Synthetic Oil - first time using it

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:27 pm

This is a question I can't seem to find an answer to:

I am getting oil changed this week and am going to go with Mobile 1 and an AC Delco Filter. Car has 43k miles on it and has never had Synthetic in it, and my questions are:

Will there be any problems with doing this?
When will I have to change my oil? Some say that you can go 5000 miles and other say 7-10k

What should I do for the first time changing over to synthetic?
Anything else special?

I am taking it to a good friend of the family's and he does awesome work (would do it myself, but he is only charging for the oil and filter at his cost

) so if I should tell him anything special, that would be great.

Also, this is info I need to justify to my tightwad (God love her!) of a wife why I am spending 20+ on oil change, when we usually pay less than 15.

EDIT::: Damn, after reading this: http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=2359&start=30 I got some more answers (didnt see it, sorry!!!). But anything else will help, anymore opinions are fine... even a flame or two (I spend a lot of time on the ORG, and am use to it).

03sxt · Post by **03sxt** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:30 pm

kc2002acr wrote:Will there be any problems with doing this?

Nope. I couldn't imagine any problems with doing it this way unless they forget to put the oil back in.

kc2002acr wrote:When will I have to change my oil? Some say that you can go 5000 miles and other say 7-10k

I, myself, wouldn't let it go any longer than 5,000mi without an oil change even with synthetic. You probably wouldn't run into any problems running to to 10,000 if you absolutely had to, though.

kc2002acr wrote:What should I do for the first time changing over to synthetic? Anything else special?

I don't really think there's anything special for the first time oil switch. Someone else might have more input, though.

kc2002acr wrote:... even a flame or two (I spend a lot of time on the ORG, and am use to it).

That's good shit! Welcome to the better .org, by the way.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:58 pm

As I stated earlier, welcome....
As for the filter, you want a GM filter on your Dodge

There are other filters that are just as good if not better for cheaper, do a search I posted a topic on filters alone.
As for the Synthetic change over:
some people say use a blend first before going full synthetic, others say as long as the motor is broken in dont worry about it and go full synthetic.
Personally I dont know what to tell you other than if you switch to full synthetic, change the oil at 3k, then go to a 5k interval.
You got to remember, even though you switched, there is still some conventional oil in there, and the synthetic stuff needs to run through the motor to get the old stuff out, coat everything and what not. I'm running 0-W30 Mobil 1 now to get the oil into the motor and get things cleaned up, the next 3k oil change im switching to 5-w20 or 5-w30 Mobil 1 and running 5k intervals after that.
Synthetics have not been out long enough for long term use, the only thing I can tell you is the local NAPA store runs Mobil1 10-30 in all there trucks, and the oldest one in there fleet is a 00+ model w/ over 250,000 miles on it with no engine failure....mmm what does that tell you

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:17 pm

BlackRoseRacing wrote:As I stated earlier, welcome....
As for the filter, you want a GM filter on your Dodge
There are other filters that are just as good if not better for cheaper, do a search I posted a topic on filters alone.

I saw in the thread above that ACDelco was a good choice

Guess I will have to look closer??? I thought it sounded odd to put a GM filter on it. I will call my friend tomorrow and get on it... I dont want to use his Fram wannabe's that he uses (micro-filter he called it).

Oh well, live and learn, then use dial.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:27 pm

as I posted before, I would not recomend any FRAM oil filter even on my worst enemy...hers what you want:
http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=5834
I also have a link to oil filter tests in there...

OB · Post by OB » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:40 pm

im runnin mobil 1 5w20 with a K&N performance filter, it all costs quite a bit but you get what u pay for (regardless of what a lot of cheap asses will tell u). if u gotta be thrifty, go with something thats NOT a fram. thats one thing ive heard a zillion times. listen to brr he knows his shit. syn owns

LCPLPunk · Post by **LCPLPunk** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:05 pm

y not use the bigger filter? I'm using the bigger one for mine and it's turbo, might as well use it on urs since u can.

ACHEAPSHOT · Post by **ACHEAPSHOT** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:07 pm

I use the Mobil 1 Filter, and Leading Edge 10w30.

teamliviD · Post by **teamliviD** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:52 pm

tell your tech to use a "Viper" filter on your neon! I love going into Autozone and asking for a viper oil filter. i look so cool!

AcDelco and Purelator are the top 2 oil filters to use, this coming from the guy that designed the neons engine!(cool old guy, meet him at howell's open house 2 years ago)

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:49 am

^^^
Thats what I got on mine too "the viper filter"

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:06 am

I am running mobil 1 5w20 with a baldwin filter on mine.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:49 am

shouldnt be any problems with going to synthetic.

the only true way to know how long you can push the oil is through a used oil analysis. if you are really interested, run the oil for 5000 miles and then do an analysis and base your oil change interval off the info that is received from that.

nothing special that you have to do when switching over.

nothing wrong with using an ac delco filter on your car. it is a good filter. it is not gm specific. k&n and mobil 1 filters are overpriced for what you get in my opinion. i like purolators. the advance auto house brand (red filter with a grippy texture on it) is a purolator premium plus. but it costs $2.50/ea and right now they have a buy one get one free deal on it in many areas. so you get a quality filter for $1.34/ea. on bobistheoilguy.com it seems the general consensus is that the purolator pureone oil filter is about the best filter because of its filtering capability, construction, and cost. they cost ~ $6/ea.

good filters that are readily available include: purolators, mobil 1, k&n, advance auto brand, supertech, and motorcraft.

you can spend more on a filter if you want but in most cases it is not necessary. if you are only going 5000 miles any filter is fine. i had been using purolator premium plus but i just got a pure one for my next change.

there is another filter size out there that will work on our neons. it is the size of ph43 (that is the fram number, i know fram numbers) you can cross reference it from the fram number. i dont know if the filter hangs below the pan or not but it is a little longer than the 16 but isnt as long as the 8a. i looked at the specs comparing all three (8a,16,43) and they were identical except for overall length.

Knoxville_R/T · Post by **Knoxville_R/T** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:25 am

My Baldwin costs me only $2.38 from work but it would cost others $5.00. I still need to cut the old one up to see how it looked after 3K on it. Maybe I should ship one to that matt guy on the .org so he can add it to his review.
-Brian

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:53 am

Awesome, thanks y'all.

quicksilvr · Post by **quicksilvr** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:36 am

The main reason I haven't switched to synthetic yet is the fact that my car used so much oil. I added at least a quart over 3000 miles, if not a bit more sometimes. I'm waiting to see how much it uses with the swap, and a new PCV. I really just need to set up a catch can.....

I can't imagine going more than 5000 miles on the same oil...simply cause it wouldn't even be there any more.

phenomeneon21 · Post by **phenomeneon21** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:55 pm

quicksilvr wrote:The main reason I haven't switched to synthetic yet is the fact that my car used so much oil. I added at least a quart over 3000 miles, if not a bit more sometimes. I'm waiting to see how much it uses with the swap, and a new PCV. I really just need to set up a catch can.....

I can't imagine going more than 5000 miles on the same oil...simply cause it wouldn't even be there any more.

haha, i just changed my oil for the first time that i owned the car...and that was nearly 6,000 miles ago...oops...haha, it wasn't on purpose though. its very hard to find time to change oil when you work all night and go to school all day. I made the full switch over to synthetic when I changed it. I have mobil 1 5W-20 in it with a Mobil 1 filter...everything seems to be okay so far...

Wisher2 · Post by **Wisher2** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:43 pm

I run 10W30 RP and a K&N

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:11 pm

I switched to Mobil 1 synthetic about a year ago, at around 50K I think...I didnt mix it w/ the oil I had been using or anything, just switched over, I didnt notice any bad effects by doing it that way.

refect · Post by **refect** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:14 pm

scneonchic501 wrote:I switched to Mobil 1 synthetic about a year ago, at around 50K I think...I didnt mix it w/ the oil I had been using or anything, just switched over, I didnt notice any bad effects by doing it that way.

same here

J-Villa · Post by **J-Villa** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:43 pm

i'm running fully synthetic....i noticed a little more gas mileage...like 1 or 2 per gallon...unless it's just a fluke...but i've been told it does help with gas mileage

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:48 pm

I switched at exactly 60k to Mobil 1 10w-30, It feels like to me that it runs a whole lot better than it did before. Maybe its just in my head. It might cost more, but I want my engine to run for a long time.

Post by **racer12306** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:08 am

raul-01 wrote: It might cost more, but I want my engine to run for a long time.

me too. i might need to get 200,000 miles out of my neon. i dont want to buy another vehicle until i can afford a new ram with a diesel. dino oil will help them last a long time but you cant go as long on the drain intervals.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:27 am

Yeah, I am going to keep my car fro a long time too... once I pay it off (3 yrs) I am going to park it and turn it into my project car.

opyr8yr · Post by **opyr8yr** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:00 pm

Personally, I would give the engine a flush before switching to synth, that's just me though...

Post by **racer12306** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:18 pm

opyr8yr wrote:Personally, I would give the engine a flush before switching to synth, that's just me though...

i dont think that is necessary if the first oil change interval is a moderate one, approx 5000 miles. the engine doesnt have that many miles on it. if the engine had a lot of miles then yes that would be a good idea.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:32 am

He probably ment to get rid of the dyno oil before switching to synthetic. Thats why im running 0-40 now then switching to 5-30. You want the synthetic to get into the motor and all its moving parts to help flush out the contaminents of the dyno oil before running full synthetic.
As for the mpg thing being a fluke, not really. Mainly because the motor creates less friction using the synthetic it does not rob as much hp or gas.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:58 am

Well, with less friction, won't temps be cooler, and wouldn't that also be a result of better mpg? and less wear and tear on engine could result in longer life too, yes? I am really taking a stab in the dark at this, but my wife is contemplating doing it to her 03 Elantra (which has 27.5k miles) which just had a brand new block put in it. What do you think? Engine only has 500 miles since new one put in, and needs a change at 30k.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:20 am

if its a fresh motor with only 500miles on it, you have to wait atleast 6k for break in. You CAN NOT put synthetic in a fresh motor because it will not properly break in. And if someone tells you that the viper or srt came factory fill with synthetic, its BS. They come factory fill with a break in oil so when its time for the first 3k oil change its already broken in.
If your wife's car has 27k and its almost time for the 30k, do everything:
plugs(unless platinum)
PCV
Air filter
Oil Filter
Oil(not synthetic since its a fresh motor)
Trani filter and fluid

Post by **racer12306** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:50 am

the engine will break in it will just take a lot longer. but it is the best idea to run it for a good 5000 miles or so before switching just so that breakin doesnt take forever. my dad has always switched to synthetic at 5000 miles and never had a bit of problems with the engines and they all last a really long time. he was aiming for 200000 on his previous 00 stratus until it got into an accident.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:22 pm

as I stated earlier, wait atleast 6k miles on the motor before switching

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Synthetic Oil - first time using it

Synthetic Oil - first time using it

Re: Synthetic Oil - first time using it