how may miles can i go on valvoline synpower?

[pjc360]

I was hoping some of you guys would know how many miles i can safely put on the valvoline synpower 10w-30 engine oil?
I have a 1991 dodge ram 150, engine is a 360 magnum with a 4 barrell intake and carburetor. I decided to go with synpower because this engine has ran on napa synthetic 10w-30 all of its life before i got it.
The engine now has between 20 and 30 thousand miles on it roughly so i decided to step it up from the napa synthetic to the synpower although i have heard there is no difference in the two oils? but i have also heard there is, so ether way im just trying to find out if 5, 6 or 7 thousand mile between oil changes would be good? i run the truck hard sometimes but not all the time, mainly going to be used for hunting and driving around in 4 wheel drive in the mountains, and of course the avereage town driving and highway driving here and there? I have heard good things about valvoline my entire life and another reason i decided to go with synpower is because the engine is already used to having an ashland brand oil ran through it, so im hoping i made a good choice on the synpower and made a good choice sticking to an oil that the engine is already used too? any opinions on how long i can go on this oil would be great, thank you

 

[FL_Rob]

sticking to an oil that the engine is already used too?

The engine is 'used to' whatever will lubricate it.The rest is what advertisers call 'feelgood' stuff.Of course the proper answer is a UOA is needed,but lacking that, 5k to 7k is 'probably 'OK'.

 

[Radman]

The 360 is a great engine for durability. Synthetic really isn't much better than mineral for TBN's these days. A top quality oil & air fliter would do more good than a high dollar oil. Save some cash and go with mineral high milage for 4K - 5K OCI's.

 

[ltslimjim]

^I agree here. Go 6,000 and get a sample pulled for a UOA. Go from here.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: pjc360

I have a 1991 dodge ram 150, engine is a 360 magnum with a 4 barrell intake and carburetor.


I'm thinking you should probably go thicker than 10W-30; the 5W-40 might work better for you.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: pjc360

I have a 1991 dodge ram 150, engine is a 360 magnum with a 4 barrell intake and carburetor.


I know a guy with the same truck. He changes his oil every 2-3 years (45-50,000KM) with Synthetic oil from the Quickie lube. So far the truck has 450,000KM on it...

 

[Radman]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: pjc360

I have a 1991 dodge ram 150, engine is a 360 magnum with a 4 barrell intake and carburetor.


I know a guy with the same truck. He changes his oil every 2-3 years (45-50,000KM) with Synthetic oil from the Quickie lube. So far the truck has 450,000KM on it...


I hope I never buy one of his used vehicles!

 

[pjc360]

what i meant by sticking to an oil the engine is used to is that i have heard switching oils can result in oil burning? at least just for a little while? i have been told that each oil will fill in certain scars in the engine and if its changed to a different brand then that brand fills them in differently? i dont it could be [censored] but thats what i have heard.
As far as running the synthetic, i think i will stick to it because the engine was broken in with napa dino 10w-30 and then after that it had napa synthetic 10e-30 ran it from there on after and he changed the oil every 5 to 7 thousand miles. i think he said he had gone up to 10 thousand miles on the napa synthetic before and he told me the oil looked just like a dino looked at 3 thousand miles as far as he could tell.
As far as filters go i run the mopar filters and or the wix oil filters, i have a few mopar filters that i got on sale at wal-mart, they feel heavy and built good but i think they are made by purolator just by looking at them anyways, it doesnt say on the box.

 

[pjc360]

and as far as wieght goes, i live in montana where we see very cold tempatures in the winter and somewhat warm in the summers, summer time avereage temp is normall 88 to 93 degress but can reach 100 plus sum days, and in winter it can easily get to 10 to 15 below zero, so with that being said should i still consider a change from 10w-30? 10w-30 sounded like a good wieght for this area plus its what its used to running on, or i should say it has been running on 10w-30 its whole life.

 

[Merkava_4]

5W-40 is thinner than 10W-30 at the cold start and thicker than 10W-30 when the oil is hot. It's also the same price.

 

[FL_Rob]

Even if switching brands does evolve to different consumption,The oil weight will make a more profound difference.You maybe overthinking this just a bit.When talking about microscopic "scratches" (wear) the reciprocating parts will find their own equilibrium using the available oil.as long as you keep
"fairly "clean oin in the sump..hence a UOA.Or just stick with the owners manual.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Radman
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: pjc360

I have a 1991 dodge ram 150, engine is a 360 magnum with a 4 barrell intake and carburetor.


I know a guy with the same truck. He changes his oil every 2-3 years (45-50,000KM) with Synthetic oil from the Quickie lube. So far the truck has 450,000KM on it...


I hope I never buy one of his used vehicles!


I would have thought the same, but he seems to be doing Okay with it

 

[pjc360]

I'm suprised that valvoline don't get as much love on this site? penzzoil platinum seems to be the favorite, most likely cause its not a run it for 15 thousand miles kind of oil? thats ok for me tho id rather change it at 5 to 7 thousand miles max anyways because by that time the filter needs to be changed.
How does valvoline synpower compare to castrol edge or castrol syntec?
I dont know much about the castrol but i have heard a few people say it does not lubricate very well, at least the old school castrol dino, my uncle owned a napa parts store for 25 years and my dad managed it, he told me this guy came in with a deal to show ya the lubrication ability of a motor oil and they tried castrol,valvoline,quaker state, and pennzoil, and he told me that valvoline lubricated the best and that castrol lubricated the worst. so ever since i was told that i never used anything but valvoline and same with my old man except he used the napa house brand wich is ashland made oil too just like valvoline.
This was not yesterday folks he said this was back in the late 80s and i know oil has improved a ton since then and has changed, thats why im asking about castrol, comparing valvoline synpower to castrol edge or castrol syntec wich one of the 3 is a better oil?

 

[fdcg27]

I had always wanted to try Synpower, but was waiting for a decent price on it.
Valvoline obliged, first with FAR VR1 SL, which is Synpower with a little beefier add pack dyed a pretty saphire blue. I ran this oil, a 10W-30, in the Forester for 5K.
I then bought seven gallons of Synpower on clearance, which also had $1.00 off coupons good through 8/30/11 attached and also took advantage of the engine guarantee promotion, so the oil ended up costing around a buck eighty a quart after rebate including tax and postage.
Anyway, I'll UOA the second 5-6K run of Synpower from the Forester sometime next summer.
Looking at the UOA forum, Synpower seems to give good results, but is probably not suited to use beyond 5-6K due to TBN depletion.
Old Edge (SM) does seem to have stronger TBN and can support longer drains than Synpower.
Syntec is okay, although you won't find many UOAs of it or much love for it here.
I think the Synpower is a good choice, although I don't know that I'd go much beyond 5K given that you are using it in a carbed engine in what sounds like pretty hard use.

 

[law3500]

I am running 5w-20 synpower SN in my Montero Sport right now and I will post UOA at the end of the run. I reaserched alot on it and there are not to many UOA's to look at for synpower. Im going to run 3500 miles then UOA with TBN to see how long it can be taken in my V6

 

[steve20]

Synpower survived my excursion to 128% of oil life on a 5.3 Chevy. Did a UOA afterward and everything was fine-I think there is a lot (good) going on chemistry-wise we are not able to see on a UOA
USe the Synpower with confidence-although I would suggest a 5-30

 

[fdcg27]

Did you post this UOA, or could you?
I'd be interested in seeing it.
I agree that there are probably non-metallic additives that we don't see in the typical UOA which could contribute to an oil's performance.

 

[pjc360]

i am going to stick to synpower, the engine has always had napa synthetic run thru it all of its life, the engine only has 25-30 thousand miles on it, so i decided to step up to valvoline because i have heard it has a beefier add pack then the napa synthetic.
My dad was a firm believer in valvoline thats all we ever had valvoline or napa brand oil in the shop so im going to run synpower, and i will do 5 thousand mile changes on a mopar or wix oil filter, that should take care of the engine pretty good.