thook

True! But, there are so many factors that determine how much of drain interval one can get. Regular filter change, the addition of a bypass filter, exactly which oil, health of the motor, enviromental conditions, driving habits, etc......I've read about them all.

Basically, I was going by the factors I'm accustomed to. Obviously, you can't stretch this across the board. So, cost would then need to be adjusted. Then, you may wind up paying a bit more to run synthetic....or not. If synthetics do have the advantage of better protection, one may find the balance in less repair. I guess it's a crap shoot. And maybe more of a headach than some may want to do deal with. Shoot...everyone does what they want..

bonsainorm

How often do you change the Mobil 1? Which Royal Purple products do you recommend?

thook

I change my oil once a year, though I don't ever reach the 15,000 mile mark within a year. But, I also change my oil filter (average twice a year) and air filter when needed. I've been using an AC Delco air filter mostly, which had high ratings for filtering. Not the greatest on airflow, but I get enough power regardless.

RP I couldn't tell you anything about. I've never used it.

Alex 400

I just started using mobil 1 extended life 10w-30 in my 3vze and i noticed a difference right away. revs out with more ease and it just sounds like it isn't working as hard. We use mobil partial and full synthetic in all of our cars, bikes and boats.

dcg9381

Sythetics don't break down like conventional dino.. That's absolutely true.
Do you change your oil because it breaks down? Sure.. but that's only part of the story. You also change it because it gets contaminated by blow by and dirty... Synthetic gets just as dirty as conventional.

I'll never buy into the triple your oil change interval with synthetic.. maybe I would if I did full oil analysis every 10k miles.

TC4RNR

for the first time, i bought a 6pack of M1full syn 10-30 from Costco on friday for $29+tax. i don't know if that's a good deal or not. i've seen bunch of people pulling them out in carts.

and one thing on the "synthetic blend", they are not "half synthetic", technically, even one has only 1% or 99% synthetic oil, it's all called "blend". i doubt the big oil's would put much of synthetic in the mix.


my $0.02

CoedNaked

I buy synthetic because I like knowing my truck is getting the best, period.

Georgiadave

A number of observations for your consideration:

1. I'm an busy man, and don't have time to change oil every 3K in 3 cars. Synthetics are a big plus from that standpoint. I agree that is is wise not to take manufacturer's claims at face value, but Mobil 1 will go many miles, as demonstrated in studies like this one: http://oilstudy.spacebears.com. I have also read a study by Ford that basically said the same thing.

2. Mobil 1, Redline, and Amsoil are the only synthetics that are actually created from natural gas. The others are just highly refined crude oil and do not have the molecular structure of a true synthetic. Mobil sued Penzoil for claiming their dino base stock oil was synthetic, and Mobil lost. I think Penzoil had better lawyers.

3. Lubrication science indicates that the thinnest lube that will do the job is the way to go. Thinner oil moves through the bearings better, carrying away contaminants and providing more cooling. Thinner oil also flows better in cold starts, which is where you need all the lubrication you can get. At the temperatures and pressures in automotive applicatons, shear strength of dino or synthetic is more than adequate.

4. Oil pressure is not as important as flow. Pressure is easier to measure and gives a fair measure of the oil system performance, which is why manufacturers use it. Using a thicker oil will increase pressure, which may be gratifying, but flow is reduced. This negatively affects lubication and cooling.

5. Oil leaks were a problem when Mobil 1 came out in the 70s. The reason was that there were not enough esters in the oil to keep the seals pliable. This problem was fixed almost immediately, and Mobil1 will not leak any more than dino oil.

6. If you want to use a synthetic blend, use one quart of synthetic when you change oil. I would use Mobil dino and synthetic for this. This way you don't have to wonder how much synthetic is in the oil.