Umm, incase any of you didn't get it, that was a joke... lol
Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong
use the same oil, brand and weight that you have been using in it.
never never never never never change the brand/weight of oil you use in an engine once you make you're first oil change after the break in oil.
Please. Complete horsesh!t.
Originally posted by: bret
mineral oil is good for breaking in an engine, then change to synthetic... i use mobil 1 5w 30.
Bleh, you can use whatever oil you want for breakin. There is not an oil on the planet that will "prevent" an engine from breaking in. Should anybody invent such a thing, well.. we'll all know about it.
Synthetic oil manufacturers don't recommend using their oils for breakin because it is pointless. Why bother using expensive synthetic oil when it is going to be fouled because of solid particles in ~1,000 miles? Use the cheapest oil you can find. There's no need to go non-detergent or anything "fancy", unless you know what you're doing and are going to break it in, in your garage and around the block. Most people just drive normally during break-in, and in that case the additives in regular engine oil are going to help, especially if they go beyond the specified break-in period.
Originally posted by: dug777
i use a heavier grade when i'm driving hard for at least a few days (like across Oz

), and a lighter grade in town for the rest of the time...
Careful there. City driving is actually severe service compared to highway travel.
Originally posted by: TheChort
synthetic oil is thinner than regular oil, which explains the leaks
In older cars where tubes are more worn out, you run the risk of leaks in switching to synthetic.
Synthetic oil is
NOT "thinner" than regular oil.
Worn out tubes huh? What tubes are you speaking of?
If the engine does not leak before synthetic, it is unlikely that it will leak aftwerwards.
Originally posted by: d3n
I'll tend to agree with this. However I think this goes for more of a high mileage vehicle that was previously dino juice. Going Synthetic can really knock allot of the build up loose and clog everything up after a couple years have gone by. I know that it has 'killed off' some cars. I figure you would be ok on the first year or two if you switch from regular to synthetic.
Since you have a 97 I would go for Castrol High Mileage Dino.
There is nothing special about Castrol or the "High Milage" oils. They may have a bit more aggressive additive package, but.. you should have that anyway.
There is no evidence that synthetic oil will "knock" anything loose. While quality synthetic oils do contain a more robust additive package, the detergency difference isn't that profound.
Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong
if you lose an engine, (I've lost 2) and the fault is with the oil, the oil company pays for your replacement engine. if you can't prove that you've had the same oil brand/weight in the engine from the get go, you pay for your replacement engine. go ask any certified mechanic.
of course if you don't know what was used all along, or have already switched oils in the past, it really doesn't matter that much, as long as it's quaility oil, if you have build up problems, I'd use an additive like Restore for one oil change and continue using what you're using now. aluminum block engines don't have near the same issues as steel blocks, and longivity is more of an issue of wear, and worn out gaskets. (my 99 ranger had 287k miles on it with out anything done to it aside from normal maintance....brakes/shocks/tranny service/etc.) when I traded it in.
Penzoil paid for my 2nd engine that blew btw.
Ok, I was with you for the first paragraph, and then you recommended using an oil additive. Folks,
DO NOT under any circumstances put ANYTHING into your crankcase but pure, virgin, unadulterated engine oil.
Let's hear more about these replaced engines. First, how on Earth did you go about proving beyond a reasonable doubt that it was the oil's fault that your engine failed? It's virtually impossible, although they would probably oblige you IF you prooved that you had been using nothing but Pennzoil for the entire life of the engine. Was this indeed the case?
Originally posted by: KarenMarie
That is EXACTLY what my b/f said... he is an expert....
he said that if you were gonna change, you should have done it after break in. Now you need to stick with what you already have.
If your boyfriend said that, he may be an expert - but it's not at engine oil.

There is no logical reasoning for that stance. It doesen't make any sense.
*pant*