Michael Yount
Mustang Master
willys1 - you've wandered into the briar patch - synthetic vs. dino oil threads are right up there with carb vs. efi in terms of polarized opinions.
Do some research on the internet - lots of stuff to read. One thing to note however, and it's based on the experiences of a lot folks who post. Higher mileage cars that have spent their life on dino oil that are then switched to synthetic frequently begin leaking oil after the change. The problem seems to be that synthetic oil has better detergent properties than dino oil, and over time tiny (almost microscopic) openings in seals and gaskets get filled with sludge for lack of a better term - varnish-based dino oil residue. The synthetic comes along and cleans all that stuff out, and the slippery synthetic finds it's way out of a tiny opening that's been plugged up by sludge. I've had it happen on 4 different vehicles (ok - I'm a slow learner) - each of which I owned since new, maintained meticulously at levels above what was recommended by the manufacturer. Each had over 80,000 miles on it when I made the switch. Each began leaking before the next oil change came along. I doesn't happen in every case, but it happens enough that you should be forewarned.
If your car's been running good on dino oil, I believe it's best just to keep it on that oil. Synthetic is great - especially if your car sees really hot or really cold operating conditions. But I believe more important than the type or brand of oil is simply keeping it and the filter serviced regularly.
Big trucks take oil samples regularly for analysis, and only change when the sample tells them to. My brother's PowerStroke F350 routinely goes 25K to 35k on synthetic Amsoil. He simply changes the filter as called for by the manufacturer, and tops up the oil with the filter change. Personally, I can't get past leaving that black stuff in there that long. My wife's car specifies synthetic - which I use - but I can't let it go more than 4 or 5K before it looks so bad I just have to change it. Even though her computer looks at use and recommends the change somewhere in the 8K to 12K range.
Given that I'm gonna change it regularly anyhow - I'm with you. If I'm gonna change it every 3K, I simply don't think synthetic is worth the 3X-6X premium for the benefit I get. Others will make their decisions for their reasons. I simply feel better running with clean, regularly changed dino oil than I do running synthetic - in my street cars and my motorcycle. The only exception I make is if the manufacturer specifies it - as is the case with my wife's car. When I was racing - nothing but synthetics - it has to deal with so much heat in road racing and the synthetic will take more of a beating in that regard.
Those of you that want filter info - here's an article/test. Read up - you'll never buy Fram again! http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/
Do some research on the internet - lots of stuff to read. One thing to note however, and it's based on the experiences of a lot folks who post. Higher mileage cars that have spent their life on dino oil that are then switched to synthetic frequently begin leaking oil after the change. The problem seems to be that synthetic oil has better detergent properties than dino oil, and over time tiny (almost microscopic) openings in seals and gaskets get filled with sludge for lack of a better term - varnish-based dino oil residue. The synthetic comes along and cleans all that stuff out, and the slippery synthetic finds it's way out of a tiny opening that's been plugged up by sludge. I've had it happen on 4 different vehicles (ok - I'm a slow learner) - each of which I owned since new, maintained meticulously at levels above what was recommended by the manufacturer. Each had over 80,000 miles on it when I made the switch. Each began leaking before the next oil change came along. I doesn't happen in every case, but it happens enough that you should be forewarned.
If your car's been running good on dino oil, I believe it's best just to keep it on that oil. Synthetic is great - especially if your car sees really hot or really cold operating conditions. But I believe more important than the type or brand of oil is simply keeping it and the filter serviced regularly.
Big trucks take oil samples regularly for analysis, and only change when the sample tells them to. My brother's PowerStroke F350 routinely goes 25K to 35k on synthetic Amsoil. He simply changes the filter as called for by the manufacturer, and tops up the oil with the filter change. Personally, I can't get past leaving that black stuff in there that long. My wife's car specifies synthetic - which I use - but I can't let it go more than 4 or 5K before it looks so bad I just have to change it. Even though her computer looks at use and recommends the change somewhere in the 8K to 12K range.
Given that I'm gonna change it regularly anyhow - I'm with you. If I'm gonna change it every 3K, I simply don't think synthetic is worth the 3X-6X premium for the benefit I get. Others will make their decisions for their reasons. I simply feel better running with clean, regularly changed dino oil than I do running synthetic - in my street cars and my motorcycle. The only exception I make is if the manufacturer specifies it - as is the case with my wife's car. When I was racing - nothing but synthetics - it has to deal with so much heat in road racing and the synthetic will take more of a beating in that regard.
Those of you that want filter info - here's an article/test. Read up - you'll never buy Fram again! http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/
you must be all of 14 years old!-- You really do like to cuss, and...can't spell...you is spelled "you" NOT "u"...when using "i" to mean yourself, should be a upper case...then again, maybe you should refer to yourself in small case, just to show how impotent (sic) you really are!--- I hope you are not too confused by all of this! 
