synthetic oil myth...?

[NightRiderQ45]

I have a quick question. I've already have done my search and I couldn't find what I was looking for. I've been using Mobile1 10w 30 oil in my car, but I plan on switching my car over to synthetic 5w 30 for the winter (it gets cold here in Oklahoma...I miss the "true" South). My Y33 has 159k highway miles on it (still drives like new), all using 5/10w 30 oil. Here is my question. I was told that if I switch over to synthetic oil, I wouldn't be able to switch back to regular. Is that true? Have anyone else heard this? I'm driving back to Alabama thursday from Oklahoma and I plan on changing my oil because I'm adding BG 44k to my tank. I don't know if I have to change my oil after 44k, I was just told that its best to do it.

[AlabamaDan]

I've switched back and forth in my QX4 before depending upon my financial situation. Never had any problems. I've heard it was a problem, but never met anyone first hand who had those problems.

You coming back for the Bama vs. LSU game? What part of Bama you from?

[NightRiderQ45]

I've switched back and forth in my QX4 before depending upon my financial situation. Never had any problems. I've heard it was a problem, but never met anyone first hand who had those problems.

You coming back for the Bama vs. LSU game? What part of Bama you from?

I think a yell of WWWWAAAAAAARRRRRRR EEEEAAAAAGGGGLLLLEEEEE may be able to answer where I'm from lol!! It's our homecoming so I'll be in Auburn. Nov. 24 is the big day though!!! AU vs UA. Anyway, back to the topic...thanks for the advice on the oil. I've heard it, but I didn't know if it was true.

[AlabamaDan]

Oh...for an Aubie it doesn't really matter what you put in the car. I mean you're going to tie hay bales on it anyway....

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!

(JK)

[ScottJackson]

Some of the VERY first synthetic oils weren't very compatible with regular oils. It's not been any issue to mix/change the two for years. Should have no problems. And if your oil never gets really hot and has regular changes, it's debatable how much synth is actually better than regular oil.

[maxnix]

But M1 is synthetic.

[BadQ45t]

Your probably fine with Dino juice The issue was with older cars and the seals leaking when you would switch to Syn oil after years of dino juice. I think you'll be okay but at this point i just use syn 100%.

[ScottJackson]

Yeah, after reading the initial post again, it sounds like he's swapping from synthetic to synthetic.

[Q45tech]

I still use 0w40 from Nov-Feb my only 4 month oil change, then shorten up the other 3 in the year with conventional 10w30 unless I'm making a long [> 2,000 miles on interstate] mid summer roadtrip.

But then again at 317k ring wear has already occurred, now I'm just waiting for a bearing to go,

[NightRiderQ45]

Yeah, after reading the initial post again, it sounds like he's swapping from synthetic to synthetic.

Thanks for the remarks. But...how does it sounds like I'm switching from snythetic to synthetic? I stated that "I've been using Mobile1 10w 30 oil in my car, but I plan on switching my car over to synthetic 5w 30 for the winter."

No trick question maxnix lol. I wouldn't ask the question or it wouldn't make sense to ask the question if I already had synthetic oil in it. The reason why I wanted to switch over is that I can get some M1 and/or Super Tech synthetic oil cheap in my area. Even though Super Tech isn't bad oil at all and I would use, the price I can get the M1 for this limited time, it only make sense to purchase it. I was just afraid of the seal leaks that might occur since I've been using dino 10w 30 oil for all 159k miles. BTW, the super tech oil filters are great! I'm glad NICO switched me over to that!!

[TBrack]

WAR DAMN EAGLE!

I'm from Dothan and live in Montgomery

[maxnix]

But...how does it sounds like I'm switching from snythetic to synthetic? I stated that "I've been using Mobile(sic)1 10w 30 oil in my car, but I plan on switching my car over to synthetic 5w 30 for the winter."

No trick question maxnix lol. I wouldn't ask the question or it wouldn't make sense to ask the question if I already had synthetic oil in it.

But M1 is synthetic.

Yeah, after reading the initial post again, it sounds like he's swapping from synthetic to synthetic.

This is a classic example of a non sequitur.
Modified by maxnix at 8:55 AM 10/31/2007

[NightRiderQ45]

WAR DAMN EAGLE!

War Damn Eagle!! I'll be in town for homecoming.

[NightRiderQ45]

non sequitor.

You meant non sequit(u)r. See we both accidentally misspell words. Anyway, this isn't the topic that I wanted to discuss. I needed to know if there would be a issue switching from dino Mobil 1 10w 30 to synthetic 5w 30. I was concerned about seak leaks with the miles on my car, but found out that it wouldn't be an issue after researching and reading other forums and using ScottJackson answer.

Manix my man. I can see where I might have confused you all. I meant to say I was using Mobil Clean 5000. You are right Mobil 1 is pure synthetic. I accidently kept throwing in the "1". That was the confusing part.
Modified by NightRiderQ45 at 8:57 AM 10/31/2007

[maxnix]

So right. Bad Latin. The point is, all Mobil1 is synthetic, at least all I have seen.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-Engli....aspx

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

[NightRiderQ45]

So right. Bad Latin. The point is, all Mobil1 is synthetic, at least all I have seen.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-Engli....aspx

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

You're right. I just updated my post above.

[StarPD]

You're right. I just updated my post above.

Bottom line is that synthetics, at least Mobil 1, are completely compatible with conventional oils. There is no problem with changing over from conventional to synthetic. You may want to do a "flush" of the old conventional oil like I do when I buy a used car. I change to synthetic (Mobil 1) immediately, then do another OC in 500 miles, just to get almost all of the old conventional oil out.

As to oil weight, 5-30 is usually suggested. Some like 0-30, or even 0-40, but I think that's usually best for extreme cold, like 0 degrees or below.

Cold starts (even in warm ambient temps) is where the most engine wear occurs, so the thinner the cold rating, the better. Thinner oil gets to the cylinders and cams quicker in cold starts. I don't completely trust the hot rating, probably because of the extreme high temps in summer in Phoenix, and even that's probably psychological. I am paranoid about my oil and OCIs. That's why I use 5-30, and that may be unfounded, but as I said, I am paranoid about it.

FWIW, I DO use Mobil 1 "Extended Performance", not because I have any specific knowledge of any benefits, but because I suspect that it has more detergents. I still change oil every 3500 miles though.

I suggest you go ahead and change to a full synthetic. While many here like other brands, some of them aren't easy to come by locally. Mobil 1 has performed great for me over the years, in my high performance Corvettes, GS1100 and GS1150, and ZX11 motorcycles, as well as my Q45s, and I have run them exceedingly hard. I have yet to experience any measurable engine wear with it. I swear by it.

[NightRiderQ45]

Thanks StarPD!! I switched over to Mobil 1 synthetic this past Thursday on my trip to Alabama. Like you stated I will change the oil again once I head back to Alabama again in another two weeks. That should be plenty of time for the dino oil and synthetic oil to mix up so I can get all of that old stuff out of there.

BTW, the BG 44k works great (thanks to eBay)!! After the trip back from Alabama, there is a big difference in throttle response!! I love hitting the gas to speed up on the highway now...well, I did until gas start going back up!!