Regular oil or synthetic oil?

[the123]

I just bought a new truck and I plan on driving some serious miles. Should I invest in these more expensive sythetic oils or would I be wasting my money? I heard something about only needing to replace the synthetic every 5,000 miles instead of the standard oil's 3,000 miles.
Anyone with knowledge in this subject please advise.

[cphilip]

I use synthetics now but also do extended drain intervals. Try going to www.f150online.com and doing a search for this subject. A world of info over there.

Each one does a fine job within its additives abilities and when changed properly. Synthetics tend to leave less "tar" in the gaskets over the long haul. Synthetics (good ones) can be used for over 15,000 miles with the correct filtration and monitoring. By good I mean Amsoil, Redline, LS. Mobil One is good but only blended for 5000 miles tops. Almost all the other synthetics are hydrocracked oils and not truely parrafin based. Not that theya re bad but they are only 'Legally synthetics not actualy. Its all about the additives adn extenders realy. I am oversimplifying this but go check out that site for a lot of detailed info.

If you are set up to do it synthetics are great. If not and you are relying on warranty intervals then stick to short term synthetics (a lot cheaper per quart) or conventional oils and change more frequently until the warranty is over and then reevaluate your situation.

You will find me there under cphilip also. Also go to www.ford-diesel.com as well. cphilip there as well.

[DRAGONSLAYER]

I bought a new truck in Feb. I am running Mobil 1 and here is what I'm gonna do, every 5,000 miles I'm gonna change the filter and top it back off with oil. I know I'm gonna catch it about this, but I had a friend of mine rebuild his engine in work truck and did this. He has well over 100,000 miles and no signs of build up or any problems. So thats what I'm goona try, let you know how it goes.

:)

[Miscue]

Synthetics stay cleaner. Don't mix them together.

[Xzion]

You will need to break the engine in if it is a new truck. You can do this with Petroleum Oil or with a Para-Synthetic Engine Oil. This allows the rings to seat properly. Then you can change the oil to a full synthetic and a lifetime air filter that you wash out with water and re-oil. You will notice the engine running a lot cooler on synthetics and give you quicker starts in the winter as well as less engine wear and possible increase in gas mileage. I suggest you use the AMSOIL brand of synthetic oil, as they were the first to introduce synthetic oil, all others have just copied AMSOILS lead. you should have at least 6,000 Miles or 10,000 Kilometers before switching to Synthetic. Once on synthetic change the oil filter every 12,500 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first, and the engine oil every 25,000 Miles or One year. These stats are using AMSOIL Synthetic oils and filters. I have included a link to the AMSOIL website below.

AMSOIL: "The First In Synthetics" (http://www.amsoil.com)

If you want to telephone order call:
1-800-956-5695
7AM to 5PM Central Time Monday to Friday

and tell them you were referred by dealer # 56269

If you have any further questions, either call the AMSOIL tech line, or myself at xzion@mail.com Ive been using Amsoil for about 25 years and swear by it, every engine I own has Amsoil.

[cphilip]

I do use Amsoil myself. I recommend if you do you get the prefered buyer account set up. Xzion can hook you up and he will get credit too.

I use the XL7500 in mine and all three of my work trucks. The XL7500 is about the same price as Mobil 1. You need a good filter to do this. Amsoil sells a good one or get a Mobil 1 Filter. I go 7500 with mine.

[shartley]

You need to put oil in the engine? I knew I was forgetting something! ;)

On a more serious note, though, “serious miles” are GOOD MILES, as long as those are Highway miles. They produce less wear and tear on your engine than city miles, no matter WHAT oil you use. But I would like to add that like others have said, no matter what your choice of oil ends up being, it is a good idea to stick with it.

Oh, congrats on the new truck. :D

[BlackVCG]

Over on the www.turbodieselregister.com some of the guys are using Amsoil along with an Amsoil filter in their Cummins Turbo Diesel Dodge trucks and running around 30,000 off one oil change. They do this by getting oil samples, which gives you a detailed print-out showing the levels of certain elements such as iron, aluminum, silicone, etc. in your engine oil. The sampling results will come back with a recommendation on when the oil should be changed. Most users using Amsoil in their Cummins motors report nearly the same sampling results with oil that's been used at 30k miles as with the oil after the first filter change. Quite impressive.

Also, please don't skimp by on the filters you buy. You get what you pay for when it comes to the oil filter. Fram makes the worst oil filters I've seen. There are a lot of filters out there that are basically the same thing with different names. Wix makes good filters. Generally the factory replacement filters for your vehicle are high quality. If you want to see what cheap filters are like, cut one open and compare it to a high quality filter. You'll be glad you did in the end.

[ben_JD]

Both of my new cars (2000 model and 2001 model) from two different manufacturers now recommend oil changes every 7500 miles! It seems that manufacturers were sold on the 3000 mile interval, but now they skipped 5000 entirely and landed squarely on 7500. I guess the quality of the oils has really improved over the last several years.

[Thordic]

This thread makes me feel a lot better about not having changed my oil in 5,000 miles since I use Mobil 1.

Still time for a change, though, methinks.

[the123]

WOW! Thanks for the great response.
Yes, most of miles are highway miles. some are miles sitting in bumper to bumper traffic (good ole' chicago)
I'm likeing what i'm hearing about Amsoil, and very surprised that I have never heard of it. Since i'm putting a major amount of miles on, I think I could save good hard-earned money by going Synthetic with extended drain intervals. Then I could continue to roll that money back over into paintballs.

[Xzion]

Thordic; Unfortunatly, Mobile 1 is only a Hydrocarbon, which means it contains carbon, WHere as Amsoil is 100% SYnthetic made from the combination of Alcohol and Acids combined together under extreme heat forming a new compound called a diester, therefore its cleaner, and doenst have the carbon build up that a Hydrocarbon would.

[cphilip]

Xzion,

Mobile oil company actually makes the base oil for Amsoil. Its the additives and such that Amsoil adds that makes it last longer. Amsoil and Mobil one are both fully Synthetic. Most others are "hydro-cracked" synthetic. It was established in a lawsuit (perhaps wrongfully so) between Mobil and Castrol that they could call themselves "Synthetic" even though they do not start with a Paraffin base made by Mobil Oil Company. But Amsoil, Mobil 1 and Redline and a few others are truely Synthetic. The others are "legally" Synthetic...

[Xzion]

What drivel......What can I say to straighten this all out but anything I can say must be based on fact instead of just my opinion. The basic building block of any of the better synthetics like Amsoil is what is known as a di basic acid ester. Yes additives are added to enhance various aspects of the products. The main point here is Mobile does not supply Amsoil with base stock in the petroleum family. Amsoil is the worlds largest buyer of synthetic base stocks...bar non. So just go get Amsoil and enjoy. budd@lks.net