High mileage oil - once you switch to it, no turning back?
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No. High Mileage lines are Pure marketing, and a way for formulators to release good oils to the public. I am going to be pouring some synthetic Maxlife into a 10k mile old engine becasue it's a good oil. At least that's what my limited knowledge that I have gained from spending to much time thinking about oil leads me to believe.
[ March 15, 2005, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: Bryanccfshr ]
[ March 15, 2005, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: Bryanccfshr ]
I agree with that. You generally would get a more robust oil if it is made without consideration of receiving the "Energy Conserving" and automaker's concerns over CAFE fuel mileage penalties.
You can always go back to regular oil after using the High Mileage products.
I must disagree with the term Pure Marketing. It is true that the High Mileage oils are good products, but they do have a purpose.
1. Most, but not all high mileage cars have some oil consumption and the High Mileage oils have a higher VI rating to help stop this. (It's thicker)
2. Most High Mileage oils have some ester in them to help condition old seals. Not so much crank seals, but the valve stem seals. GM is noted for valve seals getting hard and letting oil get past them on older cars. The esters in the oil help soften and swell these valve stem seals and stop the consumption.
Unless the seals are totally gone and the rings are worn to bad, these oils work great.
I guess you could say it is marketing, but marketing for the right reason.
I must disagree with the term Pure Marketing. It is true that the High Mileage oils are good products, but they do have a purpose.
1. Most, but not all high mileage cars have some oil consumption and the High Mileage oils have a higher VI rating to help stop this. (It's thicker)
2. Most High Mileage oils have some ester in them to help condition old seals. Not so much crank seals, but the valve stem seals. GM is noted for valve seals getting hard and letting oil get past them on older cars. The esters in the oil help soften and swell these valve stem seals and stop the consumption.
Unless the seals are totally gone and the rings are worn to bad, these oils work great.
I guess you could say it is marketing, but marketing for the right reason.
If you were to expose good, non-leaking seals to the esters in a high mileage oil (for 20K+ miles let's say), wouldn't reverting back to regular oil without esters then cause some issues? I guess I'm wondering whether the seals eventually become dependant on the swelling properties of the esters.
Even if the seals DID swell, it would make them seal better with the change to dino.
Don't worry about it - use what you like.
Don't worry about it - use what you like.
The word is "condition" seals, not swell. By conditioning they mean restoring some of the original springiness to the seal material which likely has gotten somewhat hard over time and with use. Yes, I believe esters are know to swell seals, but the HM oils are (or should be) balanced with other additives to prevent problems.
And Johnny is right, there is more than pure marketing as they are made for higher mileage engines, but at the same time are good for any engine IMO and, as I said above, are more robust.
[ March 16, 2005, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
And Johnny is right, there is more than pure marketing as they are made for higher mileage engines, but at the same time are good for any engine IMO and, as I said above, are more robust.
[ March 16, 2005, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
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