Synthetic vs traditional oil?

[Eos]

I installed a Fumoto drain valve at the first oil change. The end of this valve has a nipple that accepts a common hose. I like a clear hose so I can see the progress.

Drive onto ramps.
Shut off engine.
Lift the hood.
Remove the oil cap.
I stick the 12" hose onto the nipple.
Stick the other end into a milk jug.
Move ball valve lever on drain valve into open position.
Wait a few minutes until the jug is full.
Move ball valve lever into the closed position.
Remove full jug and place new jug into position.
Re-open ball valve.
Close it up when the pan is completely empty.

The nipple points toward the rear of the car, and the drain hole is at the rear of the pan. I'd say almost all of the used oil is draining out. There's ZERO mess when draining. There is a tiny amount of mess when disassembling the oil filter cartridge assembly.

I'm very pleased with the steps I've listed here.

 

[Meghan54]

The 99 Camry is easy? The oil filter is upside down UNDER the exhaust manifold, can't tell you how many times I burned my arm on that damn thing getting to that stupid filter. Now I try to make sure the engine is only just warm enough to loosen up the oil viscosity before I do the change. Another reason why I don't use a wrench is that filter anyway, you cant get a wrench in there.

Really? You cannot get an oil filter wrench in there? So, what did they change between the '97 and '99 model years? I've got a '97 Camry w/the V-6 and have no problems fitting either my hands or wrench onto the oil filter.

Granted, being under the exhaust manifold is sort of a drag....gotta watch the manifold if you're insisting on changing the oil just after driving.....but there are no clearance issues getting a wrench in there; plenty of room. (And I'll give you that it makes a mess when you remove the filter, but such is its design...isn't the first to use that orientation of filter and won't be the last.)


Our '97 Camry's engine bay.....

The filter wrench I use as it's set up for using on the Camry (I have to remove the small extension for our Murano.....very limited space.)

So, again, what's the problem? Mind showing what causes your problems with poor access, because I thought the filter was very easily accessible, esp. compared to other vehicles I've owned over the last 4 decades or so (about 50+ right now.)

 

[mvbighead]

I installed a Fumoto drain valve at the first oil change. The end of this valve has a nipple that accepts a common hose. I like a clear hose so I can see the progress.

Drive onto ramps.
Shut off engine.
Lift the hood.
Remove the oil cap.
I stick the 12" hose onto the nipple.
Stick the other end into a milk jug.
Move ball valve lever on drain valve into open position.
Wait a few minutes until the jug is full.
Move ball valve lever into the closed position.
Remove full jug and place new jug into position.
Re-open ball valve.
Close it up when the pan is completely empty.

The nipple points toward the rear of the car, and the drain hole is at the rear of the pan. I'd say almost all of the used oil is draining out. There's ZERO mess when draining. There is a tiny amount of mess when disassembling the oil filter cartridge assembly.

I'm very pleased with the steps I've listed here.

Now why did you have to go and find something else for me to buy???

This gets rid of the need for my drain pan, and one less step to get the oil back in the jug to take it back for recycling. How have I not heard of this before?

 

[jagec]

The 99 Camry is easy? The oil filter is upside down UNDER the exhaust manifold, can't tell you how many times I burned my arm on that damn thing getting to that stupid filter.

Try changing the oil on a mk1 MR2 and then get back to me. Not only is it tucked under the exhaust manifold (which wraps around to surround it on 3 sides), it is literally impossible to even SEE it from any angle, either from the top or from under the car. You just have to trust that it's there and remove it by feel, FROM under the car, without accidentally brushing against any exhaust components. And did I mention that it is positioned to drip half of its contents onto the exhaust, and from there, onto your face?

 

[bruceb]

On some cars, the easiest way to get to the oil filter is with the car on a lift. You can see what you doing and position yourself not to get oil on you. Or put a pan under the filter and punch a hole in it to drain the filter before removal. I do that on my 1999 Grand Prix with the 3800 V6 and when I do the oil in my driveway, I need to remove the passenger front wheel. Then you can get to it very easy.

 

[rickon66]

I used to work at an Amoco oil refinery that also made motor oil addative packages and sold them to all of the big name oil companies. We sold to Quaker State, Pennzoil, Shell, and many others. Motor oil is made up of about 60% oil and 40% additives and our additives made up the 40%. I kind of laugh when I hear guys say one kind of oil is better than another cause most of the important stuff in the oil is made by one or two companies. THe actual motor oil never really wears out, but the additives lose their effectivness.

I just got a new GM car that uses synthetic blend and the car computer tells when to change oil, based on driving conditions. It went off at 6500 miles and the dealer said that up to 7500 was OK for the synthetic blend.

 

[purbeast0]

just bumping this thread because im going to be able to change my own oil now that i have my own home with a driveway and garage that is flat.

i purchased all of the tools necessary to change my own oil over the past couple days, which ran me about $60. it included the following:

- rhino ramps
- rhino stoppers (could have used wood, but i dont even have pieces of wood lol, and they were $5)
- oil drain pan
- funnel
- filter wrench
- some mechanic paper towels to clean up
- some cleaning stuff to get oil off my hands

on top of that i got 6 quarts of mobil 1 synthetic from walmart (in a 5qt and 1qt) for about $32, since my manual says to fill it with 5 1/8 quarts when doing oil change. and i got the oil filter for about $3. i also got a 3 pack of the washer/gasket things for my car for like $3, which i think will also fit on my wife's car.

probably going to do it this weekend for the first time. i think all will go smooth because it really seems like a piece of cake to do this shit. i just never had anywhere to really do it before.

 

[Howard]

just bumping this thread because im going to be able to change my own oil now that i have my own home with a driveway and garage that is flat.

i purchased all of the tools necessary to change my own oil over the past couple days, which ran me about $60. it included the following:

- rhino ramps
- rhino stoppers (could have used wood, but i dont even have pieces of wood lol, and they were $5)
- oil drain pan
- funnel
- filter wrench
- some mechanic paper towels to clean up
- some cleaning stuff to get oil off my hands

on top of that i got 6 quarts of mobil 1 synthetic from walmart (in a 5qt and 1qt) for about $32, since my manual says to fill it with 5 1/8 quarts when doing oil change. and i got the oil filter for about $3. i also got a 3 pack of the washer/gasket things for my car for like $3, which i think will also fit on my wife's car.

probably going to do it this weekend for the first time. i think all will go smooth because it really seems like a piece of cake to do this shit. i just never had anywhere to really do it before.

Don't use a socket on the drain plug. Get a TIGHT-fitting wrench and a breaker bar/tube that can fit over the wrench; you might encounter an unexpected disaster...

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Don't use a socket on the drain plug. Get a TIGHT-fitting wrench and a breaker bar/tube that can fit over the wrench; you might encounter an unexpected disaster...

Why not a socket? I've been using a socket for over 13 years of changing my oil.

 

[purbeast0]

Why not a socket? I've been using a socket for over 13 years of changing my oil.

i think he's saying that so that oil doesn't spill out into my mouth being right under it. with a breaker car you can be a ways away.

or maybe he's saying that the car will fall on you if you are underneath it on ramps and it falls off the ramps somehow.

 

[jagec]

and i got the oil filter for about $3.

All sounds good except for this. What kind of filter did you get for $3?

Oh, and I use a socket too. Sockets are better than wrenches 90% of the time.

 

[purbeast0]

All sounds good except for this. What kind of filter did you get for $3?

Oh, and I use a socket too. Sockets are better than wrenches 90% of the time.

the Purolator brand for my car. came recommended from myg37.com forums.

 

[Howard]

Why not a socket? I've been using a socket for over 13 years of changing my oil.

Sockets tend to have more play than a box-end on a wrench. If the plug is seized, cross-threaded, or slightly rounded, IMO the socket will round the head more often than a box-end will because too much applied force tends to make the socket slip off. The breaker bar is in case the plug is stuck.

YMMV

 

[WackyDan]

How does one "notice" it wear out?

I trust the engineers that built the engine to determine an OCI. For those that are OCD, there's oil analysis. I haven't heard of any cases where the oil analysis disagreed with the factory recommendations.

My car is a great example. It has one of the most advanced engines of its time. It relies heavily on good oil. The engineers determined a 7500 OCI on dino oil. This was back in the late 90s. The quality of oils has increased since then. Sure synthetic is better, but the notion that dino oil is insufficient and needs to be changed early is a myth.

bingo... Part of the problems with early synthetic was problem with seals/gaskets...All that trouble is long gone. You also have to remember that Synthetic oil IS Dino oil... The only real difference to MOST people is you can go longer between changes.

My new F-150 has a 7 quart capacity and is rated to go 7500 to 10,000 miles between oil changes. No doubt the extra oil capacity helps, but that is on a Synthetic blend.

 

[jagec]

the Purolator brand for my car. came recommended from myg37.com forums.

No kidding? Yes, that is a good brand; I'm surprised it's so cheap. You lucky dog!

Sockets tend to have more play than a box-end on a wrench. If the plug is seized, cross-threaded, or slightly rounded, IMO the socket will round the head more often than a box-end will because too much applied force tends to make the socket slip off. The breaker bar is in case the plug is stuck.

YMMV

In my experience a good 6-point socket is much less likely to round off a bolt than a wrench. Stays on better, too; I can't count how many times I've been trying to turn a wrench deep under the hood and felt it slip off and go bouncing off of engine parts into regions unknown.

Like you said, YMMV.

 

[purbeast0]

yea dude, walmart has stuff dirt cheap for car stuff. i was surprised. someone told me about it though, as i really never go to walmart since i don't live near one, but there is one near my job.

the oil was like $8 cheaper than the other stores (for 5 qt). the extra 1 qt was like $6.22 and it was like $9 at advance auto parts.

filter was like $3 and some change. i saw it at advance auto parts for $5 something.

the rhino ramps were $43 and they are $50 everywhere else, although i ended up getting them at advance auto parts cause of a $20 off $50 coupon.

 

[DougoMan]

Could be my imagination, but it seemed like my engine felt ran more smoothly on synthetic.

 

[Meghan54]

You also have to remember that Synthetic oil IS Dino oil... The only real difference to MOST people is you can go longer between changes.

Kinda, and not always. There are synthetic oils that are true PAO oils, vs. the synthetics we typically see on the shelves in stores that are Group III based oils, but even the Gr. III's are so chemically changed, via GTL (gas-to-liquid) catalytic conversions these days, that the Gr. III's perform very much like the PAO-based synthetics.

As for true PAO-based synthetics, I'm aware of a few on the market, such as Royal Purple, Red Line, Amsoil, and German-made Mobil 1 (in Germany, an oil HAS to be PAO-based to be labeled synthetic.)

So, the notion that oils labeled synthetic are dino oils is and isn't exactly true. The chemical nature of the converted dino oil into the synthetic Gr. III base stock is very, very different and can be considered synthetic despite the original base stock.

 

[olds]

I run synthetic in everything.
But even with conventional oil, unless you only drive on dirt roads and always race the engine, 3750 is way too often to be changing oil.

 

[JCH13]

Sockets tend to have more play than a box-end on a wrench. If the plug is seized, cross-threaded, or slightly rounded, IMO the socket will round the head more often than a box-end will because too much applied force tends to make the socket slip off. The breaker bar is in case the plug is stuck.

YMMV

I always use a 6-point socket. Spreads the load out over 3x as many surfaces as a wrench. Decent sockets will always fit very snugly, at least in my experience. Never rounded any drain plugs...

 

[7window]

do not torque the drain plug. not necessary

 

[Howard]

I always use a 6-point socket. Spreads the load out over 3x as many surfaces as a wrench. Decent sockets will always fit very snugly, at least in my experience. Never rounded any drain plugs...

I said box-end, didn't I?

 

[JCH13]

I said box-end, didn't I?

You're right, you did. So only 2x as much area, not 3x.

Unless, of course, you REALLY meant a 6-point box wrench.

I guess my point is that a good quality socket fits just as well as a good quality wrench, so it doesn't really matter what you use as long as it's 6-point.

 

[mvbighead]

I use a socket like most. The one benefit I find with a socket is that once the plug is loose, you can use a 10" extension (or whatever you have) on your socket and twist the plug free, keeping your hands about a foot away from the oil that will soon start pouring out. Then, just wipe the two off and you're completely free of getting oil on your hands.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I use a socket like most. The one benefit I find with a socket is that once the plug is loose, you can use a 10" extension (or whatever you have) on your socket and twist the plug free, keeping your hands about a foot away from the oil that will soon start pouring out. Then, just wipe the two off and you're completely free of getting oil on your hands.

Great tip. Never even thought of that.