Help!! Oil Change Question

[Lui]

Hi,

My Nissan versa S (manual nothing else added except for mud guards)has about 420 miles. I was told by a mechanic friend to change the oil now, before the recommended service date in order to clear out any metal shavings that are inherent in all new car engines before they become embedded in the engine causing problems later. So, I took it in to get the oil changed at one of the oil changing shops, and I replaced the oil with Synthetic instead of "conventional" because I heard it was best to use overall. My friend flipped out when I let him know I switched the oil type, and said that I should stick with conventional until the first few thousand miles (4-7) because Synthetic oil is "too slippery" and may cause problems with engine seals later.

I only drove the car about 45 miles after the oil change (back to work then home), I was wondering if I should get the synthetic oil drained tomorrow and replace it with conventional oil. I don't want to ruin my engine!

Thanks in advance for your [email protected]

[proxim2020]

It's a more of a matter of opinion than anything else. I took my V home and after 120 miles (with a good workout), I dumped the factory oil and put in Synthetic. I haven't had any problems. I did the same with my truck when I bought it almost 5 years ago. I have 110k on it without any engine problems whatsoever. A lot of people say, "You need to put conventional oil in there to help the rings seat properly." But from that I read from all the experts, rings get seated well before you even get the car, when the engine's put through its initial paces. I've heard lots of people tell me syn was too slippery, but I fail to see how. Isn't that the primary purpose of oil, reduce friction. The more friction you remove, the cooler the engine runs, the better the gas mileage. That my .02.

[Bubs daddy]

Quote »and I replaced the oil with Synthetic instead of "conventional" because I heard it was best to use overall. My friend flipped out when I let him know I switched the oil type, and said that I should stick with conventional until the first few thousand miles (4-7) because Synthetic oil is "too slippery" and may cause problems with engine seals later. [/quote]There are many cars that come from the factory with synthetic as their factory fill. This advice may have been true decades ago but not now. With the advances in mettalurgy and tolerances, this break in with standard oil is no longer necessary.

You can put synthetic in the Versa at any time. The manual specifically states the rating and weight of oil but doesn't designate between synthetic or dino.

[Lui]

Thanks to both you and Proxim2020 for your replies. I feel better about using the synthetic oil, and I probably will at some point switch back to conventional as the synthetic oil is so much more expensive. Thanks again!

Lui

[Bubs daddy]

You're welcome.

In my opinion, the benefits of synthetic oil far outweigh the cost of the additional few dollars you'll spend.

Congrats on your new Versa.

[MIdnkight-lude]

some people dont suggest you move into Synthetic until after 3k miles.

[proxim2020]

You're welcome.

In my opinion, the benefits of synthetic oil far outweigh the cost of the additional few dollars you'll spend.

Congrats on your new Versa.

I agree. The few dollars extra is well worth it. If you're buying the synthetic and drive 3k on it and changing, then you not getting all the advantages. You can easily get away with 5k, a filter change, and top off. Some syn's will let you get up to 25,000 miles (amsoil) or 15,000 (Mobil 1 15k) and all you'll need to do is change the filter.

If you're paying to have your oil changed, bring your own. Down here an oil change costs between $20-$30 on conv and $45-$60 on syn. That's excessive when you can purchase your own syn oil for about $20 and pay an additional $10 for the change.

[sigjam]

HiThe oil change topic can be a heated debate depending on who you talk to. The versa engines are broke in at the factory and are completly ready to run for the intial 3000 miles before your first oil change. Most people from the old school will drain the oil after the first few hundred miles but it is not needed. Synthetic oil is at the users discretion but I don't personally care to use it. I have worked in the agriculture and heavy equipment business many years as a mechanic and I have gone to many oil manufactures meetings and the same answer always comes up. Internal combustion engines creat soot and carbon and it is cleaned from the engine by an oil with detergent and then drained at the oil change. The reason synthetic oils have extended oil change intervals is because they don't clean the engine as well so they don't get dirty hence they don't need to be changed leaving the soot and carbon guess where, in your engine. So in my opinion I don't like to spend extra money on an oil that doesn't clean as well. In the defense of synthetic oils they are much slicker and have less friction so the best way to decide which is right for you is to educated yourself on the pros and cons and make a choice that is right for you.

[proxim2020]

One would say that an engine flush would breakup this residue. A flush is something that you should do anyway when a car begins to age.

[Lui]

Thank you!!!

Lui

[longo]

HI Lui,

Someone one this forum sated that when he changed over to Mobile 1, 0-30 he got a 2 to 3 mpg increase.

In my Honda Odyssey the factory fill is 5-20 Syn. From all I have read the Honda change from 5-30 to 5-20 was just to help with MPG numbers.

Hope you see great MPG from your Syn-oil....dumping the engine oil early is a good idea. I dropped mine at 500 miles and installed a new style, magnetic oil drain plug as well to help capture any stray filings or other metalic debris in the new engine. BTW, the oil at 500 miles WAS dirty.

[DreamU]

Thanks for posting sigjam. I did not know regular oil cleans better than synthetic.

There is probably a good case to be made for synthetic oil in the cold weather, (presuming it is slicker at cold temperatures) especially during the first minute after starting. About twenty years ago a friend of mine started his truck when it was well below freezing (a typical Canadian winter). Unfortunately the throttle stuck open and his engine quickly destroyed itself.

That is an extreme case in which synthetic may not have made any difference. But I wonder if synthetic may reduce wear during cold weather starts over a period of many years.

[sigjam]

Synthetic oil will improve the wear life of an engine when changed at regular intervals and I'm not talking about the extra long intervals. I'm talking about the 3000 mile kind. But the price of the oil does not justify it. But in very cold climates it would probably be worth taking a look at.