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All synthetic oils are not equal, be careful

MikeInCtown

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Cowpie Senior Enthusiast

Cowpie

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Yeah, I would agree. Opinion without any real substantive information. Any of the "top tier" filters will go for very long drains. The Mobil 1, Fram Ultra, and several others. They are designed with a synthetic mesh media as opposed to traditional paper style. They can capture more particles much longer with no interruption of oil flow.

 

Mobil 1 filter....

 

https://mobiloil.com/en/oil-filters/performance-oil-filters

 

Fram Ultra, one I use because I can get them in bulk at a good price.....

 

http://fram.com/oil-filters/fram-ultra-synthetic-oil-filter.aspx

 

But that being said, irregardless of what the oil claims it can go (and the filter), the only sure way to know if things are ok is to do used oil samples. Acids build up in motor oils as the are used. TBN in the oil controls that, and as TAN (Total Acid Number) rises, TBN (Total Base Number) declines. General consensus in oil industry is that when they meet, time to get the oil out. But it is costly to do both TAN and TBN testing on used oils. So one can get by with TBN only. General consensus again is that once TBN reaches half the number it started with, time to see about doing an oil change. You have to know what your oil starts out with. Many start with a TBN of 8-10. So, when they oil gets to between 4-5, time to change. Else the acids will start to exceed the TBN and start having detrimental corrosive effects on internal components.

 

Given that, and that I don't want to run regular used oil samples all the time, I just go with 10% on the OLM. I have run an occasional sample before, but nothing regular. It isn't like we are having to change gallons and gallons of the stuff like we are operating semi trucks in a fleet or that we are having to take out home equity loans to pay for motor oil. Just do things within reason and at the best value you can.

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