How to switch to synthetic?
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Launching!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 232
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From: Florida
How to switch to synthetic? Hey all, Ive just got a quick question. I want to start running synthetic in my car instead of the plain ol' 10-30. In order to switch over, should I do a couple of cycles of semi-synthetic then to full sythetic, or just start on synthetic and not do the semi sythetic cycle? Ive seen alot of people on here recommend the german castrol, how about any others? Royal purple? Mobil 1 or is the german castrol that much better? The mechanic that put my suspension parts on last week, said german castrol and not to even worry about doing the semi synthetic, just to switch it. He said in alot of older cars you would have to do that, but not in the LS1's. Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks all.
Originally Posted by taintedmeat
Just dump in the gc 0w30 after draining the old stuff and changing the filter.
I agree. It is not like everyone says it is. It is just cleaner oil. All synthetic really is, is more refined oil with no impurities in it.
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 427
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From: Ellicott City MD
Not really sure what to tell you on this one. I was always told never to switch. So if some more people could chime in i would also like to know. I fear that by switching you and I will start to have **** go flying in ever direction. I did it once on a for contour but that was before i knew that going back and forth could be bad for things.
Well don't go back and forth then, skifast87. Just make the switch once and roll with it.
I've heard some people say don't worry about mileage and have seen cars with 150k get switched over and be fine. But I've heard horror stories about cars with 100k+ get switched over and all of a sudden they leak.
However, if you switch to synthetic and your car starts leaking/burning oil, there was a problem to begin with and now at least you know about it. It's better to find out sooner than later.
Make the switch. Just drain the old out, change the filter, and pour your synthetic in. That's what I did at 56k when I bought my car. 60k and no issues. I went with Mobil 1 5w30 but I've got 6 quarts of GC 0w30 sitting here to try out at next oil change. I plan to let that run a little longer than 3k to see what happens. I will be changing the filter at 3k though.
Change it and never look back.
I've heard some people say don't worry about mileage and have seen cars with 150k get switched over and be fine. But I've heard horror stories about cars with 100k+ get switched over and all of a sudden they leak.
However, if you switch to synthetic and your car starts leaking/burning oil, there was a problem to begin with and now at least you know about it. It's better to find out sooner than later.
Make the switch. Just drain the old out, change the filter, and pour your synthetic in. That's what I did at 56k when I bought my car. 60k and no issues. I went with Mobil 1 5w30 but I've got 6 quarts of GC 0w30 sitting here to try out at next oil change. I plan to let that run a little longer than 3k to see what happens. I will be changing the filter at 3k though.
Change it and never look back.
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 427
Likes: 0
From: Ellicott City MD
Originally Posted by Kalgorn
Well don't go back and forth then, skifast87. Just make the switch once and roll with it.
I've heard some people say don't worry about mileage and have seen cars with 150k get switched over and be fine. But I've heard horror stories about cars with 100k+ get switched over and all of a sudden they leak.
However, if you switch to synthetic and your car starts leaking/burning oil, there was a problem to begin with and now at least you know about it. It's better to find out sooner than later.
Make the switch. Just drain the old out, change the filter, and pour your synthetic in. That's what I did at 56k when I bought my car. 60k and no issues. I went with Mobil 1 5w30 but I've got 6 quarts of GC 0w30 sitting here to try out at next oil change. I plan to let that run a little longer than 3k to see what happens. I will be changing the filter at 3k though.
Change it and never look back.
I've heard some people say don't worry about mileage and have seen cars with 150k get switched over and be fine. But I've heard horror stories about cars with 100k+ get switched over and all of a sudden they leak.
However, if you switch to synthetic and your car starts leaking/burning oil, there was a problem to begin with and now at least you know about it. It's better to find out sooner than later.
Make the switch. Just drain the old out, change the filter, and pour your synthetic in. That's what I did at 56k when I bought my car. 60k and no issues. I went with Mobil 1 5w30 but I've got 6 quarts of GC 0w30 sitting here to try out at next oil change. I plan to let that run a little longer than 3k to see what happens. I will be changing the filter at 3k though.
Change it and never look back.
haha yeah my car burns oil pretty good. Nothing out of the ordinary but still i am to afraid at this point to do it.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
There is no special proceedure. Just switch on over. If you don't like it, switch back. No biggie.
Synthetic isn't going to destroy your LS1 just because you never used it before.
Synthetic isn't going to destroy your LS1 just because you never used it before.
You can switch from synthetic to non synthetic but not the other way around, non synthetic doesnt run as smooth as synthetic and that frees the engine up alot. Ive burnt through rings on my old engine cause the lack of what oil was used when i bought it.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,548
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by whytryz28
You can switch from synthetic to non synthetic but not the other way around, non synthetic doesnt run as smooth as synthetic and that frees the engine up alot. Ive burnt through rings on my old engine cause the lack of what oil was used when i bought it.
I've gone from non-synthetic to synthetic on many motors. No issues. And you can switch the other way around too.
Switch back and forth every day if you want.
Originally Posted by whytryz28
You can switch from synthetic to non synthetic but not the other way around, non synthetic doesnt run as smooth as synthetic and that frees the engine up alot. Ive burnt through rings on my old engine cause the lack of what oil was used when i bought it.
I switched at 57k and have had no problems.
Did you ever think that your old engine was shot before you put the synthetic in and that it just started to clean things up and that's why your rings went out?