Will switching from Synthetic to Dyno oil harm my engine?

I have a 99 Altima with 66,000 miles on it now. I've been using Mobil 1 since 40,000 miles and to be frank I dont see the cost benifits to use mobil

1 on a "economical" car. Is it safe to switch back to dyno oil or will it harm my engine?

thanks

Reply to
elmo
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There is NEVER a "cost benifit" to using sythetic oil. I hope you haven't been trying to go 15,000 between changes? Switching back and forth isn't a good idea IMHO but if I was going to switch back, I'd change to dino oil and then change it again in about 1000 miles to help "flush out" whatever was left and then change every 3000 there after.

Reply to
Steve T

Thanks, no I've been changing oil every 6000 miles.

Reply to
elmo

Sure there's a cost benefit of using a "real" synthetic oil under certain conditions. If it's freezing (think Minnesota) it should help with startup. If it's ridiculously hot, it can help if the cooling system fails. Synthetic is excellent for forced induction engines.

It's also getting to the point where certain manufacturers effectively mandate the use of synthetic oils. BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz use Valvoline or Mobil 1 synthetics from the factory. Some high performance engines (Corvettes and Vipers) come with synthetic from the factory.

Reply to
y_p_w

Yes, it's perfectly safe to switch back (and forth again) if you want. The oils are fully compatible with each other. If you change oil at the usual too often intervals there is no real benefit to synthetic except for really cold places if you have trouble cranking on regular oil.

-- Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789

Reply to
AZGuy

Maybe it's just that us AZ guys think alike, but the answer is "yes" - there are no risks at all with switching from synthetic to dino oil. In older cars, especially those with an uncertain oil change history or lots of hours in hot environments (like Arizona, for example), switching from dino to synthetic can dissolve deposits that old and hardened seals were depending on. The affected seals can then leak - the same applies to using "engine flush" products, as I found out the hard way when I was young and more foolish.

Synthetic and dino are totally compatable, and blends are available. Some of my friends use one quart of synthetic when they change their oil, and they probably get most of the benefits of synthetic at a much lower price. In my mind, the main value in synthetic is the much higher detergency. If oil changes are kept up with dino oil, the engine itself stays clean inside, but PCV passages and throttle bodies build up deposits that can be expected to cause trouble eventually. In my 85 turbo Volvo, the turbo is still going strong at 230K miles because of the regular oil changes, but I've had the throttle body off for cleaning several times. I always have to use a drill bit to clean the vacuum nipples when I wait more than a year or two. Last year the actual hoses in the crankcase ventilation system plugged up with deposits (these are like 3/8" hoses!) and I had to replace them. Lost 3 quarts of oil blown all over the engine when that happened on the freeway - about a pint a minute. The Volvo gurus tell me these things don't happen with synthetic.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

There is a cost benefit if your time is worth something. I have been using AMSOIL for over 20 years in all types of vehicles and typically do

10,000 mile oil changes - about almost twice what I would be doing with dino oil. When I recently sold my Hardbody with 120k miles, the buyers jaw dropped when he opened the oil fill on the valve cover as it looked brand new inside. He was a mechanic BTW. None of my vehicles have ever had any problems with any lubricated part. Granted, it is possible that changing dino oil at those intervals *may* achieve the same results with less piece of mind (unless you own a V6 Toyota sludg monster anyhow)

Even if it cost me an extra $20 for the oil change, the fact that I only have to mess with it 1/2 as much is well worth it to me.

From your post, you appear to be on the 3000 mile oil change camp. This is definitely an artifact form the 60's and 70's where engine tolerances sucked and oil was not nearly as good as it is today and is completely unecessary in today's vehicles (again, unless you have a Toyota V6).

Regards,

Reply to
Rob Munach

The facts don't agree with your opinion:

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It's perfectly OK to switch back and forth every oil chaage, if that turns you on.

Reply to
FanJet

This nonsense has been around since the advent of synthetic auto engine oil three decades ago. It wasn't true then, and it still isn't.

The only place synthetic oils have "higher detergency" is...in your mind.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

...perhaps not for your cars in your driving conditions. Problem with a word like "never" is that all it takes is one counterexample to render your statement false.

The engine is not a toilet. It does not need to be "flushed".

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

It's perfectly safe. You don't have to do anything special -- no "flush" of any kind is needed. Just make sure to use an oil of the viscosity grade and service rating called for in your owner's manual.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I use Castrol or Valvoline dino in my cars, change oil and filter ( Motorcraft Fl400-S) every 90 days or 3,000 miles, and have never had an engine problem related to oil. n e v e r.

Go figure. If you want to spend the extra $ on synthetic, it's your money, be my guest.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

Old rumors are hard to kill.

Gotta agree there.

Oh, n btw, I run nothing but Valvoline full synthetic in both cars and in my moorcycle. I change my oil about every 10,000 miles and it's usually not even dirty enough to change then. If you change your oil every 3000 miles, synthetic would be a waste of money.

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

Yeah, eh?

Agreed. Upon buying a 2.5 litre LeBaron with 70k miles on it, I put in Mobil-1 10w-30. For the next 8 years and 90k miles, I changed the oil every 10k to 16k miles (depending on conditions) and the filter twice as often. It's still running on the original engine for the new owner.

Agreed *except* for extreme-hot and/or extreme-cold conditions.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

3000 mile oil change? Talk about things that will never die.
Reply to
Another Tom

I've tried this on multiple times on multiple cars. I haven't been able to find any negative effects going back to organic oil.

Reply to
Viperkiller

Older cars with small engines last longer with very frequent changes. The newer models are designed to allow a longer period between changes. But for those foolish enough to use ScrewyLube type places, they get what they deserve even at 3K. :)

Reply to
Gary L. Burnore

SNIP

Dino oil is, indeed, good. Nobody will deny it. But what other folks here are trying to say is that a good quality synthetic oil is soooooo muuuuuuuuch better. ;-) JP

Reply to
JP

Reply to
Bill duncan

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