Switching to synthetic oil
09-30-2010, 03:34 PM
#16
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That said, if you change oil frequently, maybe just use dino. I'm a fan of the so-called "truck" oils (Rotella, Delo).
09-30-2010, 03:47 PM
#17
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i'm running my mobile 1 for like 18 k miles between changes. just changing filters. am i nuts ?
why ? because my car is fully broken in at 120 k. for cars over 100 k miles Mobile 1 is supposed to be good for up to 18 k miles for engines that consume a slight amount of oil. trouble is, with mobil 1 my car now doesn't consume any oil at all.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html
Mobil 1 currently enjoys the distinction of being the only readily available true PAO synthetic motor oil. You can get the stuff at Wal-Mart for Pete's sake! Perhaps because of its wide availability and comparatively low price, we entered this test with both hope and skepticism: hope that it would do well and vindicate millions of M1 users, and skepticism that it would pull it off. We were expecting it to look pretty beat up by 8,000 miles or so; to say we missed the mark would be polite understatement. Mobil 1 really delivered: 18,000 miles later, it was showing its age but was still hard at work protecting the engine.
As our first phase of the Synthetic Oil Life Study, it was as much a learning experience for the process as it was for the results. We changed some things along the way -- moved the filter change from a mileage-based rule to a performance-based rule, altered the tolerable limits for viscosity, learned a lot about TBN, and a few other things -- which set precedents for the remainder of the study.
But the big question is, what have we learned so far? Here are a few points to ponder, based on our experience with the Mobil 1 phase.
Getting just one oil analysis only tells a tiny piece of the picture. It essentially would serve only as a pass/fail mechanism; without a trend to monitor, the most interesting parts of the analysis would be impossible to see.
Total base number is a moving target. There are multiple methods for testing it, which makes comparisons between laboratories worthless, and none of the methods have repeatability rates worth getting excited about. While TBN is worth considering as part of the larger picture, as a singular measure it is too flawed to rely on.
Engine wear actually decreases as oil ages.
This has also been substantiated in testing conducted by Ford Motor Co. and ConocoPhillips, and reported in SAE Technical Paper 2003-01-3119. What this means is that compulsive oil changers are actually causing more engine wear than the people who let their engine's oil get some age on it.
Topping up the crankcase is a critical component of extended oil change intervals, and frequent filter changes are most likely the key to extreme-length intervals. The cumulative effect of even minor top-ups, let alone a filter change, substantially increases the longevity of the oil.
Based on the results we've got here, we'd recommend 8,000 miles between oil changes on an engine that uses no oil at all, perhaps 10,000 miles on an engine that uses some oil, and 15,000 miles or beyond with a filter change every 5,000 miles. This, of course, isn't any kind of guarantee, and you must evaluate for yourself what your engine requires. One thing we're pretty sure about though:
3,000-mile intervals is a huge waste of resources.
why ? because my car is fully broken in at 120 k. for cars over 100 k miles Mobile 1 is supposed to be good for up to 18 k miles for engines that consume a slight amount of oil. trouble is, with mobil 1 my car now doesn't consume any oil at all.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html
Mobil 1 currently enjoys the distinction of being the only readily available true PAO synthetic motor oil. You can get the stuff at Wal-Mart for Pete's sake! Perhaps because of its wide availability and comparatively low price, we entered this test with both hope and skepticism: hope that it would do well and vindicate millions of M1 users, and skepticism that it would pull it off. We were expecting it to look pretty beat up by 8,000 miles or so; to say we missed the mark would be polite understatement. Mobil 1 really delivered: 18,000 miles later, it was showing its age but was still hard at work protecting the engine.
As our first phase of the Synthetic Oil Life Study, it was as much a learning experience for the process as it was for the results. We changed some things along the way -- moved the filter change from a mileage-based rule to a performance-based rule, altered the tolerable limits for viscosity, learned a lot about TBN, and a few other things -- which set precedents for the remainder of the study.
But the big question is, what have we learned so far? Here are a few points to ponder, based on our experience with the Mobil 1 phase.
Getting just one oil analysis only tells a tiny piece of the picture. It essentially would serve only as a pass/fail mechanism; without a trend to monitor, the most interesting parts of the analysis would be impossible to see.
Total base number is a moving target. There are multiple methods for testing it, which makes comparisons between laboratories worthless, and none of the methods have repeatability rates worth getting excited about. While TBN is worth considering as part of the larger picture, as a singular measure it is too flawed to rely on.
Engine wear actually decreases as oil ages.
This has also been substantiated in testing conducted by Ford Motor Co. and ConocoPhillips, and reported in SAE Technical Paper 2003-01-3119. What this means is that compulsive oil changers are actually causing more engine wear than the people who let their engine's oil get some age on it.
Topping up the crankcase is a critical component of extended oil change intervals, and frequent filter changes are most likely the key to extreme-length intervals. The cumulative effect of even minor top-ups, let alone a filter change, substantially increases the longevity of the oil.
Based on the results we've got here, we'd recommend 8,000 miles between oil changes on an engine that uses no oil at all, perhaps 10,000 miles on an engine that uses some oil, and 15,000 miles or beyond with a filter change every 5,000 miles. This, of course, isn't any kind of guarantee, and you must evaluate for yourself what your engine requires. One thing we're pretty sure about though:
3,000-mile intervals is a huge waste of resources.
09-30-2010, 04:21 PM
#18
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i hope you all read the link...
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html
the question remains.... top off with a thinner or thicker grade of synthetic ?
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html
the question remains.... top off with a thinner or thicker grade of synthetic ?
09-30-2010, 04:48 PM
#19
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That's a great study and a fun read.
The current German recommendations back up what that study shows. Mercedes has 10,000 intervals. Oddly, my Infiniti seems to have relatively short intervals.
The current German recommendations back up what that study shows. Mercedes has 10,000 intervals. Oddly, my Infiniti seems to have relatively short intervals.
09-30-2010, 11:06 PM
#21
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10-01-2010, 07:25 PM
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I fear that a 40 weight oil maybe a bit light for the 944/924s.
Nothing I can point to as proof, other than the pressure gauge that a 50 weight oil is better suited for a vintage 944/924s. So I will label this thought as just my opinion.
10-01-2010, 07:36 PM
#23
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If you maintain your car, it shouldn't leak any oil. People that say all 944s leak, blah, blah, blah don't maintain their cars properly... Either they can't install seals properly, or they just don't get it. I have been using 15W50 Mobil 1 for over 8 years, no problems, no leaks. I use 1 liter of oil every 4000 miles or so. Potomac-Greg is right. In the end, it's your call...
10-02-2010, 10:33 PM
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I am using Red line synthetic 15W50 with great results in my S2. I take the car on the track, so the oil gets a little more use. I normally change it between 6-8km depending on how much track work I do.
That article is very interesting, and makes alot of sense. The oil in our aircraft engines never get's changed, we simply add oil as we go along. In fact if the oil gets drained for maintenance purpose, it gets put back in.
That article is very interesting, and makes alot of sense. The oil in our aircraft engines never get's changed, we simply add oil as we go along. In fact if the oil gets drained for maintenance purpose, it gets put back in.
10-02-2010, 11:49 PM
#26
This didn't cost
me any drachmas
Rennlist Member
me any drachmas
Rennlist Member
I went with Lucas 5W30 synthetic for my first oil change after buying my 951 a couple of weeks ago. The car runs a lot smoother now, too, and no signs of leakage/burning @ 88k miles. I'm going with Royal Purple next time around.
10-03-2010, 04:36 PM
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For those who want real life information and recommedations. I suggest www.bobistheoilguy.com.
More information on oil then most want to know.
More information on oil then most want to know.
