Synthetic oil

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Is synthetic oil basically just for extended oil change intervals? Are there any real benefits to using a synthetic over a good conventional or synthetic blend if you plan on changing your oil at 3000 miles?
 
Don't be offended, but this question has been asked about 1000000000000000000000000000000 times before... there are hundreds of threads on this topic alone on bitog, go read them.
But yes there are benefits.
Synthetics (generally) provide better cold protection and hot protection as they break down less in the heat and don't thicken up as much when cold, they also cling to parts better.
Generally they are better at keeping engines clean, if you would change it at 3000 miles you would be better off with a conventional, even though most conventional oils nowadays can go over 5000 or 6000 miles given normal driving conditions, the 3000 mile rule is VERY outdated by now.
Synthetics were originally invented for Jet engines because they would withstand the heat unlike a conventional which would be absolutely turned to water by the heat, but they also found out later that synthetic base stocks provided cleaner engines.
There are also multiple types of basestocks like PAO, Esters and many more.
There are many other advantages and disadvantages but i hope you understand that the question you asked is a VERY broad question that would require a lot of writing to fully explain.
Although i've been on this board for less than a year i've learned a ton just from reading old threads.
 
its a good question, but yes asked many times. so just do a search and you will find out more than
you`v been looking for...
 
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It would be more useful to you, if you lined out the particulars on your situation.

Some newer vehicle require synthetics. Engine condition is a parameter to be considered before making the choice.....If your engine is leaking or using oil, it will likely increase with synthetics.

Personally, all my engines are kept in very good condition, and I use synthetics in ALL of them. Including the snowblower, if for no other reason than the superior extreme cold properties of synthetics.

But if I had a "Leaker" or a winter beater......Probably not.
 
I use Synthetic oil in my DD and all my OPE. The beater gets whatever is on sale, (currently peak bogo), and changed when I get around to it. The last change was 2+ years and 7200 miles, with 3 qts of makup oil. Not too bad for 250k miles on 1994 mopar I4.
 
Syn is a better quality product than dino. With that said, you have to determine what you want in your engine.
 
I live in Montreal with tons of extreme temps.

I figure, a small 1.5L engine can use a better oil to stop deposits from forming.

When on sale, Pennzoil Platinum is cheap.
 
Syn are better for the profit margins of the oil company's. How many dead cars do you see on the side of the highways from somebody running dino oil. Dino oils are fine in the parameters that car engines run in. There is a lot of marketing hype in syn oils. Ask any junk yard how many engines they sell anymore. Very few are junked anymore because the engine is bad. The rest of the car falls apart first.
 
The one benefit of synthetic oils is that when on sale in the USA with rebates they can be a lot cheaper than the same company's conventional oils. Pennz PP is on sale routinely and at a better net price than conventional PYB. As long as they want to sell me Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Quaker State, Castrol, and Valvoline synthetics cheaper than conventionals, I'll buy their synthetics at $1-$2.50/qt net.
 
1. Extended intervals.
2. Extra protection in extreme (desert like) heat.
3. Extra protection in extreme cold by maintaining viscosity.
4. Some ppl sleep better at night with it in their sump.
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
1. Extended intervals.
2. Extra protection in extreme (desert like) heat.
3. Extra protection in extreme cold by maintaining viscosity.
4. Some ppl sleep better at night with it in their sump.


Add to your list.

1) Much cleaner engine with syn leads to less varnish and sludge, which can lead to ring coking.
 
I do believe there are benefits in clean running engines, possibility of extended drains, much better starting in the cold, greater durability in extreme heat, etc. My rule of thumb would be use synthetic if the vehicle is new or newish and you wish for a long life for the vehicle. Here's one way to look at it. If you spend $10 per oil change more for synthetic and you change the oil every 5000 miles (probably way too conservative, it will only cost you an extra $200 every 100,000 miles to have the best protection you can get. Double the OCI to 10,000 and synthetic will be cheaper because you will also only change the filters at 10k. Somewhere in between there is a break even point, assuming you change dino oil more often than synthetic.
 
Originally Posted By: NHRATA
Is synthetic oil basically just for extended oil change intervals? Are there any real benefits to using a synthetic over a good conventional or synthetic blend if you plan on changing your oil at 3000 miles?


If by synthetic you mean HC (Hydro Crack), then there is almost no difference between a good major brand conventional like Castrol GTX and an HC synthetic like Castrol Edge, IF you change every 3000 miles AND don't live in the Artic where you really do need an 0wXX oil.
Now if you are talking about the real McCoy full synthetics, like Liqui Moly Synthoil or Shell Ultra, then the only difference is that they do keep the top end a fraction cleaner and resist high temp shearing slightly better. In reality the latter is only important in turbo charged engines.
The most important thing about any engine oil that is not pushed to the extremes of an extended OCI, or fried in a hot turbo at redline RPM, is the quality of the additives included in the oil.
 
Define syn oil, Todays conventional oils aren't the conventional oils from the 1970 the marketing companies use to sell the syn oil.
 
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Originally Posted By: NHRATA
Is synthetic oil basically just for extended oil change intervals? Are there any real benefits to using a synthetic over a good conventional or synthetic blend if you plan on changing your oil at 3000 miles?


If by synthetic you mean HC (Hydro Crack), then there is almost no difference between a good major brand conventional like Castrol GTX and an HC synthetic like Castrol Edge, IF you change every 3000 miles AND don't live in the Artic where you really do need an 0wXX oil.
Now if you are talking about the real McCoy full synthetics, like Liqui Moly Synthoil or Shell Ultra, then the only difference is that they do keep the top end a fraction cleaner and resist high temp shearing slightly better. In reality the latter is only important in turbo charged engines.
The most important thing about any engine oil that is not pushed to the extremes of an extended OCI, or fried in a hot turbo at redline RPM, is the quality of the additives included in the oil.


Why would a group 4 mean a cleaner cylinder head?

Turbos aren't really an issue anymore. Piston rings run hotter
 
It's cheaper.
I haven't spent more than $2.50/qt (with no rebate!) since making the switch to syn (or the occasional syn-blend)...
 
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I'd like to say that a synthetic oil will keep an engine cleaner and allow for less wear.
OTOH, I've seen engines in our fleet at work opened up after something approaching 200K that have been run on nothing more than the cheapest API spec drums of 5W-30 or 10W-30 I can find along with couple of bucks oil filters (never e-cores) and they look really clean and show little wear.
I've been using mostly syn labeled oils and some syn blends since the late nineties.
Before that, I used conventionals only.
Do I see any difference?
Not really.
You can get syns for next to nothing if you shop deals and MIRs.
Also, over the course of any reasonable OCI, any incremental cost per mile incurred in using a syn is pretty minor.
 
Here's a funny thing about synthetic oil that indicates something, but I don't know what! I spilled a bunch on my driveway and despite 6 months of weathering through the winter, a gallon of driveway cleaner, and multiple scrubbings with a heavy bristle broom and lots of water it just won't go away. Other oil spots just clean right up, but the synthetic spill seems to be semi-permanent.
 
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