elle Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 what are the advantages of using synthetic oil? i'm getting my first oil change (literally first oil change in my life) and i was hoping for some guidance. Suggestions? Also, if I were to use synthetic, would i have to buy it myself and bring it in to the dealership? Or could i just tell them i want synthetic and they'll find it for me. How closely or loosely should i follow the 3500 mile oil change rule? I drive around 80% highways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 synthetic is slipperyer than regular oil. It handles heat better and is more resistant to cooking. It lasts longer and works better on cold starts. try to stick to the 3500 as close as you can, a couple hundred miles won't hurt anything. I've gone over 1000 past due plenty of times. Stick with regular oil till at least 1000miles onthe car. The dealer may or may not have synthetic. Call ahead and ask. My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abandonhope16 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 When I went to get my oil changed (not dealer) the guy told me that I had to put synthetic in the LGT. So this is not true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 You don't HAVE to, but it's a good idea. Subaru recomends regular oil. Your dealer is gonna use regular oil unless you say otherwise..... My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subastew Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 I was considering going to synthetic as well and I decided against it. The reason most go to synthetic is to keep parts well lubricated under high stress. Since I'm stock and I'm only at 8k miles (you should really wait until 10k+) I figured I would wait until there was a good reason instead of just doing it for the hell of it. If you don't have the proper breakin and sealing regular oil, you'll lose a lot of oil when switching. I'd say switch when you have a reason, because 5W-30 should be more than good unless you plan on running it hard all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm def Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 You can go over 3500k easy for a synthetic oil change. 5,000 or even 7,000 miles you will be fine. The Porsches/M Cars go about 10k between oil changes depending on the type of driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 The higher the octane the lower the slippage. - Isaac (kid who lives in the dorms) My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepFreeze2 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Nowadays I don't really think it matters. Regular oils are better than they used to be. I would sooner use bottled oil than bulk oil, but that's just me. YA RLY!!! Home of +2500 useless posts!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 regular isn't as slippy as synthetic, so the rings wear into the cylinder wall better. At least that's the idea. My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepFreeze2 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 No arguement on the merits of synthetic oil (I use it myself because I choose to). It can/ will increase your OCI, but driving habits/conditions should factor into that equation, as well whether or not synthetic is necessary in the first place. YA RLY!!! Home of +2500 useless posts!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subastew Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Why do they recommend that you wait for x number of miles before the switch to synthetic? I went to it right away for the 1'st change since break-in.. seems to be fine +1 to Mwiener2 Also, since the synthetic molecules are all the same size, they don't fill in those irregularly shapped areas well. That's why they never start an engine on synthetic. You'll definitely start getting leaks if you do. A good break-in will keep you happy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepFreeze2 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 OCI = Oil Change Interval YA RLY!!! Home of +2500 useless posts!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesuby Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 My Legacy is the third car I've owned from new, and switched to synthetic Mobil 1 somewhere between 500 and 1000 miles on the clock. None burn oil or are the worse for wear. All were broken in with reasonable care and avoiding prolonged cruising at any given speed. If Porsches and Corvettes come from the factory with a synthetic fill, they aren't worried about switching too soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subastew Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 So why do most manufacturer's recommend not using synthetic in the beginning? They don't like the prolonged break-in period, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Car's like Vette's and Porsches come with the engine pre-broken in. My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 So why do most manufacturer's recommend not using synthetic in the beginning? They don't like the prolonged break-in period, right? ???? Name one.... That's an old mechanic's tale (OMT), as is the story about synthetic being "slipperier". There are a number of mfrs using synthetic as a factory fill. That old story about waiting until "X" number of miles for a break-in is another OMT. The key reason for synthetic is for it's resistance to heat and it won't break down as quickly, which is imprtant for turbos. FWIW, I stay with dino oil on n/a engines, but I went to synthetic in the LGT at the first change at 1,700 miles, now I go 7,000 between changes. It's another OMT about getting more leaks with synthetic. the original synthetics did not have the seal "swellers" that dino oil had, and cars leaked. That has long since been corrected. Synthetic meets all standards for the mfrs, as does dino oil. It performs the same, with the exception of the resistance to premature breakdown. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deneb Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 More oil info (and BS) than anyone possibly can use at http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi rporter offers good info above. LOADS of OMT's/urban legends re:synthetic oil. Basically, synth is more resistant to heat/breakdown, and will likely keep your engine cleaner longer when using extended OCI's (> 5000 miles). Modern dino oils are plenty good enough for any NA engine IMO, turbocharged engines warrant the benefits of synth IMO, but even in a TC engine, a good dino will probably suffice using a 3k OCI. NA - normally aspirated OCI - Oil change interval TC - turbocharged My experience with synth: Switched to M1 at 6k (5w30), and have slight consumption issue on long trips (no consumption on daily driving), tried M1 0w40 for 3700 mi. trip to NM and back to WA still used about 1 qt. Which really isn't bad, though I'm gonna try either Penzoil Platinum or Castrol Syntec on my next change to see if the consumption issues go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subastew Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 ???? Name one.... Subaru, that's one. I'm not dissing synthetic, because it is the shiz. I'm switching next oil change. But the point I am making is why don't all manufacturers sell high performance cars with synthetic? Is it cost (save a few bucks) or is it break-in releated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Subaru, that's one. I'm not dissing synthetic, because it is the shiz. I'm switching next oil change. But the point I am making is why don't all manufacturers sell high performance cars with synthetic? Is it cost (save a few bucks) or is it break-in releated? Subaru?? I think not. There is no mention of synthetic, or any type of oil, in the owners manual (pages 11-15 through 11-18), only to make sure to get oil with the proper viscosity and API certification. Nothing in the break-in section, either (page 8-2). Purely cost-related. Cars that come with synthetic are in the upper ends of their price range. Plus, they are cars that are marketed as high-performance to owners that will be more particular about maintenance. The LGT is not marketed as a performance vehicle, and it is in a price-competitve market category. When mfrs look to save pennies per car, the few extra $$$ for synthetic are a lot of money. Plus, people will bitch about the cost for oil changes. I know of a few enthusiast folks who decided to pass on the LGT because it specifies 91+ octane fuel. Again, synthetic is not more slippery, and is not a problem for break-in. Sure, there are a lot of mechanics and even engine builders that still believe in this OMT, but then, they usually also believe that synthetic leaks more. As enthusiasts who should know better, we need to debunk these OMTs. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwiener2 Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Cars that come with synthetic also usually have really long service intervals. Like audi. First service is 15000 My Mods List (Updated 8/22/17) 2005 Outback FMT Running on Electrons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Cars that come with synthetic also usually have really long service intervals. Like audi. First service is 15000 Same with 911 Porsches. But, some mfrs also don't specify service until the light comes on. BMWs and the Mini Coopers have this, and they generally have dino oil. I recall the long-term Mini Cooper test that either AutoWeek or C&D did. The light didn't come on for an oil change until 12K miles. There has been a number of articles written stating that regular dino oil can easily go a lot of miles. Just about every mfr that uses dino oil has 7,500-mile intervals (like Subaru). I stay with sub-7,500-mile changes with synthetic just to keep within Subaru's service interval. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 I thought the main benefit of synthetic oil was that it allowed for longer OCIs without negative effects. If you are to change oil every 3,000-3,500 miles, does it really matter whether you use synthetic or blend (which is what dealers typically use)? Doesn't it seem like an overkill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subastew Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 I found it interesting to read this from the royal purple website. I wonder why they put 'minimum' in the wording. "Royal Purple's motor oils are API certified and will not void new car warranties. Royal Purple® recommends waiting until the manufacturer's first scheduled oil change or a minimum of 2,000 miles in new gasoline engines before using Royal Purple®. Allow 8,000 to 10,000 miles before use in diesel engines." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 That wording as probably been on there since Day 1 when they produced the stuff. With probably a hundred or more car mfrs out there, with all different types and levels of engines that they can't control, it's conservative legalese language (like Suarus break-in process). Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 The coatings used on cylinders these days (ie nikasil) is so "hard" that ring seat is not like the old days - Run your prefered from day one or 10k miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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