Poll: Synthetic engine oil or no?
 

Just wondering who uses synthetic oil in their engines? If so, who has got the best one out there?

Hey G

I use Castrol Racing straight 40 weight. I change it every 25 hours and you know how hard I run mine. I don't think synthetic is worth the expense and you don't run your stuff that hard. If you want the Castrol I can hook you up at a good price. Catch ya later.

Dave

I have read several articles on this topic...... synthetic is great stuff.... BUT..... The bottom lilne is that it shouldn't be used in engines that sits between uses.... They said that regular oil adheres better over a long period of time.... This seemed to be the general theme in several articles that I have read..... I am from the school of changing oil more often using the regular oil....

i dont use .

Amsoil all the way.

I use Mobile synthetic every 10 hours, thats to keep my warranty up with KE. Then I give that oil to my guys so they can put it in our shop trucks.:D

I use amsoil in the motors and redline in the drives ,,,, If KEITH E.
uses syn, and chevy in their pride and joy corvette and dodge in their viper we should all use it for performance boating ,,,,,its along way ahead of conv. :D :D :D :D :D syn.all the way,:D :D

Redline Race oil changed every 25 hours (14qts each motor).
Also run pre-lubers before each start.

FYI,

This is what I have heard repeatedly over the years:

Most "racing" oil is lacking in many of the additives and detergents that are useful in prolonging an oil's "shelf life" in an engine. A racing application is usually one in which the oil runs one race weekend and is then changed (even cheap racers change oil every weekend). Racing oil is formulated to holdup "better" to concentrated heat and pinpoint loads. Shear strength and film strength are of a very high priority. You will also not see multi-vis racing oil cause a race engine is always properly brought up to temperature before it is run hard.

Blowby contaminates the oil, and racing oil lacks the stuff (emulsifiers and such) to keep the blowby contaminates in suspension for a long time like streetcar oil.

I have heard that it is ill-advised to use racing oil in a non-racing application. That was twenty five years ago and maybe even racing oils are not lacking in the additives now?

Thoughts?


Also, as far as lube change intervals, Catman. Even "regular" oils don't wear out. They get contaminated with combustion byproducts and blowby. They also break down and get metal and bearing particulates in suspension. Changeout intervals are designed to get the crap out of the oilpan more so than to time the wearing out of an oil.

I highly recommend to everybody to send an oil sample off for analysis if you are using a longer than recommended oil change interval (the engine mfr's interval, not the oil mfrs interval). Any diesel engine dealer will have the oil kit to send it off. That way you can feel good or bad depending on the results...

I like synthetics.
I usually run Mercruiser oil in my boat. Rotella in my diesels. Bike-specific synthetics in my bikes, el-cheapo TCWIII 2-stroke oil in my jetskis, Merc hi-perf 2-stroke in my outboards. Mobil 1 in my cars, and castor-less synthetic 2-stroke oil in my dirtbikes.

Mobil 1 before every race and after every race.

Mobil 1

ROYAL PURPLE #1
 

There has been no oil that comes even close to Royal Purple. That is the only oil that Martin Offshore use for all our customers! Even in our race boat, it does miracles.
Royal purple bit any other oil on a Failex test.

JM94;)


Almost forgot, we are also a distributor!:D :D ;)

I hear Royal purple and Redline, are two of the best, I use Mobil-1, because I get it free at my job, and change it every 20 hours, so far so good,

Unless you're bad about changing oil with frequency, there's no benefit whatsoever to using synthetic oil. Synthetics don't break down as quick because of their tolerance of higher heat levels.

The real question concerning synthetic oils is with their lack of resistance do they help provide an extra rpm or two in if used in the outdrive? With their high heat resistance are they not better suited for the outdrive than they are for the engine (unless you're frequently late to change it)? These are the real synthetic questions to be pondered......:cool:

Reckless,

On my hotrodded outboards (9000 rpm lake racers), not only did Amsoil give me 200 rpm, the gears stopped eating themselves. With Merc conventional gear lube, the gears lasted 10 hours the first time after a rebuild. Second rebuild was checked and rechecked and lasted maybe 15 hours on conventional lube. Third rebuild was checked and rechecked and Amsoil was used. Those gears are still in it (in a barn) I probably ran it another 70 hours after that last rebuild. No particles in the lube and nothing stuck to the magnet.

Not selling Amsoil - I feel that all name brand hi-tech synthetics are absolutely THE stuff to use in anything that is running close to the edge.

mcollinstn you make my point. I believe all the yap about synthetic in the engines is misplaced as per my comments above. I think synthetic oil's real benefit to the powerboat community lies in the outdrive...

The man who builds my motors, marine & auto, showed me the inside of two 358 modified motors after one season of racing... one used Mobil 1, the other Castrol , I use Mobil 1 based on what I saw & his advice.... he does NOT recomend synthetic in Blower Motors... I don't know why for certain, but I believe it had to do with bearing wear? I use NAPA racing filters... so far so good!

Mobile 1

I look at it like this. Mobile brings it right out of the ground to the finished product. I think they understand oil as well if not better than anyone out there.

The product has never let me down.

1999 Baja 454 150 Hours
2000 Baja 502 Mag 200 Hours
2002 Baja Twin 500 EFI's 78 Hours

I have had NO failures and have no reason to change.

Good Luck

TWO WORD...ROYAL PURPLE!

50 hour oil changes...wow!...never gone 5 HOURS on my pleasure boat. our race boat gets it after testing and after the race! like some else said,,,,EVEN the cheapest racer changes it once every race!

Mobil 1

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dock Holiday
[B]Mobile 1

I look at it like this. Mobile brings it right out of the ground to the finished product. I think they understand oil as well if not better than anyone out there.
------------------------------------------------
Hey Dock if it comes out of the ground is it still a syn. oil ???

Only valvoline and some others mix the conv. and syn .oils and call it a blend like durablend ,ect. ?????:confused: :confused:

Just alittle warning ,Blower motors need syn. oil 10 times worse than n/a motors the load on the bearing is by far greater and heat build up is higher ,this is where the syn . exccells in loads and heat ! Its tons better,!!!!--- Mobile 1 ,amsoil,royal purple ,heck any of them would far better protection in a blower or NOS,motor ,Look at indy cars with 50 lbs of boost they run syn .

Hope this helps you understand :D :D :D
have a good week-end

I just run the regular stuff. Except for this winter I ussually keep the oil changes frequent and that seems to be fine. I went out for a boat ride then the weather turned on me and I have not been able to pull the boat out since. :(

Jon

I pre-mix in my tanks (outboards) cause I had and oil injection pump go bad once and nuke a motor, I run amsoil synthetic only. it is like $20 per tank in oil as pensoil non syntheic is only like $8, cheep insurance. I have no technical reason other than peice of mind

Reckless288,

You support my argument on why to use synthetic. That one time you have a high heat condition in the motor the synthetic will not break down and may have a better chance of saving the motor VS regular oil. Cheap Insurance

AMEN !!!!

I guess the bottom line truly is what makes you feel comfortable thar you've done all you can do to protect your investment is worth the extra money...

ROYAL PURPLE !!!!!!!!!!!! still pull it every 20 -25 hours though

nope...

So, you guys are all running synthetics for break-in too?

I run Valvoline VR-40 in my engine.

I was thinking of running REDLINE SHOCKPROOF OIL in my drive I hear it's great. but what weight do you run? Heavy, medium or lightweight?????? I seen it on www.fishermotorsport.com

10W40 AMSOIL SYNTHETIC
 

I change the oil and filter every spring and change the filter and add a little around July 4. So far so good!:D

Just a thought on running synthetics in the drive.
Is the Merc drive lube a synthetic blend?
Do the other synthetic lubes mix with water?
Does Merc lube mix with water?

Just the questions that ran through my head before I made my choice;)

Royal Purple, motor with preluber, and out drive. I did some tests and found a 12 degree difference with the RP in the outdrive. It ran cooler! It runs longer and stays cleaner. Water seperates faster than the dino stuff.. just my .02

I run the dino stuff for break in.. maybe 10hrs.

Dick

formula31, no I wouldn't recommend using synthetic diring break in. In fact I'd wait until about 100 hours, then do it if you were so inclined.

I still think that the question concerning the benefits of synthetic oil, revolves around the outdrive versus the engine...

YES - Mercruiser Hi-Perf Drive lube will absorb water. It was formulated to do so.

Most drive lubes, synthetic or otherwise will not absorb water, but will "milkshake". If you let them sit, the water will drop out of suspension and some parts near the bottom will be susceptible to rust.

Do not break a motor in on synthetic. 10k miles on a car or 25 hours on a boat before swapping to syn lube.

Probably wouldn't hurt to run a fresh drive on Merc HiPerf for ten hours or so at 80% or less before swapping also (although I have always gone straight to synthetic in the drives).

Ok, so how do the new engines that have synthetic in them from the start work? Do they have special rings or honing that allows this?

Ok I attended a G.M. Tech College program. I have spoken to may builders and engineers. They said there are many FALSE rumors about oil. Synthetic Oil is better for high rev rpm's and heat but normal driven motors don't reallt need it. As far as break in time. NOTHING was wrong with running sythetic's It's all in that "doughnut symbol that is on the back of the quart of oil. it all reads the same n tests OK as far as GM is concerned for motors.

They did say some transmissions and rears don't seem to like synthetics. So i think this all comes back to this? What came first the chicken or the egg?
:p 2 feet of snow here In Philly n counting

Mobil Delvac 1 - I have friends that used the Mobil 1 and switched to the Mobil Delvac 1 and like it much better.