Can I switch to synthetic after my first 8000km oil change??

[Black Yaris]

Originally Posted by Pavel Olavich

Putting synthetic in a car with less then 1,000 will make it blow up, cause massive burns to the occupants, mar, scratch, and incinerate the cylinders beyoud repair, often doing this will cause a piston to explode up, out of the engine, smashing through the little Yaris hood, often causing the driver to wreck his car.... DON'T DO IT!

pure entertainment

[YarisTom73]

Also causes blindness, hair on the palms of your hands, and... oh, wrong habit

[aca72]

Excellent article from http://www.boss302.com/oil.htm



No matter how well the parts are manufactured, or how meticulous your engine builder is in maintaining his tolerances, the internals of your engine still have a lot of relatively 'rough' friction surfaces when freshly put together. I'm talking about rings, cams, rockers, and bearings...stuff like that. There is a lot of processes manufacturers put their parts through to ensure that they have the desired 'hardness' that is required for long life: Heat treating, 'Tuftriding', things like that. Anyway, for approximately the first 10-12,000 miles of a fresh engine's life, the parts all go through a combination of physical and molecular changes. First, there is a tremendous (relatively speaking) amount of friction on these surfaces for the first 12K, and the result is that the parts are reaching what engineers call 'equilibrium'. The parts are wearing into a state of near perfect smoothness, in relation to each other. Much more perfectly smooth than any manufacturer could ever produce. Secondly, as this first 12K elapses the internal parts of the engine are also going through a 'molecular' change (for want of a better word): The best hardening processes used by manufacturers cannot achieve what the constant heat and operation of 12K can put the parts through. The parts will become even more hardened, and much more resistant to wear and tear. But they also become more brittle. For those reasons, it is vitally important that you operate your car in a variety of driving styles during this high-friction break-in period to ensure that the internals are fully worn-in, or 'seated' by the time 'equilibrium' sets in. If the parts are not fully worn-in by that time, then the new-found brittleness will cause an excess of wear and tear, shortening the engine's life. For that reason, it is a good idea to stick with regular 'dino' for the break-in period, so that you will have enough friction to wear in the parts, but not so much that you are damaging the engine. Since there is so much friction, and therefore much more microscopic (but still damaging!) particulate matter present in the oil, I would recommend changing it at the first 200 miles, then at 500 miles, and then every 1,000-1,500 miles until you have reached about 12K. At this point, you have done everything possible to help your engine reach as near a perfect state of 'equilibrium' as possible, and no more break-in is necessary. That means that now you want to have as little internal friction as possible. At this point, switch to a good full synthetic. Synthetic lubricates MUCH better than any conventional oil, which of course reduces internal friction. An engine that is properly broken in and in good operating condition, and with fresh fluids in it will suffer practically NO wear and tear for many thousands of miles. Synthetic also does not have any of the damaging trace elements in it (phosphorous, sulfur, etc...) that helps to create sludge and corrosive acids when combined with the by-products of combustion. The phosphorous, when combined with the remnants of the unburned hydro-carbons (gas), and then oxidized creates an acid that is chemically identical to battery acid. This most often leads to premature bearing failure and excessive cam wear. Since there is more actual oil in a full synthetic formula, there is more lubrication available to you. Plus, the relatively 'pure' base stocks do not introduce any unwanted elements into your engine.

[YarisTom73]

Umm.. did he say something??

Lotsa great info, and I do appreciate the professionalism of that post. It does seem a bit overkill to do that many changes in the first 12k...why wouldn't the factory recommend this, if it's indeed the best way to go? Wouldn'tm it drum up business for themselves as well as their service centers??

[nsmitchell]

I don't like that "fake oil"! I only use real oil like Quaker State! hehe

[wax420]

i changed mine at 1500 miles with royal purple which i dont like there customer service so will be going with amsoil soon my crusing speed is 80 to 100mph its like playing the video game frogger i love my 07 Lb its so much fun to drive traded in my caddy for it

[Pars]

If you're not sure, I'd just go with the manufacturer's recommendation, which is 8000km for the first oil change and anything goes afterward.

From personal experience from my last two cars, I've found that the engine start to get quick at around 30,000km on regular oil. Given that synthetic is suppose to be significantly better at lubricating, I wonder if the same effect could be achieved from a car that's been fed synthetic from an early age.

It's also interesting that of all the car I've encountered that have over 400,000km on it, none of them were running synthetic. Has anyone heard of a synthetic user pushing that kind of mileage?

[Black Yaris]

Originally Posted by Pars

It's also interesting that of all the car I've encountered that have over 400,000km on it, none of them were running synthetic. Has anyone heard of a synthetic user pushing that kind of mileage?

Most people that either bought a car with 400,000km or even 400,000 miles on it is going to be a penny pincher and is no way going to put synthetic in it. I will put syntetic in my car untill the day I sell my car, that does not mean the cheep ass the buys my car with 200,000 miles on it, when I am done with it, won't switch over to dino oil........ I highly doubt the 400,000km cars you are seeing are 1st owner cars

[Pars]

Originally Posted by Black Yaris

Most people that either bought a car with 400,000km or even 400,000 miles on it is going to be a penny pincher and is no way going to put synthetic in it. I will put syntetic in my car untill the day I sell my car, that does not mean the cheep ass the buys my car with 200,000 miles on it, when I am done with it, won't switch over to dino oil........ I highly doubt the 400,000km cars you are seeing are 1st owner cars

Two of my good friends are original owner with cars that have over 400,000km. One's got a 1.8T 1999 Passat and the other has a 1990 Civic Si. They're still driving them. I don't think they're cheap asses since most of their surplus money goes toward traveling. btw, both cars uses regular oil, from day one.

[Thotprawsis]

Ok...I have had a couple of cars that have gone over the 200,000 mark. The last one being a Ford Festiva. That being said. I used regular oil, Pennzoil. I have a Friend whom purchased one of the Festivas I had owned. He uses it for autox and daily use. He has sworn by Mobile 1 from the start of his ownership @ 5,000. His also is over 200,000. Mine was blowing a little smoke and have since sold it. His however is still running strong and no blow by. Keep in mind I in no way drove my car nearly as hard as he did/does on a regular basis. I have since owned a couple of other vehicles and swear by synth' oil.

[Meteorite Man]

Originally Posted by blacksan

?

I very much doubt they do more then drive a new Vette very far from assembly to customer delivery. Stop by the local Chevy dealer and look at an odometer.

The odometer has nothing to do with it. It's broken in on an engine test stand. The car isn't broken in, the motor is.

If driving the car from the plant in Kentucky to the dealer, the folks on the coasts and border states would have a motor more broken in than someone in the next state over.