Is it safe to change to Synthetic?

[Kent2500]

Eric the Car Guy has an interesting video on the topic called "Regular Oil vs Synthetic Oil -EricTheCarGuy"

[CaptWill]

I respectfully disagree with the above analogies, after that many miles, IF there is any sludge in the engine, the highly detergent synthetic oil will remove it, and you will start to have seal leaks.

 

JMHO

I think ths is old urban legend. Unless you can find regular oil marked "non-detergent", the every-day "dino" oil is also high-detergent, is it not?

[Gurrzt]

I think ths is old urban legend. Unless you can find regular oil marked "non-detergent", the every-day "dino" oil is also high-detergent, is it not?

Yes it is, however if the vehicle sits excessively, or the oil isn't changed at regular intervals, sludge will form.

[CaptWill]

Yes it is, however if the vehicle sits excessively, or the oil isn't changed at regular intervals, sludge will form.

Agree, but then if the vehicle set excessively, and sludge formed, once you began driving it again, with high-detergent regular oil in the crankcase, wouldn't it do the same thing? e.g. begin breaking up the sludge? Why would synthetic oil break up the sludge, and detergent dino oil not? I always thought that if you had an engine that was gunked up with sludge due to either setting a lot, and/or not changing the oil, then you would switch to a non-detergent oil. That's the part I need explained.

[Gurrzt]

Agree, but then if the vehicle set excessively, and sludge formed, once you began driving it again, with high-detergent regular oil in the crankcase, wouldn't it do the same thing? e.g. begin breaking up the sludge? Why would synthetic oil break up the sludge, and detergent dino oil not? I always thought that if you had an engine that was gunked up with sludge due to either setting a lot, and/or not changing the oil, then you would switch to a non-detergent oil. That's the part I need explained.

You have actually answered your own question (in my opinion) when you say "the vehicle sat excessively", when this occurs with "dyno" oil over time, the oil gets proliferated with water, and gets diluted down, along with the detergent pack. That is when the sludge starts to accumulate around the moving parts and the gaskets. An old timers trick is to flush the engine draining out 1 qt of the old oil, and adding one qt of transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery Oil. Just using a non detergent oil (in my opinion) just exacerbate the problem. Either way (in my opinion) the vehicle will leak oil after going to a full synthetic (which does not dilute with water).

 

I am no expert on this subject, I am only expressing my beliefs and what I have learned from others and read over a very long period of time.