Those who use synthetic motor oil, have you increased time between changes??
- Thread starter Jeff T
- Start date
I'm not a doctor or anything, but, change it at 10k in the 8-10 month range then? Synthetic oil is also stable in almost every application for a year or more. You're seriously wasting your money.
truckmike26
New member
As I just changed the transfer case and diferential to synthetic and really like the change I'm contemplating changing the engine oil to synthetic as well.
With my job I will drive 1000-1250 a week when busy and a good 90% of that is highway miles cruising. I would change my oil and filter every 5k.
So I'm curious what intervals folks are using for synthetic?
Are you using a special filter as well?
Thanks from the synthetic rookie!
Get an oil analysis. It's an accurate way to determine acceptable change intervals for how you drive.
Use a Toyota filter. Where I live they're cheaper than the box stores' so-called "premium" filters. Royal Purple filters are supposed to be super-duper but they're pricey.
Better still, go to this site:
www.bobistheoilguy.com
There's enough oil/filter info/opinions there for the rest of time.
12guns
New member
Well, I'll throw in my .02. My first vehicle was a 96' 3.4 4x4 Tacoma. I changed the oil every 3k miles religiously w/ plain ole' Penzoil 10-w30 w/ a crappy Fram filter. I traded that truck in with 284k miles and going strong.
With the 4runner I took the opportunity to switch to a sythetic. I've tried a couple brands, and done a TON of reading. I ended up w/ Penzoil Platnim Ultra. I'll be going a full 10k between changes for the first time in my life! I'm pumped that our V8's are easy on the oil and can allow us to go that far and farther. I'll be sending off an oil sample this time. Oh, and I think I used a Mobil One filter? Not sure, it's been a few months!
With the 4runner I took the opportunity to switch to a sythetic. I've tried a couple brands, and done a TON of reading. I ended up w/ Penzoil Platnim Ultra. I'll be going a full 10k between changes for the first time in my life! I'm pumped that our V8's are easy on the oil and can allow us to go that far and farther. I'll be sending off an oil sample this time. Oh, and I think I used a Mobil One filter? Not sure, it's been a few months!
Maybe you can use Jiffy Lube's guidance of 3 months or 3k miles.
Speaking of overkill, who adds BG MOA to their synthetic oil?
http://www.bgprod.com/products/engineoil.html
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I have a 2003 4Runner at 255k.
I have been running Mobil 1 Synthetic at 7500 intervals until about 06 or 07 and have running Mobil 1 Synthetic Extended Protection at 15000 mi intervals since then.
Most importantly, check out Welcome as previously mentioned where you can find REAL data oil performance that will clearly demonstrate improved performance of modern synthetics (ie, everyone's newest top of the line $7/qt) as well as demonstrate that they can be run successfully at intervals MUCH higher than 15k if desired.
I have been running Mobil 1 Synthetic at 7500 intervals until about 06 or 07 and have running Mobil 1 Synthetic Extended Protection at 15000 mi intervals since then.
Most importantly, check out Welcome as previously mentioned where you can find REAL data oil performance that will clearly demonstrate improved performance of modern synthetics (ie, everyone's newest top of the line $7/qt) as well as demonstrate that they can be run successfully at intervals MUCH higher than 15k if desired.
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SkylineGTRracer
New member
I change mine whenever the light goes on. It just me and its also added confidence for myself. I would say if you really wanted to push it do an oil filter by pass. I have seen these on a few diesel trucks and they really push there oil, think around 15,000-20,000 miles. Thats how much driving they do in a month so it really saves them some money and their engine.
CJ3Flyr
Super Moderator
Are you doing a filter change at 7500mi or running the filter the whole 15k?
PaulB-2006 T4R
New member
The M1 EP is good for up to 15,000 miles but filters are not. I change my oil around 12,000 miles and the filter at 6,000.
In general with synthetic oils you should oil a synthetic filter media like, M1, K&N, PueOne and the TRD Oil Filter (same as the K&N). The bobistheoilguy.com is a great read for the auto crazed, Bob's write ups talk about syn oil with syn media.
In general with synthetic oils you should oil a synthetic filter media like, M1, K&N, PueOne and the TRD Oil Filter (same as the K&N). The bobistheoilguy.com is a great read for the auto crazed, Bob's write ups talk about syn oil with syn media.
swise
New member
I use synthetics only because it will flow more easily in winter on cold engine start up than conventional, which IMHO reduces wear. I still change it at 3K because I am Anal Retentive and Obsessive compulsive, but really blow by gases get in crankcase regardless of oil type and will break down either type.
I have switched between syn and dino oil in the last 5 vehicles I've owned and never had a leak, even after putting 130K on a ford ranger that was swiched between the two types of oil yearly.
I have switched between syn and dino oil in the last 5 vehicles I've owned and never had a leak, even after putting 130K on a ford ranger that was swiched between the two types of oil yearly.
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To be honest, usually you get a better cold viscous rating, and longer in-use life. For instance, dino oil is good for ~6 months/5k miles in most applications. I say 'most' because if you live in extreme climates, you need to adjust.
Synthetic blends are good for 6-12 months, or 7500-10k miles. Fully synthetics (or just regular synthetics, since AmsOil is the only full synthetic I know of) are good for 10-15k miles (minimum), or 12+ months. As you can see, the level of a synthetic blend is really just a midrange point between dino oil and synthetic oil. It's like buying midgrade gasoline; it's just a mixture of regular and premium.
No, I haven't increased my oil change interval. I change the oil at 5000 miles and the vast majority of the time it's with Mobil 1.
Why? It's only a couple of bucks difference, the light is annoying, it's a good time to rotate the tires, the cabin filter needs to get changed, etc.
Could I use dino and save myself the $10-14? Sure. I could also feel safe going to 7500 (e.g. cross country road trip doesn't fit into a 5k interval) w/o worry on Mobil 1
$40k vehicle and I'm going to complain about an extra $14 every 5k miles? Hahaha. I can use 87 compared to some of our competition and that's definitely more than $14/5k (5000 miles /18mpg x $.2/gal diff = ~$55 for 92 oct)
Why? It's only a couple of bucks difference, the light is annoying, it's a good time to rotate the tires, the cabin filter needs to get changed, etc.
Could I use dino and save myself the $10-14? Sure. I could also feel safe going to 7500 (e.g. cross country road trip doesn't fit into a 5k interval) w/o worry on Mobil 1
$40k vehicle and I'm going to complain about an extra $14 every 5k miles? Hahaha. I can use 87 compared to some of our competition and that's definitely more than $14/5k (5000 miles /18mpg x $.2/gal diff = ~$55 for 92 oct)
I see what you're getting at here man, but the point of not having to service your vehicle that often makes it's own stand. Is there a huge monetary difference? No, not really. But I don't want to spend more, AND reap ZERO benefits from it. It's kind of like people that always fill up their tanks when they get to halfway. Why would they give you an 18 gallon tank if you only use it for 9? You're literally throwing away (or recycling, since I see you're in SF), PERFECTLY GOOD OIL. If you use the 5k interval for other routine maintenance on your rig, then great. But switch to dino so you're not wasting money.
webby
New member
I didn't see it mentioned, so I will ask -- Is there any potential benefit in gas mileage due to using synthetic oil versus conventional oil?
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that I read that Toyota is putting synthetic oil in the 5th Gen 4Runner OEM in an attempt to push the gas mileage average.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that I read that Toyota is putting synthetic oil in the 5th Gen 4Runner OEM in an attempt to push the gas mileage average.
Minuscule. Once dino oil gets warm, it's viscous rating is true, so for maybe 30 seconds on a colds start is the engine working harder to move the oil. So maybe .10% more efficient. Not ten percent, but a tenth of a percent. Toyota (and any car manufacturer) would only change to synthetic oil to increase time between services. It's a pretty big selling point when you say, "you only need a service every 10k", instead of the usual 5. People hate servicing their cars; they'll pay more to do it less.
I've been running 15k filter changes, using FRAM Extended Guard. According to more reliable sources than myself, I should be using a higher quality filter to push 15k and should be changing at 7500 or 10k with a mid-grade filter like FRAM EG.
RonMAIDEN
Super Moderator
IMO it's more about the time your oil is in your engine vs how many miles are on it or at least in part. It would take me 2 years to hit 15k miles vs somebody who puts the same 15k within a year or even less. As long as my oil gets changed before 12 months are on it i'm fine. My 12 months is in two weeks and I've got 8047 miles on the oil so it's due.
I've got 163k on the odo and it's been using synthetic since 97k miles and it's a quiet sludge free engine and the only gaskets that have been replaced was the front seal along with a TB change at 138k and I did the rear seal for good measure when the tranny seal by the bell housing developed a leak last month otherwise it's been pretty smooth sailing with my truck since I bought it 6 years ago.
I've got 163k on the odo and it's been using synthetic since 97k miles and it's a quiet sludge free engine and the only gaskets that have been replaced was the front seal along with a TB change at 138k and I did the rear seal for good measure when the tranny seal by the bell housing developed a leak last month otherwise it's been pretty smooth sailing with my truck since I bought it 6 years ago.
Won't disagree there. I guess it's there's also the difference between people who dread taking their car to the dealer to get something done and those who don't mind cracking the hood to clean things out.
LED lights? Sure, that's a good hour. HID in driving and fogs? Why not, that's a pleasant Saturday. Springs and spacers? Damn, only the fronts?!? Bull bar because no push bar exists? Sigh if I must. Ewww, rear fog light mod! May I have some more
I may switch to dino. The guys on the Cummins Diesel forums can't afford to use synthetic (where we measure in quarts, they measure in gallons) and they go 350k-800k w/o incident. Well, the truck falls apart around them but the engine holds up.
My supposition is that for ~5k, dino is 100% okay as long as you change the filter also and nothing else breaks (e.g. headgasket). You won't see any change apart from potential peace of mind, and that runs you about $14/5000 miles.
