Quote:
Originally Posted by AuSeeker
I owned my T4R for 4 years and switched to synthetic when I bought it, it's the V8 and had some minor oil leaking around the valve covers when I got it, not sure what type oil was used in it prior, I did retorque the valve covers but there's still some minor leaking, the strange thing is that I fill it to the proper level and check it about a week after every oil change to be sure it's still at the full mark, I change the oil at 7500 miles intervals and the oil is always still at the full level every time when I change it.
I couldn't figure out how it was leaking enough to be noticeably "wet" but never show as being low on the dipstick after 7500 miles....but then our buddy captsolo pointed out how the synthetic is "slick" and I know it thinner than conventional oil and I think I got it figure out...the synthetic is slick and thin enough to leak out passed the bad valve cover gaskets...but those same qualities is letting it leak back into the engine, it the only explanation and I think I remember in one of the Scotty's videos that captsolo posted that Scotty mentioned that this can happen and since he has 50 years experience and since I only have 45 years experience doing mechanical work I BELIEVE HIM!!!
But all kidding aside synthetic is very thin so any little leak is going to look much worst than it actually is, it never leaks enough to cause any drips under the vehicle, I do plan on replacing the valve cover gaskets when I replace the plugs in the near future.
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The amount of synthetic that was dripping on my garage floor was not significant but certainly annoying. Switching back to conventional stopped the drips almost entirely. I change conventional oil every 5000 miles so I don't see any need for synthetic - at two times the cost.
2005 4runner purchased new. Has 150,000 miles and runs like new.
Actually, I have no plans to change over to synthetic after the first experience and the "drips"..
Owners have a right to run whatever oil they choose. It's just, I don't see any benefits in using synthetic "to increase milage"; better performance, engineer durability. Other myths!!!
There simply is no proof if you change the conventional every 5000 miles you are going to end up worse than when using an expensive synthetic.
Oils are much better today than 40 years ago.
UPDATE 11/15/2020 5:40AM): since the second conventional oil change I don't even see a drop of oil on my garage floor. The synthetic leaked like my old Northstar (all the time), and made a never-ending "mess".
As firebirdguy says (and I don't know where he got the info), my house in the Gated community in the Bahamas cost me $550 in cash to build 20 years ago but is worth over $1M today. His thinking I am an oil expert is his joke. Never claimed any such thing.
My Old 15-year-old 4 runners does leak on synthetic. I've seen it in my own driveway and garage. Went back to conventional and the dripping mess stopped - c o m p l e t ely.
