Synthetic Oil?

[MOP]

I am running synthetic in all my stuff, I see the same basic results as everyone else and am really hooked on the stuff. My question is has anyone found any actual comparison testing of the major brands.

[tmdog]

What results are you getting from synthetic oil? The only advantage I understand is oil disperses heat better. I don't think a marine engine that typically running at 140-160 degrees needs this over priced oil. Just my opinion.

[MOP]

I have gotten much improved mileage on my vehicles, my park ave has over 100k no sludge in vavle covers. Went from 21 to 22+ town 27 to 30 road on cruise at 70. That tells me I've got alot less friction. I still change frequently at half the recommended schedule. I've been looking for some good charts as to which is really the best.

[Gritz]

I use Mobile I in everything I own.

Lab tests prove synthetics to be much more stable at low temps. Maybe not so important in a boat application, but I do try to run mine a few times during the winter months just to keep it active and give the batteries a little boost.

Of much more importance IMO is the lack of acid buildup that is generated in petroleum based oils. The longer an engine is idle, the more the impact.

Cost? 50 hours of fuel (dock price) at speed = $800 to $1000 dollars per engine, whats another 15 bucks for oil?

Stan

[AVickers]

Boats don't coast...

Any time a boat motor is pushing the boat through the water it's working. Having the prop in the water pushing the boat along is like having your engine constantly tied to a prony brake in a dyno -- it is loaded up almost the whole time it's running. Therefore, in spite of the lower operating temperatures of the coolant, the oil film separating critical parts is under more sustained loads for longer periods of time than in car or truck engines. Particularly in the areas of lower end bearings and cylinder walls... (Same w/ recip. aircraft engines.)

I use 15w50 Mobile 1 synthetic in my boats...

The only down side I have found w/ synthetic is that it will weep past poorly gasketed surfaces and if there is already sludge in the engine, it won't clean it up. As for cost, it's a bit more expensive, but not that much because you can use a longer change interval -- although on my boat I change it yearly, no matter what the hour-meter says.

(In my BMW, which recommends synthetic and has a computer to determine change intervals (based on type of driving and length of driving intervals), I frequently get a change interval recommendation of over 15,000 miles.)

[blackhawk]

I think synthetic oils are definitely better for vehicles that require a multi-viscosity oil. However, for marine engines that use single grade oils I think the jury is still out. Not my expert opinion by any means but just what I have read. In fact, an article in Hot Boat last month recommended petroleum oil for high performance boat engines.

[Moody Blu']

big griz did a major test on oils....

he ran mobil 1 and a couple other oils at a certain rpm for a certain period of time..

he said its better then regular oils but he uses amsoil synthetic....

M.O.P.

I have had good results with mobil one too.

heres the way I found out...

I use to have a 1986 mazfa rx-7 with a NEW from factory 13b rotary engine..(killa bee!)

well I ran it with regular oil and 89 octane gas, it would top out at 125 mph..

I ran it with mobil one and regular and it topped out at 130 mph!!!

then I ran it with mobilone and super 137mph!!!!

my gas mileage went up to...

mobil one is definately better then regular oils but ive been thinking about changing to amsoil becasue of what big griz said....

hes the torture tester!! wink

[HyperDonzi]

13b roatry, those are so powerful for only being 1.3l. i was reading the paper the otherday, and one article was engines on vegetable oil. there wasa father son team that had built a roatry the size of a basketball which had the equilivent power of a standard V-6. now back to the syntthetics, i was watching some car show on tv and the showed a classic car with 408hp before then replaced it all with synthetics and it had 415.
we now can replace oil, but why not gasoline?

[BigGrizzly]

M blu has it right I spent over 6 months on the tests. These were real engines - not a simulator. We did it 24/7 for 6 months. The results are similar to what you see in these posts. However the makers do exagerate on the fuel economy results. I use Amsoil in all my race stuff, it does reduce heat which is caused by friction- now what do you think that means. Its not rocket science. I also use it in my lower units and the MercII trans of my Criterion. I wouln't use it if I didn't know it was better. I do have onr boat that I use petrolbase oil, but that is because I need to use up some cases of oil first. I could do this oil thing all day but I need beer and pizza sponsored by somone to keep up my strength. Join us at Eufala IV for the rest of this post
Randy

[Forrest]

Guaranteed! :D See you there Grizz!!

[MOP]

The link below was posted by another member about a week ago, I sure learned a few things. Especially about Multi Grade, well worth reading. Got a hunch you will scratch your head about your oil thoughts.

P.S. Forgot who posted link but again thanks alot!
Found it THANKS WOODSY

http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=ccr20010101ov&flash=true

[MOP]

Hey Griz is that a Jacking light on your bow????

[MOP]

BigGriz what weight and who's oil in your drives? Thats the one place I have not tried it.

[Moody Blu']

guys he said amsoil..

I think he uses 80w-90 in the trans (amsoil is for sure)
I think he would flip out if he saw soemone putting oil in his boats other than amsoil..

that goes for his bikes too wink

sorry griz I opened a can of questions for ya... :p

[Bad-Tat]

Poodle,
Amsoil has a new ATF that will replace the old type F. Randy is going to put that in the Criterion tranny. In the outdrive Randy and I both run 75W-90W gear oil.
For the record I have it in all my 10 bikes, 2 boats and 4 cars.

[Rodger]

When I slam the throttle on my turbo engine, the oil temperature goes up almost as fast as the tachometer. With regular oil, the oil pressure would then loose about 10 psi at the elevated temp. When I switched to synthetic oil the temperature would still climbm, but the oil pressure only lost a couple psi.

[BigGrizzly]

If its Poodles fish dip its a done deal. W batman is correct. Tom Huber thinks one of the reasons my trany let go was because I did not use type F in the trans. The Mrc manual says either. Yse only type F in either MercII or the Borg. The trans man Tom Huber says so, and he DOES know.
That is a factory installed retractable docking/headlight on my bow and Harbour master thinks its cool, so its in the picture.

Randy

[RT]

Adding another topic for synthetics is your trailer bearings. I use both Amsoil and Mobil 1
greases. I ran a boat trailer w/Amsoil from 78-85
just filling bearing buddies from time to time. Never repacked or replaced bearings in that time period. Used boat in summer 6-7 days a week, always trailered. Finally had to replace wheels,
welded themselves to hubs, so hubs also. Was able to use all bearings over again in new hubs. No pits or rust anywhere on bearings. Use Amsoil in my V-10
motorhome engine, Hauling around 20K plus boat, car,etc. Use grease in all vehicle front wheel bearings, and have used in auto car trans.