Synthetic Oil Questions

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Gary, Oct 11, 2005.

  1. Gary

    Gary Guest

    Do you think Saturn would kill my warranty if I wanted to use a synthetic or
    part synthetic oil like Mobil 1 or Clean 7500? I have the 2005 ION QC (not
    redline) and the manual is pretty explicit on regular oil, but I want to
    have this car last a good long time and the Clean 7500 is less than $3 a
    quart. Also I like having the dealership do the maintenance until the
    warranty is expired, so since they do not stock Clean 7500 I would have to
    provide it.

    Or is Mobil 1 that much better and worth the extra money?
     
    Gary, Oct 11, 2005
    #1
  2. Gary

    Blah Blah Guest

    You shouldnt use synthetics until your engine is broken in which is
    about 9000 miles. Synthetic Oils last a long time but oil filters can
    still load up before 4000 miles.
     
    Blah Blah, Oct 11, 2005
    #2
  3. Gary

    Paul Guest

    You can use synthetic oil from day one in your car. Corvettes and
    others come from the factory with mobil1.


    Paul
     
    Paul, Oct 11, 2005
    #3
  4. You'll gain nothing by using $ynthetic in ANY vehicle. Save your money.
     
    Steve Barker LT, Oct 12, 2005
    #4
  5. Gary

    Blah Blah Guest

    Yeah if you never want your piston rings to correctly seat themselves.
    I doubt many here can afford the cars Mobil 1 comes pre-installed in.
    Vette owners at one time had a notice sent to them in the mail that
    stated not to change the oil for 40,000 miles or so. It was an attempt
    to help the engines break in and seal. GM later recanted that.

    Thats a lot of bs in such a small statement...
     
    Blah Blah, Oct 12, 2005
    #5
  6. Gary

    Lane Guest

    You'll gain nothing by using $ynthetic in ANY vehicle.

    That depends on how you drive your car or if you plan on keeping it long
    enough to see the longevity benefit (which most people nowadays do not).

    I had a motor go bad at 93k. I typically ran Quaker State regular oil in
    it, and religiously changed the oil every 3000 miles since it was new. When
    I opened up the dead motor, I COULD NOT believe how dirty and gunked up it
    was inside. It was amazing. You can see photos in the project section of
    my website.

    Conversely, the replacement motor which went in and I bought new - I
    switched it to synthetic at 500 miles and it is now up to 47k. I recently
    opened it up to replace the valve cover gasket and was again shocked at what
    I saw inside this motor as well - but in a good way. The top end still
    looked new as can be, and as though oil never touched the insides. It
    looked so good I had to take a picture.

    I'm sold on synthetic from a longevity standpoint, and also use it in my
    race car since it sees much harsher than normal duty. It also prevents the
    motor in my daily driver from making odd noises on startup after it is
    parked outside overnight in winters where the temp can get as low as -40 (in
    the -60s with windchill). That has to be hard on a motor.

    Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
     
    Lane, Oct 12, 2005
    #6
  7. Gary

    Bob Shuman Guest

    I've heard similar stories from several other Quaker State oil users. I
    have no idea if they are caused by the oil or not, but stay away from QS
    just in case. This is similar to the Fram oil filter situation which I also
    avoid like the plague.

    Bob
     
    Bob Shuman, Oct 12, 2005
    #7
  8. Gary

    Blah Blah Guest

    Conventional QS has a pretty high ash content when compaired to other
    oils. Synthetic oils have no ash content. Thats one reason why
    Synthetics dont sludge up, cake up, or create dirt seals. This is why
    people think synthetics "Create" leaks. They do nothing to replenish
    dirt seals.
     
    Blah Blah, Oct 12, 2005
    #8
  9. Gary

    Bob Shuman Guest

    Yes, I've heard the same thing about Quaker State. As I recall the postings
    I've read attributed this to Pennsylvania crude in general ... Although I
    can't help but wonder if Quaker State actually still comes out of the PN
    crude any more.

    Bob
     
    Bob Shuman, Oct 12, 2005
    #9
  10. Gary

    punxyguy Guest

    I would rec it. because synthetic don't break down or tar up. it is made to
    protect and condition.
     
    punxyguy, Nov 2, 2005
    #10
  11. Gary

    p_vouers Guest

    I have always used Mogile 1 oil and have 148k on my 97 sl2.
    I did a heck of a lot of research prior than picking abd synthetic and
    Mobil 1 won out on all.. and it is the only non detergent syn out
    there.
    I also use the BEST oil filter I can and if available would use mobile
    1's oil filter ($10) a pop. The thing that sold me the most was the
    motorhome test that used mobile one in a 440 dodge for 100k miles then
    broke down the engine and found NO apprecable wear at all on the
    engine. The last car I had use to have an oil pressure gauge and even
    at -20 out it would start and go immediatly to 60 psi oil pressure..
    wish there was a way to put an oil guage on the saturn but saturn says
    no.
     
    p_vouers, Nov 2, 2005
    #11
  12. Gary

    blah blah Guest

    This is an old thread and PureOne is a better oil filter though.
     
    blah blah, Nov 2, 2005
    #12
  13. Gary

    Lane Guest

    wish there was a way to put an oil guage on the saturn but saturn says
    No, they won't do it? Or, no, they feel there is no way?

    I have oil pressure & oil temp gauges on both of my Saturns and it's not
    that difficult to do. I don't know that this would tell you anything useful
    on a street-driven car, but if you want to install one, info on what I did
    is here: http://www.evilplastic.com/94mod4.htm#gauges .

    Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
     
    Lane, Nov 3, 2005
    #13
  14. Gary

    p_vouers Guest

    No they feel there is no way. Of course we were looking to adapt the
    current oil sensor to have both and that might be the problem.. May I
    ask how and where you connected your electronic sensor to. I have a 97
    sl2 stick. Also you have done some excellent things to your vehicles..
    they look sharp.
    Those dog bones.. did they help the saturn buzz when it is cold?? I
    changed the upper mount for it was ripped along the bottom and that
    helped 95%. I took one of the bones off and it was metal with rubber
    bushings so I was afraid to install the solid rubber ones. Never looked
    at the drivers side but I'll be checking it when I check the
    transmission mount..

    Thanks
    Phil
     
    p_vouers, Nov 3, 2005
    #14
  15. Gary

    C. E. White Guest

    NON-DETERGENT????????? What do you mean? Mobil 1 definitely includes
    detergents just like conventional motor oils. Maybe you mean it doesn't
    include vicosity improvers?
    If there is an oil pressure switch, there is a way to add a guage. Just go
    to www.jcwhitney.com and search for one.

    BTW, The often criticized Consumer Reports oil evaluation (using taxi cabs)
    found very little wear when conventional oil was used. They saw no
    substantial difference in wear between conventional and synthetic oil when
    it was changed regularly.

    Ed
     
    C. E. White, Nov 3, 2005
    #15
  16. Gary

    blah blah Guest

    Taxi Cabs dont do enough cold start cycles to wear out an engine. Thats
    where you get a majority of the wear these days.

    Every car will have an oil pressure "light". A oil pressure "gage" is
    sometimes not optional. The difference in the sensors would be that one
    is a "switch" while the other is a "potentiometer". You can install the
    potentiometer type but where are you going to stick the readout? Thats
    where the dealer probably had an issue. Personally I think trying to
    change that would be a waste of money.
     
    blah blah, Nov 3, 2005
    #16
  17. The '94 sl1 I had now has 234,000 on it. Never used anythin but an AC oil
    filter and straight 30 no name oil. Changed at 3k. Oil's oil if you change
    it regular. No need for $ynthetics except to line the makers pockets.
     
    Steve Barker LT, Nov 7, 2005
    #17
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