Is Synthetic a waste of $?

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Originally Posted By: cjhepburn
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The problem is that regular oil is almost as expensive as synthetic any more!


Only since ordinary Group III conventional oils like PP have been allowed to call themselves "synthetic"

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Or is it that synthetic is as cheap as regular conventional oil.
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I'm sorely disappointed that I didn't succeed in stirring up a bigger stink with that one.

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Originally Posted By: ryland



Well my jeep leaked or more seeped oil out the diff after I changed to syn at 3000 miles. So does everyother jeep in my jk club im in. I also changed to syn in my dodge ram and that also seeped when it was fine before. Also my honda element slightly weeps a very small amount of oil out of the head gasket with synthetic but dosent with dino. Many others with elements on the element forum I visit have also noticed this. I think its just the nature of synthetics but whatever I'm just a myth spreading story teller.


Well, I think there are plenty of anecdotes on both sides. But I don't see any trend or consistency at all. When you've got equal numbers reporting "leaks!" and "no leaks!" its pretty much like tossing a fair coin. Its gonna be 50/50 heads vs. tails. A couple of my cases in detail:

1999 Cherokee w/ 130,000 miles. All fluids changed to synthetic when I bought it @118,000 miles, known to be using conventional oils before that (P.O. took reasonable care of it, but used Jiffy Lube lowest-end service all the time) . No leaks anywhere, including the rear main, which is a little unusual for a Jeep 4.0 at that age even if kept on dino.

Two Chrysler 8-3/4 rear ends, both changed to synthetic gear oil at well over 100k miles several years ago. Neither leaks.

1 Chrysler 8.25 changed to synthetic oil over 15 years ago and at >250k miles (at the time, well over 400k miles now) no leaks.

The newest car has just been changed, not enough time on synthetic yet to conclusively say its not going to leak.
 
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When I hear BITOG members talk about OCI's of 10k miles on synthetic worries me with a '93 3.5 L chrysler motor I have. Are these extended intervals targeted towards newer motors or no difference on age?

I've always changed at 3K w/ Mobil 1 10w30 before I joined BITOG; since then i've extended the interval to 4k, 5k, 6k, 7k, and now 8k... thx.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick_Escalante
When I hear BITOG members talk about OCI's of 10k miles on synthetic worries me with a '93 3.5 L chrysler motor I have. Are these extended intervals targeted towards newer motors or no difference on age?

I've always changed at 3K w/ Mobil 1 10w30 before I joined BITOG; since then i've extended the interval to 4k, 5k, 6k, 7k, and now 8k... thx.



Nick
I've used Mobil 1 oils for 31 years at 10,000 OCIs in engines ranging from a 77 Chevy V8 to mid 80s Ford 4 cyl. diesels to Ford 4.6 V8s to my presant Focus and Fusion. I have always had very clean engines and never an engine failure. Sleep well with 10,000 mile OCIs.
 
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The problem is that regular oil is almost as expensive as synthetic any more! The margin in price difference is really getting small. In fact Conventional oil now cost's what I was paying for Amsoil and M1 in the 1980's and 1990's so go figure that one out!...


This is true. I do use (mostly) synthetic in my daily driver which is older and I don't plan on keeping it all that long. So although I may be a sap wasting his money - I've bought most of my syn stash with coupons and rebates bringing the long term cost almost to the same rate as buying jugs or "specials" of conventional oil at Wal-Mart, Advance, Pep Boys, or AutoZone.

And who knows? I may be marginally reducing fuel consumption in cooler months making it all a wash..
 
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No. I am running Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 to 7500 miles and then to 10k miles in the out of town vehicle. In my jeep that is severely used I am still gathering data. If you don't have special needs or don't use the oil to it's full potential (oci or hard service) then it is a waste.
 
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