When should I start using synthetic oil??

[09YarisNC]

I have read Oil threads on truck forums, car forums and motorcycle forums. And I have concluded from all that I have read is that its all just "Snake oil".

Over the last 25 years I have never had an engine fail due to oil in anything from a lawn mower to my new Toyota Tundra or any of the 12 motorcycles I have owned and ridden thousands of miles. I don't believe all the hype put out about any of these oils. I use the basic oil and have do not pay extra for the "synthetic gold" or Amsoil. I have also concluded that not being a chemical engineer it's impossible for me to make sense out of any of the fine print promoting these "snake oils". But if using synthetic makes one happy, why its your money.

So thats my story on oil and I am sticking to it.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by 09YarisNC

its all just "Snake oil".

It DOES make starting easier in really cold weather.

[auxmike]

I'm over using synthetic already.
For now on conventional oil and my trusty THAI genuine Toyota filter.......
'nuff said.

[1stToyota]

Snake oil implies that it's not a good product. Synthetic might not be needed in most makes, but testing often shows that it's a superior product. Hershey chocolate will do the job just fine, but I'd much prefer to pay the extra to get the better Dove dark.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

Snake oil implies that it's not a good product. Synthetic might not be needed in most makes, but testing often shows that it's a superior product. Hershey chocolate will do the job just fine, but I'd much prefer to pay the extra to get the better Dove dark.

Synthetic oil was delveoped for use in jet (gas turbine) engines where operating temperatures exceed 400 degrees F. Since internal combustion engine temperatures are less than 200 degrees F synthetic oil is not needed. Marketing types saw the need people have for "something better" than the next guy and started the hype.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Synthetic oil was delveoped for use in jet (gas turbine) engines where operating temperatures exceed 400 degrees F. Since internal combustion engine temperatures are less than 200 degrees F synthetic oil is not needed. Marketing types saw the need people have for "something better" than the next guy and started the hype.

If it's not needed in cars, just jets, a UOA result will be no better than dino, always, because it's just hype and an overkill to use synthetic...or it does provides better protection and will almost win in a UAO showdown...

[SilverGlow]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

If it's not needed in cars, just jets, a UOA result will be no better than dino, always, because it's just hype and an overkill to use synthetic...or it does provides better protection and will almost win in a UAO showdown...

You are forgetting one fact:

Synthetic will allow you to go LONGER between oil changes then conventional, and that is reason alone to use it. It can also provide 1% to 2% higher MPG too.

[nsmitchell]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

Snake oil implies that it's not a good product. Synthetic might not be needed in most makes, but testing often shows that it's a superior product. Hershey chocolate will do the job just fine, but I'd much prefer to pay the extra to get the better Dove dark.

Hersheys is fine chocolate! Much better than that fake Dove crap! hehe Just kidding! Seriously though, Hersheys is very good chocolate and so is Dove! Synthetic is good oil and so are some conventional oils. Castrol GTX for example is great conventional oil. The additives are what makes it good. Turbo's with super high heat will cook conventional oils and turn them to "coke". Turbo's pretty much require synthetic, if only to help you sleep at night. Some folks are reporting MPG gains after switching to synthetic.

Snake Oil it is not.

[TheSilkySmooth]

Originally Posted by nsmitchell

Castrol GTX for example is great conventional oil. The additives are what makes it good.
Snake Oil it is not.

Recently Ive seen that Castrol GTX has one of the WEAKER additive packages. Mobil Clean 5000 and Formula Shell are two of the better conventionals, GTX is down the list. Look at VOA and UOA on BITOG for the facts. Formulas are changing all the time. Many users reported that Exxon-Mobil M-clean is better than M1 for normal interval OC.