Anyone see any major problems with switching to synthetic oil on a 98 Honda that has 101,000 miles on it? Up until this point it has used regular old cheapo 5w-30.
Siwtching to synthetic oil after 100,000 miles on a 98?
- Thread starter justint
- Start date
possible better wear on a higher mileage engine.. there is no harm in going to a synthetic.. i'd say it's good piece of mind.. just make sure you DO NOT put regular oil back in once the sythetic is started. 
Originally posted by: Yield
possible better wear on a higher mileage engine.. there is no harm in going to a synthetic.. i'd say it's good piece of mind.. just make sure you DO NOT put regular oil back in once the sythetic is started.
lol.. It's so funny how people view oil as some sort of mystery fluid. There is so much misinformation out there..
Anyway.. its a myth. You do not need to worry about putting synthetic oil in your car. You can do it with 5,000 miles on it, and you could do it with 500,000 miles on it. You could switch back and forth between synthetic and conventional oils every oil change if you wanted to.
If your engine has a lot of wear, it might be wise to use a slightly heavier synthetic oil, but that is all..
Go for it.
You certainly aren't going to hurt anything. What do you mean you don't see any benefit to it? That's like saying you don't see any benefit from upgrading from a P2/400 to an AthlonXP/1600.. they're both computers, but there is a clear difference.
I am working on a Synthetic oil specifications spreadsheet. I think I will throw a few common conventional oils in there, just to show people like you that there really is a difference.
It will probably be done in a couple of weeks.not really; the theory (which is viable assuming this) is that older synthetics had harsher detergents in it; they would wash away the carbon deposits of old burnt oil (found in old cars) thereby causing leaks that were not there
I understand the theory behind it, but it is just that; a theory. Synthetic oils do not have harsher detergents in them.. In some cases they have more, but in others, they may actually have less.
Take Redline, for example. Their racing synthetics are built with realitivly little detergency, but they have high levels of friction modifiers(again, depending on the specific application meant for the oil).
In otherwords, synthetics have little, if any, effect on already-formed deposits.
Nonsense.
You can put synthetic oil in any mechanically sound engine and not think twice. I seriously doubt his '98 is leaking from all its seals.
I would like to understand the thought process behind this way of thinking.
You own a 10 - 20,000$+ piece of machinery, and you are going to put 98 cents/quart oil, 2$ oil filters and 3$ air filters on it?
It just doesen't make any sense.
It har already been running 100K miles on dino juice and it will most likely run another 100K without a problem.
Hamburgerpimp
Diamond Member
- Aug 15, 2000
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I wouldn't bother. If you have any leak whatsover right now, then it'll leak even more with synthetic. Personally, I don't think a 100K mile car is worth synthetic. I just changed my new V6 Toyota Tacoma at 1500 miles to Mobil 1 TriSynthetic. If your car was new, it would be worth it.
I didn't think Mobil 1 made trisynthetic anymore. Is that their synthetic blend?
If it is, shell out the extra bucks for their full synthetic. While the synthetic blend is going to be better than conventional oil, it could be better.
what are the benefits of sythnic blends over normal oil and whats the deal with high mileage oil?
I switched a 85 Buick with 125,000 miles on it. It seems to run quieter and gets better gas mileage. I usually switch over any car if it doesn't leak/burn much oil. Oh, by the way, I have never had a car start leaking oil after the switch.
A synthetic blend is just that.. normal petroleum oil mixed with some synthetic oil. It has some of the properties of a full synthetic, but not all of them.
I'm not really sure what the whole deal is with the "high milage" oils. I believe that it just means that they have a lot of the additives in them that prevent metal to metal contact in the event that the oil film is broken(zinc, phosphorus).
Like I said.. I'm creating a big oil specifications spreadsheet.. I'm beginning to think that I need to include conventional and even synthetic blend oils, just for comparison.
I think when you see the specifications on paper, it will become much more clear which oils are good and which ones aren't.
UsandThem
Elite Member
- May 4, 2000
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Benefits:
1. Synthetic oil is supposed to protect better - Less friction=less wear and tear.
High mileage:
The only down side to synthetic is if there is any gap or place for oil to leak out..............the synthetic oil will find it. If there is a very tiny crack, conventional oil might not leak. Put synthetic in there, and if there is anyway for it to get out, it will find it.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
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On light-duty, liquid cooled engines that do not see temperature extremes, you're not likely to ever notice the difference between synthetic and regular oil. The difference (assuming 3,000 miles change intervals regardless of oil type) will probably be something like 300,000 miles with regular oil and 350,000 miles with synthetic.
For a relatively un-stressed street engine that sees a regular 3,000 mile change interval there is no real need to switch to synthetic since the car will probably fall apart around the engine well before the extra engine life from the synthetic oil comes into play.
For something highly stressed or for an air-cooled engine, then definitely synthetic. Oil temps on my 914 typically run between 275 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit and at those temperatures regular oil begins to break down whereas synthetic doesn't. Also, if your car sees very cold winter temps then synthetic's better flow when cold will help to reduce cold-start wear.
ZV
For a relatively un-stressed street engine that sees a regular 3,000 mile change interval there is no real need to switch to synthetic since the car will probably fall apart around the engine well before the extra engine life from the synthetic oil comes into play.
For something highly stressed or for an air-cooled engine, then definitely synthetic. Oil temps on my 914 typically run between 275 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit and at those temperatures regular oil begins to break down whereas synthetic doesn't. Also, if your car sees very cold winter temps then synthetic's better flow when cold will help to reduce cold-start wear.
ZV
What is the recommended service interval for synthetic oil? My SAAB dealer told me to use synthetic, but still told me to change every 3,000 to 3,500 miles. I thought synthetic could go much further.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
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It can. As long as you take oil samples every few thousand miles and change the filter every 3,000-5,000 miles, being sure to top off the oil level because the filter will take some oil with it. The oil sample analysis is a pain and synthetic's not expensive enough to bother.
ZV
UsandThem
Elite Member
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Everyone tells you that because it makes them more $$$$$$$$$$.
Depending on the area you live in and what type of car you have, you could go up to 10,000 miles. However, doing so could void your warranty. So if your car is still under factory warranty and you want to keep it that way, you will have to get it changes every 3000 miles.
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
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3000 is argued by many as major over kill with dino juice. With synthetic it's definite for an average car.
In regards to high mileage oils they claim to have additives that treat the seals and "bring life back into them" so that previously weaker seals and gaskets now seal a bit better. I am using valvoline maxlife on my sentra after finding an oil leak in it about 13k miles ago. I can't say that the stuff has helped, but I can say that the leak hasn't gotten any worse, so who knows.
I believe that on the mobil1 site they say that you can freely switch between their synthetic and non synthetic and I think that their FAQ also says no problem for a high mileage car.
I will say that switching synthetic every 3k miles for the average joe is a total waste of money! Go longer or use the much cheaper dino.
In regards to high mileage oils they claim to have additives that treat the seals and "bring life back into them" so that previously weaker seals and gaskets now seal a bit better. I am using valvoline maxlife on my sentra after finding an oil leak in it about 13k miles ago. I can't say that the stuff has helped, but I can say that the leak hasn't gotten any worse, so who knows.
I believe that on the mobil1 site they say that you can freely switch between their synthetic and non synthetic and I think that their FAQ also says no problem for a high mileage car.
I will say that switching synthetic every 3k miles for the average joe is a total waste of money! Go longer or use the much cheaper dino.
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