ANY benefit gained?

[mossad]

For people who insist on draining their oil every 3/mo or 3k, and drive under harsh conditions, short trips in hot and cold temps. Is there any befefit to using a synthetic oil vs a dino? Keeping in mind that at times they will drain it with less that 3k if they are going by the 3mo/3k OCI>

 

[JAG]

Depends on engine. For example, I'd never use a dino oil in the modern European engines (often with turbo) requiring very stringent oil requirements. But something like a Honda Civic...might as well use dino oil if changing at 3k.

 

[mossad]

No, I was speaking more of GM engines V6's 3.1 or 3.3 L

Or Dodge 3.3 V6 type engines

 

[Bob Miller]

For short trips and cold conditions I find that syns suffer most.

Syns seem to thicken up more under those conditions, at least for me.

When on long trips in hot conditions, syns rule.

Just my 2 cents

 

[JAG]

Is your engine a known sludger? If yes, I'd use synthetic and if not, a good dino. It sucks to see people use oil not up to the task and then later spend so much effort using products designed to remove sludge/varnish when they wouldn't be in that situation if they'd used synthetic from day 1. That's my take on it, others may see it differently.

 

[texasproud]

I believe the "advantage" line between syn and dino continue to blur(for most) in the face of new refining processes and improved additive packages unless you run a turbo or have cold starts below minus 20 degrees. I continue to use syhthetic outside the above conditions because I want to change my oil annually, irrespective of milage. If I read many more UOAs on Havoline going 14 mo's and 12,000 miles...I might quit using M1 and go with a Dino HDEO.

 

[mossad]

Ok, I feel stupid for asking this..but what is HDEO? I see it spoken of a lot here.

 

[T-Keith]

I don't believe there would be any real benefit. Check out my UOAs on 3.8s and 3.1s with Chevron.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

HDEO=Heavy Duty Engine Oil. Shell Rotella, mobil delvac, pennzoil longlife, chevron Delo 400, etc. HDEO's are most commonly found in 15w40 viscosity.

 

[Killer-B]

>

O.K. ONE stupid question,,,How do you know if your engine is a 'sludger'???
Thanks.

 

[mossad]

Yeah, I'd like to know that too. I don't have the money or time to have it torn down to view the inside.

When I drain my oil, I never get clumps in the oil or the sort. Is that one way of knowing?

 

[merlin64]

a quick and dirty check is to peer down the oil fill cap into the head/valve area (if you can on your particular engine)

If there is a lot of black gooey stuff, that's bad. Tan coatings, somewhat ok. Clean shiney metal, good

 

[mossad]

My dode caravan has a piece of metal in the way that slants downward which will not permit me to see the valve area. I wonder why they designed it that way?

 

[Killer-B]

Well, that makes since, so I guess taking your valve cover(s) off would be an even better assessment of sludge. Yes/No?

 

[JAG]

Can also look at underside of the oil cap and the drain plug and shine a light inside the drain plug hole. Some engines are known for sludging so when I asked about this one, I wondered if that was "the word on the street" about these types. But maybe you haven't heard that so looking at your engine yourself is the only way to know. And no, clumps won't necessarily come pouring out of the drain hole if you have sludge - they could stick to the surfaces too well to do that.

 

[BigOil]

"I believe the "advantage" line between syn and dino continue to blur (for most) in the face of new refining processes and improved additive packages, unless you run a turbo or have cold starts below minus 20 degrees"

AGREE 100% But, some folks want more "extra margin" (not that all syns all have a long drain addpack that can meet OEM/Warranty spec...) or drive a premuium car and desire "the best".