Synthetic Oils??

BigJUGGY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2005
Location
Vass, NC
So I been thinking, if synthetic oil lubricates so well, then it should be really good in offroad applications where the oil pump may be starved temporarily...right??

What about in tranny/xfer cases and diffs?? Any thoughts on this....???

Other than $$ HI-Dollar-Cost $$


Not sure why I'm asking, the Oil probly cost more than my whole rig/beater..

:rolleyes: :driver:
 
synthetic lubricants are good good because of their molecular structure. ie: more molicules per the same area as convientional oils. In other words, they are slicker. This does not mean the "stick to areas needing oil per say when those areas are starved.

there are other additives out there that make this claim. Such as Slick 50, and dura lube just to name a couple. And there are also other lubricants for ATM, slush boxes, and diffs too. But to be honest it kinda like the Ford vs Chevy and Yota vs Jeep, everyone has an opinion
 
well i can speak from experience on the synthetics. it's all i ever run in mine. i got hooked a long time ago

my dad had three or four cars that went over 350k on synthetics
the one I am driving right now blew a head gasket on him and he drove it from charlotte to fort mill with water in the oil
but he runs duralube too.
 
After the first 6k miles, castrol syntec is the only thing i've run.My tahoe is at 230k miles now, and half of those are with 33's, 35's and 37's. I would never run anything different in my dd, but i don't think that any trail rig i own would last long enough to warrant the price difference except in full hydro steering, it makes a big difference in temperature.
 
Anything that takes gear oil comes from the 5-gallon pail of plain-jane gear oil... especially since I have to drain & fill the diffs often. My engine gets plain oil too, but I've got $75 into it, and it runs propane, so it still is very clean.

The CTD gets dino oil too, but at 3 gallons per change, it's $$ to buy the synthetic, and the engine will last damn near forever anyway.

YMMV. ;)

If I had a turbo gas car again, it would run synthetic, no doubt about it.
 
As an old motorpool mech. told me once, speaking of vehicles that had the hell driven out of them by G.I.'s, said it best. It does not matter if it says shit on the can long as you change it, Ive never had a failure using regular motor oil, besides as much as 4x4 get dirt an water where they dont belong an need regular or earlier lubricant changes, synthetics is a waste, unless you have a pavement pounder.
 
How about the advertised mileage for synthetics?? The claim 7500 between engine oil changes or something like that. Anyone have comments to this claim. I truly just don't know. But...... I hang out with mostly old timers they mostly agree that is a better oil, but the long distance between changes is BS. i dunno..... I just keep using regular oil because it's cheaper.
 
The biggest reason to change oil is two fold. 1. Viscosity break down. 2. contamination.
With synthetic oils you don't have near the viscosity break down, therefore longer intervals between changes are possible. On the other hand, you will still have the same contaminates getting in your oil. So my recomendation would be if you are going to go to those lengthy intervals, change the filter halfway through. Use a good filter to compliment your high dollar oil.
 
I run synthetic in everything I own. On the street stuff i run mobil1 in the engines, amsoil in the trannies and royal purple in the diffs.

My diesel gets rotella in the 7.3 and amsoil in the tranny. I notice a difference in operating temp with the amsoil.

Off road stuff gets mobil1 in the engine and royal purple everywhere else. Low speed high impact gear oil in the diffs.

I just switched my harley to synthetics and it runs noticably better, maybe because its air cooled?

I run my junk into the ground so it is worth it to me for the added insurance.

oh yeah, i am now running boat trailer axle grease in my bearings in the wrongler, it seems to resist water better.
 
rbo1577186 said:
How about the advertised mileage for synthetics?? The claim 7500 between engine oil changes or something like that. Anyone have comments to this claim. I truly just don't know. But...... I hang out with mostly old timers they mostly agree that is a better oil, but the long distance between changes is BS. i dunno..... I just keep using regular oil because it's cheaper.
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With todays oils and additive packages, regular oil will run 5k fine. That's what I run. Oil companies want you to change it at 3k so you'll buy more oil. Shops want you to change it at 3k so you'll buy more oil too. BMW runs 15k on castrol syntec in all the new stuff. Haven't seen any engines replaced because of this even way past 150k. Go much longer than that and the sludge starts in. My father has run 3 (I can't believe I'm advertising this) chevy astro minivans in excess of 300k. 2 on Pennzoil and the one that got the least amount of mile before major problems was run on mobile one. the first one had 385k and he sold it for $500 because it left his driver stranded twice. (She didn't trust it anymore.) We both think they run so long because the sludge is actually holding the thing together.

As for me, I run conventional in everything. I'm not even brand loyal anymore. It's cheaper and is going to keep things lubed well enough to run longer than most of us will keep a vehicle. (My father being the exception.) One thing I noticed about moblie one is that it made the 3.0 in my '91 'yota sound different. Switched to syntec and the sound went away. Not that it was a bad noise, it just sounded different. The only thing I would recommend is to change the oil regularly. (Whatever interval you choose.)
 
My dad changes his oil every 15000 miles with synthetic mobile one oil. He runs duralube, and changes the oil filter every 3000 miles, and tops it off with mobile one. he checks the levels all the time.

so far he has had several cars with extremely high mileage
77 lincoln 350k+
85 chevy caprice 350k+
78 lincoln 300k+
81 cadillac seville 290k
77 cadillac eldorado 300k
(??)bonneville deisel 360k
he had a fleet of chevy/ford/dodge work trucks and delivery vehicles same results. several salesmans cars most of them were so high mileage it wasn't even funny
90 pontiac transport 290k
96 transport 230k
92 bonneville sse 296k
94 chevy high top conversion van 190k
every one of these ran fine when sold or are still running fine now.
transmissions and other drive line components are only good for so long.

My 84 yota had 256k on it when I yanked the engine for a swap. It ran fine I just wanted more power. had a lot of timing chain slap.

Wayne ,my friend, stuck that engine block in his truck. he threw some new tensioners on it . It ran another 30k before he sold the whole truck still running fine. and that engine got dogged all of it's life with big tires and a heavy right foot.

basically I believe in synthetics

consistant oil changes and proper levels are the biggest engine savers though. and of course proper maintenance. gaskets seals and what not.

I just run the synthetics, because of past experience with it, and because I can.

if you can run it sure it will be better for the engine (synthetics don't break down like dino oils) but running an engine on it's side will kill the bearings in a hurry. and oil is like water it won't compress. so if you flop your rig and it stays that way for a while I would suggest you pull the plugs before you restart it and crank it over a few times.

if you've ever seen the side of a block cracked open with the rod hanging out you'll know why I suggest that. :D
and deep water crossing with out a snorkel especially at higher speeds will bring the same effect. :D
 
I change oil for a man about two times a month, he drives a delivery van up and down the east coast and some trips out west. Its a 2001 ford van (desiel) he only uses mobil one every 6000 miles and has well over 900K miles on it last time I changed it. I have been putting it in there since he bought it. I would suggest everybody use that stuff.
 
greg slade said:
I just switched my harley to synthetics and it runs noticably better, maybe because its air cooled?
Click to expand...


I wouldn't be so sure of that. I work with VW's, and what I've read says that synthetics are TERRIBLE for air-cooled motors. Reason being, and air-cooled motor uses its oil like coolant. You probably know this, others may not. It picks up the heat from around the cylinders and moves it up to the oil cooler where it can dissapate into the air. Here's the problem. The reason synthetics last so long is because they're designed to reject heat! Thus, that heat in your head is never making it to the oil cooler! Think about it, do your own research. Harley may be different, but I doubt it.
 
catfishblues said:
I wouldn't be so sure of that. I work with VW's, and what I've read says that synthetics are TERRIBLE for air-cooled motors.
Click to expand...

Porsche 993 series cars came with 12 qts. of Mobil 1 from the factory... Just fuel for the fire..

jackedHB said:
I change oil for a man about two times a month, he drives a delivery van up and down the east coast and some trips out west. Its a 2001 ford van (desiel) he only uses mobil one every 6000 miles and has well over 900K miles on it last time I changed it.
Click to expand...

And after over 150 oil changes, you never noticed that Mobil1 is not recommended for diesels? Delvac1 is the CI rated oil Motor oil meant for gasoline engines is no good. (Unless you meant Delvac1)

900,000 miles on a '01.. 5 years in service- 180,000/year - 51 weeks a year (figure he deserves a week off) - 3529 miles a week - driving 6 days a week, 10 hours constantly a day, he'd have to average 59mph, which is very difficult to do in something like a van, especially if you plan on stopping to deliver anything. That doesn't include the time spent on 30 oil changes a year you do... or ANY downtime fixing a vehicle with that much milage, or taking more than 1 week off a year, or working 5 days a week, etc..

Am I calling you a lair? No.. exaggerating a wee bit? yeah. ;)



Speaking of fuel, if you run synthetics, you can't dump the used oil into your diesel's tank & burn it.. :D That's "free" fuel
 
Water cooled engines are also cooled by circulated oil. That's why an oil cooler is a good idea even for some stock applications. In fact, the last three vehicles I've owned had oil coolers as factory equipment, and so does my new one.
 
Rich said:
Porsche 993 series cars came with 12 qts. of Mobil 1 from the factory... Just fuel for the fire..



And after over 150 oil changes, you never noticed that Mobil1 is not recommended for diesels? Delvac1 is the CI rated oil Motor oil meant for gasoline engines is no good. (Unless you meant Delvac1)

900,000 miles on a '01.. 5 years in service- 180,000/year - 51 weeks a year (figure he deserves a week off) - 3529 miles a week - driving 6 days a week, 10 hours constantly a day, he'd have to average 59mph, which is very difficult to do in something like a van, especially if you plan on stopping to deliver anything. That doesn't include the time spent on 30 oil changes a year you do... or ANY downtime fixing a vehicle with that much milage, or taking more than 1 week off a year, or working 5 days a week, etc..

Am I calling you a lair? No.. exaggerating a wee bit? yeah. ;)



Speaking of fuel, if you run synthetics, you can't dump the used oil into your diesel's tank & burn it.. :D That's "free" fuel
Click to expand...


BACKHAND SMACK!
 
Rich said:
900,000 miles on a '01.. 5 years in service- 180,000/year - 51 weeks a year (figure he deserves a week off) - 3529 miles a week - driving 6 days a week, 10 hours constantly a day, he'd have to average 59mph, which is very difficult to do in something like a van, especially if you plan on stopping to deliver anything. That doesn't include the time spent on 30 oil changes a year you do... or ANY downtime fixing a vehicle with that much milage, or taking more than 1 week off a year, or working 5 days a week, etc..
Click to expand...

DAMN! That was like one big ass Algebra word problem bitch slap!!
 
Rich said:
And after over 150 oil changes, you never noticed that Mobil1 is not recommended for diesels? Delvac1 is the CI rated oil Motor oil meant for gasoline engines is no good. (Unless you meant Delvac1)

900,000 miles on a '01.. 5 years in service- 180,000/year - 51 weeks a year (figure he deserves a week off) - 3529 miles a week - driving 6 days a week, 10 hours constantly a day, he'd have to average 59mph, which is very difficult to do in something like a van, especially if you plan on stopping to deliver anything. That doesn't include the time spent on 30 oil changes a year you do... or ANY downtime fixing a vehicle with that much milage, or taking more than 1 week off a year, or working 5 days a week, etc..

Am I calling you a lair? No.. exaggerating a wee bit? yeah. ;)



Speaking of fuel, if you run synthetics, you can't dump the used oil into your diesel's tank & burn it.. :D That's "free" fuel
Click to expand...

OK my bad, it was a 99 and had 897,000 miles on it. Spoke to him today at the hardware store and now it's sitting behind his house. Just bought a 2006 Chevy Express 3500.

That true about the used syn. oil as fuel.
 
That's still damn impressive milage for any engine... International should be proud...
 
Damn...

I thought I drove alot...but I don't live in my vehicle....lets see here

24hrs/day x 7daze/week x 52 weeks/year x 41 years old x ~15 miles/gallon x $ 2.80/gallon x 15 gallon tank x 60 miles/hour x lots of coffee & pit stops + stop lights, clutch dust, exhaust fumes, road hogs, tailgators, troopers, truck stops, lot lizzards, video poker, hot dogs, hotter wings, hot women & hotter engines

OK I'm one Ramblin' Man......Dead Man Walkin' :driver: :burnout: :Rockon:

:D
 
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