Poll Oil Leak after switching to synthetic

Fatboy2 · January 23, 2005

I am trying to weigh the benefits of synthetic oil versus the potential for creating oil consumption or leaks.

I am strongly considering switching over to synthetic in my wife's 01 Tahoe 4.8. The vehicle has approximately 52,000 miles /1,397 hrs. Now with zero leaks or consumption. (If it is leaking or consuming oil it is so minor I am not seeing it on the garage floor or the stick in the 3000 mile oil change intervals with dino.)

The vehicle was previously driven considerably longer distances at a time and was on a regular 3k dino oil regimen up until recently.

I have read many of the previous posts on the benefits of synthetic. I noted several reported advantages.

The vehicle is now started five days a week at a minimum of 5 times a day and driven distances that do not allow it to warm up before being parked again. (I joke with her about walking to work and other places in town but I don’t know that I would want to walk to work every morning in dress clothes in below freezing temps on ice and snow.)

Your participation in the poll will be appreciated. (Not a poll on walking on the ice in heels)

Thank You.

Jerry

mcreyaufmiller · January 23, 2005

Switching to the syn is a great idea! The only time I would worry about forming leaks is when added to a vehicle with considerable milage. Yours should be okay as long as you changed your oil on a regular basis.

jryerson · January 23, 2005

I switched over from dino around 130000 miles. the truck was on a regular 3000 maintenance schedule with no consumption or leaks. After the switch I still have no leaks nor consumption. I think it all depends on how well the engine was maintained prior to the switch.

asepgrad98 · January 23, 2005

BTW, buy a "real" synthetic PAO like Mobil 1. Stay away from Pennzoil, Castrol, Quaker State and other wannabe synthetics.

Fatboy2 · January 23, 2005

Thanks for the input. Hopefully the poll will get some more activity.

budhayes3 · January 23, 2005

You should be fine, I'd only worry on a high mileage vehicle that was neglected and hasn't seen proper maintenance, in which case the damage is already done anyway.

Chuckster · January 24, 2005

I am trying to weigh the benefits of synthetic oil versus the potential for creating oil consumption or leaks.

I am strongly considering switching over to synthetic in my wife's 01 Tahoe 4.8. The vehicle has approximately 52,000 miles /1,397 hrs. Now with zero leaks or consumption. (If it is leaking or consuming oil it is so minor I am not seeing it on the garage floor or the stick in the 3000 mile oil change intervals with dino.)

The vehicle was previously driven considerably longer distances at a time and was on a regular 3k dino oil regimen up until recently.

I have read many of the previous posts on the benefits of synthetic. I noted several reported advantages.

The vehicle is now started five days a week at a minimum of 5 times a day and driven distances that do not allow it to warm up before being parked again. (I joke with her about walking to work and other places in town but I don’t know that I would want to walk to work every morning in dress clothes in below freezing temps on ice and snow.)

Your participation in the poll will be appreciated. (Not a poll on walking on the ice in heels)

Thank You.

Jerry

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I switched to Synthetic on a 50,000 mile Tahoe, a 60,000 mile Vette, and a 230,000 mile Nissan Altima!!! No Leaks!

Fatboy2 · January 30, 2005

Thanks for the posts. I am still in hopes of getting additional responses on the poll.

caremd99 · January 30, 2005

I switched the following to AMSOIL 5W-30 ASL

Dad's '00 1500 EC @30K - now 40K no leaks, no oil consumption

Dad's '99 DC T&C @70K - now, 105K no leaks, less oil consumption than before (needs 1 qt every 4-5K, before every 2-3K)

Sis's '99 Camry @ 70K - now 95K no leaks, same consuption 1 qt every 4K

My '02 Honda Odyssey @ 10K - now 40K no leaks, no oil consuption

My '02 Nissan Maxima @ 3K - now 23K no leaks, no oil consumption

My '04 1500 CC @500(no K) - no leaks but still too soon to tell, only 650 miles now.

Fatboy2 · February 4, 2005

Thanks for the feedback.

496 CUBIC INCHES · February 4, 2005

If you don't have leaks now,synthetic won't cause any.

GOOSE · February 5, 2005

Synthetics won't cause leaks. Because of the superior additives and cleaning abilities it could show weak points in your seals and gaskets that could potentially have been plugged by sludge buildup. Also, synthetics will condition the seals/ gaskets helping them retain their plyability and thus do better at what they were designed to do possibly for a longer period of time.

stef8 · March 27, 2005

I'm switching back and forth during summer-winter time since my '99 was new.

No problemo what so ever. I think the key to a trouble free engine is regular maintenance.

Stef

thirdgoat · March 27, 2005

Changed to Mobil 1 synthetic on my 99 Tahoe with 94k... not a drop anywhere!

The only time I ever had a leak after a change to synthetis was in my air-cooled, heavily modified Corvair years ago when synthetics first came out. Can't say enough good things about synthetics.