Dino,not Synthetic for Turbos

[Alan]

Just got my first FI car,a Saab 9-5 SE V6 and it looks like it's been on dino it's whole life however to my chagrin it looks very clean under the cap.

I am thinking about just keeping up with the dino regime because of this and also seeing how close both dino's/syn's are when it comes to flashpoints......why bother with a syn.

Who else uses dino exclusively in FI app's?

 

[BuickGN]

I do but I have a 1,000 mile change interval. A heavy dino seems to give the best wear results from my teardowns. It doesn't make sense but I don't have the money to experiment.....though I'm thinking about trying some of Redline's straight weights.

If I ran my car hard for more than 1/4 mile at a time I would be more inclined to use synthetic. As it is, "playing around" on the street consists of a couple second bursts of throttle, nothing more. In other words, take my results with a grain of salt because I don't think they're normal.

Edit: you do mean forced induction, not fuel injected, right? I didn't know Saab made a blown 6 banger.

 

[Steve S]

What are your oil change intervals? That is the biggest thing about dino vs.syn.

 

[Alan]

I'm thinking 3500 to 4000 mile oci's.

Oil will be proper warmed up,driven over 60 miles a day and well watched.

 

[Alan]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN
I do but I have a 1,000 mile change interval. A heavy dino seems to give the best wear results from my teardowns. It doesn't make sense but I don't have the money to experiment.....though I'm thinking about trying some of Redline's straight weights.

If I ran my car hard for more than 1/4 mile at a time I would be more inclined to use synthetic. As it is, "playing around" on the street consists of a couple second bursts of throttle, nothing more. In other words, take my results with a grain of salt because I don't think they're normal.

Edit: you do mean forced induction, not fuel injected, right? I didn't know Saab made a blown 6 banger.


Yes,forced induction...

 

[GMBoy]

I will only use Synthetic oil all my vehicles, including my 87 Buick Grand National. In BUICKGN's case, he is doing the right thing by running a regular oil however - that fits his use. I, on the otherhand don't race my car down the 1/4 much but do drive it as intended (meaning a little hard, some street racing for fun!)on the street...and 5k mile OCI does good for me. The additinal margin of protection is worth it to me. While not everyone will agree with that, just my opinion. However, this is not to say you're making a mistake with using regular oil in your car at all. In fact, any good quality oil will do for you as long as you change regularly. And, I doubt your car calls for synthetic specifically.

 

[deven]

I would be comfortable using dino for 3000 miles only. Why not just use Synthetic since dino and syn(group III) prices are so close and increase your OCI?

 

[chestermo]

Alan,

I have a 2001 Volvo S60 T-5. It has a 5 cylinder inline with a high pressure turbo. The turbo is oil and water cooled. Volvo does not require synthetic, they do recommend it. If your turbo is not water cooled I suggest a synthetic. I use 0w30 German Castrol. It seems to be popular with those of us who have who have forced induction. This is the 1st turbocharged vehicle I have owned. It is a blast. Enjoy!

 

[RadBOSS]

Well my Merkur XR4Ti (turbo 2,3L Ford) has over 100 k with the last 70 - 80 k running full synthetic, 12k change intervals and still runs like a top.

We have a S60 turbo Volvo, about 86k, been on Mobil 1 since 22k, generally following the Volvo oil change interval at 7.5k, runs like a top too.

 

[Canawler]

I have been sticking to synthetic only and 5K mile oci on my SRT-4 (2.4 turbo) mainly because the synthetic makes me feel better.

Is it necessary??
I had an '86 Daytona Turbo Z CS that went 180K miles until it was totaled in a rear end collision. The car had no engine or turbo problems and was run its whole life on late '80s - mid '90s vintage dino oil, usually 20W-50 and often much more than the then standard oci of 3K miles.

Of course, as others have pointed out, the cost of grp III sythetic is so close to dino there's not much reason not to run it.

 

[ViragoBry]

I only run syn in my Mazdaspeed 6, (Valvoline, Mobil 1, Penz Platinum) but not due to any bad experiences from dino. I guess it just makes me feel better knowing that there's far less chance of coking in my turbo bearings. I must be the target demographic of Mobil's marketing methods. If anyone remembers the frying pan commercial from years ago...that commercial had a huge impact on my oil choices. It was probably rigged...who knows. I just know I didn't like what I saw in the dino frying pan.

I have a friend in South Dakota who had a Dodge 600 turbo. (Can't you just hear Ricardo Montalbán now?) The last time I saw that car it had 135K on it. He ran Castrol GTX 10W-30 with a religious 3000 mile OCI and never heard a peep out of that engine. He's probably still driving that car.

 

[wavinwayne]

I've done several 6k+ mile OCI's using dino oil in my '00 VW GTI 1.8T, with no ill effects. My driving style is 95% highway, FWIW. I don't imagine my driving style stresses the oil too much.

I would NOT use dino exclusively in a turbocharged engine. It's just too risky if you ask me.

 

[ViragoBry]

"I've done several 6k+ mile OCI's using dino oil in my '00 VW GTI 1.8T"

"I would NOT use dino exclusively in a turbocharged engine. It's just too risky if you ask me."

Maybe it's too early. I'm confused.

 

[addyguy]

With what I've learned here, the ONLY dino I'd use in a turbo is a HDEO.

You have a high-quality, 'premium' car. Why not put a premium oil in it? I feel that even a no-name syn, like supertech, would be a better bet than a dino oil...JMO...

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
"I've done several 6k+ mile OCI's using dino oil in my '00 VW GTI 1.8T"

"I would NOT use dino exclusively in a turbocharged engine. It's just too risky if you ask me."

Maybe it's too early. I'm confused.


Does that help?

 

[mechtech2]

There are parts that you don't see.
The oil fill hole only shows if the PCV is OK, and maybe if the oil was overheated or left in too long.
Rings, lands, turbo bearings, etc., are hidden from view.

Use a full synthetic in a turbocharged vehicle.

 

[zoomzoom]

Originally Posted By: Alan
Just got my first FI car,a Saab 9-5 SE V6 and it looks like it's been on dino it's whole life however to my chagrin it looks very clean under the cap.

I am thinking about just keeping up with the dino regime because of this and also seeing how close both dino's/syn's are when it comes to flashpoints......why bother with a syn.

Who else uses dino exclusively in FI app's?


have you had chance to take look in your turbo bearing or your cylinder rings?

those are the areas where it counts how is oil performing...only 20w-50 dino flash point would come close to good syn flash point

if I were you I would Auto-RX the car and run GC 0w-30 afterward with 5-7.5K OCI's.

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
There are parts that you don't see.
The oil fill hole only shows if the PCV is OK, and maybe if the oil was overheated or left in too long.
Rings, lands, turbo bearings, etc., are hidden from view.

Use a full synthetic in a turbocharged Or a supercharged vehicle because of extreme temps seen in either application.


Fixt

 

[zulu]

I guess my question is why? Everything about a turbo/supercharged engine setup points towards synthetics. I know dino wouldn't kill the engine, but in an application that actually WOULD benefit from the use of synthetic lubricants, why wouldn't you?

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: zulu
I guess my question is why? Everything about a turbo/supercharged engine setup points towards synthetics. I know dino wouldn't kill the engine, but in an application that actually WOULD benefit from the use of synthetic lubricants, why wouldn't you?


People are strange sometimes in which they choose,especially in a high heat,horsepower application. Most performance shops even reccomend synthetic in a high horsepower, high heat applications.In the end,it's up to the user,but if they value their mechanical investment,they'll run synthetic.