Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've read many testaments of motor oils and the consensus among mechanics is that for a high mileage car older than 2006 let's say it makes no difference. Since there are newer cars that uses syn out of factory.
You are always always better off changing oil at regular intervals than spending extra $$ for synthetics. Almost every mechanic blog I've read, always say that don't buy into running syn over oil change interval.
Change the oil every 3-5k mi and use the recommended viscosity and the engine will keep running.
There are people that send their oils to labs to check but it doesn't pay to keep reusing oils. The cleaning your motor is, the longer it can run without sludge build up.
Dino oil is pretty damn cheap. I change my engine oil a few times a year and have a car well over 270k mi and still pulls strong. I change the oil about 3k or about 4-6 month because particles in your oil start to become acidic over time if they aren't burnt. Daily drivers can go much longer without frequent oil changes.
My 1999 Tacoma has 320K and I have used a Wix oil filter and Valvoline conventional 5-30 its first oil change . The truck does not leak oil, but it can burn a half quart between oil changes. I also changed the manual trans fluid a few times with the toyota factory fluid. I would never switch to synthetic because I didn't see the advantage of the higher costs (esp back in the late 90's). One thing I did notice was when it hit around 150K miles, the gas mileage improved. Not sure if that had anything to do with the mileage but it was a 2-3 mpg difference.
these days all oil that meets SAE standards is good oil, mineral, semi synthetic, or full synthetic. they key as noted is being consistent with oil changes, IE doing them on a regular basis regardless of what schedule you choose. 3000-5000 for mineral oil, add a couple thousand for semi synthetic, and a couple thousand more for a full synthetic.
dont forget to use a good quality oil filter as well.
you can switch to synthetic ANYTIME during the engines lifetime, mileage does not matter. and there is no issue switching to synthetic, and then switching back again at some point in time.
I know there is no issue. But at 170,000 miles, why bother switching to synthetic? It isn't worth it unless you live in Arctic conditions and want the oil to flow in the morning.
I have a 2002 Silverado with a 4.8 vortec motor. I usually use semi-synthetic blend, (for the least 140k of its 212K miles). I am in a apt, so doing my own oil changes here is out of the question. I usually end up finding a cheap group-on for it the day I'm looking to get one down. I found a good deal on a full synthetic one time and got that done. I will say with full synthetic; from almost immediately after start (before full warm-up), I would be at almost a completely steady 60psi oil pressure. I also noticed the slightest increase in quickness/response in revving. It lasted about 8,000 miles, and I never burned any oil. I have since gone back to semi-synthetic; my oil psi is about 45-50 at idle and if I accelerate when cold I get close to 75psi. My oil changes are between 4k-5k miles (less if I am going on a long distance trip), and I burn about 1/2 qt between changes. If it wasn't a difference of about $50 I would be using full-synthetic every time. As soon as I get back to somewhere I can be regualarly doing my own, I will spend the extra $5-$10 no problem.
synthetic vs high mileage oil on a car with 170k+ miles
I have an old pickup with over 200K miles on it and it still runs like a Swiss watch.
It's had Mobil 1 synthetic at 5000 mile oil change intervals since it was new. Except for once about 25,000 miles ago. I used high mileage dino oil for that one change, thinking that maybe it would help to extend its life. But I had second thoughts and switched back to M1 at the next 5000 mile mark. So, my experience has been that synthetic is the way to go. And to stay with.
I know there is no issue. But at 170,000 miles, why bother switching to synthetic? It isn't worth it unless you live in Arctic conditions and want the oil to flow in the morning.
I think the original statement was someone told him to switch back to dino at 170K even though he had been running synthetic up till that point, which to me was pointless and ridiculous.
You are always always better off changing oil at regular intervals than spending extra $$ for synthetics. Almost every mechanic blog I've read, always say that don't buy into running syn over oil change interval.
Change the oil every 3-5k mi and use the recommended viscosity and the engine will keep running.
^^This.
For passenger vehicles, use a quality oil filter with regular oil changes and it doesn't matter what type of oil you use.
Location: In a perfect world winter does not exist
3,661 posts, read 2,945,273 times
Reputation: 6758
I do believer that dino oil at 5k interval will make your engine run forever. It would be the same as 8k syn oil changes. But one walk inside a WalMart and the price difference is literally 6 bucks for 5 quarts of top dino brand oil vs top syn oil brand.
6 bucks is like a Good Hamburger at Jack in the Box. I think I can swing 6 bucks every 6 months.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,712 posts, read 58,042,598 times
Reputation: 46182
I prefer synthetic, and I have a lot of old engines running both dino and synth.
if I have a 'keeper' / older engine I want to preserve, I make my own 'blend'.
If it has been happy with 15w-40 dino (I live in moderate climate and ONLY have diesels)
it will get 1 qt of Synth at 3000mile filter change, then back to Dino till 1 yr or 10K
full synthetics get fresh filter and qt every 5k, and full change 1 yr or 20k.
My vintage motorcycles are generally happier with dino
btw: I can't believe Amsoil raised prices again.... they really jacked them up when oil was $200/ brl, and now crying that feedstock costs are again too high. They must make a fortune, but it is a good product. soon to be too good for my fleet (now paying nearly $6.50 / qt for HD 15-40) $3 / qt was a decent price 10 yrs ago, Oil was higher priced, but I had a j-o-b, my wages are now Zero.
Engines need to last the rest of my life, so they get better care than I do.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
synthetic vs high mileage oil on a car with 170k+ miles
