Back to conventional oils

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The courts really did the consumer a favor with the Mobil 1 / Castrol ruling. All they really did was lower the standards, and made it so that most anything could be called synthetic. This is what our incompetent courts tend to do though, make everything they get their hands on worse, much like any government agency does. I quit the synthetics due to this, I don't think the synthetic product is that special anymore. Too bad too.
 
Your mind was already made up before posting this, so why ask? However you did leave out one thing. What is your OCI?
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
You've never bought oil in Canada. Regular price for pyb is 30 bucks a jug. So even at half price that's 15 a jug.
Pp and qsud are 45 a jug. Half price is 22 a jug.
You tell me what's the better value.


While I agree on your regular pricing, anyone that buys oil when it's regularly priced is being silly, plenty of deals to be had. I bought (6) 5L jugs of PYB for $10.88 ea last summer, they had loads of it in stock. Lately (ie: the last 2 years) I have yet to see any synthetic ~5L jug for less than $22-24 on sale. ... I know what is the better value of the two and it isn't syn in this case.

That being said, I still run PP syn in the winter where syn really shines for my driving uses, but my stock of it is getting pretty low I have to admit.
 
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: Clevy
It's a no brainer for me.
When I can buy jugs of syn on sale for less than regular priced conventional it makes absolutely no sense buying conventional.


This^^

The Ultra in the Forester was FAR.
The G-Oil in the '02 Accord was FAR.
I have another two jugs of FAR Ultra along with five or six more of FAR G-Oil as well as twenty five quarts of FAR QSUD.
You can often find very good deals on synthetic.
If it costs no more to use than conventional, then why not use it?


Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean when saying, "FAR"?
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Synthetics have a better add pack. Look it up on PQIA.
The price gap between conventionals and synthetics is small.
Syns can go a longer drain interval, which also means less labor and less filters to buy.

Most threads like this is just an attempt to justify the choice of choosing conventionals, trying to make the case "but they are just as good". PQIA facts speak otherwise.


Simply and a overly flawed post.
 
Dave, you seem to routinely challenge things I post here on BITOG.

Instead of just saying its "flawed" without any explanation, try to refute these points. I would like to see you try to do that.
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Dave, you seem to routinely challenge things I post here on BITOG.

Instead of just saying its "flawed" without any explanation, try to refute these points. I would like to see you try to do that.



That's very easy to do. UOA's and VOA's will not tell how the oil will perform. Plenty of here seem to believe that just by looking at teh UOA and VOA they can determine which oil is superior and which one is not. Some choose to focus only one aspect of the oil, like the VI or NOAK.

Essentially people that don't know squat are trying to look at some numbers and apply the good old analogy that the more we have of something the better. They want an easy answer, where such an answer is actually very difficult to obtain if one wants to be objective about it.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
You don't wanna use conventional oil. Conventional oil has molecules that roll like dice.



Hahahaha!! I saw that one too...
 
I have experimented with my RX so much, I cant believe it doesn't have any issues. But the bottom line that I have personally discovered is: It simply runs best on Synthetic or Synthetic Blend motor oil. Not necessarily any better mpg`s, just off the line performance, pulling hills, peppier when cold (not that I push it cold) The motor simply seems to be happier on it. And mine is before the synthetic required engine oil.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Your mind was already made up before posting this, so why ask? However you did leave out one thing. What is your OCI?


I didn't really ask, I was just putting my thoughts out there. As for the OCI I usually do 5k. I tried 10k intervals when I used synthetic but I usually changed it out sooner.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
That's very easy to do. UOA's and VOA's will not tell how the oil will perform. ...Essentially people that don't know squat are trying to look at some numbers


Well, well, lets see:

Pennzoil: "Syns use the best of the best additive package", and "syns are better than conventionals ever could be".

Exxon Mobil: "Extended Performance Mobil 1 guaranteed for 15,000 miles." (note Mobil 5000 = 5000 miles)


Yeah, I guess Penn & XOM "don't know squat",Kris.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
This thread just proves how irrelevant the oil section is becoming. No wonder less and less old timers post here and instead post in other sections.


Hmmmm, Just go all the way back to the beginning in the UOA section when oil choice really mattered to the engine...It goes back to 2002 I believe. Oil choice is now becoming irrelevent...A low-profit commodity which is why companies are pushing expensive high-profit marbles.
 
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Synthetics are ALWAYS better. If you utilize their advantages or not is an entirely different matter.
 
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I have now completed the full cycle from dino to synthetic and back to dino.

There are several reasons for this but the main reason is that oils that are labeled as synthetic oils in the U.S. may be synthetic or they may not be. The oil company marketing firms can pretty much claim whatever they want to.

I drove an 88 Toyota pickup for over 335,000 miles and it ran like new when I sold it in '97. I currently drive the Civic in my sig line with 220,000 miles and both vehicles were bought new and run with conventional oils.

I change my own oil and am not a fan of long oil runs which is one of the selling points of synthetics. Dino oils are better than ever with great additive packages and reasonably priced. Most people don't even keep their cars long enough to see the perceived benefits of synthetic oils anyway.

All thoughts, comments and disparaging remarks are welcome and encouraged.
wink.gif



It sure sounds like you've made very well informed choices based on what you drive and where you drive. I'd probably do the same with your vehicles.

My modified cars and my relentless method of operation require top tier synthetics. I'm not interested in risking my $13,000 turbo setup. Nor do I want to risk cam phaser problems in my Ford truck (syn does help prevent phaser issues) .
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Dave, you seem to routinely challenge things I post here on BITOG.

Instead of just saying its "flawed" without any explanation, try to refute these points. I would like to see you try to do that.



That's very easy to do. UOA's and VOA's will not tell how the oil will perform. Plenty of here seem to believe that just by looking at teh UOA and VOA they can determine which oil is superior and which one is not. Some choose to focus only one aspect of the oil, like the VI or NOAK.

Essentially people that don't know squat are trying to look at some numbers and apply the good old analogy that the more we have of something the better. They want an easy answer, where such an answer is actually very difficult to obtain if one wants to be objective about it.


Thank you KrisZ.

It is not a matter of syn vs "conventional". It is a matter of using what the manufacture of your engine specifies during warranty. What I have observed in most cases it does not matter what a owner pours into a sump but rather the vehicle is maintained. Engine failure is not common and there are many of vehicles with XXX,XXX miles on them with nothing more than bulk oil that was changed somewhere "near" the manufactures recommendation that are not sledged up and running just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
Nor do I want to risk cam phaser problems in my Ford truck (syn does help prevent phaser issues) .


Do you have a link or some reading I can do? I am interested in this.
 
OP,

Look, there's no reason to be so difinitive, there's application for both types of oils, and you may want to take advantage of that.

I've used PCMO synthetic oils, and conventionals in several of my cars, and those along with HDEO oils in my Jag, and my cars have been no worse for it. I've run 7,500k miles on the synthetic oils, even 10K miles on M1 HM in my Jag and all is good. I'm now liking the QS Defy in both of our current cars for the quiet, smooth operation and the SL rating it has that corresponds to the manufacturer's recommendations. This is not to say that I won't go back to synthetics and the longer OCIs.

It's all about knowing what's in your sump and keeping your OCI adjusted to it.

IMO, keep your options open. You may want a longer interval in your future.
 
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