Knowingly choosing dino over full-syn?

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Why do you do it (assuming you don't live in the arctic)?

1.) Price?
2.) Change oil at a lower interval and don't need syn?
3.) Drive an average car (like some boring sedan) that you will not keep for more than 5 yrs or so?
4.) Like to experiment & test different oils & dino gives me that opportunity sooner due to OCI
5.) ALL OF THE ABOVE
6.) NONE OF THE ABOVE

I noticed that on my "special" vehicle that I plan to keep for 20 years, I have always paid for M1 or now M1 HM because I want that motor in perfect shape.

But on my DD stocker avg vehicle I just use dino or cheap syn-blend because it is "good enough" and would still carry the motor through 200k easy if changed at 5k or less.

I am trying to figure out why I'd switch my non-DD to dino over M1 of if I am doing the same thing many of you do. So far the only evidence I found is that a lot of the Marine OEM's insist on dino in the lower units & in the crank cases because it protects against corrosion better in storage.

Gentlemen...discusss
 
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#4 for me. 2002 Cavalier Sedan, can get 7-8k reliably out of basic 5W-30 dino, and like the opportunity to change my oil every 4-5 months, try new brands...etc...
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
#4 for me. 2002 Cavalier Sedan, can get 7-8k reliably out of basic 5W-30 dino, and like the opportunity to change my oil every 4-5 months, try new brands...etc...


very good addition to the mix about the "opportunity" to experiment with new kinds...that thought escaped me when making this post but now that you mention it I would say that is another reason I also do dino in my DD; experimentation...I will add it to the mix.
 
I do it for all of the above, but I completely disagree with your assertion on number 3. That is just flat out bull [censored].

If I've learned anything from this website and from my own vehicle maintenance, it's that modern conventional oil WILL NOT lessen the life of an engine. Period, end of story, there's no more argument. Synthetic oil will allow longer drains, and safer operation in extreme conditions of cold and heat. But it's not a silver bullet that will allow an engine to go 400,000 miles where as the same engine run with conventional will only last 200,000 miles. I've racked up 230,000 miles using conventional oil in a 98 Blazer and it's still going strong, with perfect oil pressure, and it's crystal clean under the valve covers.

I swear, engine oil advertising is the most powerful form of marketing ever devised by mankind.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I do it for all of the above, but I completely disagree with your assertion on number 3. That is just flat out bull [censored].

If I've learned anything from this website and from my own vehicle maintenance, it's that modern conventional oil WILL NOT lessen the life of an engine. Period, end of story, there's no more argument. Synthetic oil will allow longer drains, and safer operation in extreme conditions of cold and heat. But it's not a silver bullet that will allow an engine to go 400,000 miles where as the same engine run with conventional will only last 200,000 miles. I've racked up 230,000 miles using conventional oil in a 98 Blazer and it's still going strong, with perfect oil pressure, and it's crystal clean under the valve covers.

I swear, engine oil advertising is the most powerful form of marketing ever devised by mankind.
thumbsup2.gif



Hey I will not debate you on that one brother...I knwo many-a-4.0L Jeeps that make it 400k on cheap dino. I am just giving that choice as a justification in one's mind...not saying dino won't make a motor outlast the rest of the car if it is changed on time
 
I'm a fan of conventional now (used to use syn back in the 90s, now I don't see the need for it anymore).

(1) price? Well, sometimes. I use semi-syn MC 5W20 and price is not too much of a concern (wifey's using mortarmeister 5W30 full syn right now).

(2)nope. MC 5W20 I still change it every year on my fit. As for my wifey's car, I change it every 8000kms (*so is my dad's 7th gen civic w/ conventional oil)

(3)we tend to keep our cars around for 15+yrs, so this point does not apply.

(4)n/a

Bottomline: with the technical advancements on motor oil these days, I don't think that's a need for syn oil on avg joe's car so long as you observe reasonable OCI, proper tune up, passes ACEA , API SM , ILSAC GF-4 specification.

Q.
 
1)Price is my main reason to run HDEO dino oil in the summer, the more I save per change, the bigger my tool and race budget gets!
3)I will be keeping my cars for a long time but I don't think syn will be needed with a reasonable OCI.

I do run synthetic in the winter for ease of starting and engine wear though, usually whatever is cheap on sale.
 
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I do it for all of the above, but I completely disagree with your assertion on number 3. That is just flat out bull [censored].

If I've learned anything from this website and from my own vehicle maintenance, it's that modern conventional oil WILL NOT lessen the life of an engine. Period, end of story, there's no more argument. Synthetic oil will allow longer drains, and safer operation in extreme conditions of cold and heat. But it's not a silver bullet that will allow an engine to go 400,000 miles where as the same engine run with conventional will only last 200,000 miles. I've racked up 230,000 miles using conventional oil in a 98 Blazer and it's still going strong, with perfect oil pressure, and it's crystal clean under the valve covers.

I swear, engine oil advertising is the most powerful form of marketing ever devised by mankind.
thumbsup2.gif



Hey I will not debate you on that one brother...I knwo many-a-4.0L Jeeps that make it 400k on cheap dino. I am just giving that choice as a justification in one's mind...not saying dino won't make a motor outlast the rest of the car if it is changed on time



My 4.0 94 Wrangler has 225k on it from just doing dino oil changes, everything from Pennzoil, Wolf's Head, Esso etc. Every 3k miles. Jeep's been in the family since new, engine still cranks on the first turn of the motor. Now the body itself is another matter, I have rust holes on it
frown.gif
and the Jeep Chairs SUCK, padding is gone, chair is torn and the backing is broken
frown.gif
 
Well, I really like to tinker. I was the kid who would go around getting in trouble because he took something apart (that wasnt his) and couldent figure out how to put it back together again.

Changing out Dino Oil every 5-6k (depending on what I am running), really dosent bother me. I dont really drive that much.

It is also less expensive, but that depends on perspective, and acutal money over time aspect.

And yes, Dino and Synthetic protect the same. Unless you are running extended intervals, have a turbo, or have a small sump on your SUV.

My Wife's '04 Nissan Xterra has a 3.3 Quart sump, or something close to it, and it has a 6 cylinder engine. I have sent in a Mobil 1 10w30 sample to Blackstone, and after 5,000 miles it was beat up. Blackstone said it could go another 1,000, but that would be about it.

I don't know if I could go 10,000 miles without getting under my car and making sure it is alright. While I am under there, I might as well as change the oil.

Also, I enjoy taking care of my Sister's and Wife's cars. Sure I have a good sized stockpile of Synthetic and Dino oils. But then again this is kind of a hobby too.
 
FastSuv,

2. We drive LOTS of short trips. I do 4K OCIs, even though Blackstone UOA indicated that 5K should be doable with PZ yellowbottle. I would choose syn. only if I was doing regular long highway driving/longer OCIs (Max. OEM manual recommendation).

3. This should read: Will replace vehicle between 5 to 8 years for various reasons, i.e., boredom, excessive mileage, excessive non-engine wear and tear (rust, other components, etc.), safety and/or reliability.

In Michigan pot holes and salt take their toll on daily drivers at around 200K and/or 8 years....suspension, body rust, lots of small annoying things, no matter how much you maintain it.

It boils down to a cost/benefit thing for me. I generally get rid of my vehicles for reasons other than engine wear.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
FastSuv,

2. We drive LOTS of short trips. I do 4K OCIs, even though Blackstone UOA indicated that 5K should be doable with PZ yellowbottle.

3. This should read: Will replace vehicle between 5 to 8 years for various reasons, i.e., boredom, excessive mileage, excessive non-engine wear and tear (rust, other components, etc.), safety and/or reliability.

In Michigan pot holes and salt take their toll on daily drivers at around 200K and/or 8 years....suspension, body rust, lots of small annoying things, no matter how much you maintain it.

It boils down to a cost/benefit thing for me. I generally get rid of my vehicles for reasons other than engine wear.


So true... I overmaintain my car and I'm still constantly having brake/suspension issues because of our wonderful roads/climate. I have about $1500 worth of suspension repairs I'm putting off, because it's becoming too costly.
 
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Why do you do it (assuming you don't live in the arctic)?

1.) Price?
2.) Change oil at a lower interval and don't need syn?
3.) Drive an average car (like some boring sedan) that you will not keep for more than 5 yrs or so?
4.) Like to experiment & test different oils & dino gives me that opportunity sooner due to OCI
5.) ALL OF THE ABOVE
6.) NONE OF THE ABOVE

I noticed that on my "special" vehicle that I plan to keep for 20 years, I have always paid for M1 or now M1 HM because I want that motor in perfect shape.

But on my DD stocker avg vehicle I just use dino or cheap syn-blend because it is "good enough" and would still carry the motor through 200k easy if changed at 5k or less.

I am trying to figure out why I'd switch my non-DD to dino over M1 of if I am doing the same thing many of you do. So far the only evidence I found is that a lot of the Marine OEM's insist on dino in the lower units & in the crank cases because it protects against corrosion better in storage.

Gentlemen...discusss


#1 Price Most definitely is a factor here the most value for my $, after reading many a UOA i have come to the conclusion that there is not much differene in wear and protection for the vehicles i own between the top of the line Amsoil and the Pennzoil YB i currently use in 2 of my cars, the 07 i use Q Torque 5w20 in which i bought at close out pricing from AAP, couldn't pass up a great deal on a great oil! Bought 84 qts i even used it in my 00 Silverado speced for 5w30. Value for the dollar i buy only when i can get a great deal. I stock up & plan ahead!
#2 No, I use the MM on the 07 Accord and change according to that, i also used the OLM on my 00 Silverado both seem to come on some where between 6-7500 miles on both cars. The other 2 cars get there oil changed at about the same mileage w/ Pennzoil YB. None of my cars are know to be hard on oil.

#3 Some people might say that, because all 3 are sedans. But all 3 have free revving engines, handle great and are fun to drive!

#4 I generally use an oil for 4-5 years before switching brands, i really like the products from SOPUS. I recently bought Castrol AFT for my 95 Accord that was the frist Castrol product i bought in 10 years!

#5 N/A

#6 N/A
 
Price only. I actually use both depends on the deal. Dino for free after rebate and synthetic for $1 after rebate is about right, and I run dino for 5k and synthetic for 7.5k.
 
In harsh drag racing conditions (lots of power on the stock bottom end) with relatively cool oil all the time I've had less wear with dino than synthetic. This is from many teardowns, not UOAs.

I have not used a "racing" synthetic like Redline but I do plan on experimenting with it.

So for me, the answer is less wear. That really goes against common sense lol.
 
Rust or a major component failure will kill my car before the engine croaks. Therefore, I use the cheapest SM oil I can get my hands on. It's not that I don't care about my car, but why spend more than I need to?
 
Originally Posted By: Anies
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I do it for all of the above, but I completely disagree with your assertion on number 3. That is just flat out bull [censored].

If I've learned anything from this website and from my own vehicle maintenance, it's that modern conventional oil WILL NOT lessen the life of an engine. Period, end of story, there's no more argument. Synthetic oil will allow longer drains, and safer operation in extreme conditions of cold and heat. But it's not a silver bullet that will allow an engine to go 400,000 miles where as the same engine run with conventional will only last 200,000 miles. I've racked up 230,000 miles using conventional oil in a 98 Blazer and it's still going strong, with perfect oil pressure, and it's crystal clean under the valve covers.

I swear, engine oil advertising is the most powerful form of marketing ever devised by mankind.
thumbsup2.gif



Hey I will not debate you on that one brother...I knwo many-a-4.0L Jeeps that make it 400k on cheap dino. I am just giving that choice as a justification in one's mind...not saying dino won't make a motor outlast the rest of the car if it is changed on time



My 4.0 94 Wrangler has 225k on it from just doing dino oil changes, everything from Pennzoil, Wolf's Head, Esso etc. Every 3k miles. Jeep's been in the family since new, engine still cranks on the first turn of the motor. Now the body itself is another matter, I have rust holes on it
frown.gif
and the Jeep Chairs SUCK, padding is gone, chair is torn and the backing is broken
frown.gif



if you had it to do over again knowing moden dino is advanced beyond the technology of old, then would you do 5k changes and still think the old girl would be as strong?
 
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Rust or a major component failure will kill my car before the engine croaks. Therefore, I use the cheapest SM oil I can get my hands on. It's not that I don't care about my car, but why spend more than I need to?


I definately agree with your argument. However I'm trying to make sure the engine is in as good of shape as possible before it goes to the junkyard. I don't want to worry about oil burning and catalytic convertor failures from the oil burning. I want it to pass emissions easily and get like new gas mileage up to the point it goes to the junkyard.
 
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
In harsh drag racing conditions (lots of power on the stock bottom end) with relatively cool oil all the time I've had less wear with dino than synthetic. This is from many teardowns, not UOAs.

I have not used a "racing" synthetic like Redline but I do plan on experimenting with it.

So for me, the answer is less wear. That really goes against common sense lol.


Man what kind of dino did you mainly use? And that was on a turbo car? I would see why if it was something like VR1 dino, but if it was YB or something that might be a good testament.

I have heard of similar results with gear oil too.

thx
 
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Originally Posted By: GMFan
Rust or a major component failure will kill my car before the engine croaks. Therefore, I use the cheapest SM oil I can get my hands on. It's not that I don't care about my car, but why spend more than I need to?


I see your point, but if not buying in bulk, it is hard for me when I am talking about saving 3 bucks or something LOL
 
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Rust or a major component failure will kill my car before the engine croaks. Therefore, I use the cheapest SM oil I can get my hands on. It's not that I don't care about my car, but why spend more than I need to?


I definately agree with your argument. However I'm trying to make sure the engine is in as good of shape as possible before it goes to the junkyard. I don't want to worry about oil burning and catalytic convertor failures from the oil burning. I want it to pass emissions easily and get like new gas mileage up to the point it goes to the junkyard.


YEAH...because I know there are hardly ever any reports of dino engines failing and the car will ususally rot before the motor goes..but you make a good point that if someone is doing 10k on the cheapest dino with FST's or soemthing, then the engine may still run but it will use more oil, leak, or whatever.

So it is not so much engine failure we all worry about; rather it is how close it is to new with a couple hundred thousdand miles on the ticker?
 
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