Need to change low mileage synthetic oil?

[MuncyBob]

I've been told by those that certainly know a lot more about oil than I do that my 86 F250 should have the oil changed about every 6 months even though I probably don't exceed even 1k miles per year. I kinda understand this due to (I think) loss in viscosity in aged dino oil, but I also have a Jimmy that sees fairly low miles too. Difference being I run synthetic(Castrol) in that. Is the "shelf life" for synthetic different/longer than dino oil?

 

[stonypass]

IMHO, synthetic just lets you go longer between changes.

I have a 97 Dodge Diesel, and it gets about 4k miles per year towing the RV, boat and a few general truck chores.
It gets a fresh change of 15-40 Shell Rotella every fall before it gets cold same as my tractor which gets about 50hrs per year.

I used to run synthetic in our 5.0L V8 powered boat but its getting Rotella now too, and its still clear when I change it each fall.
Some might change these sooner but that's what I do.

Also, if your 86 F250 has any leaks at all I would stay away from synthetic or they will probably get worse.
Just my experience.

 

[Diamondpilot]

No matter what oil it should be changed once a year no matter how few miles. Its the acids that build and collect that do the damage.

To me synthetics are a waist of money in this application. Fresh clean oil is cheap insurance.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

i'd also reccomend at least a yearly change, syn or not.

if it's a gasser, and you like running syn.. but are ultra low milage.. use a cheap syn like the walmart syn.

costs as much as premium dino oil.. and you get the syn benefits.

even if it's add package wears out faster than name brand syn.. you would be NO WHERE near touching that..

 

[MuncyBob]

I have always run dino in the Ford and always will. I did recently give the Wal Mart brand sun a try for the same reasons as stated. Annual oil in the Jimmy and semi annual in the truck it will be then. Thanx.

 

[newbury]

Have a sample analyzed, Blackstone Labs.

 

[Soundguy]

probablty cost 3/4 or more.. maybee ALL as much as the oil change.. and then you know it's good...

 

[DEWFPO]

I put about 2,000 miles a year on my current 3/4 ton pickup and I change the synthetic oil out every 3-4 years. Never had a problem and I've been doing this since 1985 on different vehicles. As long as your not making a lot of short trips in very cold, damp weather and not letting the oil get hot enough to boil off any condensation you will be fine. When I do run mine, I use them for at least 30 minutes of continuous running. It really depends on how you use the vehicle.

Run a oil sample thru a lab and then you will know for sure if what you are doing is working for you. Changing oil blindly every X months can really be a waste of time, money and resources.

DEWFPO

 

[dmccarty]

The only way you can really know is to get the oil tested.

I have been running synthetic in the truck and tractor for years and testing the oil. The oil in the truck will be changed out in a year due to use. The tractor has gone at least two years and the test said I threw away perfectly good oil. The only way you will know is to test.

The cheapest thing to do is to use the cheapest oil that meets the engine requirements and change per the manual. I like know what is happening in the engine so I test the oil and I like to use synthetics for a variety of reasons. Testing and using synthetics cost me a bit more, maybe, but I run longer on the oil.

I have only had three oil samples that were iffy. Two samples, one in the truck and one in the tractor, showed a bit of fuel. Nothing bad but the fuel should not have been there. Why? I was running the RPMs a bit too low on the tractor. I seldom mow and thus I don't use RPM speed but a few times a year. A the time I was running 1500-1600 RPMs just doing this and that on the tractor. After the sample, I pushed up the RPMs to 1800-2000 and no more fuel in the oil. The sample in the truck was because of getting in quite a bit of stop and go traffic. I would spend maybe 15 minutes stuck in traffic out of a 60 minute trip but that was enough to let in the fuel. Thankfully I was able to avoid that route otherwise I would have had to change out the oil sooner.

The last truck sample had a more wear than usual. Not an amount that is immediately alarming but something to watch. I think it was because I let the oil get a bit low but time will tell. Without testing I would not know.

Later,
Dan

 

[Cigar Face]

No matter what oil it should be changed once a year no matter how few miles. Its the acids that build and collect that do the damage.

To me synthetics are a waist of money in this application. Fresh clean oil is cheap insurance.

Chris

iI AGREE WITH THIS FELLA. SYNTHETIC IS A WASTE OF MONEY. SYNTHETIC OIL WILL ALSO BRING YOU SOME NICE OIL LEAKS AS WELL. IT FINDS ITS WAY THROUGH SEALS. IF YOU HAVENT HAD THIS HAPPENED TO YOU PERSONALLY. GOOGLE IT.

 

[DarkBlack]

86' ford, less than 1k miles per year? That's easy. Change the oil once a year with cheap dino. No worries.

 

[Copperhead]

iI AGREE WITH THIS FELLA. SYNTHETIC IS A WASTE OF MONEY. SYNTHETIC OIL WILL ALSO BRING YOU SOME NICE OIL LEAKS AS WELL. IT FINDS ITS WAY THROUGH SEALS. IF YOU HAVENT HAD THIS HAPPENED TO YOU PERSONALLY. GOOGLE IT.

Really? You need to get out there and let all those commercial semi drivers that are using synthetics about that leaking problem! Especially since they are subject to new CSA regulations. I checked my Detroit Diesel, and I haven't gotten any leaks yet. And the Cummins ISX I had before that didn't have any leaks in almost 900,000 miles when I sold it. And I have run synthetics in transmissions and rears for almost 20 years. And I have averaged 700,000 miles before needing a drive axle seal change. Never had to replace seals in transmissions. And none so far on my New Holland that has been running synthetics for almost 5 years. My Jeep Liberty Diesel has been on synthetics since being factory filled with synthetic. No leaks yet with 104,000 miles on it.

i agree with others here that synthetic is not necessary in the OP's application. But this old wives tale about synthetic causing leaks is just that. It may expose a weak area that would have leaked anyway if it hadn't been plugged with dino oil residue, but it doesn't create leaks.

 

[Tig]

My .02; Keep using syn, get it tested once a year and let us know. Don't change it until it tests bad.
My experience is that the additives "boil" out of dino oil in a few months. The valve train lets me know when we reach this point.
With true syn, (Mobil1 for example) the valve train is still silent a year later, even after a hard run.
On the subject of leaks, the argument seems to be that dino gets gooey enough to plug leaks and syn will clean that goo out. If this is true, is dino really what you want lubricating your engine? But then again, I've been running syn for 10 years and I have never experienced this phenomena.

 

[Soundguy]

But this old wives tale about synthetic causing leaks is just that. It may expose a weak area that would have leaked anyway if it hadn't been plugged with dino oil residue, but it doesn't create leaks.

however.. that in and of itself.. is likely the source of the issue with 'syn causing leaks'

doesn't matter so much 'why' but if it seen doing so.. it is a cause and effect relationship.

just saying...

 

[Copperhead]

however.. that in and of itself.. is likely the source of the issue with 'syn causing leaks'

doesn't matter so much 'why' but if it seen doing so.. it is a cause and effect relationship.

just saying...

Obviously, if there is a condition that would lead to oil leaks, they would happen. But Cigar Face made a blanket statement that is not based in any objective facts, that synthetics will cause oil leaks by working it's way thru seals. He did not say it could lead to leaks by cleaning out residue that may have accumulated on seals. That is an exception and not the rule.

 

[Soundguy]

Obviously, if there is a condition that would lead to oil leaks, they would happen. But Cigar Face made a blanket statement that is not based in any objective facts, that synthetics will cause oil leaks by working it's way thru seals. He did not say it could lead to leaks by cleaning out residue that may have accumulated on seals. That is an exception and not the rule.

true. I don't disagree with that statement.

A good seal will not be made to leak, just by adding syn.. unless of course.. that seal is an older good one that may be incompatible.. like on a vintage engine or something... a stretch.. but I might be able to throw that one out.. but again. exception.. and not the rule as you point out.