Dino or Synthetic?

[MJC62]

Ok lads and lasses which are you using, dinosaur oil or synthetic, in your MH and the genny.
I had always shied away from synthetics, my reasoning back when Mobil 1 first hit the scene there were horror stories ( mostly unsubstantiated) told around the coffee machine at the Chrysler dealer where I worked of synthetic oil causing engines to leak like a sieve. Logic was synthetics were so much lighter than Dino oil they would pour through the gaskets. In the mid 70's there may even been some truth to those rumors. Fast forward from mid 70's to today and I still am on the fence on synthetics being better than natural crudes. So my question what are you all using in the engine these days?

[Down South]

I believe your engine uses motorcraft synthetic blend. That's what the owners manual says for my Triton V-10 engine.
I see no reason to change that.

[Elite Washington]

I only use synthetic today’s engines all typically require it

[MelWV]

I have used Amsoil Full Synthetic in everything for years. Bikes, mowers, generators, motor coaches etc. All internal combustion engines. Never been dissatisfied.

[standerson]

I had a 2006 F150 with the 5.4. I used Mobile 1 from day one until I traded it it in 2019. Did not have any issues with the engine. Like someone said, I saw no reason to switch.

[MJC62]

I had been using Pennzoil dino in my last rig a 2006 Chevy 6L.
Leaning synthetic these days, hard for old dogs to learn new tricks. I am changing the MH myself this spring last time I had just had my knee scoped so crawling was out. The RV shop charged me a $115 for full service oil change (grease oil filter). Which actually with $60 for oil and filter isn't all that outrageous.

[kwplot34]

When in doubt, use what the manufacture recommends.

[HarryS]

Synthetic for me. Much better wear preventives, and the cost is very reasonable, if you buy the store brand.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by kwplot34

When in doubt, use what the manufacture recommends.

X2

[Muggs]

I use manufacturer oil recommendation on most everything:

2016 Thor Vegas - motorcraft synthetic blend
2014 Nissan Altima - full synthetic
2007 Chevy Suburban - conventional Castrol GTX
All air cooled engines - 15w40 Rotella conventional oil

Chevy small block drag race engines get 15w40 or 20w50 conventional oil.

Neither the Chevy Suburban nor drag motors do well on synthetic, consuption escalates on both drastically. Also seems to leak easier through rear main seals and gaskets. Wear acxeptable on conventional oils.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by kwplot34

When in doubt, use what the manufacture recommends.

I agree as also.
Even though I prefer peanut oil. It smells better when deep-frying Twinkies.

[Rooster210]

I do oil changes at work for my job. We dont even sell pure dino oil anymore and I've never had one come back for a leak unless the oil plug hole was messed up and leaking. That's not a issue with the oil though. We do oil changes on cars all the way back into the 90's and even some from the 80's.
The thing I like about full synthetic oil is the fact I can go 5000 miles between oil changes instead of 3000 like with pure dino oil

[Bob Denman]

I have heard it said that you should avoid pure synthetic oils until the rings have had a chance to get "happy" with the cylinder that they're operating in...

Any truth to that one?

[Rooster210]

New cars leave the factory with full synthetic oil in them. I cant see millions of cars all having their engines "broken in" before the car leaves the factory

[Bob Denman]

Full synthetic?
Or blended?

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Rooster210

New cars leave the factory with full synthetic oil in them. I cant see millions of cars all having their engines "broken in" before the car leaves the factory

Not all cars. My Jeep Grand Cherokee with the Hemi V8, based on Jeep's recommendation, should not use synthetic oil. Was notified of this when I tried to renew my Jeep Wave service plan a couple of weeks ago and I was not allowed to purchase the synthetic or synthetic blend plan.

[Muggs]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I have heard it said that you should avoid pure synthetic oils until the rings have had a chance to get "happy" with the cylinder that they're operating in...

Any truth to that one?

I cannot scientifically verify but I did not like the cylinder wall polishing on race motor using synthetic. Not a standard engine as far as running clearances but oil consumption, seepage from seals/gaskets and polishing of cylinder walls led me to conclusion syn was not worth cost. I pulled engine couple years ago that had run for 6 years on 20w50 Catrol dino oil. Bearings, cylinder walls and rings showed zero lubrication issues. To give an idea how long it ran, piston ring end gaps that started at .022" were over .055" when torn down. Granted these are soft 3 mm race rings, but even wear across cylinders shows oil doing job. Bearings looked new and reusable, crank needed no polishing. There are benrfits ffrom syn that just do not seem to be required in this application.

The 2016 Altima was designed with tighter clearances and does run much hotter so I run recommended synthetic.

[Bob Denman]

Thanks for the info!

[lwmcguire]

I run full synthetic along with synthetic designed filters on all my engines except the Cummins

My minimum mileage for normal conditions is 7500 and longer if the computer is happy

The Cummins gets Dino and changed at 15k. I expect it it outlast me by many years. Generator is changed with Dino at 200 hours and could easily go more with no issues. My newer JD equipment manual hours is 500

[Beau388]

Base stock of dinosaur oils (group 1 or 2) cost in the range of $1.25 per gallon in 3,000 gallon container. Synthetic (group 3) cost about $1.55 a gallon in bulk loads. Synthetics (groups 4, 5, and 6) are the most expensive at $1.70 per gallon in bulk. Packaging, shipping and profit add another $1.90 to $8.00 per gallon. The biggest variable is the additive package. It will range from $0.50 to $21.00 depending on the application and manufactures preferences. Additive packages take several years to develop and test and are usually developed to meet a specific engine type and manufacturer. Racing oils cost more because the additive packages are different, more expensive and expendable not because the base stock is different. The advent of catalytic converters and specifically modern three stage catalytic converters and plateau honing of cylinder walls required different additives. Because of min fuel mileage requirements less viscous oil are recommended. There is no best oil, only different oils. Your engine manufacturing knows best what oil is suited for their engines. If you are dealing with 50 to 70 year old engines like I am, then you need to do some research to find what modern oil might work in a high compression, high rpm, air cooled engine meant for 95 octane leaded gasoline; otherwise, in an engine less than 10 years old stick with the manufactures recommendation. In addition no additives, please; as most additives are antagonistic to additive packages.