Advice / help. OK to switch to synthetic oil?

[jo1q]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2004 v8 SE 4x4 that I bought new in APril 2004.

I don't put many miles on it, I have 5,300 miles on it... but do drive it 5 days a week, just not real far (3 miles to work, then back - use the wifes rig for trips).


It is getting cold again here in MT and was wondering if everyone thought that the engine would be broke in enough to switch over to synthetic. Should I wait, or has it been long enough.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!

 

[sharp4runr]

Sounds like you've got plenty of miles. There are a lot of oil threads. Do a search and you'll see a lot of opinions on that subject.

 

[peter78]

I didn't know ther was a break in period. Some cars are sold brand new with synthetic oil. It also sounds like you need to go by months of service on the oil and not the mileage. A example of what I mean is, you should change the oil 5,000 miles or 5 months. If you go by 3,000 miles then it would be 3 months, which ever comes first. I have had cars that do not get driven much and I tend to go a little further with the month cut off. I used to go 4 to 5 months on conventional oil with only 2,000 miles. I usually change 3,000 miles when I drive normally.

With synthetic oil you might want to go 8 months or 5,000 miles. I would not leave any oil in a car a few years even if you have low mileage.

 

[Baba Booey]

I agree with peter78's advice. I imagine that you see some pretty cold temps in Montana, and so a synthetic may be a good idea.

Your oil's worst enemy is those short trips, which usually lead to a significant amount of fuel dilution in your oil. Your oil (not coolant temp) is never getting up to operating temp in those 3 miles, and so you will experience a great deal of fuel dilution, which degrades your oil. The cold weather exacerbates this problem because cold engines run rich.

I would recommend a quality syn oil (maybe even a 0w-30 like Amsoil's Series 2000) and changing it every six months or so, especially after the cold weather subsides somewhat in the spring.

It would be a good idea to try and get the vehicle out at least once a week to stretch its legs and burn that fuel, and perhaps water from condensation, out of the oil. Try driving it at least 20 miles once a week if you can.