Synthetic Motor/Gear oil

[scugpg]

I'm thinking of switching to Amsoil synthetic motor and gear oil for my motor and I was wondering if its worth the switch. Motor is late 90's 4 stroke so wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to switch to synthetic. Let me know what you guys think!

 

Thanks

[DRIFTER_016]

Definately!!!!

Everything I own has synthetic oils in it now.

I run synthetic 2 stoke oil in my chainsaw, out boards and ice auger and Mobile one in my 4 stoke motors (truck and snow blower).

You can run longer between oil changes and there is less cold start up wear with synthetics.

 

I leased Honda Civics from the mid 90's to the mid 2000's (went through 3 of them) & the first couple I ran regular oil at regular change intervals and at about 150,000 km they would develop a slight tick at startup when cold. I changed to synthetic with my last one and the dreaded tick never showed even after 250,000 kms. I have been running synthetic ever since.

[scugpg]

Definately!!!!

Everything I own has synthetic oils in it now.

I run synthetic 2 stoke oil in my chainsaw, out boards and ice auger and Mobile one in my 4 stoke motors (truck and snow blower).

You can run longer between oil changes and there is less cold start up wear with synthetics.

 

I leased Honda Civics from the mid 90's to the mid 2000's (went through 3 of them) & the first couple I ran regular oil at regular change intervals and at about 150,000 km they would develop a slight tick at startup when cold. I changed to synthetic with my last one and the dreaded tick never showed even after 250,000 kms. I have been running synthetic ever since.

 

I've always wondered if it has any ill effects on the seals vs. dino oil.

[DanD]

I've always wondered if it has any ill effects on the seals vs. dino oil.

 

There was an issue when synthetic oil first came out; that rubberized seals or gaskets would swell due to a chemical reaction. This swelling would cause the seals/gaskets to fail, turning your engine into a butterball self basting turkey; that leaked everywhere.

Today’s synthetics, along with different rubber compounds being used in seals; has all but stopped that problem in the automotive industry.

The best thing with synthetic oil is that it’s viscosity stays consistent through a much wider temperature range; whereas mineral oil will sludge up when run in a cold engine and oxidize when ran in an extremely hot engine. These deposits (sludge & oil carbon) accelerate engine ware, where synthetic oil will stay, in that aspect cleaner looking longer.

The lubricating qualities of both oils are pretty much equal; if anything mineral oil is slightly better if it’s kept clean and not abused with extreme temperatures.

As for not having to change oil as often with synthetic; that’s a bit of a myth. Synthetics just don’t look dirty but both oils are submitted to the same acids and contaminates that the combustion of the fuel mixture generates and gets washed into the crankcase.

You should still change the oil at the manufacturer of the motor/engine recommended intervals.

 

Dan.

[Fisherman]

The lubricating qualities of both oils are pretty much equal; if anything mineral oil is slightly better if it’s kept clean and not abused with extreme temperatures.

As for not having to change oil as often with synthetic; that’s a bit of a myth. Synthetics just don’t look dirty but both oils are submitted to the same acids and contaminates that the combustion of the fuel mixture generates and gets washed into the crankcase.

You should still change the oil at the manufacturer of the motor/engine recommended intervals.

 

Dan.

I run my car and truck on the Amsoil recommended change, up to 3 times mfrg specs, nothing has blown up since '78 for me. Some synthetics carry a better mix of chemicals to neutralize the contaminates.

[Sinker]

synthetic oils have been known to leak with older motors/seals. The actual molecule for synthetic is that much smaller than a molecule of dino oil, therefore, leaks thru smaller spaces.

 

On the other hand, the smaller molecule will get into tighter spaces and lube them better than dyno oil.

 

I'm not sold on it yet, but I just put synthetic in my turbo engine for the first time. No noticable difference at all, just the price, so far. I run dyno in my outboard, and have for the last 18 years with no ill effects, so why change now?

S.

[Billy Bob]

Tundra only gets the Mobil 1 since she was brand new.....runs like a friggen freight train on #5.....there's no stopping her...

 

But my old 1985 Johnson VRO 50 hp runs on dino oil....at first it was by Johnson....then Lubermatic....and because I couldn't get Lubermatic I did some research and found Walmart's SuperTech was Lubermatic so I ran that for about the last ten years...then my friend got rid of all his 2 strokers and gave me a almost full 2.5 gallon Johnson 2 cycle oil plus a unopened 1 gallon of Merc 2 cycle oil...so guess what my outboard is using now....

Edited June 7, 2011 by Billy Bob

[Jer]

I've been running synthetics in my truck for years. Since the truck doesn't get driven much, only 3500km in the last year (never more than 5000 in any given year), the oil only gets changed once a year so I don't mind spending the extra coin.

 

Which reminds me, I'm due for my yearly lube, better get it done before hauling the boat all the way to Lakair next week.

[Fisherman]

synthetic oils have been known to leak with older motors/seals. The actual molecule for synthetic is that much smaller than a molecule of dino oil, therefore, leaks thru smaller spaces.

So in other words, don't blame synthetics for doing the job its designed for, blame the crappy seals in the older motors that can't keep the oil in.

[Sinker]

So in other words, don't blame synthetics for doing the job its designed for, blame the crappy seals in the older motors that can't keep the oil in.

 

Exactly!

 

I just can't justify the price, and see no improvement in performance with it, so have no use for it. They say its better, but, who are "they" anyways?? It burns quicker than dino oil as well. If I had an older vehicle, I wouldn't touch the stuff.

 

S.

[aplumma]

you can either believe it works better because you have seen the evidence first hand or someone you trust has told you it is better. My mechanic swears by it and I have seen were components in my turbo diesel have less wear than other trucks similar to mine in age and usage. I have been a firm believer in maintenance to lessen the severity of repairs and using the best quality products just makes sense to me. If you get 150,000 miles on a motor and someone using synthetics gets 200,000 miles then the small cost of good maintenance practices and synthetics seems to be more cost effect in the long run.

 

 

 

Art