engine oil

Are there any benefits on using synthetic motor oil for engine oil changes.
Mine is a 1955 TO35 and was just wondering. Is it safe to use in old engines. Engine has about 5100 hours on it and is in good shape. I have to get a new tractormeter which wasnt working when I bought as to keep track of the hours... Any opinions?.

my opinion is NO, NO:

synthetic motor oil is great oil, but it also has a great cleaning package, therefore it will strip off all the years of built up crud that is inside the engine block and tappets, etc:

this will turn into sludge that now will be loose and flowing around in your oil, plugging up critical oil passages, etc:

I would not use it: use a top grade oil like Shell rotella 15w40 oil, this oil is designed for diesel engines or any other brand designed for diesel engines, they have a much better lube additive package than car oil.

epa has stripped most of the good stuff out of car oil, like zinc, which protects the bearings in these old engines.

most old tractors will hold better oil pressure with 15w40 oil.

also, use a good quality oil filter and {be sure the spring is still inside the oil filter canister}, this spring holds the oil filter against the block, otherwise oil just flows around the oil filter.

I would get a number of opinions on this synthetic motor oil, before I put in in your tractor. Now if the motor had just been rebuilt and the block was clean, then yes go for synthetic motor oil. But only in a clean block.

Just my humble opinion.

Synthetic oil is higher in detergent than conventional oils. Period. This is another reason synthetic can go a much longer interval between changes. In a new engine? Ok, fine. IF, IF you have roller rockers and cam. Without the roller rockers and cam synthetic oil will ash off while the engine is shut off overnight. Conventional oil use to have zinc in it. Zinc destroys catalytic converters. Zinc was removed. Zinc is the stuff that remains behind leaving a coating behind so the next time you start your flat tappet conventional engine it will not be bone dry and causing excessive engine wear during start up. Diesel grade oils have zinc. Heavy duty engine oils *might* have zinc. Your "Energy conserving 10-30" will not have zinc.
No zinc? Dead engine. Zinc? Dead cat.

(quoted from post at 07:01:07 05/03/15) Are there any benefits on using synthetic motor oil for engine oil changes.

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In a word, no. The best oil for these old motors is one like Valvoline VR racing oil, Joe Gibbs Driven racing oil, or Brad Penn racing oil. They will have the zinc additive. You probably won't be happy with the price.
Another solution is to use any good oil and add ZDDPlus or Red Line oil additive to get the zinc levels up.
BillL

Thanks guys I'll stick with regular good quality motor oil