When to switch to synthetic oil
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: Ironton, Ohio
When to switch to synthetic oil I just rebuilt my LS1, FAST 90/90, FAST fuel rails with FAST injectors, MS4 cam, all new oil pump, rings bearings, but i just changed my oil at 200 miles... I put reg Penz back in it but I was wondering when it will be safe to change over to Synthetic motor oil???? I want to give my rings enough time to seat and my motor to break in properly......
I'm sure you'll be fine at about any time, but I'm waiting until about 3000-5000 miles. I think that as long as you keep fresh oil in it, dino oil is fine. And even 5k miles isn't a lot of wear on an engine.
You are incorrect!!
The best thing to do, is to speak with your engine builder and verify what rings you are running. As well as get their reccomendations. Some rings take significantly longer than others to break in.
The point in time you put in synthetic, is the point where your rings will no longer seat. Running conventional oi doesnt hurt anything at all in the short term. Yes, it causes a few HP, but all in all, it doesnt do anything other than save you money.
I ALWAYS wait around 2000 miles prior to switching. Alot of tuners will tell you to wait longer. But it also depends on how you broke the motor in over the first few hundred miles.
The best thing to do, is to speak with your engine builder and verify what rings you are running. As well as get their reccomendations. Some rings take significantly longer than others to break in.
The point in time you put in synthetic, is the point where your rings will no longer seat. Running conventional oi doesnt hurt anything at all in the short term. Yes, it causes a few HP, but all in all, it doesnt do anything other than save you money.
I ALWAYS wait around 2000 miles prior to switching. Alot of tuners will tell you to wait longer. But it also depends on how you broke the motor in over the first few hundred miles.
Trending Topics
In which case you should give yourself a call and find out.
What rings did you use? What hone? Did you leave a rough hone or did you do a finishing hone pass? If so, the plateau hone will closely resemble a broken cylinder and youll have the most compression youll ever have right out of the box. If you did a finish / plateau hone, you can switch right away.
What rings did you use? What hone? Did you leave a rough hone or did you do a finishing hone pass? If so, the plateau hone will closely resemble a broken cylinder and youll have the most compression youll ever have right out of the box. If you did a finish / plateau hone, you can switch right away.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
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
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 1
From: Hartsdale, NY
Mobil sued Penz for marketing a dino oil as fully synthetic a few years ago and, unfortunately, LOST in court.
As a result, everyone can now market dino oil and call it synthetic. So most do, including Mobil. Yeh, Mobil 1 is no longer synthetic.
Consequently, I would not worry too much about oil types and their marketing hype since 98% of the stuff is dino anyway. You can thank Penz for this.
As a result, everyone can now market dino oil and call it synthetic. So most do, including Mobil. Yeh, Mobil 1 is no longer synthetic.
Consequently, I would not worry too much about oil types and their marketing hype since 98% of the stuff is dino anyway. You can thank Penz for this.
Mobil sued Penz for marketing a dino oil as fully synthetic a few years ago and, unfortunately, LOST in court.
As a result, everyone can now market dino oil and call it synthetic. So most do, including Mobil. Yeh, Mobil 1 is no longer synthetic.
Consequently, I would not worry too much about oil types and their marketing hype since 98% of the stuff is dino anyway. You can thank Penz for this.
As a result, everyone can now market dino oil and call it synthetic. So most do, including Mobil. Yeh, Mobil 1 is no longer synthetic.
Consequently, I would not worry too much about oil types and their marketing hype since 98% of the stuff is dino anyway. You can thank Penz for this.
Except for RP, Redline, and German Castrol etc..
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Suffolk, VA
I don't use synthetic. I use Valvoline VV851 race oil because it has the proper addatives for a forged engine (zinc and phospherus). These addatives have been taken out of street legal oils. They are also the addatives that all the old school flat tappet cam guys were complaining about when they took it out.
Smooth meaning rough hone first then a fine hone to plateau the cross hatching? Then switch ASAP. Your cylinders and rings are essentially pre-broken in. This is why theres rarely a manufacturer that suggests a break in period or short first oil change interval any more.
