When should I stop using synthetic?

[DainBramaged]

When I bought my Maxima, it had ~120k on it. It's at 170 now. When does it not pay for itself any more? Is this when it needs it more than ever?

 

[DainBramaged]

bump

 

[lobadobadingdong]

whatever oil you start using, you should use only that brand and weight of oil for the life of the engine. it helps if you ever lose an engine in determining what caused the failure.

 

[Audiofight]

he's right.....more damage can come from jumping from non-syn to syn and vice versa. The engine will wear differently with different types of oil (non-syn, semi-, syn). None of which are in a bad way, but differently due to differences in the oil.

When you switch oils, you change the way it will lubricate the engine and can cause possible problems. Normally it doesn't result in blowing an engine. But things like minor oil leaks, slightly higher oil consumption on a higher milage motor, lifter ticks can develop. I have seen all of these occur in different engines while working in an oil change station.

Customers jump around (what can I do about, customer is always right) and then problems begin occurring. Normally the problems are from people who switch TO synthetic oils. They loose oil pressure and develop oil leaks due to synthetic being thinner in nature most of the time.

 

[TwoBills]

My old Mit. leaked a qt. every 150mi. After switching to syn. it would go 300 between qts. Go figure.
As to sticking w/the same brand of oil for the lifetime of the car, well, that's just a myth. Use whatever full syn. that's on sale and change it and the filter every 5 or 6 thousand and that engine will outlast the rest of the car.