After hearing all the great thing about synthetic oil, especially for transmissions, I also want to switch.

The only thing that scares me is the possibility on leaks. Do you guys think I should go for it or not?

The car got 77k miles, before I got it 4k miles ago it was driven in Connecticut.

 

After 75K, I started running Mobil 1 5w-30 full synthetic. At 85K, I switched to Amsoil 5w-30 full synthetic. I had UOA done on the Mobil and my engine is doing fine. The transmission has 35K on it and has only seen Amsoil GL4 full synthetic. Great shifiting even when the car is first started.

 

Run an AutoRX application before switching to synthetic. I am using AutoRX now to clean my engine internals, crankcase and ring packs. It also helps rejuvenate engine seals and minimizes the risk of leakage following a switch to synthetic oil from dino.

It is only available over the internet. See www.auto-rx.com and www.bobistheoilguy.com (BITOG).

I have finished the 1,500 mile clean phase and am 400 miles into the 2,000 mile rinse phase, after which I will be switching to Esso XD3 Extra, 0w30, PAO, full synthetic year round.

My car has just turned 61K, mostly highway miles, and I don't believe the engine was too dirty to begin with. AutoRX helps to reduce sludge and varnish buildups. I have experienced some improvement in fuel economy as a result of using AutoRX and Chevron Techron and despite a Budget y-pipe, I can not hear the engine idle when the windows are rolled up and the stereo and AC are turned off.

I have read many a rave review about AutoRX. You can also use AutoRX in transmission, manual transaxles and power steering reservoirs.

Also research Lubecontrol on BITOG and see www.lubecontrol.com

 

Maybe it’s some but isn’t cleaning engine might also cause leaks because it cleans out oil seals?

 

just change the motor. unless you fear it was driven extremely hard, used cheap oil, and/or changed irregularly, I see no reason to worry. 77k is nothing on a Maxima. I waiting to almost 30k to switch. (was gonna go 20k, but got free GTX)

 

Do not use an engine-flush process at a lube joint. Use AutoRX as an engine flush. Research it. Speculate all you want, but you would be better off educating yourself by going to the website and BITOG. There are some very knowledgeable members there. 77K on a Maxima is nothing.

However, I have no idea what the engine maintenance history and mix of city/highway driving and short trips is for your vehicle. Consequently I would be inclined to clean the engine first, but not with any high-pressure solvent flush.

 

I switched to all synthetic (engine/tranny) about 40K ago when my Max had 40K on it... No problems so far... Did not use the cleaners... Though I have used SeaFoam once some time ago in engine...

 

i did both at about 77 or 78, no leaks but that great, protected feeling you get with them

 

Is there any way to find out the condition of the engine? Provided, it sounds good, pulls good, no oil deposits on the oil plug, no oil consumption, dipstick does not have the smell of burnt oil, finger rubbing test does not show any contaminants.

What about the condition of the transmission?

Also, how much can I expect to pay for getting my oil analyzed; does it worth it?

 

Compression test, leakdown test, and send off some oil samples for analysis. Test cost around $30.

 

I changed to synthetics at 117k miles when I installed my supercharger. No leaks then or now, and I'm at 177k now.

 

I have done some more research on this topic and got even more confused. Many things that I found out contradict some other facts that I found out. These are two contradictions which confuse me the most:

1. Engine cleaners such as auto-rx clean various buildups which extends engine life.
Synthetic oil also desolves all this build up left by dyno oil but this does not extend life of the engine but shortens it and might create leaks very soon after oil change.

2. It is not recommended to switch from one type of oil to another. It is, especially, not recommended to go back from synthetic to dyno. However, auto-rx recommends using dyno oil for the cleaning process for better results even if synthetic was used before.

There’s something wrong with my understanding, so please, let me know what’s wrong with those statements.

Also, how does auto-rx help to prevent and even stop leaks which synthetic oil might cause?

 

To my knowledge, synthetic oil does not cause leaks unless there was a problem to begin with. I don't know where you got the notion that synthetic oil shortens engine life. It extends it if used properly.

You can switch from one oil to another any time you want. What do you think syn-blends are - simply a blend of synthetic oil and dino oil.

There is something wrong with your understanding - it is misguided. I don't know where you got your information from. It could be that you simply do not understand.

Go ahead and switch to synthetic oil. If there are any leaks then try AutoRX. However, I would be inclined to run it first. At 77K it wouldn't hurt.

You, sir, are fretting about absolutely nothing. I thought I was ****, lol!

 

That was helpful... thanks
Last question, do I have to use some kind of fluid to flush the engine and tranny before I change to synthetics?


Also, just out of curiosity, why is there even a possibility of leaks when synthetic oil is used in not perfectly maintained engine?

 

I was suggesting AutoRX in the crankcase which takes a total of 3,500 miles to run through your engine. I take it you don't want to go that route, so just drain the oil and switch to synthetic. You might want to try a short interval on the first synthetic OCI, say 4,000 or 4,500 miles to let it work out any sludge buildup, then you could extend your OCI. I'm not sure how many miles you drive a year, but one of the benefits of synthetic is that it allows longer OCIs.

I see you have a manual transmission. If you bought AutoRX, you could follow the directions and leave it in for 1,000 miles, then drain and fill it.

Get the color of the transaxle gear oil checked at a lube joint. I replaced my gear oil at about 57K in February. It was black. The new oil was amber/honey color. If yours is quite dark I suspect it has never been changed.

You could switch to synthetic gear oil in your transaxle. Once again use Amsoil or Redline, but make sure it meets GL4 gear oil standards, not GL5.

For my money, I would just as soon use dino gear oil and replace it every 30K. However, it is difficult to find. Make sure you use GL4 gear oil, not GL5, as it will eat away the brass bushings in the transmission and screw up your synchromesh.

I advise you to read the stickies, FAQs, go to motorvate.ca, maxmods.dyndns.org and buy yourself a Haynes manual; they cost peanuts.

 

Actually, I do want to go that route, anything that will maximize the life of the engine lol

Btw: I got 5 speed manual

thank's for your help, Bobo.

 

If the engine has not been properly maintained there is a higher chance that the seals will be worn, and dried out, making it easier for oil to slip by.

 

Remember if you want to go the AutoRX route, you need to order it from the website as it isn't available in stores. I don't think its necessary to put the AutoRX in the manual transaxle, so I would just get that checked out ASAP. Order the AutoRX for the crankcase. To cut down on freight, you might want to spread it over 2 or more bottles and see if a friend wants some.

Also consider Lubecontrol products - FP in the gas tank and LC in the crankcase. Many swear by both products. I would hold off on using the LC until you are into your second synthetic oil change. See www.lubecontrol.com and BITOG.

 

I jacked up the car just to check where the drain and fill plugs are, and I noticed some oil residue around the speed sensor plug. I know that sometimes oil is drained through the speed sensor plug, so could it be just what’s left from the last oil change or it’s a leak? If it’s a leak can auto-rx fix it, if not how else can it be done?

 

Bobo, I came up with another question: lol

As far as I understand all the buildup formed over the years of driving is formed not directly in the cylinders but in those parts of the engine where there is no metal-to-metal friction. Cylinders are kept clean because of the moving pistons. However, when auto-rx is added the old buildup gets mixed with oil and the cylinders start being lubricated with dirty oil which is harmful for the engine. So my question is this: is not is better to let all this buildup stay in the area where it does not make any affect on the moving engine parts than mixing it with oil and letting dirty oil enter the cylinders?

 

So just to make this topic worse... I have a 92 5-speed with 226K miles and though i was not considering switching motor oil, dino GL-4 is impossible to find and I was thinking about going the redline route.

At this many miles, would i be "upsetting the balance" or possibly be saving myself from future headaches?

 

hey i am having this problem also i want to switch to full synthic, i am at currently @ 70000 miles and the last guy who did my oil change at some lube said i need a flush, now after driving a couple of miles my oil is dark ......as for the tranny the oil is red and i am scared to do a flush ....is there any way to clean the engine without damaging anything.....as for the tranny i just keep changing the fliud 15-20k miles

 

Synthetic Oil contains more robust detergents than dino oil or blends. This allows it to last longer than these oils, but it also will eat away at mineral deposits around the cylinders (generally a good thing). Sadly, on poorly maintained engines, these carbon deposits are the only things providing adequate sealing for the pistons. Once the synthetic cleans these deposits out, you will have compression problem, because there will no longer be proper piston seating in the chamber. This is why synthetic 'causes' older engines to leak. This leaking will be seen in the car burning oil.

That, and some other synthetic additives cause the rubber and other organic seals in the engine to swell when it touches them. This is usually a good thing, as it provides better sealing. But if the seals are not in good condition, this swelling can cause them to split and burst, causing leaks.

I strongly recommend Royal Purple to anyone wishing to try an extremely advanced full synthetic. Amisol is also a very good choice for a full synthetic. Mobil-1 can be picky with some engines, I don't recommend it. Not all synthetics are created equal.

 

A lube joint must have dino GL4. If you truly can't find any, go the Redline route. I can't see how it would hurt anything.

 

What part of use AutoRX do you not understand? Tranny fluid only needs to be changed every 30K; changing it every 15-20K miles is overkill and a waste of money.

 

This is further support for using AutoRX before switching to synthetic oil if an engine has a number of miles on it.

Royal Purple is not the oil of choice on BITOG. I wouldn't use it as there are better alternatives.

 

I base my recommendation on personal expereince, and the combined experience of the rotary community (whose engines run hotter to begin with).

 

Nonsense! I also have a rotary - a 1985 GSL- SE, with 123,800 miles on it and it is the 5th rotary engine vehicle I've owned. I belong to two RX7 websites, including www.rx7club.com and this business about Royal Purple being the oil of choice for rotary engines is news to me. I'm currently running Castrol GTX 10w30. With the oil consumption of a 13B engine, why would I waste my money on Royal Purple?

If its slammed on BITOG, that's reason enough to avoid it like the plague. In fact, it isn't even a Group IV oil to my knowledge.

 

What do you mean overkill?

 

What I am saying is that you don't have to change tranny fluid that often. Perhaps if you continually abused the transmission it might pay dividends to change the tranny fluid that frequently, but what do I know I drive a 5-speed and have never owned a car with an automatic transmission. In fact, I don't know how to drive one.

 

I'm unsubscribing from this thread as it's a waste of time and diskspace. Not a single question has been posed that hasn't already been answered by the stickies or a recent thread.

 

Check rx7club, Racing Beat and many others endorse Royal Purple as the oil for rotary usage.

Redline generally has strong ratings on BITOG, but its all a matter of personal perferance.

 

Personal preference is Castrol GTX 10w30 by the case at Costco. If I'm adding a quart every 1,500 miles or so, why would I waste my money on Royal Purple and synthetic oil is generally not recommended for a 1st Gen RX7.

 

No offence, but I think you guys should discuss it on Mazda forums.




Bobo, maybe you did not see that post but I just wanted to find out your opinion on the question I asked before. Quoting it:

 

You are lubricating the engine with dirty oil. There is a reason why auto-rx suggest you change your filter when you begin the cleaning cycle. The oil is still filtered. The auto-rx slowly cleans everything. Problem come when you leave that sludge just setting there, and it suddenly breaks off one day and blocks up an oil passage. For better info on auto-rx, check out www.auto-rx.com and www.bobistheoilguy.com forums.

 

I looked for the answers in both of these websites. I have read probably every sentence at auto-rx.com but nothing on this topic. - I even emailed them twice but the person who replied did not know what he was talking about. Your answer seems to make sense though

 

If you have any further questions, let me know. Oil is filtered after it returns to the oil pan, before it is pumped out to the rest of the motor. Unless you have a horribly dirty oil filter that has gone into bypass, you will never pump dirty oil through your motor.

 

In addition, the VQ engine is not prone to sludge. I question how dirty my engine was in the first place, but I thought a little preventative maintenance was in order prior to switching to synthetic oil.

Follow the AutoRX instructions to the T. Following completion of the AutoRX cycle, you might want to start using Lubecontrol LC20. See www.lubecontrol.com and BITOG.

Frank at AutoRX should be able to answer all your questions.

 

there's all kinda of blasphamey all up in this thread. Hint: anyone that talks about "dyno" oil has no idea what they're talking about. you're posting "facts" you found that are nothing more than piles of bull dung.
and if you read/joined www.bobistheoilguy.com you wouldn't need to be so confused or continue this abomination of a thread.

 

DKlop: An idea, try changing to synth-blend first. If no leaks appear, then go to full synth. That way, you can 'break-in' your engine and tranny. If the semi causes seepage, then it's definitely not a good idea.