Noob question: going from synthetic to dino

Pennzoil motor oil
Status
Not open for further replies.
teambeechstreet

teambeechstreet

Joined
May 25, 2005
Messages
334
Location
NorCal
hey guys, noob here. ive been browsing the boards the last couple days, doing lots of reading, and decided to register.

anyways, i couldnt find a straight answer for my noob question: is it ok to go from synthetic to conventional oil? I've been running Mobil 1 5w30 w/K&N Gold filter since 5K miles in my woman's 04 Corolla. Now its at 20K and I've been thinking of switching to Castrol GTX 5w30 (friend at Kragen's can get me it for around $.70/qrt) to save some cash.

Thanks in advance.
 
No problem what so ever (despite the fear mongers you see propogating these myths).
welcome.gif
 
STOP! Don't do this! Your corolla will thank you later in its life. Nothing keeps an engine cleaner than Mobil 1 at popular prices. You must remain a member of this site until you come to your senses.
nono.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by sanitarium16:
going from synthetic to dino is going to cost you more in the long run. spend a few more dollars on the oil and you will be thankful
Click to expand...
Lets do the math here. I can routinely get Chevron Supreme for .59/quart at Checker. The cheapest I see Mobil 1 for is 3.99/quart. I use 3 dollar Purolators cause expensive filters have been proven time and time again to not add value. So, a 5,000 mile interval with dino is pretty standard these days. I'd have to run 24,207.08955 mile intervals with Mobil 1 (this includes the cost of a filter change half way through plus 1 quart for top off from the filter change) to break even with Chevron at 5,000 miles. Let me get somma that which you are smokin
lol.gif
And there's just too many engines that run pure dino with none stellar intervals that go 200K with ease.
 
Drew99GT, I think he meant that it would cost him more down the road in terms of additional vechile maintence. He was not talking about the cost of oil and filter!!! He is talking about deposit control primarily! Probably exhaust componets and seals.

I would not be worried at all about him useing conventional oil in his carolla if he did 3000 mile oil changes oe every 4 months! I would go with a much cheaper filter!
 
quote:
Originally posted by sanitarium16:
going from synthetic to dino is going to cost you more in the long run. spend a few more dollars on the oil and you will be thankful
Click to expand...
I might have said that a couple of years ago..but I'm not sure its valid anymore. The newer oils will leave less deposits and wear numbers are just as good. I'm sure that by 100K the engine will be cleaner with Mobil 1 but still I think there is reason to at least consider the current crop of GF-4/SM varities.
smile.gif


I switched over from Mobil 1/other synthetics to Motorcraft/Havoline dino. I do mix a quart of RedLine with it though
grin.gif
. I'll probably go back to synthetic eventually.
 
quote:
Originally posted by sanitarium16:
going from synthetic to conventional is going to cost you more in the long run. spend a few more dollars on the oil and you will be thankful
Click to expand...
Do you have proof you can refer to on this? Lots of Toyotas (and other makes) out there running a long time on conventional oil.
 
I'll go on record as being in complete agreement with Drew99GT. Plenty of dinos are returning very nice wear and additive numbers in posted used oil analysis these days - even at "merely" SL/GF-3 at that! It's unlikely these oils will cause a sludging issue with reasonable care over the lifetime of the car. Late model year Corolla engines haven't been implicated as sludge-monsters, anyway. (Most cars are traded long before the engines are sludged or mechanically worn out, anyway, simply because the owners have either tired of them or there are mechanical issues other than the engine.) A 5,000 mile oil change interval fits in very well with these oils' capabilities. Castrol GTX would certainly be a viable contender. One alternative you also might consider is using one of the recent ConocoPhillips brands which are now universally listed on their labels as "synthetic blend" - apparently more than 50% Group III base oil content according to some posters who've related the results of their phone conversations with ConocoPhillips CS reps. One, Phillips 66 TropArtic Synthetic Blend in 5W-20, 5w30, and 10w30 viscosities, is priced at $1.00/qt at Dollar Tree Stores. (Check carefully for "SM" on the API donut - there's still earlier "SL" stock at some of the chain's stores.)
 
You can safely go at least three times as long with the best, extended drain synthetics. Take into account that your labor to do an oil change is worth $15.00-$20.00 and the synthetic is always the more cost effective choice.

That is, unless you work for free? - and I doubt that...
wink.gif


Tooslick
 
quote:
Originally posted by TooSlick:
You can safely go at least three times as long with the best, extended drain synthetics. Take into account that your labor to do an oil change is worth $15.00-$20.00 and the synthetic is always the more cost effective choice.

That is, unless you work for free? - and I doubt that...
wink.gif


Tooslick
Click to expand...
Tooslick, I don't work for free, but I don't consider changing my oil work. It's anti-stress therapy.
gr_eek2.gif
freak2.gif
 
Remember, Pep Boys still has their $1 calendars with the M1 coupons in it. Buy 3 quarts, get 3 free. So you're only paying like $2 a quart...

Just buy a quality oil. Good dino, good synthetic, and you'll be fine. Some (like me) prefer the synthetics, but hey there's no right or wrong answer.
 
A cheap dino with 5,000 mile OCI's beats the crap out of a synthetic with 10,000 mile OCI's as far as cost--you can only realistically go about twice as long on the OCI with synthetics but they typically cost about 5 times as much! That's no bargain and you'll get very similar used oil analysis!
 
One of the reasons I use synthetics is because of time. I do like changing my oil, but not every 1-2 months. With the amount of miles I put on, I am doing a change every 4-5 months with syn and don't worry about it.
On my wifes SUV, she reaches the 6 month time frame before she hits 5000 miles, so I use the free DuraBlend I got. If not for that, I would be using dino, probably the TropicArtic 10w30 SM syn-blend from Dollar Tree. I may still go buy a case or 2 just because.

But for the original post, no, no problems at all. If I stop driving so many miles a year, I will probably switch my car back to dino.
You can also save a little $$ by switching to a less expensive Puralator or Wix filter.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
Using conventional 10w30 in the summer and 5w30 synthetic in the winter
2
Replies
38
Views
5K
Ride_Red
G
  • Locked
List of oils by base-oil-quality index: 0W-20 oils
2 3 4
Replies
77
Views
53K
4wd
T
  • Locked
Oil and Oil Filter Combo for Turbo Honda
2
Replies
23
Views
10K
wemay
T
  • Locked
OCI help needed! first bitog post
Replies
16
Views
3K
THafeez
D
  • Locked
Some possibly dumb questions about Subaru turbos
2
Replies
38
Views
12K
bluesubie
Back
Top Bottom