Oil-Should I switch to synth. oil?

[dmason57]

I have a question for the forum mechanics. I have the 2001 HD with the 8.1L. I have 38K miles now. I have been using the Valvoline 10w30 every 3k miles. Should I switch to Amsol Synt Oil? I was told by one mechanic that it might change the valve seals and cause oil loss, etc. What is your advise forum?

[steven]

I have tested the synthetic oil, Amsoil. I did some research and the oil tests showed the oil did not live up to their claims in my vehichle and it's usage. At 8,000 miles the lab results were not good at all .  This was their 2000 0w30 oil wich was supposed to be their best.  Which I think they claim 35,000 miles. Way to long to be inside a motor.  I drained and went back to Dino and 3000 mile changes. Oil is a deep subject and people take it way too seriously. If you change your oil and filter every 3000-3500miles or 3 months you could use any over the counter oil(even cheapie stuff) and I imagine you motor will be happy. Heck the way the oil companies are combinding and buying each other how can you know for sure exactly what is in the jugs anymore???

[CMNTMXR81]

OK, a couple of questions;

 

1) How frequently do you change your oil?

 

2) How hard do you use your truck?

 

Answers:

1) If you change your oil at 2-3k intervals, you'll be fine sticking with conventional Valvoline.  I've gotten several 100,000's of miles out of my cars with simple, conventional, and cheaper Valvoline.  Now, if you go extended periods of time, like 5-10k (believe it or not, I know people with gas motors that change them around 7,500miles), you are better served going with a synthetic as it holds up longer.  Granted it's a tad bit more expensive.

 

2) If you use the truck as everyday transportation and tow light to medium weight loads (by the standards of the 8100), simple, conventional, and cheaper Valvoline will do the job.  If you push the 16,000lb tow rating, do it in extreme heat and/or dusty conditions, then going with a synthetic would be wise.

 

The reason your mechanic said you may notice oil loss with a synthetic is because a synthetic being a thinner base, has the ability to get into cracks and holes in seals that a conventional oil can't.  No harm done, no power loss.  It's not uncommon for a higher mileage engine which is switched to a synthetic to leak oil out the seals because of this.  Most people mistake it thinking there is a major problem and the synthetic was the fault.  They are grossly incorrect.

 

On these LS1 derived engines, they thoroughly break in somewhere between the 5,000 and 10,000 mile mark.  As such, during that time, I'd stick with a conventional oil.  After that time, if you wish to go with a synthetic, go for it.

[dmason57]

Thanks for the input. I do change every 2500-3000 miles. My driving is just to work and one to two times a year I take my 27 foot (9000-10000 pound) camper on a 1500 mile round trip vacation. Any input on oil filters and air filters? I am currently using Purolater.

[CMNTMXR81]

I prefer good ol AC Delco myself.  Never had any problems.

 

Purolater is good, as is Mobil 1 filters, Fram is ok but I wouldn't use them for the life of the car only as an acceptable substitute if AC is out.

 

Just like the oil though, if you change it at the interval you do, really any filter should be fine.

[scratch1]

dmason57;

as for filters, take a look at this study;

http://www.minimopar.net/oilfilterstudy.html

and as for oil, synth or dino juice...

look at this site;

http://syntheticoiltech.com/oil/dvezina/

 

you might say they are ringing their own bell...... but let the numbers speak for them selves.

 

I will also quote from an e-mail I received from an auto engineer:

 

"Ok, today I would like to focus on three of the most popular

AMSOIL synthetic oil products for gasoline engines:  the 10W-30

and 5W-30 synthetic motor oils and the 0W-30 Severe Service

synthetic motor oil.  I will review each without going into

complicated technical descriptions so you have the correct

information to know what to use in your vehicles and/or

recommend for your customers.  

 

If you would like a copy of the detailed product specification

and ASTM test results please respond to this e-mail with your

mailing address and I will put them in the mail right away.

 

Before we get started let me explain the basics of viscosity and

oil nomenclature: For example a 10W-30, 5W-30 and 0W-30 oil are

all 30 weight oils. The differences occur in that the 10W, 5W

and 0W each is a little bit different in cold weather (W stands

for Winter). The 10W-30 acts like a 10 weight oil in winter

weather until it warms up and then it is a 30 weight oil. The

5W-30 oil acts like a 5 weight oil in winter weather and when it

warms up is a 30 weight oil. Same theory holds true for the

0W-30 oil. The differences are ever so slight that you would not

be able to differentiate which one was in your engine without

the use of specialized engine testing equipment. In fact 5W, 10W

and 0W are strictly empirical numbers. In order to discern the

differences one needs to review the kinematic viscosity of each

lubricant. Kinematic viscosity is measured in Centistokes and is

essentially the amount of time, in Centistokes, it takes a

lubricant to flow through a fixed orifice at both 100 deg.

Celcius and 40 deg. Celcius. For example, the kinematic

viscosity, at 40 deg. C or AMSOIL 5W-30 is 59.5, AMSOIL 10W-30

is 66.1 and AMSOIL 0W-30 is 57.3. So as you can see the values

are extremely close to each other.

 

In respect to the 5W-30 vs. the 10W-30 there are virtually no

major differences other than the 10W-30 is formulated for

turbocharged engines. Therefore when you use it in a

non-turbocharged engine you get that extra measure of

protection. The 5W-30 is often used by those customers that go

exactly by the book and will only use what their owners manual

says. Even though the price is the same I always attempt to sell

them on the superiority of the 10W-30.

 

In my business I recommend the 10W-30 or 0W-30 even when the

manufacturers recommendations call for a 5W-30 or a 5W-20. You

see, I am an engineer at one of these automotive manufacturers

here in Detroit, MI and I will let you in on a little secret:

the auto manufacturers like to use low viscosity, low grade

petroleum oils so that the vehicles get better CAFE (Corporate

Average Fuel Economy) and wear-out sooner (yes, you did read

that correctly and it is true, they do design your vehicle and

components to have a finite life within certain mileage ranges

using petroleum oil).  CAFE is mandated by the Federal

Government and it is the average fuel economy of the entire

vehicle line a manufacturer produces. Big trucks and SUV's are

highly profitable where small cars are not, so in order to get

the CAFE #'s reported to the Federal Government higher and be

able to sell more SUV's and trucks they use lighter viscosity

oils to compensate like a 5W-30 or 5W-20 so fuel economy

increases (only in controlled lab tests which is why you'll

NEVER notice any difference in your vehicle).  These 5W-20 oils,

in my opinion, (and that of many other automotive engineers)is

that these oils do not provide an adequate level of protection

for long term wear protection and durability of your vehicle.

This is why I will not recommend a 5W-20 lubricant for my

customers. If you want a better more detailed explanation of

this you can refer to my website and read "Ford and Honda's

5W-20 Scam EXPOSED". I have provided a link to my website at the

end of this note. If you still just have to use 5W-20, then

AMSOIL does manufacture an excellent 5W-20 which far exceeds any

OEM manufacturers specifications, but is is only a 7500

mile/6-month oil as compared to AMSOIL's 0W-30 which is a 35,000

mile/1-year oil.

 

In addition, when these CAFE tests are run they are run under

strictly controlled conditions and with specially

tested/supplied lubricants and fuels which are all within

specifications, but optimized to provide the best

characteristics of each specification. In fact, they don't even

use standard pump grade fuel like is sold at retail gas

stations. They use Indoline. That is why your vehicle rarely

will achieve the fuel economy numbers stated on the window

sticker.

 

Remember, the auto manufacturers are looking out for their best

interests and profits, not yours. They figure if you get

100,000 to 150,000 miles out of your engine without any major

problems then your satisfied & will trade it in or sell it and

buy another one soon. With AMSOIL you will far exceed those

mileage values and your vehicle(s) will be better protected,

last longer and provide much better performance.

 

Also, I will explain that any Series 2000 or Series 3000

product AMSOIL manufactures is the best of the best. It is

AMSOIL's super premium product, usually rated for extreme Severe

Service and/or racing applications, but can be used in any

application such as everyday driving, racing, severe service or

other demanding applications.

 

AMSOIL's Series 2000 0W-30 Synthetic motor oil is based off the

chemestry from AMSOIL's racing oil. The product code is TSO-O1

for a case of quarts or TSO-QT for individual quarts. It

outperforms every other synthetic and petroleum oil on the

market, including Castrol and Mobil1 5W-50 weight oils!  The

0W-30 Series 2000 is a 35,000 mile/1-year motor oil.  That means

you can leave it in your enigne for 35,000 miles or 1-year,

whichever comes first. If you haven't put 35,000 miles on in

1-year then I recommend performing oil analysis testing prior to

continued use, or just change your oil once a year. Pretty

simple and easy to remember. The AMSOIL Super Duty Filter

requires changing at 12,500 mile or 6 month intervals (whichever

comes first).  With this oil you will notice improved fuel

economy due to reduced friction and increased performance and

smoother operation.  Although I do not like to quote mileage

improvements, recently my Dad changed to the 0W-30 in his 2000

Ford Econoline with the 5.4L Triton engine and gained

approximately 2 miles per gallon improvement. These kind of

figures are very common with the 0W-30. I have several other

customers that report similar improvements. I always recommend

the 0W-30 Series 2000. If the customer is extremely conservative

and cost conscious then I sell them the standard 10W-30.

 

The 10W-30 product code is ATM-01 for a case of 12 and ATM-QT

for individual quarts. The 10W-30 synthetic oil is a 25,000

mile/1-year motor oil. The 10W-30 is a very good oil for all

gasoline engines. You should also notice a fuel economy and

performance improvement with the AMSOIL 10W-30 as well.

 

The performance and fuel economy improvements usually do not

happen instantly. You need to drive the vehicle to allow the

detergents in the AMSOIL to clean the petroleum oil deposits

from the microscopic valleys in the steel and aluminum of your

internal engine components. As it cleans the deposits out,

AMSOIL molecules which are uniform in size and shape, and do not

change size or shape with extreme heat or cold, will fill those

valleys which will provide for a uniform layer of AMSOIL

synthetic molecules on the surface layers of your engines

internal components. That is why you will notice smoother, more

responsive operation and a fuel economy improvement. If you have

an engine with more than about 40-50,000 miles I recommend you

use a can of AMSOIL engine flush prior to changing over to

AMSOIL in order to clean out the increased amount of petroleum

depostis which are present in higher mileage engines.

 

I hope this brief explanation helped you understand what is

happening in your engine with AMSOIL. I tried to explain a

highly complex chemical and mechanical process in a way that

everyone can understand.

 

That's all for this e-mail. In future e-mails I will cover many

more important aspects of the various AMSOIL products and their

applications as well as other lubrication, filtration and

business information.

 

I would like end this e-mail by letting you know what a truly

wonderful company AMSOIL is. I cannot say enough positive things

about the company and the products and also the business

opportunity offered to each and every Dealer.  In my next e-mail

I will share a note from Al Amatuzio, President and CEO of

ASMSOIL. After reading the note you will know exactly why AMSOIL

makes the best lubricants in the world, right from the man that

started it all back in 1972. I am very proud to be associated

with such a quality company and am confident you would be also,.....

Best regards, David,

 

Sincerely,

 

Dave Mann

Lubrication Specialist - Truck/Automotive Engineer

Performance Oil Technology, L.L.C.

 

 

David

[MadDog725]

I switched over to synthetic (actually Royal Purple) in my 98' Suburban after 25,000 miles.  

 

Pros - I immediately noticed that the engine ran quieter and smoother.

 

Cons - I began to experience significant power loss after about 5000 miles and I also noticed that the engine was using a considerable amount of oil indicating that the valve seals were leaking.  I drained and flushed the engine and went back to the Valvoline.  I'm noticing that the engine is now re-gaining "some" of the lost power but is still using some oil.

 

I believe that I'll stick with the petroleum bases lubricants in the engine and save the synthetics for trannies, rear ends and my boat's lower unit.