Synthetic Fluids

[jraker]

What is the concensus for synthetic fluids? Where should you run them if you run them at all? I never ran synthetics on my old truck but this truck only has 20k miles on it. I have a chance to do things right the first time so I thought I would ask. Thank you for you feedback.



Joel

 

[JohnBoy5]

you just opened a big can of worms asking this question. i am excited to see the responses to come! i run rotella 15=40 because i can not find a place close to the house that keeps the rotella synthetic all the time. its a hit and miss deal around here it seems like...



i hope someone answers that can help you figure out what you want to do.



first thing i would do is figure out who has the what oil close to you.

 

[Prairie Dog]

From what I understand, our trucks have them everywhere but in the eng.

 

[JGheen]

From what I understand, our trucks have them everywhere but in the eng.

Engine should be using Dino oil, everywhere else can handle the synthetics. I personally run the Amsoil Universal ATF in the G56 and transfer case. In the axles I run the Mobil 1 75W-90, kinda expensive @ $10 per quart plus running the Mag Hytec covers but FWIW, I put 46K miles on the Mobil 1 with LOTS of heavy towing and the stuff looked like it could have gone another 46K miles. Typical Mobil 1 quality at its best IMO Oo... ..... but overall I would not be putting synthetic oil in the engine unless your drag racing it or pulling it but even then Dino oil works just fine from my experience... ... .



Joe

 

[amsoilman]

What is the concensus for synthetic fluids? Where should you run them if you run them at all? I never ran synthetics on my old truck but this truck only has 20k miles on it. I have a chance to do things right the first time so I thought I would ask. Thank you for you feedback.



Joel

The benefits of synthetic lubes are many, as the entire oil industry continually reiterate. Superior wear protection, increased horsepower, cooler running engines, reduced deposits, reduced oil consumption, resistance to oxidation and breakdown, easier winter starts - they all add up to a better running, longer lasting vehicle, PLUS you can safely extend the oil drain interval!

Having said that, Synthetic oils are frequently made from higly refined petroleum base stocks (VHVI and XHVI hydrocracked oils). So, the fully synthetic or 100% synthetic oils are very rare. In fact, most of the synthetic oils are petroleum based (mineral) oils. Therefore, you cannot distinguish any difference between them by evaluating smell or color. The Amsoil brand Heavy Duty Diesel & Marine 15W-40 grade is a 100% Synthetic.

 

[mberry]

Engine should be using Dino oil, everywhere else can handle the synthetics. I personally run the Amsoil Universal ATF in the G56 and transfer case. In the axles I run the Mobil 1 75W-90, kinda expensive @ $10 per quart plus running the Mag Hytec covers but FWIW, I put 46K miles on the Mobil 1 with LOTS of heavy towing and the stuff looked like it could have gone another 46K miles. Typical Mobil 1 quality at its best IMO Oo... ..... but overall I would not be putting synthetic oil in the engine unless your drag racing it or pulling it but even then Dino oil works just fine from my experience... ... .

Joe

With all due respect sir, I disagree. The engine is the most expensive assembly to replace, therefore that is the best place to use it IMHO for the extra protection it provides. Nevertheless, all the things cited by Amsoilman are correct.

When I changed everything except the power steering fluid from factory stuff to Amsoil I gained 4MPG. It's far worse in the winter here due to the cold. Using dino oil causes a lot of resistance when you first start out on those cold mornings. I don't even notice it since I have been running synthetic.

You are correct that good dino oil works great. But it cannot work as good as a high quality synthetic for as long. The only place I do not go longer on the oil change interval than factory specs is the transfer case. I usually run 10K-20K miles before an engine oil change but it depends on what I have used the truck for.

 

[jraker]

Sorry not trying to start an oil war just trying to get educated. I read threads early on, on my last truck. By that time I had over 100k miles on it. I heard rumor that an old engine will leak like a sive with synthetics unless they were put in early. So I shyed away kept changing the oil until the day I traded her in. Now I wanted to revisit the subject since this truck has such low miles. I made a lot of mistakes on the first truck and learned lots of lessons. I want to build this one right, I don't want to have to buy another truck ever. I had to correct a lot of mistakes (lots of $) on the last one and it was a great running truck, just needed the room of the mega for the expanding family and labs.

 

[DDT]

My personal experiance only- At 100K I changed to Amsoil brand in both diffs, tanny, transfer case and engine.

#1- has not leaked any oil yet, been over a year

#2- I use Amsoil filter, so I can go 25K on engine oil and filter changes. At 12K on the engine oil had to add 2 quarts. at 25K (11 months) I change engine oil and filter.

#3- Winter time the trucks oil is not near as stiff as conv oils as per warm up times.

#4 I did gain 2 MPG fuel milage, but more important to me I do not have the change engine oil near as often, which saves me lots of time over 11 months. FYI I do check it every weekend to make sure level is good.

I prefer It for me, but you will look at the pros and cons to see which will suit you better.

 

[rbattelle]

There is no consensus, in my opinion. And someone will argue about that too, I suspect. So there probably isn't even consensus on whether there's a consensus.

At the end of the day, both sides of the debate are absolutely convinced of their correctness.

The dino oil guys are convinced that the synthetics are snake oil - a position they must hold lest they make themselves ridiculous by playing cheap with their beloved engines.

The synthetic guys are convinced that synthetics are a better product - a position they must hold, otherwise why spend all that extra money?

At the end of the day, you lay in the bed you made, alone. Choose whatever you can live with.

-Ryan

 

[posey-smoker]

I use Amsoil and change my oil once a year. Every 3 months I change the filter and replace the displaced oil. After 12 months I send a sample off to a lab for analysis. I have a 5 year history of oil samples showing the wear metal in sample trend. Each year I get less wear metals in the sample.



So with that said it's either doing great or the bearings have worn so far there is nothing left to wear off.

 

[JCockerill]

There is no consensus, in my opinion. And someone will argue about that too, I suspect. So there probably isn't even consensus on whether there's a consensus.



At the end of the day, both sides of the debate are absolutely convinced of their correctness.



The dino oil guys are convinced that the synthetics are snake oil - a position they must hold lest they make themselves ridiculous by playing cheap with their beloved engines.



The synthetic guys are convinced that synthetics are a better product - a position they must hold, otherwise why spend all that extra money?



At the end of the day, you lay in the bed you made, alone. Choose whatever you can live with.



-Ryan

well said! whatever you run, track your use and send samples to see what your engine likes to run on with least amount of wear to internal components. i am still trying to find oil that doesn't cause exsesive wear.

 

[tempforce]

i'll take the dive,,,, after the first two oil changes, i switched to mobil 1 in a 90's turbo car. never had a problem. i tried synthetic valvoline in my 80's jeep, the oil disappeared within 400 miles. i had to go back to normal oil. same thing with my '83' diesel ranger, it doesn't like synthetic oil either. now the gear boxes on the ranger and the jeep both accepted the good stuff.

my dodge came with synthetic in everything but the engine. i waited until the engine had 40,000 miles on it b4 changing to synthetic engine oil.

no problems, and the engine seems to be a bit quieter. (of course my hearing may of gotten worse).

just my 3 cents worth.

 

[JohnBoy5]

i'll take the dive,,,, after the first two oil changes, i switched to mobil 1 in a 90's turbo car. never had a problem. i tried synthetic valvoline in my 80's jeep, the oil disappeared within 400 miles. i had to go back to normal oil. same thing with my '83' diesel ranger, it doesn't like synthetic oil either. now the gear boxes on the ranger and the jeep both accepted the good stuff.

my dodge came with synthetic in everything but the engine. i waited until the engine had 40,000 miles on it b4 changing to synthetic engine oil.

no problems, and the engine seems to be a bit quieter. (of course my hearing may of gotten worse).

just my 3 cents worth.

What oil are you using in the dodge? as in brand type weight so and so on?

 

[AABEN]

DINO OIL save your money. Look around at some of the oil reports and look at some of there oil samples that has been posted here and other sites.

 

[CDonaldson]

I'm running Amsoil synthetics in everything but the engine. I have stayed with the recommended Valvoline Premium Blue 10w40 since new. Cummins and Valvoline got together and designed this oil for our trucks, I have more confidence in it than other products, not to say that other products will not get the job done. It is a blended product, so some synthetics are part of it's composition. My oil sampling is always a good report, engine wear is minimal to non existant. I am also running a bypass filter, I am sure it has helped tremendously with soot, my soot levels are very low too.





CD

 

[tempforce]

it was either valvoline or mobile synthetic. if it was valvoline i know it was 15-40. as i still have three gallons on the shelf. if it was the mobile, it was probably the same (15-40) but i can't swear on it. i'll have to go out to the storage shed and see whats on the shelves. as i keep almost all of my flammables in the storage shed. so if something happens, i don't loose the shop or living quarters, as fast... ...