Can I use full syntex for oil change
#2
Lexus Champion
That's a good subject for a debate, all I can do is give you my recommendation, at that mileage I would probably be using a blend. Everyone will tell you something different.
- Jon
- Jon
#3
Lexus Test Driver
You can try a full synthetic at that mileage, but as Lex said, you may run into a few issues: At that mileage the valve stem seals may be marginal. slippry synthetic oil passes through the seals easier than conventional oils. If you get a poof of smoke on startup, I'd switch back to conventional cause it means that you have oil building on the back sides of the valve face and will eventually cause compression problems from the valve not seating properly.
I'd do a simple test. Try conventional, drive the same style driving for awhile, measure 3000miles, check the oil level. Change to synthetic, do the same thing, measure the oil level. If it drops more, switch back to the conventional. If you get any visible smoke at all on startup or any other time, switch back to conventional.
I had a 125k mile LS400 and it handled synthetic fine. That engine ran very clean, and used very little oil. At 3k the oil still looked new.
I also have a 95k Camry V-6 that didn't handle the transition so well. It smoked on startup after the full synthetic change. Funny thing, after a couple months, the smoke on startup stopped, so perhaps it was just an issue with the changeover from dino oil.
I'd do a simple test. Try conventional, drive the same style driving for awhile, measure 3000miles, check the oil level. Change to synthetic, do the same thing, measure the oil level. If it drops more, switch back to the conventional. If you get any visible smoke at all on startup or any other time, switch back to conventional.
I had a 125k mile LS400 and it handled synthetic fine. That engine ran very clean, and used very little oil. At 3k the oil still looked new.
I also have a 95k Camry V-6 that didn't handle the transition so well. It smoked on startup after the full synthetic change. Funny thing, after a couple months, the smoke on startup stopped, so perhaps it was just an issue with the changeover from dino oil.
Last edited by SC300T; 08-09-02 at 03:09 PM.
#4
Whatever you do, don't use PENZOIL... I used penzoil in my SC when I first bought it, and noticed that when it came time to change my oil... the oil level was alot lower... at first I thought my engine was burning oil.. but it only had 16,000 miles on it. sometimes I did see a puff of blueish smoke when I'd start the car... but the guys at Schucks Auto Supply told me, 'DON"T USE PENZOIL... b/c it contains wax, and the wax burns out of the oil...
that made perfect sense... they also told me that this is the case b/c Penzoil just hasn't cared as much as other companies to improve their formula... so upon doing some research... its been my experience that Castrol GTX, Quaker State, Valvoline, are the best...
I used conventional Castrol GTX after that, and no reduction in oil level. The blue smoke also stopped... can't say whether it was a direct result of changing to Castrol, but don't care... as long as there is no smoke.
My car now has 89,000 miles on it, and I use Mobil Tri-Synthetic... thats the shizzies... The longevity of the performance is impressive. I'm sure that other synthetics would probably perform similar... however, i also agree that different cars take Synthetic differently... for the new engines, I don't think there is a point to using synthetic... some say there is absolutely no difference... I agree for newer cars, but I personally think there is a noticeable difference as engines get older.
my 2 cents..
Peace
that made perfect sense... they also told me that this is the case b/c Penzoil just hasn't cared as much as other companies to improve their formula... so upon doing some research... its been my experience that Castrol GTX, Quaker State, Valvoline, are the best...
I used conventional Castrol GTX after that, and no reduction in oil level. The blue smoke also stopped... can't say whether it was a direct result of changing to Castrol, but don't care... as long as there is no smoke.
My car now has 89,000 miles on it, and I use Mobil Tri-Synthetic... thats the shizzies... The longevity of the performance is impressive. I'm sure that other synthetics would probably perform similar... however, i also agree that different cars take Synthetic differently... for the new engines, I don't think there is a point to using synthetic... some say there is absolutely no difference... I agree for newer cars, but I personally think there is a noticeable difference as engines get older.
my 2 cents..
Peace
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