An oil question
An oil question Hi, i bought my car a year ago and have never changed the oil. I dont think the guy put mobil one in it. It has 93000 miles now and i dont know what to put in it. I am afraid to put mobil one in it because i heard with that many miles you can hurt your car switching to synthetic. My question is what is the best non synthetic oil. Also, if your running non synthetic please let me know what it is and how do you like it. Thanks a lot, Rob
Man thats so bad that you didnt change your oil in a year, deffinitly run an engine flush through it. As far as oil goes it wont hurt your engine to switch to synthetic. I run AMS Oil and i like it alot.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 542
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
I personally would run Mobil 1. Doesn't matter how many miles are on it when you switch, that is a myth. What they mean is synthetic can be a little thinner overall, and is more likely to leak passed aged seals but that is more with ATF than engine oil.
I run 10w40 Mobil 1, or the 5w40 Mobil 1 for trucks that still has the CL-4 rating (hard to find though).
I run 10w40 Mobil 1, or the 5w40 Mobil 1 for trucks that still has the CL-4 rating (hard to find though).
Trending Topics
i use mobil 1 5w30 full syn. in every car ive ever bought ( all used cars ) and never had 1 oil related problem ever. so to me its worth the few extra $. some cars have had more the 200000 miles n ill still use full synthetic
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Downers Grove, IL
I use mobil 1 10-W30 or 5-W30 depending on application and time of year. The only car I think I have issues with it is my 84 monte carlo that has leaky valve guide seals. It seems to burn more oil when using synthetic. But one thing I have found is that if you go to synthetic you should not go back to conventional. I have done this on two cars and both times it has caused a ticking lifter (higher milage cars). I will never switch back to conventional oil after using synthetic.
Originally Posted by Prerun4fun13
Man thats so bad that you didnt change your oil in a year, deffinitly run an engine flush through it. As far as oil goes it wont hurt your engine to switch to synthetic. I run AMS Oil and i like it alot.
Second: You haven't changed your oil in a year and your worried about hurting it by switching to synthetic?! WTF?! It's not gonna hurt it.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 1
From: Just This Side of Damnation
It doesn't matter that you haven't changed your oil in a year if you haven't put very many miles on it. Less than 4k and you're good. More than 4k and shame on you.
You can switch back and forthe between conventional and synthetic oils at every change if you feel like it and not do any damage to your engine. Disregard that old wive's tale.
You can use any oil you like, either conventional or synthetic, in a 5w30 or 10w-30. I wouldn't bother going to any 40w, but if you just can't help yourself go to a 0w-40.
Mobil1 oils work ok but have a tendency to produce high iron numbers and evaporation rates. They are also overpriced for no better than they are. Many conventional oils can produce equivalent numbers at a much better price.
You would do well to change your oil at 3k miles for two or three oil changes to clean things out a bit. After that you could easily do 4k miles with conventional oils.
Please visit BobisTheOilGuy and read up on oils. You sound like you're kinda new to it and it couldn't do any harm.
Good luck, and Happy Friday!
You can switch back and forthe between conventional and synthetic oils at every change if you feel like it and not do any damage to your engine. Disregard that old wive's tale.
You can use any oil you like, either conventional or synthetic, in a 5w30 or 10w-30. I wouldn't bother going to any 40w, but if you just can't help yourself go to a 0w-40.
Mobil1 oils work ok but have a tendency to produce high iron numbers and evaporation rates. They are also overpriced for no better than they are. Many conventional oils can produce equivalent numbers at a much better price.
You would do well to change your oil at 3k miles for two or three oil changes to clean things out a bit. After that you could easily do 4k miles with conventional oils.
Please visit BobisTheOilGuy and read up on oils. You sound like you're kinda new to it and it couldn't do any harm.
Good luck, and Happy Friday!
TECH Regular
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 457
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
It's not so bad if you havent driven it more than 3k in that year.
Come on guys, I do oil every 3 to 4k, do 12k a year, 94k on the clock now using Havoline DS 10w-30, 10w-40 mix.
Just change it soon and try to do it at least every six months and 4k max on dino.
Don't waste you $$ on syth unless it's something better than M-1 and you want to do extended drains.
Penzoil Platinum has proven cheap and good. I personally would not change to synth. at high mileage. Why? Dino will do just as good as syth unless you are operating at extremes in oil temp and drain intervals.
Come on guys, I do oil every 3 to 4k, do 12k a year, 94k on the clock now using Havoline DS 10w-30, 10w-40 mix.
Just change it soon and try to do it at least every six months and 4k max on dino.
Don't waste you $$ on syth unless it's something better than M-1 and you want to do extended drains.
Penzoil Platinum has proven cheap and good. I personally would not change to synth. at high mileage. Why? Dino will do just as good as syth unless you are operating at extremes in oil temp and drain intervals.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 1
From: Just This Side of Damnation
Originally Posted by robs98z
I just got my permit and probably only put about 1000 miles on it the whole year.
I can see two reasons, though, you might want to change oil twice a year. One is that you get the itch like a lot of us do and change oil for some interaction with your car. The other is if your 1000 miles a year come in short trips that don't get the engine hot for at least a half hour. This could lead to some condensation, and it wouldn't be a bad thing to remove it.
You could talk yourself into using an expensive oil, but you'll do fine with a good quality conventional oil like Pennzoil (Platinum or not), Havoline, Quaker State, or even Wal-Mart oil.
When you start putting more miles on it in the future, all of what I just said is still in effect.
Good luck with your new ride. Drive safely and enjoy it for a long time.