1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
...as a topic on TSN comes up every other day, but the answer to whether or not you should switch is a qualified yes. To steal Dick's comments, and commenting further:
Reduced engine wear? Only with a synthetic with high-quality film-strength additives, which most have.
Better protection? Again, additives make the difference. Synthetic stock per se doesn't necessarily make an oil better than a fossil to protect your engine, given no oxidation or other contamination.
Easier cold starts, cooler running? Yes and probably. Some do better than others, of course.
Longer service life (of the oil)? Yes.
Longer service life (of the car)? Maybe, but no evidence that I've seen exists.
Better fuel economy? Probably, but marginal.
Basically, synthetics almost universally handle high heat better and flow more readily in extreme cold. They typically oxidize slower, giving better service life--and the higher prices demanded should allow for a better additive package. A well-balanced fossil will be fine for your engine if changed often, but think twice if you own a turbo, which can heat oil to a level that cokes fossil oil, giving rise to a recommendation to use synthetic regardless in these engines.
Synthetic detergent additives tend to clean better than their fossil counterparts, and changing after a prolonged period on fossil products can cause sludge to dissipate, which on the surface is good. But sometimes sludge acts as an surrogate seal, and removing it can expose bad seals and/or gaskets, causing leaks. These should be fixed regardless. When going to synthetic on older engines, change two or three times in 3k intervals, then settle in on 5 or 10k. As sludge dissipates, the oil's TSB (total base number) falls rapidly, reducing it's ability to absorb acids.
, Sat, 18 Nov 2000 13:27:21
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