Synthetic or high mileage motor oil?

[Ms95TSi]

I have a 95 talon TSi with 160,000 miles. It has a 16g turbo and cold air intake for now, I'm gradually going to be doing more mods. I've heard good and bad things about both oils so I wanted to get some of your opinions, which oil would be better to use?

 

[->PrOjEcTGS<-]

Well... Do you have any oil leaks?

Synthetic oils will just make the leaks worse as the molecules in synthetic oils are smaller and can squeeze through the place where it's leaking easier than regular dino oil. Thus, making your leak worse.

High mileage oils... Eh, it's just a marketing scheme. I'd rather just put regular Castrol GTX 10w30 in it and be done with it if you're not going to run synthetics.

 

[91tizzy]

I run mobil one synthetic high mileage 10-40 and swar by it...167,000 miles.

If you have leaks-----fix them

 

[DSM1G90]

Castrol GTX is good stuff in dino form... I'd just run good ol' full syn when doing mods if you want to extend the oil changes. But, if you're the one who follows the 3K/mile oil change requirements, GTX can work just as well. Even Vavoline is real good in dino form as well...

Just stay away from Pennzoils...

 

[fastmitsu18]

There are full synthetics that are also high mileage.example: quaker state makes a high mileage full synthetic.

 

[lucuc0212]

Synthetic is what I run and I'm almost at 250000 km and it runs great.

 

[MakeIt2BreakIt]

amsoil is the shit

 

[HurleyTSi]

I've always preferred the kind of oil that lubricates the engine internals and turbo.

But.........I've ran Castrol, Penzoil, Wal-Mart shiz, Mobile 1, and Royal Purple and I'm sure a few others in my cars. Royal Purple in my DSM was the only one that made the car run better (not too noticeable maybe I was justifying paying 7 bucks a quart) however it made my valve cover gasket finally leak badly like ->PrOjEcTGS<- was saying.

Other than that good shiz but honeslty if youre changing it every 2k miles (like you probably should on a DSM with tons of blow by) then I would just rock some regular oil.

 

[mosul210]

Like stated synthetic oils are thinner thus creating leakage on a high milage engine. I personally use Castrol GTX which was recommended by my engine builder. As far as weight I would go 10w/30 or 10w/40.

 

[lacroixdp]

If you change it every 3,000 miles, it doesn't matter what oil you use - they'll all lubricate your engine. All oil is rated by the API that's for sale at a retail store - there's no such thing as 'crap' oil anymore because of this. There are oils that have higher flash points and may have a higher TBN after 3000 miles, but if you change your oil every 3000 miles those differences hardly matter. Use 5w30 or 10w30. High mileage oil is a scam... don't waste your money on it. Go to bobistheoilguy.com if you'd like to learn more.

I personally run Mobil 1 5w30 on all my non-modified engines. I run Amsoil premium (non-API rated) on my modified 4g63's.

 

[MakeIt2BreakIt]

thats right amsoil all the way

 

[nyTalonTsi]

If your gonna use full synthetic, not only do you have to fix leaks if your motor burns oil its gonna go through that synthetic within a week.

 

[red_devil]

Again synthetic oil doesnt create leaks it just finds them more easliy. Not like its going to just pour out your engine if thats true then your motor needs work, just fix any leaks and run it all you want.

 

[Ms95TSi]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My car doesn't have any leaks, at least none that I've seen. The ones it did have I've gotten fixed. I've only had my car for about 5 months and have only gotten one oil change. I told them to put synthetic in it cause that's what I use religiously in my Audi and it's worked great and it has 130,000 miles but they put quaker state all climate in it. I need to start changing the oil myself instead of paying jiffy lube to do it. I don't know what the guy that owned it before used but since it's an older car I think I'll go with the regular 10w30 or 5w30.

 

[jrohner]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My car doesn't have any leaks, at least none that I've seen. The ones it did have I've gotten fixed. I've only had my car for about 5 months and have only gotten one oil change. I told them to put synthetic in it cause that's what I use religiously in my Audi and it's worked great and it has 130,000 miles but they put quaker state all climate in it. I need to start changing the oil myself instead of paying jiffy lube to do it. I don't know what the guy that owned it before used but since it's an older car I think I'll go with the regular 10w30 or 5w30.

5W30 is too think for these engines in my opinion, maybe for short trips in the arctic weather it would be OK but that's it.

I use Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W40. I previously used regular Rotella T 10w30 & 15w40. Yes synthetic oil likes to find places to leak out; I think it's leaked in every vehicle I've put it in. Some stop leak does the trick though.

 

[chuckd]

from what i understood is synthetics have cleaning agents. and if your car doesnt leak with conventional its because the seals have some buildup on them and they dont leak. but when you switch to synthetic it cleans the buildup off the seals and then it reveals worn out seals and then starts leaking.(not cause the synthetic molecules are smaller). although if it starts leaking when you switch to synthetic your motor needed new seals anyways.

also synthetic is more resistant to high pressure break down. and also prevents wear on internal engine parts.

example. when im done building my motor i will be running conventional motor oil to help aid ring/bearing seating. then once my break in is over. i will be switching to a full synthetic. to help prevent wear.

also i belive (but im probably wrong ) high mileage oil has a thicker viscosity kinda like lucas oil additives it helps quiet /lubricate sloppy engine components..

 

[Boost_Addict_88]

I usually use 10w-30 Shell or Chevron. I'd use something better such as Amsoil or Royal Purple, but my broke ass can't afford it . 160k isn't all that bad, especially if you don't have any leaks.

 

[->PrOjEcTGS<-]

from what i understood is synthetics have cleaning agents. and if your car doesnt leak with conventional its because the seals have some buildup on them and they dont leak. but when you switch to synthetic it cleans the buildup off the seals and then it reveals worn out seals and then starts leaking.(not cause the synthetic molecules are smaller). although if it starts leaking when you switch to synthetic your motor needed new seals anyways.

Yes, it's because the molecules are smaller that it finds leaks where dino oil couldn't.

Synthetic Oil Explained - Aircooled.Net Tech Article

"Synthetic oil causing oil leaks is another commonly spread myth. The truth of the matter is that if all your engine seals and gaskets are in good condition, synthetic oil will NOT leak in your engine. The myth started because on occasion, an engine will leak with synthetic oil, but not dino oil. The reason for this is that the smaller molecules of the synthetic are able to get past very small crevices, where the larger molecules of dino oil cannot. But this does not mean that the synthetic oil has caused the leak, it simply has "discovered" an infant leak, and regardless of what oil you are running, this infant leak will eventually grow to a size that will allow dino oil to occupy and pass also. Synthetic oil has not been shown to deteriorate engine seals or gaskets. It is not some evil solvent that will break down sealant, or anything like that. Like was said earlier, it is just a man-made base stock, that is uniform and smaller in molecule size than dino oil. Nothing more, nothing less."

 

[chuckd]

hmm i learn something everyday.. thanks

 

[keslerkaiyu]

Castrol GTX is good stuff in dino form... I'd just run good ol' full syn when doing mods if you want to extend the oil changes. But, if you're the one who follows the 3K/mile oil change requirements, GTX can work just as well. Even Vavoline is real good in dino form as well...

Just stay away from Pennzoils...

What's wrong with Pennzoils... that's what I used

 

[sicktsi]

I would use synthetic oil in the long run i think it is better for our car especially considering they are turbo cars. As long as u dont have any leaks i would use synthetic i like mobil one oil i'm using it in my talon and my 1991 Dodge Daytona 2.5l Turbo.

 

[Doubleot]

I use valvoline synthetic blend in mine. It works just grand and I've never looked back. Costs about 16 bucks for 5 quarts at wal mart. So its definetly worth it.
But to each their own.

 

[KYNDL7]

I used Valvoline non syn in all my cars for several years, good oil in my opinion. About 2 or three years ago I switched to Mobil 1 full synthetic and noticed a slight increase in gas mileage Also no leaks on the Chevy with 490,000 on the odometer (original motor, 3rd trany)

 

[miniturbo23]

I use royal purple 10-40 works great and pepboys always has sells I got mine 45.00 for everything not bad and works great.

 

[DSM1G90]

Also no leaks on the Chevy with 490,000 on the odometer

..and you wonder why Mercedes Benz (I think this is the group) owners have a "Million Mile Club" - putting millions of miles on their cars with no major problems.

Just good ol' prev maintenance..