Synthetic Oil

David G

Well-known Member
I changed my air cooled engines over to synthetic oil, as recommended by John T. One of them always used a little and puffed on startup. The engine is not doing that now.

I am impressed.
 
I use full synthetic in genny and Ford Jubilee. I pick it up on sale for $2-3/qt. Have about 4 cases sitting on shelf. I like it too.

I can't see putting it in an old lawn mower that doesn't have a filter. I just change the oil at least once a year.

My kaw 4010 mule recommends using 10w40 motorcycle oil. Not sure what the difference is between motorcycle oil, but I figured I'm not taking a chance. Mule also uses 80-90w GL4/GL5 lube with limited slip in front and rear axles. So I'm sticking with what kaw recommends, no synthetic.
 
I tried synthetic in a 2006 Chevy Impala with a 3.9 V6 with less than 20,000 mile on it and only three years old. The car never used a drop of oil from the day I bought it till the first oil change. I asked Chevy dealer what to use in it and was told to use synthetic oil which I did. For the next three oil changes it used a quart every 1,000 mils ( no leaks any where on engine). At the end of third oil change went back to conventional oil and it had not used any oil. I wouldn't take synthetic oil for a gift after this.
 
Been using 100% since 1989. Had a Ram Charger that used some oil when I bought it used. 318 so I used 10w40 100% synthetic in it. After about 5,000 miles oil consumption stopped. Had several folks tell me that being high detergent it cleaned carbon from behind the rings and they reseated. Wrecked that Ram Charger with 200,000+ miles on it. Parted it out. Guy bought the engine and rebuilt because of miles. He said not buildup was in the ring grooves and wanted to know what I had used in that engine.
 
If it has a wet clutch (running in motor oil) you do not want any oil that is energy conserving or has friction modifiers like most automotive oils have nowadays.
 
Motorcycle oil will not harm wet clutch plates. Regular motor oil after a certain update will break down wet clutch facings. I think the change was at SJ, but I'm not sure anymore, it was 12 or 15 years ago. Many motorcycles use a common oil sump for engine, clutch and transmission oil. Your Mule might also.
 
Never even heard of it. Good oil aint cheap and cheap oil aint good. I would use Amsoil full synthetic in any motor that's broke in but not worn out. I believe amsoil saved the motor in my dodge pickup when the oil pump failed and only delivered 5psi an that was at 160,000 miles. Wife drove it for two weeks before I even knew it.
 
I use 15W40 diesel marine oil in all my small engines. One is still going strong since 1990. Not having a filter is the prime reason I use this oil. It has a TBN number of 12. TBN represents how many particles the oil can suspend without damage to the engine. I've never seen oil over 12 TBN. It's worked well for me.

If your mule has a wet clutch then don't use straight synthetic oil in that. The friction modifiers will cause the clutches to slip. You can buy an oil for 4 wheelers and motor cycles without friction modifiers and it works well. Just can't do extended drains.

I've learned a lot about oil once I started studying it. I now send oil samples to be tested every 100 hours on my diesels to get a base line on how long the oil can be run with the diesel marine oil.(btw this oil still has the zink package so can not be used in tier 4 engines) Next sample will be 300 hours. At 200 hours the TBN was still above 8. Right now it looks like it'll go 400 hours unless sample shows otherwise. Hope to get 400 hours anyway.

Next reason I use synthetic oil in diesels is synthetic oil doesn't coke so I don't have to bother with the turbos getting coked. Synthetic oil can take more heat than regular oil.
 
In early 80's I had a Toyota that started using a little oil- neighbor was an Amsoil dealer, and talked me into changing to it (he sealed the deal when he said he'd give me additional Amsoil free if it used any). Never used another drop until we sold it when family outgrew it.
 
I change oil and oil filter(NAPA Gold) every 3,000 miles no matter what oil I use. I have did this for 40 years and never had an engine problems.
 
If we changed oil ever 3000 miles we would never get anywhere. We go 5000 on a fleet of 7 ford f150s, Full synthetic for the last 6 years. Have some 200 thousand mile units for trade this year with no engine problems.
 
I go by the oil life indicator in my vehicles. I would be changing oil every 2-3 weeks in my truck if I went off 3000 miles. It usually runs about 5K on gas and 6-7K on my Diesels.
 
I ran Mobile 1 in my Dodge half ton for the first 150,000 miles at that point I had to replace the coolant pump I figured that if I was going to have it torn apart that far might as well do the timing chain & gears also, they looked almost new when I took them out
 
I think you need to be careful with the use of synthetic oil

Older engines aren't designed for and need a thicker film than synthetic has. It's generally a 5 wt base oil with modifers

For newer tighter clearance engines it is fantastic.

Oil breakdown for most of us isn't the issue as we change the oil (normal change time frame)long before even the old oils start to break down.

The issue is dirt and moisture - the main reason to change oil -- and all oils accumulate this over time and use
 

I should probably use synthetic in some of my engines but I can't get myself to make the change from Shell 15-40 at $.50/quart.
 
Its about all I use nowadays (usually Mobil 1) and Ive had such good luck and see no reason to change now. I figure good routine maintenance with good oil is cheap maintenance in the long run. Sure you can buy much cheaper oil if you like and someone will crawl out of the woodwork and swear he has better luck with cheaper oil and that's fine, to each their own.

John T
 
might that be Castrol oil?, as its very good oil. I thought castor oil was the one you drank.
 
Synthetic oil fixed a valve that was sticking open in my K301 after warmup. I use it in all my small air cooled engines.
10 years on the briggs in my Yardman rider and still no oil consumption, no valve issues common to OHV briggs, etc.
 
The freight line that I worked for at one time half the of the fleet was gas powered straght trucks and semi tractors ( chevy 366s,427s and ford 370v4s)and they changed oil every week to week and a half.The gas tractors use to get about a 140,000 to 160,000 miles on a engine before needing worked on. I don't trust the oil life indicators or air filter indicator.
 
(quoted from post at 15:17:08 08/16/14) Where in the world is shell 15-40 $.50 qt ?????????

My buddy who hauls into the lubricants distributor has to show no residual in his tanks before getting loaded at the refinery so he drains off into buckets for a few hours when he gets back home. In the winter it is a pretty good amount.
 
Years ago when I was the single test pilot for F4's at a rework facility I saw a couple of civilian workers loading up some barrels of oil. I( asked what it was and where it was going. They told me it was Mil-L 23699 USN equiv to Mobil 1. Used in the J-79 in the Phantoms,turning 23,000 rpms.
They said there was a new oil out and this was going to salvage (burn)
I said "Can you forget to load two barrels and I will dispose (burn) them for you?"
That was 110 gals and 30 years ago and I only have 45 gals left.
If you are driving by the Corn Palace, stop and get 5 qts. LOL
 
10W30 Synthetic is the exact same "thickness" as 10W30 conventional. And after 50 hours of use it will be "thicker" if that is the term you want to use.

Synthetic oil is much better at carrying pollutants than conventional oil both the combustion acids and by inhibiting deposit formation on surfaces - made worse by the presence of water.
 
John,

Mobil 1 is what I used, you recommended it this spring when I asked. I am real pleased with the results on my air cooled engines.
 
Put 625k miles on my Chevy 4.8, conventional with Lucas.

I like synthetic too, just wanted to change it more often and not spend $6 a qt..
 
I don't know if it is still this way but at one time Walmart was selling Mobil 1 in its own packages. I was in the Mobil refinery and saw the Walmart containers getting filled.
 

There are two types of motorcycle oil.. one for wet clutches and one for dry clutches... The one for dry clutches has more friction reducers and will not work on a wet clutch system.

See the jasso motorcycle oil specs...
 
(quoted from post at 19:20:51 08/16/14) Years ago when I was the single test pilot for F4's at a rework facility I saw a couple of civilian workers loading up some barrels of oil. I( asked what it was and where it was going. They told me it was Mil-L 23699 USN equiv to Mobil 1. Used in the J-79 in the Phantoms,turning 23,000 rpms.
They said there was a new oil out and this was going to salvage (burn)
I said "Can you forget to load two barrels and I will dispose (burn) them for you?"
That was 110 gals and 30 years ago and I only have 45 gals left.
If you are driving by the Corn Palace, stop and get 5 qts. LOL[

Gordo,wait a sec.I'm pretty sure the J 79 turned between 9000 and 10000 RPM at mil/intermediate power.Didn't change much burner was selected.
As for the mil 23699-I know Castrol was one vender and I think Mobil and Amsoil were also bought.I also know we went through case upon case of oil.When I was still in the airforce on C130s we were still useing mil 7808 and didn't go through any where as much.













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