've used Mobil 1 because I read something a long time ago (way before the tri-synthetic formula came out) that there's only like 2 or 3 manufactuers of synthetic oil, and that most of the other brands were produced and at the same plant and relabled.
Mobil oil seems to be a bigger company than Redline, so the possibility of Mobil being able to spend $$$ on R&D seems like a better bet...
The only direct comparison I can make between Mobil 1 and Redline is driving three Miata's back to back, one with stock fluid, one with Mobil 1 Synthetic Transmission fluid and one with Redline MTL. To tell you the truth, couldn't really tell too much difference between the three. The MTL seemed to be the thinnest, it was quick shifting but not quite as smooth. The Mobil one seemed thinker, more silky, but slighly heavier. The stock fluid seemed the notchiest, but you couldn't feel the grain of the metal while shifting as much as you could the MTL.
-V
05-08-2001, 04:59 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,835
No need for engine flush. Just change your oil and use synthetic next time. I recently switched from dino oil to Mobil One 5w30 (the viscosity recommended by Nissan) and my engine runs great.
As for 15w50 oil being better, I suppose when it gets heated up it is fine, but I would hesitate to use it if I had lots of cold starts or short drives (where the engine does not fully warm up). Nissan recommends 5w30 for all seasons, and 10w30 if the temp doesn't drop below freezing. I would stick with that.
As for 15w50 oil being better, I suppose when it gets heated up it is fine, but I would hesitate to use it if I had lots of cold starts or short drives (where the engine does not fully warm up). Nissan recommends 5w30 for all seasons, and 10w30 if the temp doesn't drop below freezing. I would stick with that.
05-08-2001, 08:49 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,809
i switched to Penzoil Synthetic Oil. My motor idles and overall seems to run smoother than before. I say go for the switch. My mechanic told me that it will take about 3-4 oil changes to circulate out all of the regular motor-oil left in the engine. Im goin on my 4th oil change since my change over and the oil is getting alot less brown(regular oil) and more gold resembling the synthetic oil.
goodluck
goodluck
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