Synthetic from dino?

[S2K]

I have a 2003 (AP1) Honda S2000 with 37,000 miles. It sits for too many months between drives & I have only used dino oil to this point.

I have been doing annual oil changes but only driving 500-1,000 a year. I am considering the switch to synthetic with these drive / no drive intervals. I'm thinking it might be better using synthetic for the 12 month oil change and time it sits in the crankcase and on startup as well.

 

[walterjay]

I would keep using dino if it were me. But if you want to switch to synthetic consider Castro Magnetec oil. It is supposed to stick to metal and avoid dry starts after an engine has sat.

 

[Trav]

Regardless of the oil used you could benefit from a little extra zinc. I have cars that only do a few miles a year and all had higher than normal levels of lead in the UOA.
The zinc additive reduced the levels to low normal and in one zero.

The oils that were current when cars this vintage were new had a lot more zinc in them so you are not tainting anything just bringing oil up to the same level as the car originally used.
I use a half a bottle in this with 4-5qt sumps, it works well and is inexpensive.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/risl...mp;gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[PimTac]

I would stick with Dino or a synthetic blend. You really don’t have a need for full synthetic. Hopefully you are running the engine to keep things lubricated and the battery up to charge?

This might be a good situation for Castrol Magnatec. Even though it’s a synthetic, if you can get it for a good price then go for it. Pretty much any major brand of oil will work for you.

You don’t say if you are on the wet side or the dry side of WA. If the car is outside and you are on the wet side then yearly changes might be best. On the dry side, I would think of changing every two years.

 

[mx5miata]

stick with the dino

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Originally Posted By: S2K
I have a 2003 (AP1) Honda S2000 with 37,000 miles. It sits for too many months between drives & I have only used dino oil to this point.

I have been doing annual oil changes but only driving 500-1,000 a year. I am considering the switch to synthetic with these drive / no drive intervals. I'm thinking it might be better using synthetic for the 12 month oil change and time it sits in the crankcase and on startup as well.


What's the point of owning a car that you don't drive? Cars are made to be driven and who cares about resale value if your going to keep the car until your death. Just my .02

 

[Bullwinkle007]

As far as oil, I would run redline 5-40, that engine doesn't make power until 6k rpm to 9k rpm. It's made to be run hard, need a good oil with a high hths

 

[oilboy123]

I would run a good synthetic with a good rust additive package. I assume you live around the Puget Sound area with high humidity? Or maybe you have dryer area to store the car?

 

[S2K]

Thanks oilboy123.
What synthetic has a 'good rust additive package'?

The car is in the garage and is part of the house so it never gets too hot or too cold. I live close to Portland in SW WA.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Most important thing it to always drive it long enough to get the oil to full operating temperature for a good while. Never short trip the car and park it for extended periods.

 

[Gokhan]

Well, I've been doing two-year, 5000-mile OCI's with synthetic.

Of course, synthetic -- a good synthetic!!! Why dino? So that you could buy a beer with the money you saved?

 

[Graham Piccinini]

There is an oil that will keep your engine extremely happy. It is also fairly inexpensive, and you could change it once every two years. On a side note - many members here did a UOA on oils that were decades old, and the oil was still serviceable. So you could even stretch it out to 3 years, which should be around 3k miles.

 

[wemay]

Conventional

 

[mx5miata]

10w30 or 40.. Conventional Valvoline or Castrol.

 

[FermeLaPorte]

Don't be lazy. Drive the car.

 

[RooflessVW]

Doesn't really matter what you run with your usage and change pattern.

Magantec 10W-30 would suit the car.

 

[oilboy123]

Good question......Automotive oils have them already. Though some oils have better additives for rust protection than others. Amsoil has some oils with higher levels than others, but they have higher zinc and phosphorus levels. I assume the S2000 has a roller cam, and should not need the zinc phosphorus. But maybe with the low miles you put on the additives won't be a concern.
Originally Posted By: S2K
Thanks oilboy123.
What synthetic has a 'good rust additive package'?

The car is in the garage and is part of the house so it never gets too hot or too cold. I live close to Portland in SW WA.

 

[S2K]

You have no idea about what is happening in my life. It is not being 'lazy'!

 

[mx5miata]

Don't listen to what these haters say. Take care of yourself keep your cool. The s2k will be there when you're ready.

 

[Dyusik]

Originally Posted By: S2K
I'm thinking it might be better using synthetic for the 12 month oil change and time it sits in the crankcase and on startup as well.

Dino sits around just as well as synthetic. There is no way your fill meets it's limits in that time period unless all of those miles are accumulated at PIR, and even then, I'm sure you could double the OCI.