Quote:
Originally Posted by blykins
Z,
I have seen things on a much larger sample scale than 99% of the people here. I also get to talk to a lot of engine builder friends who again see things on a very large sample scale. From my standpoint experience trumps everything else.
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I certainly respect you experience, and what it has taught you. I only have 45 years of experience in engine building, maybe not much by your standards. But enough so that i am confident in drawing a few conclusions from what I have seen others do, and what I have personally done.
I am not currently building engines professionally. After doing so since 1966, I have retired (2011). My main professional experience has been in the 2 wheel world, but I certainly have plenty of time building auto engines as well
I didn't start using Mobil 1 products until the mid 1980's. Before then I would routinely use Castrol 20w-50 in all British engines I built, including competition Triumph TR2, TR3, TR4, and Spitfire's. As well as the Jag 3.8 & 4.2 engines. I also built numerous FE and SBF engines starting when I was 13 in my uncles shop, several of them were for NASCAR type cars competing on the outlaw tracks (not sanctioned). I couldn't tell you the exact date, but in any case by the 1990's I was using
synthetic oil in every engine i built, the ones referenced above, as well as Datusn 240z, all Engiish motorcycles, primarily BSA, Triumph, and Nortons of the 1960's and 1970's and all years of Hondas, Kawasaki's, Ducati, and a few HD's. Along the way I did manage to put Mobil 1 in numerous 428 SCJ and 289 HiPo engines without the sky falling, and without them leaking when they hadn't been leaking before. The ones that were leaking to begin with, still leaked, but no more than before the switch.
As you can see, my experience, although only four and half decades, has shown me a different set of conclusions than your experience has shown you. Nothing wrong with that that I can see. I do note that I am not the only person to report using a
synthetic oil in vintage Ford engines, and liking it. My overriding reason for using
synthetic oil is to benefit from the reduced friction vs. conventional oil, a quality that has been demonstrated by others far more knowledgable than me.
Z.