high mile oil question
high mile oil question I need to do my first oil change and was wondering what type to use. I have searched and read the mobil one is the way to go on a low mile car. I don't know what type has been run in it to this point. I have 95k on the car and I hear the if you run synthetic it may start to leak so what is a good castrol based oil or does mobil one come in a castrol blend. Thanks Tim
Run what the car has had in it. If you're not racing the car, the differences are negligable. You can use a blend if you feel like changing things up a bit. However, with regular oil changes, most cars last the same whether using Dino. oil or Syn.
Originally Posted by twort
I need to do my first oil change and was wondering what type to use. I have searched and read the mobil one is the way to go on a low mile car. I don't know what type has been run in it to this point. I have 95k on the car and I hear the if you run synthetic it may start to leak so what is a good castrol based oil or does mobil one come in a castrol blend. Thanks Tim
Later,
Mike
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: South Bay, CA
I switched my '95 Maxima from regular to synthetic Mobil 1 at just under 100k, and after a month+ of daily driving it hasn't started to leak yet. Different car, different engine, and it might start to leak in the future still, but I'm just saying you never know what might happen. www.bobistheoilguy.com has a lot of info on oil... reading stuff from their forums is what convinced my friend and I to be okay with switching to synthetic in our high mileage cars. You might come out with a different answer, but there's lots of info there either way. Good luck!
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 1
From: Just This Side of Damnation
If your engine oil has been changed regularly, you don't have any leaks now, and you have an engine that is relatively modern you should be able to change to synthentic without skipping a beat.
Some engines have developed leaks after switching to synthetic, but it appears to be the exception rather than the rule. Synthetic motor oil is great at cleaning the varnish and deposits left behind by conventional oils. Some of those deposits may be sealing up what may otherwise be a leak, weep, or seep. When it gets cleaned away there can be 'issues'.
I would go ahead and give it a try. 10w-30 is a good weight to start with. Be sure you use a good filter (no Fram!). I had a 92 RS with a 305TBI and switched at about 115k with no problems. I instantly had a drop in temp with the synthetic oil.
If you develop leaks or weeps you can simply switch back to your favorite conventional oil and the problem should go away.
Some engines have developed leaks after switching to synthetic, but it appears to be the exception rather than the rule. Synthetic motor oil is great at cleaning the varnish and deposits left behind by conventional oils. Some of those deposits may be sealing up what may otherwise be a leak, weep, or seep. When it gets cleaned away there can be 'issues'.
I would go ahead and give it a try. 10w-30 is a good weight to start with. Be sure you use a good filter (no Fram!). I had a 92 RS with a 305TBI and switched at about 115k with no problems. I instantly had a drop in temp with the synthetic oil.
If you develop leaks or weeps you can simply switch back to your favorite conventional oil and the problem should go away.
QUOTE: i personally reccommend royal purple. ive used mobil 1 in the past and rp blows its socks off.
Thats a pretty dramatic statement.
I'm curious as to how rp blows the socks off mobil 1. What are the dramatic changes you've seen by switching oils?
Thats a pretty dramatic statement.
I'm curious as to how rp blows the socks off mobil 1. What are the dramatic changes you've seen by switching oils? Trending Topics
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TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,954
Likes: 1
From: Kent WA
With today's synthetics, you're good to go if you want to change it up at high mileage. A good one to try that's right around the price of Mobil 1 per quart is Amsoil's XL 5w30. If you (or anyone else) want to give it a try, let me know because as a dealer I can do special pricing for fellow LS1TECH members. 
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,524
Likes: 1
From: The South
DO A SEARCH. Very common question. Royal purple, mobil 1, german castrol and amsoil are all popular. I just figured out that fram filters suck. I used to run standard valvoline and fram filters. 
I am now running Mobil 1 0w40 full synthetic with mobil 1 filter.
I am now running Mobil 1 0w40 full synthetic with mobil 1 filter. 
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,954
Likes: 1
From: Kent WA
Originally Posted by Humvee z28
humm what kind of deals could you give me on amsoil. we stock it at work and i would like to see how your price compares to the dealer we deal with. pm me with prices, thanks