# Prepping / Emergency Preparedness > Bags, Kits and Vehicles >  Synthetic Oil

## kyratshooter

Call me behind the times but I am having my first experience with synthetic oil, specifically Mobile 1 synthetic.

Mobile says I can go 15,000 miles, or one year, between changes.

Is it really that good?

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## 1stimestar

It's the only oil most of us will use up here due to it handling the cold better.

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## Rick

I have been using a 10,000 mile synthetic in my vehicles for several years now. The Toyota and Ford manufacturer warranties and service schedules cover it so it must good stuff.

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## Lamewolf

> Call me behind the times but I am having my first experience with synthetic oil, specifically Mobile 1 synthetic.
> 
> Mobile says I can go 15,000 miles, or one year, between changes.
> 
> Is it really that good?


I wouldn't go that long between changes unless I had a really good filter.  I've spent 40 years in auto service and I've seen a lot of damage even with synthetic oil from service intervals covering that many miles.  Oil and filters are still much cheaper than engines !  But of course you could look into putting a bypass filter on that filters down to one micron.  A human hair is about 40 microns for reference.

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## Billofthenorth

About 25 or 30 years ago there was this idea that you could run synthetic oil for 20,000 miles and just change the filter and top it off during the interval. I tried it with my jeep. I wish I hadn't. I'll go 5,000 miles now but then I change it, less if there is a lot of stop and go or other heavy duty use.
Water and contaminants can build up in the oil pan with time. An extra oil change or two a year is much cheaper than a new engine.

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## hunter63

I don't run over 5K miles on any oil changes.....mostly as sometimes the seasons change before I get to 5k miles.
I am more concerned with the moisture, condensation, and dirt settling form lack of use.

So my preference is a quality dealer recommended HD with filters.

Now on the other hand...and I just repeting what I was told....
Both larger service companies I worked for, used Mobil One in all the trucks, which tend to have a lot of miles and some had long idle times.

These trucks also stayed loaded at all times....so carry a lot of weight....or have to work harder 

Cold weather starting was also a reason I was told....as these truck mostly are outside all the time..

Company maintenance department guys also related that if there were any leaks....Mobile One will find it.

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## randyt

My father used mobile 1 in most of his vehicles for probably 30 years plus. He went by the recommendations on oil and filter changes. He was starting to go with amzoil and some kind of bypass filter that could go longer than the mobile 1 oil and filter

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## Jpflier

I use Mobil one on most of my vehicles, my wife's gets Castrol synthetic, was what it was getting when we bought it, usually do 5-6000 mile oil change interval.
My old jeep got synthetic in it once, I had more leaks for a week than I could keep track of, went back to Dino oil and leaks mostly quit!

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## DSJohnson

I use it.  I have used it in my last 4 vehicles. Change oil and filter every 7500 miles.  This truck (my new one) 2004 Chevy Z71 has 395,000 miles (original engine intact).  My 98 Suburban has 590,000 miles (My work truck these days) replaced two radiators one transmission beside regular maintenance items. 1985 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 550,000 miles before I rolled it. lots of front-end work over the years and new rear leaf springs somewhere are 300,000 miles. 1975 FJ55 Land Cruiser 398,000 miles when I sold it (very, VERY foolish move) It is still in service and the gentleman who drives it as his everyday vehicle lives in N.E. New Mexico, close to Cimarron.  Last time I checked he said it was 500,00 plus and he never quit using Mobile1 after I told him what was in it.  Sometimes i am early on an oil change and it is just over 6000 and every once in while I get caught and it is 8500.  In my Chevy it looks just like it did when I poured it in. I use either Fram or NAPA filters.  I just can not bring myself to push it to the 10,000 mark based on the record I have had the last 30 years.....but I have a very high level of confidence in the product.

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## hunter63

> I use it.  I have used it in my last 4 vehicles. Change oil and filter every 7500 miles.  This truck (my new one) 2004 Chevy Z71 has 395,000 miles (original engine intact).  My 98 Suburban has 590,000 miles (My work truck these days) replaced two radiators one transmission beside regular maintenance items. 1985 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 550,000 miles before I rolled it. lots of front-end work over the years and new rear leaf springs somewhere are 300,000 miles. 1975 FJ55 Land Cruiser 398,000 miles when I sold it (very, VERY foolish move) It is still in service and the gentleman who drives it as his everyday vehicle lives in N.E. New Mexico, close to Cimarron.  Last time I checked he said it was 500,00 plus and he never quit using Mobile1 after I told him what was in it.  Sometimes i am early on an oil change and it is just over 6000 and every once in while I get caught and it is 8500.  In my Chevy it looks just like it did when I poured it in. I use either Fram or NAPA filters.  I just can not bring myself to push it to the 10,000 mark based on the record I have had the last 30 years.....but I have a very high level of confidence in the product.


That is a great testimonial.......Thanks

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## kyratshooter

I feel much better about the situation I have inherited now, a high mileage vehicle that has used synthetic since new.  I do not intend to put the motor in shock by changing its diet now.

As little as I drive these days I should get buy with a change once a year and still beat the 7000 mile limit.  The extra cost seems hardly worth the trouble if one has to ignore the factory recommendations and change every 3k just like regular oil.

The motor is still strong and not showing excess wear, so I am hoping to get many more miles out of the rig.

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## hunter63

I do think high mileage and heavy used vehicles may benefit more from synthetic......I don't put a lot on miles on any one vehicle per year for many reasons......so would still be concerned about condensation and sediment.

I do think if the vehicle started with synthetic it would be wise to continue......

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## Manwithnoname

My two cents worth....back in 01, 02 something like that I bought a 97 Ranger. The guy that owned it bought her new and after the break in period he did started using synthetic (castrol gtx if memory serves). He worked in a town 50 odd miles away. When I bought her she had like 180k or something like that, mostly highway miles from back and forth to work. I drove her for 2-3 years (something like that) and sold her with 225-230k on the clock and had continued with the synthetic every 5k miles and never had to add a drop between changes. The lady I sold her too is still driving her today with the original engine and if it has started burning oil, it ain't enough to smoke cause she drives by here a couple of times a day. I'm a firm believer in synthetic. My present truck, an 04 Blazer, I bought with a 110k on the clock. It's an auction truck that previously belonged to the state. I've been running the valvoline high mileage synthetic blend in her and so far so good. Time will tell.

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## Wildthang

I use Mobile 1 and change it every 5 to 6 thousand miles. I feel more mileage than that and the dirt and pollutants will override the increased lubricity and flowability.

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## hunter63

Anyone use SPT Oil treatment any more.....Do they even make SPT oil treatment any more.
Just looked it up, I guess they do....just haven't seen it around for a while.....

Used to use that on all the old high mileage motors....even watched a Formula "V" run a whole 1.9 mile lap with no oil in the motor and didn't damage it.....
Just don't use it any more.
Just carious

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## Manwithnoname

I never used the STP but I have used the GM EOS (engine oil supplement) in a couple of high mileage beaters way back when. I used it over the STP because I worked in a Dealership and got it cheap.

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## hunter63

LOL......
In a past life I worked at a dealer as well as a used car clean-up and mud body man.....(make-em look good cheap for resale)

Sales guy came in selling a complete line of oil treatment, gas treatment, radiator treatment, transmission treatment....and of course "ring and value job in a can".......Looks pf cool stuff back in the 1960's.

Buddy of mine had a really ratty '57 Chevy....looks like crap, different colors, primer, and body putty everywhere.....kinda a  "Earl Scheib" project on the hoof......Burned oil and smoked..........BUT it was FAST!

Anyway the sales guy gave my buddy a bunch of free samples....dumped them in.......then the motor blew up with-in 50 miles....LOL....I guess you were not supposed to dump them all in at athe same time....

Was a long time before I would use anything other than "dealer recommended" products on any of my "new vehicles"....additives were for the beaters and race cars.....

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## Manwithnoname

Yessir, been there done that with those friggin snake oil salesman and also fix me up cheap as possible for resale. I worked in parts and service departments though at several dealerships for about 15yrs.

GM's EOS and top engine cleaner were both good products and both perscribed for various tech service bulletins and wouldn't void any GM product warranties. One of those old beaters I had was a Plymouth Swinger 71, 72, something like that. The oil psi was low enough it would flicker the light at idle. Put a couple cans of EOS in it with every oil change and kept the light off for at least the few months I drove it. Bought it for $50 and sold it for $200.

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## Ohio Rusty

I use the Mobil 1 5W-20 as gun oil. It does a great job of bonding to all the metal parts and haven't had any issues with rust or lubrication.  It also flows freely below zero wqhich is important if you need to use your firearm in really cold temps ...
Ohio Rusty ><>

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## Tony uk

I have my car serviced at roughly every 15,000 miles, as per the audi service schedule (flexible, depending on conditions) I've never had any issues, my cars at 120,000 miles now and sweet as a nut, bought new in 2009.

Tonyuk

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## shiftyer1

These days 100,000 is just about considered just broke in.  I've had good luck using synthetic although every now and then i'll end up dumping in some cheap oil when i'm in a spot.

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## minitruck83

> Anyone use SPT Oil treatment any more.....Do they even make SPT oil treatment any more.
> Just looked it up, I guess they do....just haven't seen it around for a while.....
> 
> Used to use that on all the old high mileage motors....even watched a Formula "V" run a whole 1.9 mile lap with no oil in the motor and didn't damage it.....
> Just don't use it any more.
> Just carious


Ha, dropped the oil pan on a 59 Ford 6 banger that wouldn't take over 2 quarts on an oil change,  STP was at least 4" deep in the bottom... crank had dug grooves in it.  Had to scrape it out from around everything under the valve cover too.

Always wondered what the small 'buy here-pay here' lots used to stop an engine from smoking for 3 days after you bought it? Never failed, sometime on the 3rd day ( when it was too late to renege) it would start smoking!   Don't think it was STP, as I remember using it to quiet noisy lifters.  (if that didn't work, it was time to break out the MMO!)

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## 1stimestar

I use a bottle of heat in my gas once every winter just to get rid of any condensation that may have happened.

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## ronjnk

I won't chime in on using it in vehicles since there has been good feedback. But, I can tell you it makes a world of difference if I need to yank on the diesel generator at 0 degrees. Down to about maybe -10 I have a chance of getting the generator started without tiger torch setup. 

I have a lever I depress to release compression. Even then, it is mighty sluggish. I'll slowly pull the cord out and continue to pull it for at least 20 pulls. I'm thinking the friction warms the cylinder slightly so that when I give it some serious tugs thereafter, it catches. Impossible without synthetic oil.

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## natertot

My 2004 Nissan Sentra has been conventional oil since new, 3k mile intervals and is approaching 200k on the odometer. No issues yet.

My 2005 Honda Civic runs synthetic at 10k mile intervals with a filter and top off halfway b/t oil changes.

My 2014 Ford Focus runs synthetic at 10k mile intervals. I change it every 5k because of its driving conditions of city life and the occasional small trailer being pulled.

Fuel injector cleaners and other fuel additives are mostly unnecessary because they are already included in the fuel. There are always extenuating circumstances that would permit otherwise.

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