Synthetic or Conventional?

[GeneD]

I'm sure there is a thread here somewhere, only I'm too lazy to look.
What are the current thoughts on using synthetic oil vs conventional, and for what reasons?
I have more and more clients asking about using synthetic, and I just don't really have an informed opinion.

[Carl C]

It's kind of a personal choice. I use conventional in the boat and change it 2 or 3 times a year. The Mustangs get synthetic and with low miles it is good for 2 or 3 years! The new truck gets the called for 10w30 semi-synthetic.

[MOP]

To lean on the words of a truly knowledgeable and loved member syn is not worth it in a marine engine, we change our oil very frequently compared to our land toys. There have been a few posts on various wet boards about the possibility of rollers skidding on the cam. I like many have a few extra $$ in my bilge and run dino.

Phil

[Pismo]

Valvoline VR1 20-50, cheap(er), good, zinc, dino. $5 a qt vs $10 for syn. Can get it in straight weights too if you like.

[Morgan's Cloud]

Putting aside the perfectly valid arguments about using a good quality dino and changing it regularly my take on it is only that in a critical momentary overheat situation you'll stand a better chance of keeping your engine with a synthetic.

A critical overheat situation is every performance boater's nightmare , well , there's a lot of others too , but it should only be 'momentary' if you're monitoring the two most critical gauges constantly , as anyone ought to be.

[pipnit]

Brad Penn oil!

[Just Say N20]

When I asked Keith Eickert what oil to run in the engine he just built for me, he said Amsoil synthetic was a good, readily available product.

Nuff said for me. . . . :yes:

[VetteLT193]

Mobil 1 for me in everything. 15-50 in the boat. I don't put enough hours on the boat for it to matter from a life perspective but Synthetic oil handles heat better. It also has a much better additive package to keep things clean. I also use the bigger Mobil 1 filters that hold an extra half quart of oil.

It probably would help if we post our opinions with what we run and how often we change... Mine is twin 6.2 MPI (377 Magnums are the new name) without oil coolers. I change annually as I put maybe 20 hours a season on it.

Merc recommends 25-40 synthetic blend I believe. I wouldn't go to a heavier weight oil in anything but a high quality synthetic if you have a newer engine.

[gcarter]

Chachi must be on vacation w/o a computer.
I can't believe he hasn't piped up.
But he would tell you that Spectro (and all the others) have additive packages that are blended in organic oil, so that none of them are 100% synthetic. Maybe they're only 70% synthetic.

[CHACHI]

George, well stated.

Away from a computer next week.

Ken

[Pismo]

In a stock engine you could use 99 cent WalMart oil, changed whenever, and you would never have a problem or know the difference. When I was a kid I got 3000 hours out of my Chevy 305/Merc 228 this way. It make very, very little difference until you get to big hp or forced air motors.

[VetteLT193]

Chachi must be on vacation w/o a computer.
I can't believe he hasn't piped up.
But he would tell you that Spectro (and all the others) have additive packages that are blended in organic oil, so that none of them are 100% synthetic. Maybe they're only 70% synthetic.

There are a lot of people that get hung up on that. What matters is the performance of the product and the cost. M1 has excellent performance and is reasonable in price. I get the 5 quart jugs of it from Wal Mart for a good price, 6 quart cases from Costco when they are on sale, or I get the oil change special at Pep Boys when they run a special which includes a filter. When pep boys runs the special it's generally 30 bucks for 5 quarts and a filter so I'm out 60 bucks for both engines for an oil change. Not too shabby for the quality of the oil.

If you really want to get into it... bobistheoilguy.com has all the info you will ever want on oil. Most of the guys over there end up with M1 for the same reasons I describe above.

[Pat McPherson]

I use M1 15-50 or Merc 25-40... Change it at about 25 hours...