Changing to synthetic oil

You'll also find if you stay long enough that some are simply jerks who if it were not for PC would have no communications with other human beings. You'll learn who they are after a while so stick around. There is everything you need to know (and more) here on the threads.

 

If it was like my dealer it wasn't a mistake, it was intentional. Love the sales dept, but the service dept has a ways to go to gain my trust. I picked up some Mobile 1 at AutoZone.

 

It used to be that for a new car you want to change the oil fairly soon to get out metal flakes and shavings. But I guess not with today's finely machined engines.
Also once you put in synthetic, you must stay with synthetic and not put in regular oil?
And I thought in hot climates like the desert, you want a higher grade oil, say up to 40 or 50 weight, which I put in my old RV that runs hot. But a hybrid engine that starts and stops all the time needs a thinner oil which I guess is better for constantly starting and stopping (as well as cold weather)?

 

I think the thinner oil is 100% for the purpose of allowing the vehicle to achieve slightly higher mileage numbers. The push for synthetic and the short mileage requirements for oil changes have to do with longevity. I do not doubt that there would be better longevity with a higher number oil with more viscosity, but that might compromise the MPG numbers.

 

Do you know of anyone with premature engine wear or oil consumption beyond spec? Exclude people who modify their engines. Since the 70s, nobody in my family from grandma to my nephew and nieces including all the inlaws have ever suffered from premature engine wear.

It is a very uncommon problem and a lot of hype from oil manufacturers and keeps a lot of mechanics employed.

In the Prius you don't have a choice. I though only synthetics would meet the spec of 0w20?

 

So theoretically a thicker oil wouldnt really harm my 2008 prius engine..But it might hurt my MPG a bit?

 

Within reason. If you went to one of those really thick molasses type additives I suppose it might not get to all parts of the engine until it was really warmed up, but most engine oils would work, in my opinion.

Ford has gone to lower viscosity oils on most of their cars for fuel economy purposes, but their dealerships still use the huge barrels of whatever they have unless you insist on the recommended blend.

I never heard of any engine failures caused by thicker oil being used, but why would you if the thinner oil protects the engine well?

 

Is synthetic better for the environment than dino oil?

You can't spell TEAM without the letter E, but you can spell MOBIL without one.

 

I recently,in an e-mail from Castrol, inquiring about Edge availability in 0w-20, was advised that the Toyota branded 0w-20 is Castrol Syntec.

 

There seams to be a lot of confusion about oil here....

The first number is for the COLD Temp of the oil (when it's cold out) the lower the number the thinner the oil is and they flow better when it's cold. Meaning less wear on the motor.
By the way Dino oils can not be processed down to a 0 weight.......So there are just synthetics. That's good.
The second number is the weight (thinner/thicker) of the oil at operating temp (212 degrees more or less). The difference between 20 & 40 is NOT double!!!! but more like 15% thicker.
You can switch between Dino's and synthetics and can even mix them with out problems.
No the newer oils are not better on the environment.
As for the intervals between changes..... It really depends on the type of driving that is done. Short trips in cold temps are bad on motors as any water vapor may not get burned off thus making sluge... Long drives are perfect for cars..
One should change your oil more often in the cold temps....

There is a Great FAQ on motor oil on the Ferrarichat (.com) site by Dr. A.E. Hass

Yuma Taco,