# What Makes Synthetic Motor Oil Better



## tonyc56 (Nov 9, 2008)

I always change the oil around 3k miles. 

Seeing Is Believing:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/ownership/seeing-is-believing-what-makes-synthetic-motor-oil-better/ar-BBu6noa#image=1


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

> What Makes Synthetic Motor Oil Better


plastic dinosaurs


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Oil analysis is the true determining factor for oil change intervals. They can be far longer than you might believe. Porsche says 15,000 miles with a filter change at 7,500 miles. Putting a magnet on the filter is a good idea.

Synthetic can also escape leaving oil puddles on the ground far easier than dino oil.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Because of the way oil is made anymore and specs for it, pretty much all oil any more even if not listed as such is a synthetic blend.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Synthetic blend my ass... I run Mobile 1 in everything.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

m1911 said:


> Synthetic blend my ass... I run Mobile 1 in everything.


Well good for you. Was just stating the information that all normal oil any more is a blend.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

m1911 said:


> Synthetic blend my ass... I run Mobile 1 in everything.


To my knowledge Mobile 1 is not a true synthetic, overpriced.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

If you're changing your oil every 3k miles synthetic is a waste of money. Although some cars require synthetic to meet warranty.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

avenge said:


> To my knowledge Mobile 1 is not a true synthetic, overpriced.


Well if you can't afford a Bentley, McLaren, Porsche, etc. that spec Mobile 1 you might feel it is overpriced and doesn't work as advertised. Of course is it overpriced if the oil change interval is 15,000 miles? Hmmm...

https://mobiloil.com/en/article/why...car-manufacturers-recommend-mobil-1-motor-oil


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Peter_C said:


> Well if you can't afford a Bentley, McLaren, Porsche, etc. that spec Mobile 1 you might feel it is overpriced and doesn't work as advertised. Of course is it overpriced if the oil change interval is 15,000 miles? Hmmm...
> 
> https://mobiloil.com/en/article/why...car-manufacturers-recommend-mobil-1-motor-oil


I will lose my warranty if I put anything but Mobile 1 in my car. However all oil changes are part of the package when I buy the car. Also you can trust the oil life monitor on your vehicle. It's not done by miles.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

avenge said:


> To my knowledge Mobile 1 is not a true synthetic, overpriced.


You are incorrect, it is full synthetic 

For more than a person would ever want to know this site is for you

http://bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

avenge said:


> To my knowledge Mobile 1 is not a true synthetic, overpriced.


Time to update your knowledge... :laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

A case of mobile 1 is 30 bucks at Costco. Cheap!


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

rrk said:


> You are incorrect, it is full synthetic
> 
> For more than a person would ever want to know this site is for you
> 
> http://bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/


Again to my knowledge the base an oil starts with is what makes it a TRUE synthetic, Mobil 1 starts with a dino base as do many others. If you want a true synthetic Royal Purple would be one.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Californiadecks said:


> A case of mobile 1 is 30 bucks at Costco. Cheap!


And a Porsche only takes 10 qts! Now I want all that for $24.95 at the local quick change oil place.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Californiadecks said:


> A case of mobile 1 is 30 bucks at Costco. Cheap!


A case use to be 12 qts.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> A case of mobile 1 is 30 bucks at Costco. Cheap!


Last time I checked, Costco doesn't have 5w40. :sad:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

m1911 said:


> Last time I checked, Costco doesn't have 5w40. :sad:


40 is a little thick for this climate isn't it? They have 5w-30.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Although I think it's appropriate for some older motors.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Peter_C said:


> And a Porsche only takes 10 qts! Now I want all that for $24.95 at the local quick change oil place.


Like the clowns that would come into the shop with a coupon for a $8.95 oil, filter, and lube for their s class Mercedes. The cartridge filter alone was three times that. I'm talking a few decades ago...:laughing:


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Still doesn't matter. Change it every 3k and you will never need synthetic. That was the point. Is it the best practice? Probably not, but it does make synthetic a moot point.
> 
> I allow my vehicles to get to about 5 or 10% oil life as I should. That's what they were engineered for.


But do you run a synthetic cabin filter?:laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

m1911 said:


> But do you run a synthetic cabin filter?:laughing:


I forgot all about that. Can't believe I put my family in danger like that. :laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I get an alert from onstar which makes an appt for me to take it to get an oil change. All this included in the price of the car.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> I get an alert from onstar which makes an appt for me to take it to get an oil change. All this included in the price of the car.


Don't forget to ask them to check your muffler bearings.:laughing:


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

..and don't forget the blinker fluid:thumbsup:


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Don't forget to tell them to stop tracking everywhere you go.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Leo G said:


> Don't forget to tell them to stop tracking everywhere you go.


I'm okay with that. I was hit from behind once, In about 1 second an onstar advisor automatically came on the phone to get emergency help. She knew exactly where my truck was.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> I'm okay with that. I was hit from behind once, In about 1 second an onstar advisor automatically came on the phone to get emergency help. She knew exactly where my truck was.


Could come in handy, god forbid you're lying in a ditch somewhere unconscious...


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

Californiadecks said:


> I get an alert from onstar which makes an appt for me to take it to get an oil change. All this included in the price of the car.


The day my car ever tries to pull some BS like that is the last day I will own it 

I'll tell it when it's getting an oil change. Every 16000 k or so will do it just fine.

My old VW diesel leaked oil like no tomorrow it saw an oil change like every 50 000k I figures pouring new oil in was enough.


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

Californiadecks said:


> I'm okay with that. I was hit from behind once, In about 1 second an onstar advisor automatically came on the phone to get emergency help. She knew exactly where my truck was.


I've hit a couple things from behind myself


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

SectorSecurity said:


> The day my car ever tries to pull some BS like that is the last day I will own it
> 
> I'll tell it when it's getting an oil change. Every 16000 k or so will do it just fine.
> 
> My old VW diesel leaked oil like no tomorrow it saw an oil change like every 50 000k I figures pouring new oil in was enough.


I elected to have it done. My car doen't force me to do anything. It can be turned off. It also tells me what my tire pressure is and gives an engine and drive train diagnostics. It sends me an email every month. Tells me what's left of the oil life as well.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

SectorSecurity said:


> The day my car ever tries to pull some BS like that is the last day I will own it
> 
> I'll tell it when it's getting an oil change. Every 16000 k or so will do it just fine.
> 
> My old VW diesel leaked oil like no tomorrow it saw an oil change like every 50 000k I figures pouring new oil in was enough.


Those oil life computers are not just a milage thing. They compute other things as well. They are more trustworthy than a guess by the owner.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

SectorSecurity said:


> I've hit a couple things from behind myself


You a pitcher? :laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Rio said:


> Like Cali says, change it every 3k and it's a moot point.


I cooked Mobile 1 5W-30 with the extended life in under 1000 miles. Regular Mobile 1 handles that driving fine - it'll go 4K or more under those conditions.


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## Rio (Oct 13, 2009)

I listen to a car repair show when I drive out to the back country and the head honcho was saying that when they open up the vehicles that have religiously changed their oil every 3,000 miles the engine components look brand new. He also said this isn't the case when the owner has followed the manufacturer's recommendations for oil changes. 

These guys have two or three pretty big shops and work on a lot of cars. They also make the point that the car manufacturers only really care about your car or truck making it through the warranty period. 

It was after listening to them that I got disciplined on changing the oil every 3k miles.


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## sefiroxx (May 27, 2016)

Synthetics provide longer hydrocarbon chains. The longer chains can break but still apply appropriate lubrication. However, most synthetics on the market contain a mix of chain lengths. The Mobil extended performance oil is refined to include a higher ratio of longer chains, thus giving the longer 15,000 duration

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

Big trucks go 50,000 miles between changes and last a million miles. Yes, they have a lot of oil, but clearly there's more to engine longevity than 3k oil changes.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Golden view said:


> Big trucks go 50,000 miles between changes and last a million miles. Yes, they have a lot of oil, but clearly there's more to engine longevity than 3k oil changes.


High capacity oil filters...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

m1911 said:


> High capacity oil filters...


Some also run supplemental systems like this:

http://www.dieselcraft.com/engine-oil.php


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Big rigs also do oil analysis every 5,000-10,000 miles to catch any problems ahead of time. 




m1911 said:


> Could come in handy, god forbid you're lying in a ditch somewhere unconscious...


One of my friends working for the fire department in Marin County rolled on scene to an Onstar call that was non receptive with an airbag deployment. The fire crew communicating with Onstar kept saying they couldn't see the vehicle, yet Onstar kept insisting it was within 100 yards to the West. It took someone rigging a rope and dropping over the cliff to see the Cadillac with the man still inside. After recovery he visited the fire department and thanked them stating he would never own another vehicle without Onstar. Chances are he would have died in his vehicle had it not been for Onstar. 

My Suburban had Onstar and I called and asked for directions once before Smart phones were invented. Other than that with cell phones I didn't bother renewing it for the ridiculous sum of money per year.


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