Switched to Synthetic, now leaking oil
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Again, what does the composition of the base oil have to do with it? There are a ton of other variables: viscosity and additives among them. Sorry, but until someone can give a logical reason as to why a base oil which is simply more refined will cause a leak, I'm just not understanding it. It seems like perpetuating flawed logic to me.
The accord in my sig had the same problem when we ran one oci of PP. Switched it back to PYB but also changed out the valve cover gasket (was doing a valve adjustment job) and it hasn't leaked since.
However PP did do a good job of cleaning the dipstick in on change! and PYB has been keeping it clean.
The motor also sounds better with PYB in it then PP (F22 is a noisy but bulletproof motor!).
However PP did do a good job of cleaning the dipstick in on change! and PYB has been keeping it clean.
The motor also sounds better with PYB in it then PP (F22 is a noisy but bulletproof motor!).
The short version of my story is: I had ~110K on my RX300 when I tried PP. Before this the oil level never, ever, dropped during my 3K OCI's using VWB. With PP, the oil level dropped a 1/2 quart in the first 500 miles... I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with PP but my RX didn't like it... I just changed back to the VWB to see if everything goes back to normal.
Originally Posted By: 91344George
This is the one BIG caveat when switching to a synthetic after using dino for years on an older car.
My advice is if you don't want to risk an oil leak on an older vehicle that has ALWAYS been using dino DO NOT SWITCH TO SYNTHETIC!!!
this is so often repeated, that it taken for truth. But in fact there is nothing but antidotal evidence to support this assertion. Luckily for me, I paid no attention to this nonsense and began using Mobil 1 15w-50 immediately when I purchased my '66 Shelby GT-350 eleven years ago. It already had 185,000 miles on it at that time.
45,000 miles later I have no measurable wear, and no leaks either.
Z.
This is the one BIG caveat when switching to a synthetic after using dino for years on an older car.
My advice is if you don't want to risk an oil leak on an older vehicle that has ALWAYS been using dino DO NOT SWITCH TO SYNTHETIC!!!
this is so often repeated, that it taken for truth. But in fact there is nothing but antidotal evidence to support this assertion. Luckily for me, I paid no attention to this nonsense and began using Mobil 1 15w-50 immediately when I purchased my '66 Shelby GT-350 eleven years ago. It already had 185,000 miles on it at that time.
45,000 miles later I have no measurable wear, and no leaks either.
Z.
Originally Posted By: zray
Originally Posted By: 91344George
This is the one BIG caveat when switching to a synthetic after using dino for years on an older car.
My advice is if you don't want to risk an oil leak on an older vehicle that has ALWAYS been using dino DO NOT SWITCH TO SYNTHETIC!!!
this is so often repeated, that it taken for truth. But in fact there is nothing but antidotal evidence to support this assertion. Luckily for me, I paid no attention to this nonsense and began using Mobil 1 15w-50 immediately when I purchased my '66 Shelby GT-350 eleven years ago. It already had 185,000 miles on it at that time.
45,000 miles later I have no measurable wear, and no leaks either.Z.
I agree the fear of switching to a synthetic oil will produce oil leaks is a long held myth.
But then 45,000 mile on any oil should produce no wear.
BTW why such heavy oil, does the car have an oil pressure problem?
Originally Posted By: 91344George
This is the one BIG caveat when switching to a synthetic after using dino for years on an older car.
My advice is if you don't want to risk an oil leak on an older vehicle that has ALWAYS been using dino DO NOT SWITCH TO SYNTHETIC!!!
this is so often repeated, that it taken for truth. But in fact there is nothing but antidotal evidence to support this assertion. Luckily for me, I paid no attention to this nonsense and began using Mobil 1 15w-50 immediately when I purchased my '66 Shelby GT-350 eleven years ago. It already had 185,000 miles on it at that time.
45,000 miles later I have no measurable wear, and no leaks either.Z.
I agree the fear of switching to a synthetic oil will produce oil leaks is a long held myth.
But then 45,000 mile on any oil should produce no wear.
BTW why such heavy oil, does the car have an oil pressure problem?
Um, make sure you got the old filter gasket off:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/12/business/12honda.html
Synthetic gives marshmallows an off taste..
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/12/business/12honda.html
Synthetic gives marshmallows an off taste..
"That switching to a synthetic will produce oil leaks is a myth" won't hold true for all. Take my own experience years ago: my 1996 Honda had been on dino oil all its 70,000 mile life. Nothing wrong with the car. Then I get this idea of trying a synthetic of the same viscosity. Days later I keep seeing small oil stains on my garage floor under the car's bell housing. Maybe it's coming from the rear seal. After 2 weeks of this, I drained and saved the oil, then switched back to dino. The leak disappeared immediately. Granted, the rear seal was probably not at its best, but it demonstrated the fact that switching to synthetic did make it weep. That the leak condition was totally reversible by going back to dino oil can't be refuted.
The '91 420SEL has been leaking a bit from the oil pan gaskets, the gasket for the oil level sender, etc.for about 5 years, now...
Oil is cheap compared with the labor and cost of the gaskets: even my mechanic says "I'd wait until it really needed something serious before I'd waste a grand on a minor oil leak."
I doubt that changing to a synthetic does anything more than perhaps cleaning off some internal goop that hides the true source, which is typically a seal/gasket of some sort. Usually in a hard to get to location.
Maybe call it the "Bob is the Oil Guy's LAW"?
Cheers!
p.s. If you find the source of the leak you can decide what really needs to be done.
Oil is cheap compared with the labor and cost of the gaskets: even my mechanic says "I'd wait until it really needed something serious before I'd waste a grand on a minor oil leak."
I doubt that changing to a synthetic does anything more than perhaps cleaning off some internal goop that hides the true source, which is typically a seal/gasket of some sort. Usually in a hard to get to location.
Maybe call it the "Bob is the Oil Guy's LAW"?
Cheers!
p.s. If you find the source of the leak you can decide what really needs to be done.
I was always under the impression and told that synthetics will not cause an actual leak but they will find leaks that are already existent but were plugged up by dirt/sludge.
I had my sis n law start using Pennzoil PP at 75,000 miles since somebody put high mileage oil in. At that time I put in AutoRx and cleaned out the engine. That alone with the PP added mpg's. It now has over 125,000 on the odo and purring. No leaks ever occured and none now. 03 oldsmobile 4 cylinder getting over 28 mpg. Started she got 22mpg.
Originally Posted By: kaboom10
I had my sis n law start using Pennzoil PP at 75,000 miles since somebody put high mileage oil in. At that time I put in AutoRx and cleaned out the engine. That alone with the PP added mpg's. It now has over 125,000 on the odo and purring. No leaks ever occured and none now. 03 oldsmobile 4 cylinder getting over 28 mpg. Started she got 22mpg.
So what your saying is the Synthetic oil has done this? i.e better mpg`s?
I had my sis n law start using Pennzoil PP at 75,000 miles since somebody put high mileage oil in. At that time I put in AutoRx and cleaned out the engine. That alone with the PP added mpg's. It now has over 125,000 on the odo and purring. No leaks ever occured and none now. 03 oldsmobile 4 cylinder getting over 28 mpg. Started she got 22mpg.
So what your saying is the Synthetic oil has done this? i.e better mpg`s?
The synthetic and the AutoRx. After all the dirt and sludge was out and synthetic in there were no leaks.
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