Thanks Anthony, that was a good read.

Thanks,
Very imformative.
I have to say he broke it down into laymans terms and got the point across.

Tony

Synthetic Oil
 

I have been using synthetics in race motorcycles and my autos for years and highly recommend them. Pretty much used all brands: Redlline, Mobil 1, Amsoil, Torco, Spectro. I am using Amsoil now because I am a "Preferred Customer" and buy it at dealer price (anyone can become a Preferred Customer by signing up at their website and paying $20/year). They have several types/grades: XL which has a recommended 7,500 mile or 6 month change interval when used with super premium filters; SAE which has a 25,000 mile or 1 year change interval (same filter thing). Use your own judgement on the change interval but I have run my own cars 12,000 miles on Amsoil before changing it and see no degradation.

Mobil 1 has recently come out with an extended drain oil like Amsoil as well.

In my 390 FE engine, I change oil & filters once per year no matter how many miles I drive and I send off an oil sample to be evaluated when I do it. They always come back saying the oil has plenty of life left in it. So far, no bad stuff in the oil (metal, etc).

Amsoil also sells a pre-charger (Canton also has one) that I highly recommend. This thing shoots a dose of oil directly into your engine to pre-load the galleries and bearings before you start it up. Prevents startup damage in motors that are not started and run frequently. I use the bypass/full flow filter system from Amsoil which consists of a normal full-flow filter (all oil goes through it) and a bypass filter (better filter but only filters all oil over a longer period). Here's their weblink:

https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/bf.aspx

I use Amsoil in my Richmond 5 spd and in my locker rear diff. works great. Richmond recommends synthetic in their transmissions (Redline) and they said Amsoil would be fine as well. Locker rear ends may need an additive if they make noise but Amsoil sells that too.

Back when I raced motorcycles, we developed engines by using beaucoup dyno time and I could see the gain in HP when I switched from Valvoline Racing Oil to Torco. I now run Amsoil 20W50 in my H-D engined Buell and saw an increase in HP and mileage there as well.

That's probably more than .02 worth.

Is my oil too heavy?
 

I've got Mobil 1 15w-50 in my 427 side-oiler. After reading the "Oil Novel" above it seems I should be running something like 0w-30 or 0w-20.

So, would it be worth it to go ahead and change out to the lighter weight oil? I'm also thinking of using Amsoil vs Mobil 1.

Car is mainly street, but have been on the track and have NASA HPDE 2 in a few weeks.

I'm trying to "learn to fish" by studying, but in the meantime wouldn't mind if someone would just throw a "fish" on the plate :JEKYLHYDE

Anythony, can you please repeat that again... thanks...**) **)



(seriously, a fantastic read! many thanks!


I use Mobil Delvac 5w-40)

Good reading thanks.

I mistakenly thought strieght 30wt was the same as 0W 30.

One red flag is he never mentions the difference between N.E. crude oil and S.W crude oil. Never use NE oils as they are parifin based and cook down to a waxy gunk on your cylinder heads. (especially Quacker state and Pensoil) Texas crude is asphalt based and does not do this.

Synthetic is the way to go... I'd been advised a long time ago to stay away from the higher weights by engine builders I know.

Anthony:
If cars had "oil flow gauges" as well as "oil pressure gauges" a lot of people would change their minds about the viscosity of oil they use.

QS, Shell, Castrol and the rest, get their base stock from all over the place. Don't think that QS comes from Pennsylvania, it probably doesn't. Many in the know feel that Pennsylvania base stock oils are actually better.

My newer Ford calls for 5W-20 oil. When I got a hold of Ford and asked them if I could use 0W-20 they said no, go figure.

Bob

Anthony, great read man. Thought I was reading the "Bob is the Oil Guy" site for a minute. One thing that I would like your take on is the mandated reductions in certain additives, most notably zinc, in newer oils. How do you see these affecting shear strength issues as they apply to flat tappet cams and the various oil types? This has the potential to be a very big issue with those of us running older type engines.

Thanks, Steve

Mobil 1
 

Stick with a full synthetic, no blends. The major oil companies have spent 10's of millions of dollars in testing to verify and confirm the data that over time and heat, the viscosity of the oil does not break down as rapidly as conventional oil. Mobil 1 is first fill now on Z06, Viper, Mercedes McLaren SLR and the new Nissan GT-R to name a few. These manufacturers didn't make these decisions without knowing it was the best they could put in their cars. I regularly run my daily drivers 15k between changes with changing the filter at 7500 and topping off the system. Pre charge the filter if possible and buy a quality filter, Mobil 1 or K&N. There are some syn blends out there that don't meet todays specs for new cars and the drive up oil change facilities are still putting it in new cars. DO NOT use synthetic stabilizer. Mobil, Penzoil, Valvoline didn't put millions into developing the best oil so Joe down the street could come up with "snake oil" to make the best better.

Drain your oil well, including oil cooler as best you can. Fill with Mobil 1 (winter and summer weight as specified by your engine builder). You should see decrease in running temperature and an increase in HP.

I listen to people all day and the main complaint is the cost. Well, my motor is worth it. In my Backdraft I'll change my oil every 3,000 and it's Mobil 1 10w30. Small expense for my precious motor.

The section below talks about NEW vehicles. These are factory built cars. I know of nothing in the engine building process that would cause a problem running full synthetic over conventional. The engine builder knows how tight or loose they're building the motor and knows what motor oil they recommend. Seals, rings, bearings are all still made from the same materials and will not react adversely to full synthetic oils.

For answers about zinc levels go to
Has Zinc Been Removed from Motor Oils?

Myths
People have a lot to say about synthetic oils. Unfortunately, it’s not always accurate. But ExxonMobil is here to clear things up. Read below to get the truth behind some of the most common misconceptions about synthetic oils and your vehicle.

Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to a synthetic oil like Mobil 1.
Reality:
You can start using Mobil 1® in new vehicles at any time, even in brand new vehicles. In fact, Mobil 1 is original equipment (it is installed at the factory) in:
Mobil 1 is factory fill in:

Acura RDX
Aston Martin
All Bentley Vehicles
All Cadillac Vehicles
Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Z06
Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Cobalt SS S/C Coupe
Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Charger SRT-8, and Magnum SRT-8
Jeep Cherokee SRT-8
Mercedes-Benz AMG Vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi Evolution
Pontiac Solstice GXP
All Porsche Vehicles
Saturn Ion Red Line and Saturn Sky Red Line
Viper SRT-10

One of the myths surrounding synthetic oils is that new engines require a break-in period with conventional oil. The fact is, current engine manufacturing technology does not require this break-in period. As indicated by the decisions of the engineers who design the high-performance cars listed above, Mobil 1 can be used starting the day you drive the car off the showroom floor.

Myth: Using Mobil 1 will void the warranty on my new car.
Reality:
Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance will not void new car warranties, with the exception of the Mazda rotary engine (Mazda does not recommend any synthetic motor oil). Mobil 1 exceeds the API and ILSAC motor oil service requirements for all new vehicles, both import and domestic. If in doubt, always check your vehicle owner's manual or contact your vehicle's manufacturer.

Since most new car warranties call for shorter service intervals than those enabled by Mobil 1 Extended Performance, ExxonMobil recommends you follow the recommendations in your owner's manual while your car is under warranty.

Myth: I need to flush my engine before switching to Mobil 1.
Reality:
No special preparation is necessary when switching from conventional motor oil to Mobil 1 or Mobil 1 Extended Performance.

Myth: Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance require a special oil filter.
Reality:

While ExxonMobil recommends that you use a high-quality filter, you can use the same type of oil filter that you would normally use with conventional oil. ExxonMobil does offer a very high-quality oil filter that is a perfect companion to Mobil 1. The Mobil 1 Extended Performance Oil Filter contains synthetic blend filter media instead of the typical cellulose filter media. With a 99.2 percent efficiency rating (under SAE J1858 Multi-Pass Efficiency Test), the Mobil 1 filter is much more efficient than a typical oil filter. Its new high-capacity design stores more contaminants (two times the capacity of the leading brand).

Myth: Motorcycles can't benefit from synthetic oil.
Reality:
Motorcycles are an ideal application for synthetic oil. ExxonMobil offers two fully synthetic motor oils for motorcycles:
Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 is recommended for on-road, high-performance, 4-cycle sport bikes, which are typically liquid cooled. It can also be used in air-cooled engines calling for a 10W-40 oil.


Mobil 1 V-Twin is a 20W-50 oil recommended for 4-cycle V-twin engines, particularly those that are air cooled and tend to run hotter than other types of engines.

Myth: Mobil 1 will leak out of the seals of older cars.
Reality:

Mobil 1 does not cause leaks. In fact, new Mobil 1 was tested in dozens of industry standard and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) tests to prove its seal performance. It is fully compatible with the elastomeric materials from which all automotive seals and gaskets are made. If an older engine is in good condition and does not have oil leaks, Mobil 1 provides the same advantages as when used in a new engine. ExxonMobil recommends taking measures to repair the leaks, then using Mobil 1. ExxonMobil also recommends following the automobile manufacturer's manual for the proper oil to use.

Most oils that advertise as "fully synthetic" are not. In my experience Amsoil is fully synthetic and one of the best oils on the planet. Closely followed by Redline. Most Mobil 1 and Castrol street oils are dumbed down versions of synthetic oil and but they are solid performers, just not top tier....IMHO. I use a 5w-40 Mobil oil that is fully synthetic (its made for diesel engines). I want a relatively thin oil (the 5w) at start up and a thicker oil when the engine is hot and it contains a very high degree of additives (detergents and anti wear ingrediednts) usually not found in most street oils. So I believe I have the best of both worlds. If I wasnt using Mobil 1 5w-40 I would use Amsoil 5w-40. But car enthusiasts and their oil opinions run deep and emotional, and many are not based on facts. I just want the best oil for me and my car... everyone has different preferences... it can get complicated ....**) **)

Trularin,

I think your logic in choosing Bosch is flawed. If you're seeing an increase in pressure of 10-20 psi, it's because the Bosch is restricting flow (assuming you're measuring oil pressure before the oil filter which is where it's measured on my FE). You could completely plug up an oil filter and your pressure gauge would look great but it wouldn't be good for your motor. I think you want to use a filter that has the least affect on oil pressure.

Chris

There are many, many good brands to choose from....synthetic or non-synthetic...keep it simple my friend.

Anthony thank you for your post. Dr. Haas has written a little bit more. Really good info on starting your engine.

FerrariChat.com - FAQ: Motor Oil Articles by Dr. Ali E. Haas (AEHaas)

Anthony?/ All that for 5 quarts of oil in your car????AMZOIL That's the ticket.....I use it in my car and drink it on trips too....Keeps me all lubed up and ready for anything..Dave

I ran Mobil 1 in my side oiler for a short time, it actually SMOKED! Switched back to dino oil, no problem.

Ya'll run whatever you want, I all ready figured out what my engine likes.

Break in a new engine with Synthetic oil? I don't buy it, I think it's hype to sell more product.