Synthetic vs Conventional Motor Oil
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Is synthetic really worth the extra cost?
https://www.mccluskeychevrolet.com/benefits-to-sticking-with-conventional-motor-oil/
There is a common myth that exists about synthetic oils that say that putting a synthetic oil in an older engine can cause the oil valves to crack and cause oil to leak. While this was true of older engines when synthetic oil was first produced, advances in oil technology have largely eliminated this fear – meaning synthetic oil will not, in fact, cause your engine to leak oil.
This being said, however, it is still not recommended to use synthetic oil in engines that have experienced significant actions – specifically, those that have reached around 75,000 miles on the odometer. This is usually a signal that the engine is getting older and is more susceptible to wear on its inner gears and moving parts.
While synthetic oil generally protects better over a longer time, it flows more smoothly than conventional mineral oils – and for an older engine, this can mean a greater chance of grinding gears. For this reason, most manufacturers and mechanic recommend conventional oil for owners of older and more experienced engines. The slower flow of a conventional oil promises better lubrication for aging engines and can mean the difference between your engine lasting for the long haul and giving up before it is really ready to go.While many mechanics and reviewers might extol the praises of synthetic oil over conventional, you won’t be hearing the same thing from the car manufacturers themselves – many of whom still recommend and use conventional oil on the factory line. This is based on a simple fact of reality: unless you’re driving a high-performance vehicle or in extreme conditions, your car simply doesn’t need synthetic oil.
When your car first came off the assembly line, there’s a good chance it was filled with conventional oil. That’s because this option is not only cheaper, but also because it’s just as effective as synthetic for a new vehicle. This has led to a myth about a need to “break” in a new engine with conventional before switching to synthetic. The fact is, manufacturers could choose to put in synthetic right off the line but choose not to – all because they know that conventional oil will work just as well as synthetic in most vehicles.
And for those looking at changing their own oil with a visit to the automotive store, look closely at the synthetic oils available to you today. Many, in reality, are synthetic blends, meaning they actually hold a sizeable proportion of conventional oil mixed in with synthetic. While this does offer slightly better longevity and performance a compared to traditional conventional oil, many find that the moderate benefits to using a synthetic blend are simply not worth the extra cost.
So whether you’ve been considering a switch to synthetic or simply want to know more about your options, it’s important to remember that conventional oil has been the tried and true standard for many drivers, mechanics, and automakers for decades. Still offering excellent performance that can successfully protect just about any consumer model, conventional oil should not be underestimated in the face of fancier synthetic options.
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I think they're wrong.
Exhibit #1, GM's power train warranty:
2024 Chevrolet and GMC cars, vans, crossovers, and light-duty pickup trucks: 5 years/100,000 miles for customers with a qualifying fleet account, 5 years/60,000 miles for retail buyers
That warranty mandates the use of Dexos approved oil. ALL Dexos approved oil is synthetic or synblend.
Exhibit #2: The most common cause of engine failure is lack of lubrication. In many new cars, engines are designed with very small lubrication pathways, mostly because they are using low viscosity oils, such as 0w-20 or 5w-20. While you can get these in a conventional oil, synthetics are much easier to find.
Modern engines also tend to burn oil. That's because the manufacturers are trying to meet government gas mileage standards and they have softer rings. Softer rings = faster wear = more oil burnt in the combustion chamber.
Use good oil, synthetic or synblend. Change oil at less than manufacturer recommended intervals. Use good oil filters. Switch to high mileage oil at 75k miles.
And if youreally want to become an oil nut, these guys get serious...
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Synthetic is definitely better in the winter, especially in @Renauda s neck of the wood, but I’ve been using conventional and blends for 260K miles on the GMC with no problem.
