Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Pro's and cons in using synthetics?

well, i'm gonna change my oil tomorow, and i want to know, what are the downs of using synthetic oil (or even synthetic blend). If its so superior, why doesn't it replace 'dino' oil for good?

Synthetic - YES
Synthetic Blend - NO.

Sythentic is a much more stable lubricant than Dino Oil.
It is also capable of lubrication in places where Dino Oil is very week at lubrication.

If you car had a LOT of miles on it, you may not want to start using synthetic because it will start oil leaks,
because the synthetic oil molecules are smaller than Dyno oil molecules.
Once the dyno oil is washed away, the synthetic oil will pass through
small gaps where Dyno Oil molecules were too large to pass.

I changed over to synthetic at 65,00 miles.
I've got 82,000 miles now, with no leaks at all.
I also changed my oil every 2500 since the day I got the car,
and have NEVER had a leak of any kind.

You want the downs first?
>It costs more.
>The engine will leak a little, I had this problem with synthetics all the time. Started using Mobil 1 in 1977 on and off and used it all the time in my Turbo powered car.
Plus side:
>It has a higher coking temp. takes longer to break down under pressure.
>flows better when cold - more protection on startup
>generates less dirt in the engine - no ash.
>since it is cleaner many run it longer between changes.

so it offers better protection? and it can tell me where my engine is falling apart!? gosh this stuff is amazing! Why hasn't it replaced dino oil?!

$$$A large portion of the driving public doesn't care about oil and will not pay the premium price. It doesn't show the leaks, it just creeps past gaskets easier.
It will give you a little better gas mileage when you use the lighter weights. With the increased protection you can get away with thinner oil and the engine will have less to work against. They don't boast as much about it like they did in the 70s because the conventional oil has improved so much (the additives) that they now are using lighter weights. Years ago most used 10w-40 and Mobil 1 used 5w-30. Run your hand through a tray of oil (for a jolly) and see which viscosity is easier to go through.

I used to work for Pennzoil and have training on this subject. Synthetic is far superior to conventional oil in every aspect. Worth every penny if you plan to keep the car. If you trade every 3-4 years or don't bother with it.

I'm running Castrol Synthetic Blend 10W-30 right now and my car is running better than ever. Of course that may also be attributed to new bosh plugs, ford racing wires and running fuel and injector cleaner treatments. Does anyone know the usefullness/uselessness of using the blend and 10W-30 as opposed to 5W-30. Basically, I'll be changing my oil in a couple weeks at 100K and I would like to know what kind of oil i should put. At Hot Import Nights, I saw alot of people buying Valvoline Synthetic...is that better than Mobil 1? thanks alot guys

Use 5/30. That is what the engine was designed for. 10/30 can cause problems.

The valve train oiling channels and lubrication design largly influence the oil weight specification as do EPA fuel economy targets by the mfg. Do not use anything other than 5W-30. All synthetics from Mobil, QS, Valvoline, Pennzoil etc. are very similar. All are excellent. Just don't switch brands often because the engine becomes conditioned to a certain brand's additive mixture. When you change brands it takes a couple of intervals to become acustomed to the formula - consumption can increase as well.

Mobil 1 has come out with a new synthetic oil designed for higher milage cars . . . its called super syn. I haven't used it yet but plan to use it in my aging Contour insted of the regular Mobil 1 I now use. As for the difference between full synthetic and "dino" oil. Your engine will run cleaner, cooler, last longer and get better gas mileage using synthetic oils. Using synthetic oil in conjunction with a good fuel injector cleaner like Red Line will keep combustion deposits down to a minimum and thus keep from fouling the EGR sytems that Ford seems to have so much problem with. When ports clog in Fords EGR system, the check engine light comes on and remind you that there isn't enough flow thru the EGR . . . clogging. However, if you trade cars often it doesn't really matter. I drive almost all of my cars past 200K so its worth it for me. If you change your own oil, it cost about the same as letting a garage change your oil using dino oil. Considering the increased gas mileage, it about evens out in the short run. I don't see much down side to using synthetic oil.