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View Full Version : Synthetic oil ?



Sam
04-14-2001, 06:59 PM
I'm sure this topic has been discussed before but I would like to hear your opinions. What are the pro's and cons of using synthetic oil based on your experiences.

Sam

BigGrizzly
04-14-2001, 08:14 PM
I use Amsoil in the boats and race bike. it actually makes the air cooled engine run cooler and parts last longer. In the boats I dont see any speed difference but feel it is insurence. Cons it is expensive, I change it once a season. In short I use it

Randy


[This message has been edited by BigGrizzly (edited 04-15-2001).]

Gearhead99
04-15-2001, 05:52 AM
Amsoil is the way to go. Sure it is more expensive, but it is well worth it.

I sell it at my shop. Also, have it in the Air compressors too. Run it in boat, truck, cars, compressors and even my pressure washer.

You never go wrong with buying the best !!!

Something to think about........If there was no advantage why are you told not to put in a new engine till it breaks in??

My $.02

Ralph Savarese
04-15-2001, 08:28 AM
I found using it in my boat motor that when using synthetic oil the engine actually used oil. When I switched back it didn't. When I spoke to my engineer buddies they said it is actually to slippery for some engines it causes the rings not to drag as much which reduces the seal ability causing oil to burn.

Tom on Lanier
04-15-2001, 09:49 AM
One of the keys to engine life is to change the oil on a regular basis, regardless of the type of oil. Contaminants need to be removed. If you use a good quality petroleum based oil ( SJ or higher) and change it like you should, it will do a good job in protecting your engine.

lou
04-15-2001, 04:48 PM
Synthetic oil is far superior to regular oil, it does not break down under extreme conditions and lubricates better. The only problem is finding it in the right viscosity, marine applications use 25w-40 and most synthetic is 10w-30 or 15w-50. If a lower weight is used in a Marine application it will be consumed because it will pass through the piston rings. Seasoned mechanics will tell you that if a car burns oil it will emit much less smoke with synthetic oil because it burns at a much higher temperature. Amsoil comes in 25W-40 and so does Mobil one which is the one I use, however it is very difficult to find stores that carry that viscosity. I have taken apart engines that use synthetic oil and the difference is huge. They wear less and collect fewer dirt and deposits, regular oil can't even hope to compare. I use Mobil one in all my vehicles and would not even consider using regular oil. Amsoil sells a filtration system for diesel trucks that allows their synthetic oil to be changed every 50,000 miles. Ask a trucker that uses it and he will testify that it reduces engine wear and gives you better gas mileage and more power because of reduced friction. Now take a marine engine that will spend most of its life at Wide Open Throttle , add the proper synthetic oil and you will find that it runs smoother delivers more power and uses less gas.

jkeefe
04-15-2001, 08:35 PM
I HAVE A 96' 4.3L AND THE OWNERS MANUAL FROM
MERCRUISER STATES THAT A SYNTHETIC SHOULD NOT
BE USED.

Forrest
04-16-2001, 11:25 AM
Yea, Mercury just wants to sell you repackaged petroleum oil for $4/qt. Anyway, I didn't know that Mobil makes a 25w-40 synthetic. Since I didn't see it at Wal-Mart, I suppose that you have to go to an oil distributor to find it. Most likely, you won't need this much viscosity in a synthetic.

Oddly enough, when I talked to an engineer at Redline Oil (http://www.redlineoil.com) he stated that I should be worried not about the rate viscosity but rather the film thickness when it come to synthetic oils. For example their website states that Redline 10W40 has a significantly more film thickness than standard 20W50 while not dragging the engine down with the high viscosity of 20W50. They go on to say that they don't recommend their synthetic 20W50 or even their 15W50 in anything where the oil tempter runs less than 225°F and doesn't engine have wide clearances. That may work for some folk's Donzis in the dead of summer, but forget it when its cool outside or if you are running an out-of-the-box production engine. The thicker viscosity will just waste power. Anyway, check out their website. There is a lot of good info over there on synthetic oils in general.

------------------
Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 04-16-2001).]

rayjay
04-16-2001, 11:44 AM
Use a good synthetic but only after full break in, and just change the filter often and the oil once a year. Also, for optimum results, use a filter that is made for "synthetic oil only". There are some good filters made for "regular and synthetic oils" that filters to a relatively small size, even smaller than filters for non-synthetic oil, but there are filters for "synthetic oil only" that filter to an even smaller size. These filters will pass synthetic oil but will NOT pass enough non-synthetic oil to keep an engine alive. These types of filters are available from AMSOIL or I imagine from some of the other oil / filter makers. The lubricating properties of synthetics will last a long time if you can get the contaminants out of it.
rayjay