Save more money and don’t change it. my daily has been going since 2013 with 1 oil change. When it blows up, I’ll yank my plates off and leave the title in the glovebox and call the scrapyard to come get it.
Journalists are not allowed to think these days. At best, they are told by so called news directors "get me a story on ___". At worst, they are just supposed to fluff a pre-written script [or talking points] with on site babbling or just get footage for a preset narrative waiting to be aired. I love independant enthusiastic exploration like this vid - the guy was invested in finding out how to do the right thing for his car [not setting out to do a corporate hit piece], and sharing the results as found. The business of zinc additives can be a grey area to anybody who owns an 89 to 95 model car that had its engine developed during the early years of EPA mandated reduction of zinc. For even older cars with flat tappet lifters, zinc is not optional. What's cheaper: a new cat, or an engine rebuild? Do what you think is best, but I put zinc in my 95: the [overhead cam] valvetrain runs quieter for it, and I consume less than 250ml [8 ounces] between 5k mile oil changes on an engine with 195k miles on it. I replaced my cat at about 125k miles, which seems ok to me on balance. The motor hp is like new, which makes my original purchase price break down to $2/day for ownership [maintenence excluded], and under $3/day after maintenance is thrown in. By the way... Total is a French company, so it has a little more development experience/history with european motors under its belt.
Yep. And give evasive, bullshit answers. I still cannot get ANY oil company to admit if it uses grade IV base oils (PAO or ester). These "fully synthetic" oils are just dino oil with extra additives.
1:10 Holy cow, spin on a new filter while dirty oil is still pouring out of the filter block! Didn't even wipe it out (yes, I understand the risk of introducing lint into the oil system - that's why a lint-free cloth should be used for this). That's straight-up bush league rookie crap.
@@McCarthyism_by_TH-cam dry starting is literally the biggest myth of all time.... you NEVER get all oil from the engine on an oil change usually if you have a 7qt engine with 7qt in it when you change the oil youll only get 5-6qts out. Theres a try of sorts the cam sits in that holds oil. Dry. Start. Is. A. Myth.
@@ryancollins3227 i both agree and disagree because my car holds 6.5 liters and every oil change my mityvac 7201 pulls out 6.5+ liters due to routine overfilling by .5 liters as a precaution. My bmw has a top mounted cartridge oil filter that also needs to be filled first 1 liter before closing. Not doing that starting up with a bone dry oil filter makes for a loud unhappy v8. It takes less than 10 seconds for the main and scavenging pumps to saturate the filter before the horrible sound of disgruntled metal disappears. I use group V based oil because esters have a electrochemical attraction to metal clinging to it long after PAO oils have gravitated to the oil pan. I'm using Redline 5w50 now and will try another group V, Motul Sport 5w50 in 2 months. In summary, yes one can only hope to extract 85% of the oil during a change but to say dry starts are a myth is plain anecdotal posturing, as there are still people using conventional oil. You've never heard castrol's claim that 75% of wear occurs on cold starts? What's the difference between a cold and dry start?
Your access to this facility was fantastic. Add the flawless editing, to the point questions and the story, it was a video well worth multiple "thumbs up". Very well done.
@Gaunter O'Dimm Exactly. If you use the weight oil recommended for your car, and use an SN oil, today's standard, you will be just fine. You can choose any brand you feel comfortable with, and if it's the correct weight and meets SN standards you are good to go.
James Crabb so you learned nothing. It hast to be approved. For example fords EcoBoost motors run with a lubricated timing belt. But well normally timing belts kind of “melt” in oil, so it is a very special oil you have to put in to prevent a disintegration of this belt. I’ve put some bmw branded oil into my car and well.. after 30.000 miles (new Ford Focus) the belt snapped and was only goo.. didn’t end well)
Man you explained it in a way that I'll never forget it FOR LIFE. Don't worry about the word thickness vs viscosity we definitely understood. The honey or syrup analogy nailed it! Great explanation and great video. And thanks to the guys at Total.
I like the question about additives. If there weren't additives to the oil, it would burn up and burn off so fast you couldn't keep up to it. Castrol GTX back in the day was one of the best oils where it resisted burning off, which means your oil consumption was far less and over the life of the car, you spent less money on top ups between oil changes. Of course now I use a better oil, but I'm still a fan of Castrol.
Hi Larry: just wanted to compliment you on this particular video. I have watched all of your videos. Some of them multiple times. I am impressed with this one because of how all components fit together: images, voice over, background music, montage. Really impressive. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for making this video, it's informative and educational. This cleared up a lot of questions concerning choices of what weight and how semi synthetic affect a vehicle.
I have an AAS in automotive technology was a A union tech for Chrysler and a fixed operations director for Chrysler and Ford , and my father in law was a chemical engineer for Hess refinery and my father worked 40 years for Sunoco refinery . Long story short , use Sunoco gasoline and Mobil 1 full synthetic oil , they are the best out there . No more explanation needed , end of story . Take this excellent advice or don't , but you'll be glad you did if you do ! Sunoco gas and Mobil 1 full synthetic oil ! 100 % !
And by design to make money. Test your oil after 3000 miles. It is not even close to being broke down. The oils today hardly break down. Changing oil every 3000 miles is a waste of money. Always use mobile one extended milage oil. It's good for at least 15,000 miles.
@@Ecoscienceczar That's a lot, though... I would never exceed 10.000 mi in any car, even with full synthetic. And honestly, if anything, it's even better for your engine to change it slightly sooner. You won't harm it. I wouldn't change it every 3.000 mi either, though (except if it's a very old engine / barely runs / is very worn and you'd like to use it for a couple more years).
Additives in the oil from manufacture are different than additives bought off the shelf and added into an oil. So I believe you're picking on two different subjects really. Most questions online asking about additives are referring to store bought, additional additives. Higher zinc content is recommended for all higher revving engines, whether boosted, N/A, water cooled or air cooled. As stated, too much zinc is bad in catted vehicles. No mention of ash content, which equates to sludge. No mentions of benefits of choosing a full syn over a semi or conventional. Overall, this video doesn't do a whole lot for car guys.
amorton94 Mobil had a huge mess back in the 80s I believe when they introduced synthetics in aircraft. They got it worked out but they paid for a lot of engines!
Did you even watch the video? Yes it does clear up some basic things for car guys. In short, use what the manufacturer recommends and do it routinely. If your engine requires synthetic, don't use non-syn. If you use non-synthetic, there's no real advantage to full syn for daily driving. Racing etc are different. bottom line, use what the manufacturer recommends.
eiji81 Lmao. No advantage to full syn for daily driving. Lets just pretend it's not superior oil that gives superior protection for longer intervals. Apparently we have different definitions of "car guy", cuz the info in this vid might news to some kid, but not any actual enthusiasts. Try to be the tough internet warrior you wish you were, but you just look stupid.
Bravo for publishing your non dramatic findings. It shows respect for the truth and the ability to forego the chance to snag more subscribers by throwing in a bunch of intriguing half-truths and conjecture. Subscribed!
For the latest oil specifications, go to your vehicle manufacturer's website once per year in order to check for an updated list of approved spec oils. You might be able to now choose a 5w-20 full synthetic when the owner's manual calls for 5w30. The thinner the oil that you are permitted to use, will result in much better fuel economy. Many times the season will be calculated in figuring out which spec oil to use. On many vehicles, the 20w50 summer time spec dino oil, can now be replaced with with 5w50 or 10w60 full synthetic winter time, this gets better cold weather startup, and extended high speed driving protection when fully warmed up.
Let me add my 2 cents from actual experience with Supertech. I had a 2004 Chevy 3500 Duramax that I hauled campers with. I drove in every type of environment from high heat in desert to blizzards in Wyoming, drove in mountains to flats, straight roads to curvy roads. So to save money I decided to use Supertech oil. I didn't think much of it but I noticed my truck using oil and thought it was normal considering how much towing I was doing. Some guys I work with were talking one day about motor oils and how pretty much every single one of them used Rotella. So I decided the next time I got my oil change I would give it a try. To my surprise my truck not only stopped using oil, but my fuel mileage went up also and all I did was switch from Supertech to Rotella. So yes I would have to say there is a difference between quality oil and Supertech.
News Flash! Most of the well known engine oil brands have a 'Which Oil' selector on their website which you can use to easily get quoted the right oil for your vehicle. Same with oil filters. Select your preferred brand and use the filter manufacturer's website to get the right filter. Nothing complicated at all. Happy motoring folks!
oil change intervals are designed to support major oil cos, the most important part of a change schedule is the filter, most of the filters are very small anymore so they should be changed more often,if you change the filter more often you can run the oil longer as the only thing that goes wrong with oil it gets dirty, clean it and you can continue to use it
exactly and add new to the full mark, change fully maybe once every other regular oil change depending how much driving idle time andwhat conditions you drive in dirt roads are terrible so changing more is necesary@@videosurfah
@@joescheller6680 Its not dirt its carbon blow by ,when running oil to long the protection package drops out leaving crappy base oil ( no protection ) we spend 30 to 90k on our vehicles don't cheap out CHANGE THE OIL ! I change mine ( full syn. ) every 5k . I have a small Euro shop about 1300 customers they all come in at 5 k miles. the best part NO oil leaks the seals love it , that alone justifies early chang out , do the math.
The "additive question" is usually about separately bottled products sold to be added to the oil that already has the proper additives in it. I never ever add stuff to my oil unless I have an oil burner and am trying to fix it on the cheap and get a bit more life out of it.
So many videos that I saw about what gas to use, what oil to use, what parts to use for your cars all have one common final answer, and that is: FOLLOW YOUR CAR MANUAL. Period. And that is the answer. It is simple and a no-brainer. And it make perfect sense because no one knows better about your car and engine than the actual designer and manufacturer themselves. And it would not be in their best interest to not recommend the optimal and ideal parameters to their customers with regards to their car. So the car manual instruction beats all the other advice you can get from outside experts, dealers, mechanics etc etc.
Best video I've seen on explaining oil viscosity was made by engineering explained. Very in-depth and quite "dry" content so not for people that are just slightly interested but if you have a strong interest in how oil weights and oil types affect your car I highly recommend it solid science across the board. I will go on to say this video here is great
This is one of the best normal human - not to technical - explanation. Don’t spare a dime on cheaper oils which don’t match up to the specification your engine needs. In the end it will cost you a lot more on the wear of your engine. Not to mention it can cause chain reactions creating both minor and major problems which not always points directly to wrong spec oils. And more often than not, this kind of videos in the end turns out as a kind of infomercial. But this one, totally (pun intended) not. A clear explanation without pushing certain kind of products or diminishing others. Just explaining the way it is. Great job from AMMO NYC and Total!
High quality engine oil doesn't come from the ground its engineered in a laboratory often from natural gas. The drain interval in the owners manual is for conventional oil (unless its factory filled with synthetic).
cant believe you just said that, natural gas is basically just that, liquid turned into vapor, it may be used to make synthetic in some sort of heat process but in no way a lubricating application
The ONLY true synthetic By Total I know of, is the 0w-30 a3/b4 euro oil and is the only synthetic sold here.I e. PAO bro Is and Grp V esters. Most shit is not grp 4 or 5 and I applaud Total for telling the truth.
I drive a 67 chevy impala 327 daily and a 69 chevy c-10 with 350 i put 20w 50 raceing oil in both them, i rebuilt both engines 327 and 350 but there the old cast iron engines with hydraulic lifters on the camshaft high zinc is needed!
So, it’s kinda like this, synthetic oils will always give the best protection, this is because of the way there designed on a molecular level, the molecule chains are more uniform, tighter, therefore they resist sheer much better and take longer to break down. They are also designed to absorb contamination (ash, water, dirt particles, etc) thereby keeping the engine cleaner, (this is typically why they allow for a longer drain interval, think of it like this, a conventional oils molecular structure is kinda like a handful of gravel, with the molecules being different shapes and sizes, so they don’t hold up as well/long, synthetic oils molecular structure is like a handful of marbles, all molecules being the same size/shape, and because of this they hold up much longer, and keep your engine cleaner. Then there are the additives. Additives help the oil do everything from change viscosity, to antifoaming, and everything in between Semi synthetic oil is probably the best marketing scheme out there, because there is no government regulation as to what constitutes a “syn blend” oil, oil companies can literally put an eyedropper of synthetic oil in to a 10,000 gallon vat of conventional and call it a blend. Stay away from blends, your just waisting your money, because you cant be sure what you really have. The other trick bag about car manufacturers and oil is a lot of them wont come right and say it requires a synthetic oil. Instead, they say must meet Chevrolet dexos specifications, or BMW 12345677, and so you have to do a little digging to see what really does and does not. You have to be careful with that because car manufacturers/dealers will do anything to avoid honoring a warranty. If you have an engine problem that you think is warranty, the first thing there going to ask for are maintenance records, and if you don’t have them, no warranty, if you have them, but they find you haven’t been using an approved oil, no warranty, on and on and on. This includes vehicles that are recommended for 0-20, 5-20 can void your warranty, so be careful
Bought a new Ram Hemi truck back in 2015.....Dealer gave me approx 2 years of freebee oil changes using their Mopar oil and filter which ended at 32,000 miles. At 38,000 miles I began using 5-20 Amsoil Signature Series along with the Amsoil's extended life filter. A few days after putting in the Amsoil, I noticed that the engine was a little quieter when going through my usual favorite drive thru for lunch when my driver window was down (engine noises reflect off the walls)......As more time went by, the Hemi became even more quiet. After using Amsoil Signature Series for just over 25K miles now, I can report a 1.5 MPG average increase, a quieter engine AND some increased engine performance as well..........At the 55K mile mark, I converted the trans and rear diff over to the Amsoil Signature Series. To my surprise, the trans shifting actually became a little crispier and somewhat smoother............Now I do not know if Amsoil makes anything to Porsche oil requirement specs. But if they did and if I owned a Porsche, I would be using Amsoil Signature Series without hesitation.............
If this video has even a single value for most drivers, it is never to wander outside the OEM oil specification. Auto supply stores sometimes suggest lower viscosity numbers for engine operating temperatures during summer, with the intuitive explanation that a "thicker" oil protects better in warmer weather. This video flatly contradicts that presumption-- stay with the OEM oil specification.
So, in a nutshell; Step 1: Read the owners manual Step 2: Use oil with the specs recommended by your owners manual regardless of the brand Step 3: In case of any confusion, READ THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR GOD's SAKE PEOPLE!
@@deasttn Step 1: Open google Step 2: Type "What is a good replacement for :your-oil-name-here:" Step 3: Hit enter and hope there's easily accesible information on the subject or dig trough untill you find it.
People spend hours upon hours reading FakeBook or whatever fake bullshit social media they have that makes them feel important, but they cant take 10 mins to read ANY owners manual.
Your way to understand oil viscosity aka thickness might be rudimentary to some but it made perfect sense to me. Especially the maple syrup part. It also made me want pancakes. Doh!
Well the reality is that the Owners Manual isn't ALWAYS the best thing to do! Especially with older cars as new tech comes out. My 94 Integra recommends 5w or 10w30 oil depending on climate. I use 0w30 full synthetic to help reduce engine wear at cold startup, and I'd like to think that is partly why the engine still runs great at 362,000 miles. Back in 1994 there was no such thing as 0w30 oil. Since most engine wear occurs during cold starting, you want the thinnest oil possible when cold. 0w is still thicker than what's needed at operating temperature, so any engine that requires 5w or 10w30 can use 0w30, and any engine that requires 5w20 can use 0w20.
They have had straight 30 weight oil sense the 60's. Oil pump design and clearance aswell as oil galley design just gooping in heavier weight thinking it means more protection it doesnt film strenth gives you that. Whatbyou have done is slowed ur drain back likely raised ur oil temp.
You got it backwards , you are causing more wear , the 5w is what the oil thickness is when started cold , it's thinner to flow better . Your using a thicker oil on start up , harder to flow and harder on the oil pump as well . You are causing more wear by doing this
That VTEC 4 cylinder engine you have can probably tolerate the thinner synthetic oil that you use because it revs higher than most cars but it is not good advice to tell others to use a thinner oil at startup than what is recommended. The best advice is to warm up your car to prolong engine life and I am sure you already do this.
I work in an autoparts store and what we tell the customer is that for non-highend or non-luxury cars, after one hundred or one hundred twenty five thousand miles you have to start using higher viscosity oil than what the manual recommends. The manual may say 0w-20 or 5w-20 but that's only if it were newer. Once you're in the high mileage range your car will need thicker oil for better lubrication and protection. I would advise them to move up to 10w-30 or so.
A European car specialist once told me that 5w30 was being used to meet government mileage standards and that early GM's using this oil had engine problems as a result. He said he would never use 5w-anything in any of his cars. Porsche recommended 10w40 0r heavier in my water cooled 944S at that time. I now have a 2002 Honda Odyssey that uses 5W-20. I heard that camshafts go out after a couple hundred thousand miles. I used 5W20 for 250,000 miles, but after seeing the scored camshafts last time I changed the timing belt and set valve lash, I decided to switch to 10W30 in summer (using up my stock of 5w20 in the frozen winter months.) Engine runs quieter with it. I'm sure the tolerances are worn in it so I figure it won't hurt. Hope to squeeze a bit more life out of it. So far so good. Transmission has lasted despite the under-cooling from factory, so I added a cooler to that, which I should have done long ago. Also, the sludge problems Toyota and others were having a while back is due to US government changing PCV specs. Even if manual says you can go 5000 or 10,000 miles on an oil change, the detergents break down after 2000 per my instructor in mechanic school. He buys cheapest API approved oil and changes oil every 2000 miles in his non performance daily car. I aim for 3000 but push it to 4000 on my old cars.
I have learnt that you must wear safety glasses when doing an interview, very dangerous if the geek your interviewing projects a bit of spit in your direction.
I'm actually using for at least 17yrs total oil, the last few years quartz7000 10w40. In a non-reliable engine(x16xel) on LPG. Few months ago, coz i'm a idiot, we removed the head to resurface it and change the gasket(I ran out of coolant, but didn't noticed it for a few km, coz my bulbs behind the gauges are dead for a few month now, and it was around midnight). The cylinders don't have any edge, or any signs for the mileage the car actually has(315,000km). And i repeat, it's a really known unreliable engine. Like massively unreliable engine. People can't believe it has made that much kilometers. And I change my oil every 10,000km. Edit: I drive the car like it's stolen. All the time.
is because you are burning lpg the cleanest burning fuel out there and natural gas would be almost equivelant. burning lpg your oil hardly ever gets dirty always appears to be clean like right out of the can
Such a MASSIVE difference between this oil facility and the video on you tube of the Mobil 1 facility It's like night and day, with this facility looking very old.
I just change the oil once a year in my VR6 GTI (2003) at the dealership using Castrol Edge 5W-40. I only put about 5 to 6 thousand miles a year on the car... usually short local trips to and fro. Have had the car 16 years with no issues whatsoever! Then again, I only have 89,000 miles on it, original owner.
Thanks for what the numbers and letter stands for. I don't drive a race car but it anything that helps me keep my daily driver on the road longer helps.
I work at a gas station, and most of the people that buys oil are saying that their oil light started shining.. Also pulled up a oilstick form a subaru boxer and the stick was dry, and the ladie didnt know that it was bad to run the car with low oil...
Just two comments: When people say "tight tolerances," they usually mean "tight clearances." Tight clearances require tight tolerances, but you can have a loose clearance between parts made to tight tolerances. I still say it, and didn't think about it until I saw it on a web forum. Do a web search for more info. It's sort of like how firearm people say "accuracy" when they are talking about what is technically defined as "precision." Everyone says it, and everyone knows what is meant, but it's technically incorrect. The SAE numbers (20, 30, 40) aren't measures, they are ratings. They don't equal any units of viscosity, they are just convenient numbers to use. SAE 40 isn't twice as "thick" as SAE 20, for example. People see SAE 5W and thing OMG that's 1/4 as thick as 20W but that's not correct.
It's been a few decades since I saw video of oil testing, but there is a friction roller test used to find the shear point [how much pressure it takes to break film thickness and get metal on metal contact]. It's more informative than viscosity [which does matter also]. Seems like the best real world evaluation, but no idea if or how SAE ratings use it in their ratings. There's way more to consider than a 10w-40 rating [for example] when designers pick machinery lubricants, but I suspect each rating has acceptable performance range limits to get SAE approval.
i always thought of the two numbers as temperatures. "αW-β oil is appropriate for climates with temperatures ranging from α° Celsius to β° Celsius... *roughly*"
SAE numbers ARE actually measures of something: the amount of seconds that grade of oil takes to flow through some tube that the SAE uses for quantifying grades.
My manual tells me every 5k change it. I'm nobody's fool, I can feel the oil breakdown at like 3k. The manufacturer intended on me wearing out my engine and buying another one.
Have you done an oil analysis as proof that your oil really works? If their oil is true synthetic oil why it's not labeled 100% synthetic oil. From machinery lubrication website "While most engine oils are made to acceptable standards, their general and specific qualities can vary widely. Poor-quality engine oils are often put on the market due to ignorance or greed. Unfortunately, for the uninformed automobile owner, a high-quality engine oil and one of poor quality will look and feel the same."
The branding "Synthetic" is not a regulated formula, there are no actual API, or SAE requirements to be met in order to become "Synthetic". True Synthetic, Full Synthetic, Synthetic, all have the same meaning. It could be a POA formula but, more commonly, synthetic is a Grade III oil. Both use additives to meet or exceed specific manufacturer requirements. An extra refined, hydrocracked or Isocracked, Grade III oil is just as effective and even more so in many cases as a "truly synthetic" (POA) based oil. With the latest refining technology from (leading oil refiner's name omitted), Isocracked oil can exceed many "true" synthetics in a Grade II or Grade II+ base oil. The hype on the bottle means nothing. When it comes to oil, price usually does dictate quality and performance, the additives and extra refining are really expensive! In most cases, North American passenger cars will only require an SN grade, in which case there's no real benefit to synthetics. With European and some Japanese cars, turbo and diesel engines, there are usually very specific requirements, as mentioned in the video, MB 229.5 VW 505 etc.
Oz Media , nothing outperforms true 100% synthetic Motor oil. I have tested in my own vehicles. Group 2 and 3 is just not good enough. Engine remanufacturing shops making billion dollars, because people use group 2 and 3. If group 2 and 3 were good, majority people would never have engine problems.
Actually, in Germany and Japan, only engine oils with base stocks that are comprised of at least 80% Group 4 or 5 oils may be labeled as "fully synthetic". It was Exxon Mobil that went to court over said issue back in the day. Having said that (and having spent some years in a refinery), there are great group 3 HC (hydrocracked) base stocks out there that are on par with almost any given PAO blend. It all depends on the process. And in the end, the additive package is even more important than the chemist in the video made it out to be. Total is a good brand for high quality oils - the Mazda "original" oils are being produced by them 😁 And: oil change importance cannot be understated. Manufacturers don't want their stuff to last but since I want my engines to last, I have decided for myself to cut each drain interval in half and use manufacturer-approved oil. The requirements for approvals are really tough but engine oils can't perform miracles. Nothing is as good for an engine as fresh oil - besides proper treatment by the driver.
Oz Media Exactly. Perhaps you should have written the script for this verbose and very basic video. Also I would add that clear physical evidence to show that lower viscosity oil will produce more wear than higher viscosity oil in passenger cars with conventional use is lacking given identical antiwear additive packages. Wow, that was a run-on sentence! I've heard owners say things like, "my car is getting old so I'm going to start using thicker oil to reduce wear." That's simply wrong.
My turbo charged Jeep came with instructions to use 100% synthetic and it even specified what grade of synthetic. There are ratings on the bottles to compare. I recently learned that synthetic oil can withstand higher temperatures before it begins to harden and stick to engine surfaces. Since a turbo is the hottest place on an engine it only makes sense to use the toughest high temp tolerant oil available.
Fond memories! I worked as Blending Lab supervisor at ERCA Esso's research centre in the UK. Formulating an engine oil is an art form and millions are spent getting the mix of ingredients just right. Oil's ain't oils!
Video didn't answer anything that a 30 second video has not already shown. Lab coat wouldn't answer shit and looked like his boss was on the other side of the camera.
One thing you didn't learn is what exactly is a synthetic oil? What is it made of and what are the differences between it and convention oils? It can't be additives, because they can add additives to anything. Conventional oils have additives.
Man... All I have ever driven since 1974 is a 1st Generation Monte Carlo. These 350 engines are some of the most credible ones built, and I just use 10W-30W with Bestline Oil Treatment and drive the car easy all the time. While others speed past me because they're going to get another car in 2 or 3 years anyway. However, all the time, people ask to buy the car I drive, or give me looks as I drive by. While others tell me, I drive a "Real Car"....
I have worked in the petroleum industry for over 20 years. I have been told, like the comment made on this video about "synthetic Blends", the oil industry loosely regulates the specifications on what an oil weight is. Such as, a 10 weight might be any where from a 5 to a 15 class weight. The same thing for the heavier number. A 30 weight oil might actually be any thing from a 20 weight to a 40 weight.
Another great video Larry! I like the journalist approach. If anyone cares about going deeper down the rabbit hole, here's a pretty detailed look at the technical side of engine oil: th-cam.com/video/l-zDt9FGJi8/w-d-xo.html
Very contradictory video and the oil guy doesn't make sense, oil that exceeds or equivalent to the owners manual is fine. Additives are also branded differently even if they're the same as part of the selling point to make them sound exotic. When the oil guy was asked about the specifics, he still repeated company speak. Ie, BMW or Mercedes, that doesn't matter, it's the viscosity that's important and ANY brand that meets the specific minimum requirements is absolutely fine, the rest is only for sales, how do I know, because my good friend works for Mobil oil and makes oil for many manufacturers who brand it as they're own, when they don't have they're own manufacturing plant. So car brand oil, is totally unimportant, contrary to what the lab rat said. Peace.
He looks very young and the type that would rather be PC gaming than actual oil testing or research. I've called a Mercedes dealership service dept before and they've told me they use Mobil 1. If you look on bmw forums they recommend the same and that's coming from bmw enthusiasts.
When he refers to 'mercedes' or 'bmw' he doesn't mean oil branded by these companies, he means oil formulated as recommended by these companies - or whatever brand of car/engine is relevant - Not just viscosity. Companies may have a very specific formula for one engine. For example early VW pump duese engines suffered alot of top end wear so a specific formula was produced to prevent this. So simply matching the viscosity grade isn't always adequate. For instance a 5w 40 PD oil is different to other 5w 40 oils. You can use any brand of oil, just to the correct blend and spec recommended by the engine manufacture. Also when he refers to additives he means additives used at point of oil production, not DIY off the shelf crap.
i have developed a high grade of respect for Total as an automotive lubricant provider. I'm convinced and going to try it for my lightly modified type-r.
i am actually surprised, I was expecting an older individual to do all the explanation on behave of the oil factory and we got a very young and knowledgeable one. glad to see the young people take charge! . congrats smart guy!
I was looking for a reason to not use semi-synthetic based on some urban legends I'd heard of. You, however only slightly confirmed my understanding. Seni-synthetic oil is mostly a gimic, unless you confirm the conventional/synthetic percentages.
09:40 : It is NOT two grades of oil in one bottle. Those two numbers (before and after the "W") cannot be compared as they are measured in completely different ways. Otherwise this would mean, the oil would get thicker, the warmer it gets - which is of course wrong.
This is how informative self help videos should be done. This guy is more than some shade tree mechanic giving his 2 cents on why you should do this or not do that with absolutely no presentation of his credentials. . This guy went to the oil company and then shared what he learned. This gives him credibility. Well done Sir !
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When he said he gotta get in some trouble with scientists and chemists then said he replaced viscosity with thickness I said in my mind " you in some deep shit now boy" cause I'm a industrial engineer student and I remember fuel technology and fluid mechanics class where I clearly learnt that viscosity and thickness are two different things
Guys, change the oil significantly earlier than the interval mentioned in the manual. Some car manufacturers made the intervals too long and that caused lots of cars to get damaged.
Mobil 15k and full synthetic filter in all my cars every 10k miles for years. No problems at all and great complements from professional mechanics on the appearance of my engines internals. Also external from all the power washing I do.
There was this one chick that went into a oil changing shop after someone said that she should do that, immediately. When the mechanics took the oil out, it was almost a completely solid mass. Turns out her 2014 Mazda CX-7 had gone 50,000 miles without an oil change. The car had 50,000 miles on it. Yup, it still had the original oil when it came out of the factory...
When I teach my students, I tell them the W viscosity is taken at the freezing point of water, the hot number is taken at the boiling point of water. The secret is (in this case) COLD 20 is thinner than HOT 50. My temperatures may be off a bit (I tell them that too) but the principle is the same.
Very interesting for sure, and informative!! I'll stick with Amsoil though. They invented Synthetic oil, and it's 100% Synthetic, not a blend. And I'm more than pleased with the performance improvement.
the recommended for my car is 10w30, but in the summertime, the temperature goes outside the tolerances for that oil, so i use 10w40, i actually checked with the manufacturer as well as a friend of mine who actually worked for them around 10 years ago, its perfectly safe.
We get so fixated on viscosity that we tend not to think so much about thixotropy and surface tension. They're all important to a good lubricant, though. You want to be able to pump it efficiently and have it cling to the surfaces where it's needed and viscosity alone simply doesn't tell us enough.
Probably THE best car car video I have ever watched. Extremely informative and an eye opener. I best check my oil in my VW. She's an old girl now and I want to keep her running.
In the summary you said, "change it regularly". The Chemist said to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Changing the oil at 3,000 miles is a useless waste if the manufacturer suggests changing it at 5,000 miles. Listen again beginning at 14:15. You also indicated that the brand does not matter if it has the correct specifications. The Chemist stressed it has to say approved by the manufacturer. Presumably some oil with similar stated specifications are not approved by the manufacturer and may have a problem. It may be ok but simply not tested but who wants to take that chance. I worked for an automotive seal manufacturer. Our Chemist told me that it did not matter what brand of oil I used but do not mix brands. He added that the individual additives in major brands are ok but if mixed, some mixtures would "eat" the seals.
The camshaft/rocker interface is harsh and produces the thinnest oil film thickness, and that often means the film breaks. This means the anti-wear package is very important there. The zinc compound (ZDDP) is a heat activated surface coating that protects against metal to metal contact when the oil film breaks. ZDDP's out of favor in oil because the sulfur in the compound contaminates catalytic converters. As for synthetic... Outside the US, synthetic means 'man-made' - in other words, Group 4 (PAO) and Group 5 (Esters). In the US, thanks to a suit won by Castrol with...get this...the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau. Because of this, oil marketers in the US can call Group 3 oil 'synthetic', even though it's derived from petroleum and isn't man made. Most synthetic oils and synthetic blends sold in the US don't actually have synthetic oil in the mix. Even Mobil 1's 'tri-syn' is mostly group 3. Finally...the oil approval process is a marketing tool and a cash flow tool for auto manufacturers. No auto manufacturer blends oil. They've found that they can make tens of thousands of dollars a year by requiring proof that an oil meets their approval process. Oil specs are performance specs - the formula is irrelevant as long as the oil can meet the specific performance. Oil companies have to test performance when they have their oil designed. To get the 'certification' they simply send the test results and a LARGE check to BMW and MB and VW and GM, etc. It's a scam. If an oil company says an oil meets a spec and it doesn't, the oil company has to fix the car. Having an oil 'approved' by an OEM doesn't make it better - it just means we have to pay more for a quart to cover the extortion money paid to auto manufacturers.
One thing not mentioned. The larger the container the better quality of the same oil. It is due to the real life way oil is packaged at the refineries.They fill the 1 litre bottles first and the 205 litre drums last. As the oil is taken from the holding tanks, it's quality improves. Also, another thing often overlooked by both mechanics and back yard mechanics. When an engine is running on gas, it needs a gas specific oil or an extra additive added to normal petrol oil or change it more often. It is very important for an engine on gas not to exceed the change interval.
So that information I felt was basic, but I've learned most people don't know it. This guy always does great videos and this is one I think every car owner should watch. To add to it, based off of some obscure engineer's blog from back in the day and some other reading I'm going to throw in my two cents so take with a grain of salt. Initially synthetic wasn't good for vehicles since it was being pioneered. By the time it was a better alternative people would still blame it for messing up their engines. The blog explained that sometimes on high mileage vehicles the the carbon deposits eat at and become the gaskets. By using synthetic you risk cleaning them out the deposits acting as gaskets and opening a leak. So my take away was don't switch to synthetic unless under 100k and you're religious about oil changes. Mechanics have okayed my engine for synthetic at 200k because they know I religiously change oil. Not worth the risk for me. Also, mentioned in the blog is aside from synthetic running cleaner longer, the dual weight is built up in the base formula. Conventional oil the dual weight is created by additives. This means that conventional oil properties will degrade quicker than synthetic. Even if an oil maintains viscosity, the additives meant to protect or clean your engine can wear down too. Add to it that biproducts are meant to be absorbed by some of the additives so you should always follow your vehicle's recommended interval changes rather than the oil companies to which many oil companies will acknowledge in fine print. Change your oil so the additives can take out the crud! That said, yes synthetic is cleaner and lasts longer so if you push mileage it won't be as bad as pushing conventional. Manufacturers are also changing manuals to represent synthetic intervals. Now something many people say and I roll my eyes at, "I had a car in the 70's that could go 8k to 12k on conventional". Older cars have looser clearances for pistons and other moving parts. Abrasions from dirty oil might be more forgiving. Older cars tend to burn up oil. Newer cars are finely tuned athletes with soft spots. Modern engines have tighter clearances and stricter emissions standards. They don't really lose oil through the pistons until they get older and worn typically. Dirty oil even while viscous may shorten your engine's lifespan. If oil starts to slip through in it's old age you need to keep it topped off. The plugs will burn it off if small. Eventually, there will come a day when the wear and tear fails your emissions and you'll need a new car or engine. Now let's talk weight. Your owners manual will have different recommendations for different environments, but most modern vehicles can do one specific grade across most climates which your manual will recommend. That said, you can try a heavier weight within recommendations to try and slow the loss of oil; however, a heavier weight may increase engine pressure and make the leak worse. You have to experiment and watch it. I recommend fixing the leak, but sometimes the internal piston or valve leaks aren't bad enough to justify opening it right away. You might get a little more mileage then rebuild or go new. As long as your spark plugs burn up the excess oil, don't destroy your Catylitic converter, and you still pass your emissions tests then the only issue is remembering to keep the oil topped off. Synthetics can be harder to burn off than conventional and I have read recommendations to use it if the pistons allow more oil by. My thoughts are as long as it gets burned off the less likely it is to go out the exhaust & pollute the O2 sensors or catalytic converter. Just acknowledge at this point your engine is going to need addressing soon. Lastly, if you travel to higher elevations your engine pressure will increase as it works harder to which it will lose more oil than normal. I see older cars broken down on the way in to Denver from Texas quite a bit. The cars might just reflect the priorities of the owners. That said, your gas mileage will get better as air gets thinner and your car dumps less fuel in to the thin air mixture, but that is also why you will have less engine power and increased engine pressure from it working harder. Feel free to kindly correct me if you think me mistaken.
One way to look at Multi Viscosity oil and understand it, is this. It is a temperature related performance rating of the oil at two different temperatures. At 0 degrees Celsius and at 100 degrees Celsius. Given a 5W30 oil, what that means is the oil will behave the same, viscosity wise, at 100 degrees centigrade than a conventional straight 30 weight oil behaves at 100 degrees Celsius. And at 0 degrees centigrade the oil will behave the same, viscosity wise, at 0 degrees centigrade than a conventional straight 5 weight oil behaves at 0 degrees Celsius. The viscosity unit of measurement is Centipoise or when density is considered, Centistokes.
My oil is self changing. It has this great feature called a leak and all I have to do is put 1l in every week.
Lawrence Timme rear main seal? If so, I know the pain 🛢️💲
Save more money and don’t change it.
my daily has been going since 2013 with 1 oil change.
When it blows up, I’ll yank my plates off and leave the title in the glovebox and call the scrapyard to come get it.
not sure that is brag worthy.
Lawrence Timme 😂 hahah the niggas😂👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
so you have a british car, then?
If video games have taught me anything, it's that red barrels are the exploding kind
Andrew Malkin Oh jeez yeah!
Andrew Malkin I played 007 golden eye and EVERY barrel was the exploding kind!
Haha! Awesome reply.
TNT lol
LMAO good one...
Every journalist should organise an interview like this: "Hey can I stick a camera in your face and ask a bunch of questions?"
Only if you agree to wear one of our "Total" shirts.
Journalists are not allowed to think these days. At best, they are told by so called news directors "get me a story on ___". At worst, they are just supposed to fluff a pre-written script [or talking points] with on site babbling or just get footage for a preset narrative waiting to be aired. I love independant enthusiastic exploration like this vid - the guy was invested in finding out how to do the right thing for his car [not setting out to do a corporate hit piece], and sharing the results as found. The business of zinc additives can be a grey area to anybody who owns an 89 to 95 model car that had its engine developed during the early years of EPA mandated reduction of zinc. For even older cars with flat tappet lifters, zinc is not optional. What's cheaper: a new cat, or an engine rebuild? Do what you think is best, but I put zinc in my 95: the [overhead cam] valvetrain runs quieter for it, and I consume less than 250ml [8 ounces] between 5k mile oil changes on an engine with 195k miles on it. I replaced my cat at about 125k miles, which seems ok to me on balance. The motor hp is like new, which makes my original purchase price break down to $2/day for ownership [maintenence excluded], and under $3/day after maintenance is thrown in.
By the way... Total is a French company, so it has a little more development experience/history with european motors under its belt.
Yep. And give evasive, bullshit answers. I still cannot get ANY oil company to admit if it uses grade IV base oils (PAO or ester). These "fully synthetic" oils are just dino oil with extra additives.
What I learned in this video: how to pronounce Total
lol
Total is a french company. That's how they pronounce it
Man from Nantucket ITS TOTAL NOT TOTAL DUDE 🤔
Oh I didnt catch that. How's it pronounced?
@@spiralnapkin to-TAL
1:10 Holy cow, spin on a new filter while dirty oil is still pouring out of the filter block! Didn't even wipe it out (yes, I understand the risk of introducing lint into the oil system - that's why a lint-free cloth should be used for this). That's straight-up bush league rookie crap.
IT AINT NOTHING TO JESUS
Chris Leone what?
and at least soak the new filter with oil to offset the initial dry start. So glad i own a mityvac
@@McCarthyism_by_TH-cam dry starting is literally the biggest myth of all time.... you NEVER get all oil from the engine on an oil change usually if you have a 7qt engine with 7qt in it when you change the oil youll only get 5-6qts out. Theres a try of sorts the cam sits in that holds oil. Dry. Start. Is. A. Myth.
@@ryancollins3227 i both agree and disagree because my car holds 6.5 liters and every oil change my mityvac 7201 pulls out 6.5+ liters due to routine overfilling by .5 liters as a precaution. My bmw has a top mounted cartridge oil filter that also needs to be filled first 1 liter before closing. Not doing that starting up with a bone dry oil filter makes for a loud unhappy v8. It takes less than 10 seconds for the main and scavenging pumps to saturate the filter before the horrible sound of disgruntled metal disappears. I use group V based oil because esters have a electrochemical attraction to metal clinging to it long after PAO oils have gravitated to the oil pan. I'm using Redline 5w50 now and will try another group V, Motul Sport 5w50 in 2 months. In summary, yes one can only hope to extract 85% of the oil during a change but to say dry starts are a myth is plain anecdotal posturing, as there are still people using conventional oil. You've never heard castrol's claim that 75% of wear occurs on cold starts? What's the difference between a cold and dry start?
Your access to this facility was fantastic. Add the flawless editing, to the point questions and the story, it was a video well worth multiple "thumbs up". Very well done.
Yeah, but how much profit can there be in making a specific blend of oil for classic Porsche owners who track their car?
I'm not an "expert" on oil by any means but this video told me absolutely nothing I didn't already know.
@Gaunter O'Dimm Exactly. If you use the weight oil recommended for your car, and use an SN oil, today's standard, you will be just fine. You can choose any brand you feel comfortable with, and if it's the correct weight and meets SN standards you are good to go.
James Crabb so you learned nothing. It hast to be approved. For example fords EcoBoost motors run with a lubricated timing belt. But well normally timing belts kind of “melt” in oil, so it is a very special oil you have to put in to prevent a disintegration of this belt. I’ve put some bmw branded oil into my car and well.. after 30.000 miles (new Ford Focus) the belt snapped and was only goo.. didn’t end well)
@@avinci3116 BS x 2= more BS
Nonsense !!
Yeah, I knew all this stuff already too.
I love how careful was the engineer at answering the question since the question itself can lead to a misleading result if answered lightly.
Man you explained it in a way that I'll never forget it FOR LIFE. Don't worry about the word thickness vs viscosity we definitely understood. The honey or syrup analogy nailed it! Great explanation and great video. And thanks to the guys at Total.
I like the question about additives. If there weren't additives to the oil, it would burn up and burn off so fast you couldn't keep up to it. Castrol GTX back in the day was one of the best oils where it resisted burning off, which means your oil consumption was far less and over the life of the car, you spent less money on top ups between oil changes. Of course now I use a better oil, but I'm still a fan of Castrol.
I just get longer dipsticks ! Oil level remains constant !
@Copter Cop that is what ford did with the 2017 -2020 f150 5.0
Hi Larry: just wanted to compliment you on this particular video. I have watched all of your videos. Some of them multiple times. I am impressed with this one because of how all components fit together: images, voice over, background music, montage. Really impressive. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for making this video, it's informative and educational. This cleared up a lot of questions concerning choices of what weight and how semi synthetic affect a vehicle.
I have an AAS in automotive technology was a A union tech for Chrysler and a fixed operations director for Chrysler and Ford , and my father in law was a chemical engineer for Hess refinery and my father worked 40 years for Sunoco refinery . Long story short , use Sunoco gasoline and Mobil 1 full synthetic oil , they are the best out there . No more explanation needed , end of story . Take this excellent advice or don't , but you'll be glad you did if you do ! Sunoco gas and Mobil 1 full synthetic oil ! 100 % !
In most places it's the same damn suppliers for every station with whatever crap the station adds to the tank. It's really almost all the same gas.
Summary of the video: use what the manual says, change it when the manual says to, there was literally nothing else in this video.
Exactly. Car makers and oil chemists do know a thing or two about engines and oils. There is much more to it than SAE viscosity rating.
Foreal 😂😂
And by design to make money. Test your oil after 3000 miles. It is not even close to being broke down. The oils today hardly break down. Changing oil every 3000 miles is a waste of money.
Always use mobile one extended milage oil. It's good for at least 15,000 miles.
thanks for saving my 15 minutes
@@Ecoscienceczar That's a lot, though... I would never exceed 10.000 mi in any car, even with full synthetic. And honestly, if anything, it's even better for your engine to change it slightly sooner. You won't harm it. I wouldn't change it every 3.000 mi either, though (except if it's a very old engine / barely runs / is very worn and you'd like to use it for a couple more years).
Larry the production and educational content is awesome and you make a great host! 👍🏽
Holly crap! 0:18 mins,
You know you've made it when Brad Pitt is changing your oil!
LOL, that's hilarious
No shit. Wow
how i didn't catch that i don't know. lol
BWAAHAHAHHAHA
Holy crap. Tyler Durden changes his own oil!!
Additives in the oil from manufacture are different than additives bought off the shelf and added into an oil. So I believe you're picking on two different subjects really. Most questions online asking about additives are referring to store bought, additional additives. Higher zinc content is recommended for all higher revving engines, whether boosted, N/A, water cooled or air cooled. As stated, too much zinc is bad in catted vehicles. No mention of ash content, which equates to sludge. No mentions of benefits of choosing a full syn over a semi or conventional. Overall, this video doesn't do a whole lot for car guys.
amorton94
Mobil had a huge mess back in the 80s I believe when they introduced synthetics in aircraft.
They got it worked out but they paid for a lot of engines!
Ummm okay?
Sadly that's true.
Did you even watch the video? Yes it does clear up some basic things for car guys. In short, use what the manufacturer recommends and do it routinely. If your engine requires synthetic, don't use non-syn. If you use non-synthetic, there's no real advantage to full syn for daily driving. Racing etc are different.
bottom line, use what the manufacturer recommends.
eiji81 Lmao. No advantage to full syn for daily driving. Lets just pretend it's not superior oil that gives superior protection for longer intervals. Apparently we have different definitions of "car guy", cuz the info in this vid might news to some kid, but not any actual enthusiasts. Try to be the tough internet warrior you wish you were, but you just look stupid.
I appreciate your attempt at transparency and, quite frankly, I think that it's good you encourage owner research.
Bravo for publishing your non dramatic findings. It shows respect for the truth and the ability to forego the chance to snag more subscribers by throwing in a bunch of intriguing half-truths and conjecture. Subscribed!
For the latest oil specifications, go to your vehicle manufacturer's website once per year in order to check for an updated list of approved spec oils. You might be able to now choose a 5w-20 full synthetic when the owner's manual calls for 5w30. The thinner the oil that you are permitted to use, will result in much better fuel economy. Many times the season will be calculated in figuring out which spec oil to use.
On many vehicles, the 20w50 summer time spec dino oil, can now be replaced with with 5w50 or 10w60 full synthetic winter time, this gets better cold weather startup, and extended high speed driving protection when fully warmed up.
Define much better if your adding more oil as it pisses out the tailpipe because it's thinner.
Glad to see you back Larry.
all about that Ｔ Ｈ Ｉ Ｃ Ｃ Ｎ Ｅ Ｓ Ｓ
I'll show myself out
i like em thicc
THICKNESS
LMAO I am 2 years too late
😂
Let me add my 2 cents from actual experience with Supertech. I had a 2004 Chevy 3500 Duramax that I hauled campers with. I drove in every type of environment from high heat in desert to blizzards in Wyoming, drove in mountains to flats, straight roads to curvy roads. So to save money I decided to use Supertech oil. I didn't think much of it but I noticed my truck using oil and thought it was normal considering how much towing I was doing. Some guys I work with were talking one day about motor oils and how pretty much every single one of them used Rotella. So I decided the next time I got my oil change I would give it a try. To my surprise my truck not only stopped using oil, but my fuel mileage went up also and all I did was switch from Supertech to Rotella. So yes I would have to say there is a difference between quality oil and Supertech.
News Flash!
Most of the well known engine oil brands have a 'Which Oil' selector on their website which you can use to easily get quoted the right oil for your vehicle.
Same with oil filters. Select your preferred brand and use the filter manufacturer's website to get the right filter.
Nothing complicated at all.
Happy motoring folks!
1:03 that Porsche really caught my eye like oil really comes from there but not on my 96
oil change intervals are designed to support major oil cos, the most important part of a change schedule is the filter, most of the filters are very small anymore so they should be changed more often,if you change the filter more often you can run the oil longer as the only thing that goes wrong with oil it gets dirty, clean it and you can continue to use it
Joe Scheller how do you clean it? By changing the filter alone?
exactly and add new to the full mark, change fully maybe once every other regular oil change depending how much driving idle time andwhat conditions you drive in dirt roads are terrible so changing more is necesary@@videosurfah
@@joescheller6680 Its not dirt its carbon blow by ,when running oil to long the protection package drops out leaving crappy base oil ( no protection ) we spend 30 to 90k on our vehicles don't cheap out CHANGE THE OIL ! I change mine ( full syn. ) every 5k . I have a small Euro shop about 1300 customers they all come in at 5 k miles. the best part NO oil leaks the seals love it , that alone justifies early chang out , do the math.
The "additive question" is usually about separately bottled products sold to be added to the oil that already has the proper additives in it. I never ever add stuff to my oil unless I have an oil burner and am trying to fix it on the cheap and get a bit more life out of it.
So many videos that I saw about what gas to use, what oil to use, what parts to use for your cars all have one common final answer, and that is: FOLLOW YOUR CAR MANUAL. Period. And that is the answer. It is simple and a no-brainer. And it make perfect sense because no one knows better about your car and engine than the actual designer and manufacturer themselves. And it would not be in their best interest to not recommend the optimal and ideal parameters to their customers with regards to their car. So the car manual instruction beats all the other advice you can get from outside experts, dealers, mechanics etc etc.
Great video! Thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned some concrete principles from it and will apply gained knowledge to ALL of my vehicles.
Brilliant idea for an episode Larry. Well done as always.
Best video I've seen on explaining oil viscosity was made by engineering explained. Very in-depth and quite "dry" content so not for people that are just slightly interested but if you have a strong interest in how oil weights and oil types affect your car I highly recommend it solid science across the board. I will go on to say this video here is great
This is one of the best normal human - not to technical - explanation. Don’t spare a dime on cheaper oils which don’t match up to the specification your engine needs. In the end it will cost you a lot more on the wear of your engine. Not to mention it can cause chain reactions creating both minor and major problems which not always points directly to wrong spec oils.
And more often than not, this kind of videos in the end turns out as a kind of infomercial. But this one, totally (pun intended) not. A clear explanation without pushing certain kind of products or diminishing others. Just explaining the way it is. Great job from AMMO NYC and Total!
High quality engine oil doesn't come from the ground its engineered in a laboratory often from natural gas. The drain interval in the owners manual is for conventional oil (unless its factory filled with synthetic).
smile.amazon.com/Pennzoil-550040849-Platinum-Racing-Synthetic/dp/B00JMCCM94/ref=sr_1_16?srs=2598345011&ie=UTF8&qid=1531808701&sr=8-16
natural gas comes from the ground
@@chrisk119 : Or politicians...
Wow, finally someone who knows what synthetic oil really is. Motul and others still make real synthetic oil. thank you boodleman.
cant believe you just said that, natural gas is basically just that, liquid turned into vapor, it may be used to make synthetic in some sort of heat process but in no way a lubricating application
The ONLY true synthetic By Total I know of, is the 0w-30 a3/b4 euro oil and is the only synthetic sold here.I e. PAO bro Is and Grp V esters. Most shit is not grp 4 or 5 and I applaud Total for telling the truth.
I drive a 67 chevy impala 327 daily and a 69 chevy c-10 with 350 i put 20w 50 raceing oil in both them, i rebuilt both engines 327 and 350 but there the old cast iron engines with hydraulic lifters on the camshaft high zinc is needed!
Add Red Line break in oil. Full of ZPPD. BTW, I use 10W-40 in my 327 64 Vette. Was recently rebuilt. 20W-50 is a little thick.
So, it’s kinda like this, synthetic oils will always give the best protection, this is because of the way there designed on a molecular level, the molecule chains are more uniform, tighter, therefore they resist sheer much better and take longer to break down. They are also designed to absorb contamination (ash, water, dirt particles, etc) thereby keeping the engine cleaner, (this is typically why they allow for a longer drain interval, think of it like this, a conventional oils molecular structure is kinda like a handful of gravel, with the molecules being different shapes and sizes, so they don’t hold up as well/long, synthetic oils molecular structure is like a handful of marbles, all molecules being the same size/shape, and because of this they hold up much longer, and keep your engine cleaner. Then there are the additives. Additives help the oil do everything from change viscosity, to antifoaming, and everything in between
Semi synthetic oil is probably the best marketing scheme out there, because there is no government regulation as to what constitutes a “syn blend” oil, oil companies can literally put an eyedropper of synthetic oil in to a 10,000 gallon vat of conventional and call it a blend. Stay away from blends, your just waisting your money, because you cant be sure what you really have.
The other trick bag about car manufacturers and oil is a lot of them wont come right and say it requires a synthetic oil. Instead, they say must meet Chevrolet dexos specifications, or BMW 12345677, and so you have to do a little digging to see what really does and does not. You have to be careful with that because car manufacturers/dealers will do anything to avoid honoring a warranty. If you have an engine problem that you think is warranty, the first thing there going to ask for are maintenance records, and if you don’t have them, no warranty, if you have them, but they find you haven’t been using an approved oil, no warranty, on and on and on. This includes vehicles that are recommended for 0-20, 5-20 can void your warranty, so be careful
Great Information, Great Examples, Great Insights!
Very Well Detailed! Great Job! 😎
He uses 10W-30 in his hair.
I use 40 weight to pull a fast one with sr20s on race day.
Na. It's 40 weight!
Good comment, Mr. Proper.
I use 10w60 so jokes on u
@@frontspring1 How good is the lubrication? I'd like to try it sometime
Your Porsche looks great! How do you get it SO shiny?
(Kidding, I'm, kidding!)
He takes it regularly to a local hand car wash that uses the same Mitt & shampoo on hundreds of cars.
Bought a new Ram Hemi truck back in 2015.....Dealer gave me approx 2 years of freebee oil changes using their Mopar oil and filter which ended at 32,000 miles. At 38,000 miles I began using 5-20 Amsoil Signature Series along with the Amsoil's extended life filter. A few days after putting in the Amsoil, I noticed that the engine was a little quieter when going through my usual favorite drive thru for lunch when my driver window was down (engine noises reflect off the walls)......As more time went by, the Hemi became even more quiet. After using Amsoil Signature Series for just over 25K miles now, I can report a 1.5 MPG average increase, a quieter engine AND some increased engine performance as well..........At the 55K mile mark, I converted the trans and rear diff over to the Amsoil Signature Series. To my surprise, the trans shifting actually became a little crispier and somewhat smoother............Now I do not know if Amsoil makes anything to Porsche oil requirement specs. But if they did and if I owned a Porsche, I would be using Amsoil Signature Series without hesitation.............
You could also use a 20w50 synthetic oil and use ZDDP Max(by Turbo Maxx) additive package with it.
This is a very long ad; anyway who uses Total engine oil?
nobody i know
I do. Quartz 9000 10W-30 in my 4.0l Wrangler.
VISCOSITY means resistance to flow
If this video has even a single value for most drivers, it is never to wander outside the OEM oil specification. Auto supply stores sometimes suggest lower viscosity numbers for engine operating temperatures during summer, with the intuitive explanation that a "thicker" oil protects better in warmer weather. This video flatly contradicts that presumption-- stay with the OEM oil specification.
I would expect food grade to be manufactured in an independent plant.
So, in a nutshell;
Step 1: Read the owners manual
Step 2: Use oil with the specs recommended by your owners manual regardless of the brand
Step 3: In case of any confusion, READ THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR GOD's SAKE PEOPLE!
Yeah, but the car owner manual was written back when car was made (Nissan no longer makes the ATF that's written in manual)
@@deasttn Step 1: Open google
Step 2: Type "What is a good replacement for :your-oil-name-here:"
Step 3: Hit enter and hope there's easily accesible information on the subject or dig trough untill you find it.
People spend hours upon hours reading FakeBook or whatever fake bullshit social media they have that makes them feel important, but they cant take 10 mins to read ANY owners manual.
Your way to understand oil viscosity aka thickness might be rudimentary to some but it made perfect sense to me. Especially the maple syrup part. It also made me want pancakes. Doh!
Well the reality is that the Owners Manual isn't ALWAYS the best thing to do! Especially with older cars as new tech comes out. My 94 Integra recommends 5w or 10w30 oil depending on climate. I use 0w30 full synthetic to help reduce engine wear at cold startup, and I'd like to think that is partly why the engine still runs great at 362,000 miles. Back in 1994 there was no such thing as 0w30 oil.
Since most engine wear occurs during cold starting, you want the thinnest oil possible when cold. 0w is still thicker than what's needed at operating temperature, so any engine that requires 5w or 10w30 can use 0w30, and any engine that requires 5w20 can use 0w20.
Patrick94GSR so with the information you just gave would it be better to change my jeeps oil to ow30?
I use 10w40 dc2
They have had straight 30 weight oil sense the 60's. Oil pump design and clearance aswell as oil galley design just gooping in heavier weight thinking it means more protection it doesnt film strenth gives you that. Whatbyou have done is slowed ur drain back likely raised ur oil temp.
You got it backwards , you are causing more wear , the 5w is what the oil thickness is when started cold , it's thinner to flow better . Your using a thicker oil on start up , harder to flow and harder on the oil pump as well . You are causing more wear by doing this
That VTEC 4 cylinder engine you have can probably tolerate the thinner synthetic oil that you use because it revs higher than most cars but it is not good advice to tell others to use a thinner oil at startup than what is recommended. The best advice is to warm up your car to prolong engine life and I am sure you already do this.
I work in an autoparts store and what we tell the customer is that for non-highend or non-luxury cars, after one hundred or one hundred twenty five thousand miles you have to start using higher viscosity oil than what the manual recommends. The manual may say 0w-20 or 5w-20 but that's only if it were newer. Once you're in the high mileage range your car will need thicker oil for better lubrication and protection. I would advise them to move up to 10w-30 or so.
A European car specialist once told me that 5w30 was being used to meet government mileage standards and that early GM's using this oil had engine problems as a result. He said he would never use 5w-anything in any of his cars. Porsche recommended 10w40 0r heavier in my water cooled 944S at that time. I now have a 2002 Honda Odyssey that uses 5W-20. I heard that camshafts go out after a couple hundred thousand miles. I used 5W20 for 250,000 miles, but after seeing the scored camshafts last time I changed the timing belt and set valve lash, I decided to switch to 10W30 in summer (using up my stock of 5w20 in the frozen winter months.) Engine runs quieter with it. I'm sure the tolerances are worn in it so I figure it won't hurt. Hope to squeeze a bit more life out of it. So far so good. Transmission has lasted despite the under-cooling from factory, so I added a cooler to that, which I should have done long ago. Also, the sludge problems Toyota and others were having a while back is due to US government changing PCV specs. Even if manual says you can go 5000 or 10,000 miles on an oil change, the detergents break down after 2000 per my instructor in mechanic school. He buys cheapest API approved oil and changes oil every 2000 miles in his non performance daily car. I aim for 3000 but push it to 4000 on my old cars.
I have learnt that you must wear safety glasses when doing an interview, very dangerous if the geek your interviewing projects a bit of spit in your direction.
I'm actually using for at least 17yrs total oil, the last few years quartz7000 10w40. In a non-reliable engine(x16xel) on LPG. Few months ago, coz i'm a idiot, we removed the head to resurface it and change the gasket(I ran out of coolant, but didn't noticed it for a few km, coz my bulbs behind the gauges are dead for a few month now, and it was around midnight).
The cylinders don't have any edge, or any signs for the mileage the car actually has(315,000km). And i repeat, it's a really known unreliable engine. Like massively unreliable engine. People can't believe it has made that much kilometers. And I change my oil every 10,000km.
Edit: I drive the car like it's stolen. All the time.
Master Skywalker because it's lpg ya dingus. Much cleaner in the combustion chamber than gas and especially deisal
No name-calling, but it's Diesel.
is because you are burning lpg the cleanest burning fuel out there and natural gas would be almost equivelant. burning lpg your oil hardly ever gets dirty always appears to be clean like right out of the can
Such a MASSIVE difference between this oil facility and the video on you tube of the Mobil 1 facility
It's like night and day, with this facility looking very old.
I just change the oil once a year in my VR6 GTI (2003) at the dealership using Castrol Edge 5W-40. I only put about 5 to 6 thousand miles a year on the car... usually short local trips to and fro. Have had the car 16 years with no issues whatsoever! Then again, I only have 89,000 miles on it, original owner.
And, the myths were...?
Thanks for what the numbers and letter stands for. I don't drive a race car but it anything that helps me keep my daily driver on the road longer helps.
I work at a gas station, and most of the people that buys oil are saying that their oil light started shining.. Also pulled up a oilstick form a subaru boxer and the stick was dry, and the ladie didnt know that it was bad to run the car with low oil...
1:11 am wtf I'm doing here besides learning something
Just two comments:
When people say "tight tolerances," they usually mean "tight clearances." Tight clearances require tight tolerances, but you can have a loose clearance between parts made to tight tolerances. I still say it, and didn't think about it until I saw it on a web forum. Do a web search for more info. It's sort of like how firearm people say "accuracy" when they are talking about what is technically defined as "precision." Everyone says it, and everyone knows what is meant, but it's technically incorrect.
The SAE numbers (20, 30, 40) aren't measures, they are ratings. They don't equal any units of viscosity, they are just convenient numbers to use. SAE 40 isn't twice as "thick" as SAE 20, for example. People see SAE 5W and thing OMG that's 1/4 as thick as 20W but that's not correct.
Absolutely right.
It's like an 18 year old explaining this for the first time to his friends. Pro tip: mechanics usually know the LEAST about lubes. "20w-50, duh"
It's been a few decades since I saw video of oil testing, but there is a friction roller test used to find the shear point [how much pressure it takes to break film thickness and get metal on metal contact]. It's more informative than viscosity [which does matter also]. Seems like the best real world evaluation, but no idea if or how SAE ratings use it in their ratings. There's way more to consider than a 10w-40 rating [for example] when designers pick machinery lubricants, but I suspect each rating has acceptable performance range limits to get SAE approval.
i always thought of the two numbers as temperatures. "αW-β oil is appropriate for climates with temperatures ranging from α° Celsius to β° Celsius... *roughly*"
SAE numbers ARE actually measures of something: the amount of seconds that grade of oil takes to flow through some tube that the SAE uses for quantifying grades.
Good point, don't over think it. Most guys really overdo thinking on oil, it drives me crazy.
I just recommend you that look for a mechanic that wait a little to the old oil be drained before install again a filter.
My manual tells me every 5k change it. I'm nobody's fool, I can feel the oil breakdown at like 3k. The manufacturer intended on me wearing out my engine and buying another one.
Guitarsnspraycans today’s synthetic oil is perfectly ok for 5k miles. Conventional, 3k i would change it
"Changing my oil on a 'militant' like schedule"
I don't think that word means what you think it means.
Have you done an oil analysis as proof that your oil really works? If their oil is true synthetic oil why it's not labeled 100% synthetic oil. From machinery lubrication website "While most engine oils are made to acceptable standards, their general and specific qualities can vary widely. Poor-quality engine oils are often put on the market due to ignorance or greed. Unfortunately, for the uninformed automobile owner, a high-quality engine oil and one of poor quality will look and feel the same."
The branding "Synthetic" is not a regulated formula, there are no actual API, or SAE requirements to be met in order to become "Synthetic". True Synthetic, Full Synthetic, Synthetic, all have the same meaning. It could be a POA formula but, more commonly, synthetic is a Grade III oil. Both use additives to meet or exceed specific manufacturer requirements. An extra refined, hydrocracked or Isocracked, Grade III oil is just as effective and even more so in many cases as a "truly synthetic" (POA) based oil. With the latest refining technology from (leading oil refiner's name omitted), Isocracked oil can exceed many "true" synthetics in a Grade II or Grade II+ base oil. The hype on the bottle means nothing.
When it comes to oil, price usually does dictate quality and performance, the additives and extra refining are really expensive! In most cases, North American passenger cars will only require an SN grade, in which case there's no real benefit to synthetics. With European and some Japanese cars, turbo and diesel engines, there are usually very specific requirements, as mentioned in the video, MB 229.5 VW 505 etc.
Thats why i use Amsoil. UOA have been very good😎
Oz Media , nothing outperforms true 100% synthetic Motor oil. I have tested in my own vehicles. Group 2 and 3 is just not good enough. Engine remanufacturing shops making billion dollars, because people use group 2 and 3. If group 2 and 3 were good, majority people would never have engine problems.
Actually, in Germany and Japan, only engine oils with base stocks that are comprised of at least 80% Group 4 or 5 oils may be labeled as "fully synthetic". It was Exxon Mobil that went to court over said issue back in the day.
Having said that (and having spent some years in a refinery), there are great group 3 HC (hydrocracked) base stocks out there that are on par with almost any given PAO blend. It all depends on the process. And in the end, the additive package is even more important than the chemist in the video made it out to be. Total is a good brand for high quality oils - the Mazda "original" oils are being produced by them 😁
And: oil change importance cannot be understated. Manufacturers don't want their stuff to last but since I want my engines to last, I have decided for myself to cut each drain interval in half and use manufacturer-approved oil. The requirements for approvals are really tough but engine oils can't perform miracles. Nothing is as good for an engine as fresh oil - besides proper treatment by the driver.
Oz Media
Exactly. Perhaps you should have written the script for this verbose and very basic video. Also I would add that clear physical evidence to show that lower viscosity oil will produce more wear than higher viscosity oil in passenger cars with conventional use is lacking given identical antiwear additive packages. Wow, that was a run-on sentence! I've heard owners say things like, "my car is getting old so I'm going to start using thicker oil to reduce wear." That's simply wrong.
My turbo charged Jeep came with instructions to use 100% synthetic and it even specified what grade of synthetic. There are ratings on the bottles to compare.
I recently learned that synthetic oil can withstand higher temperatures before it begins to harden and stick to engine surfaces. Since a turbo is the hottest place on an engine it only makes sense to use the toughest high temp tolerant oil available.
Fond memories! I worked as Blending Lab supervisor at ERCA Esso's research centre in the UK. Formulating an engine oil is an art form and millions are spent getting the mix of ingredients just right. Oil's ain't oils!
Video didn't answer anything that a 30 second video has not already shown. Lab coat wouldn't answer shit and looked like his boss was on the other side of the camera.
heyy!! It's Brad Pitt as a mechanic 9:58 xD
TacoBell he wish he looks like him
he's even done his hair like Pitt's
One thing you didn't learn is what exactly is a synthetic oil? What is it made of and what are the differences between it and convention oils? It can't be additives, because they can add additives to anything. Conventional oils have additives.
I sometimes pick up freight from that location. Great video, thanks
hes eyes are lying esp on additives...,i can see that!
Man... All I have ever driven since 1974 is a 1st Generation Monte Carlo. These 350 engines are some of the most credible ones built, and I just use 10W-30W with Bestline Oil Treatment and drive the car easy all the time. While others speed past me because they're going to get another car in 2 or 3 years anyway. However, all the time, people ask to buy the car I drive, or give me looks as I drive by. While others tell me, I drive a "Real Car"....
I have worked in the petroleum industry for over 20 years. I have been told, like the comment made on this video about "synthetic Blends", the oil industry loosely regulates the specifications on what an oil weight is. Such as, a 10 weight might be any where from a 5 to a 15 class weight. The same thing for the heavier number. A 30 weight oil might actually be any thing from a 20 weight to a 40 weight.
Another great video Larry! I like the journalist approach. If anyone cares about going deeper down the rabbit hole, here's a pretty detailed look at the technical side of engine oil: th-cam.com/video/l-zDt9FGJi8/w-d-xo.html
Very contradictory video and the oil guy doesn't make sense, oil that exceeds or equivalent to the owners manual is fine. Additives are also branded differently even if they're the same as part of the selling point to make them sound exotic. When the oil guy was asked about the specifics, he still repeated company speak. Ie, BMW or Mercedes, that doesn't matter, it's the viscosity that's important and ANY brand that meets the specific minimum requirements is absolutely fine, the rest is only for sales, how do I know, because my good friend works for Mobil oil and makes oil for many manufacturers who brand it as they're own, when they don't have they're own manufacturing plant. So car brand oil, is totally unimportant, contrary to what the lab rat said. Peace.
lab rat gets paid by big oil and different car manufacturers want pay off from said oil co
He looks very young and the type that would rather be PC gaming than actual oil testing or research. I've called a Mercedes dealership service dept before and they've told me they use Mobil 1. If you look on bmw forums they recommend the same and that's coming from bmw enthusiasts.
When he refers to 'mercedes' or 'bmw' he doesn't mean oil branded by these companies, he means oil formulated as recommended by these companies - or whatever brand of car/engine is relevant - Not just viscosity. Companies may have a very specific formula for one engine. For example early VW pump duese engines suffered alot of top end wear so a specific formula was produced to prevent this. So simply matching the viscosity grade isn't always adequate. For instance a 5w 40 PD oil is different to other 5w 40 oils. You can use any brand of oil, just to the correct blend and spec recommended by the engine manufacture. Also when he refers to additives he means additives used at point of oil production, not DIY off the shelf crap.
Am I the only person absolutely loving the fact that this video is sponsored by O'Reilly's but he's shopping for oil in an AutoZone?
Have you tried AMSOIL?
i have developed a high grade of respect for Total as an automotive lubricant provider. I'm convinced and going to try it for my lightly modified type-r.
i am actually surprised, I was expecting an older individual to do all the explanation on behave of the oil factory and we got a very young and knowledgeable one. glad to see the young people take charge! . congrats smart guy!
I was looking for a reason to not use semi-synthetic based on some urban legends I'd heard of. You, however only slightly confirmed my understanding.
Seni-synthetic oil is mostly a gimic, unless you confirm the conventional/synthetic percentages.
20W-50 is a hell of a thick oil
15w-40 ftw!
Once again it depends. If you live in a hot climate and you have an older engine it's not a big deal.
Sintatnun try 75w190 that's in my axle
Harley engines need straight 50
@@steverayrapp I live in So. California and have a European 1981 engine. It takes 20w-50. So there you go.
09:40 : It is NOT two grades of oil in one bottle. Those two numbers (before and after the "W") cannot be compared as they are measured in completely different ways. Otherwise this would mean, the oil would get thicker, the warmer it gets - which is of course wrong.
This is how informative self help videos should be done. This guy is more than some shade tree mechanic giving his 2 cents on why you should do this or not do that with absolutely no presentation of his credentials. . This guy went to the oil company and then shared what he learned. This gives him credibility. Well done Sir !
When he said he gotta get in some trouble with scientists and chemists then said he replaced viscosity with thickness I said in my mind " you in some deep shit now boy" cause I'm a industrial engineer student and I remember fuel technology and fluid mechanics class where I clearly learnt that viscosity and thickness are two different things
Guys, change the oil significantly earlier than the interval mentioned in the manual.
Some car manufacturers made the intervals too long and that caused lots of cars to get damaged.
Chrysler 2.7
Mobil 15k and full synthetic filter in all my cars every 10k miles for years. No problems at all and great complements from professional mechanics on the appearance of my engines internals. Also external from all the power washing I do.
Why are they visiting the internals?
There was this one chick that went into a oil changing shop after someone said that she should do that, immediately. When the mechanics took the oil out, it was almost a completely solid mass. Turns out her 2014 Mazda CX-7 had gone 50,000 miles without an oil change. The car had 50,000 miles on it. Yup, it still had the original oil when it came out of the factory...
When I teach my students, I tell them the W viscosity is taken at the freezing point of water, the hot number is taken at the boiling point of water. The secret is (in this case) COLD 20 is thinner than HOT 50. My temperatures may be off a bit (I tell them that too) but the principle is the same.
Very interesting for sure, and informative!!
I'll stick with Amsoil though. They invented Synthetic oil, and it's 100% Synthetic, not a blend. And I'm more than pleased with the performance improvement.
the recommended for my car is 10w30, but in the summertime, the temperature goes outside the tolerances for that oil, so i use 10w40, i actually checked with the manufacturer as well as a friend of mine who actually worked for them around 10 years ago, its perfectly safe.
We get so fixated on viscosity that we tend not to think so much about thixotropy and surface tension. They're all important to a good lubricant, though. You want to be able to pump it efficiently and have it cling to the surfaces where it's needed and viscosity alone simply doesn't tell us enough.
Probably THE best car car video I have ever watched. Extremely informative and an eye opener. I best check my oil in my VW. She's an old girl now and I want to keep her running.
In the summary you said, "change it regularly". The Chemist said to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Changing the oil at 3,000 miles is a useless waste if the manufacturer suggests changing it at 5,000 miles. Listen again beginning at 14:15.
You also indicated that the brand does not matter if it has the correct specifications. The Chemist stressed it has to say approved by the manufacturer. Presumably some oil with similar stated specifications are not approved by the manufacturer and may have a problem. It may be ok but simply not tested but who wants to take that chance.
I worked for an automotive seal manufacturer. Our Chemist told me that it did not matter what brand of oil I used but do not mix brands. He added that the individual additives in major brands are ok but if mixed, some mixtures would "eat" the seals.
New Jersey commuters need to be using that racing oil, based on this video.
The camshaft/rocker interface is harsh and produces the thinnest oil film thickness, and that often means the film breaks. This means the anti-wear package is very important there. The zinc compound (ZDDP) is a heat activated surface coating that protects against metal to metal contact when the oil film breaks. ZDDP's out of favor in oil because the sulfur in the compound contaminates catalytic converters.
As for synthetic... Outside the US, synthetic means 'man-made' - in other words, Group 4 (PAO) and Group 5 (Esters). In the US, thanks to a suit won by Castrol with...get this...the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau. Because of this, oil marketers in the US can call Group 3 oil 'synthetic', even though it's derived from petroleum and isn't man made. Most synthetic oils and synthetic blends sold in the US don't actually have synthetic oil in the mix. Even Mobil 1's 'tri-syn' is mostly group 3.
Finally...the oil approval process is a marketing tool and a cash flow tool for auto manufacturers. No auto manufacturer blends oil. They've found that they can make tens of thousands of dollars a year by requiring proof that an oil meets their approval process. Oil specs are performance specs - the formula is irrelevant as long as the oil can meet the specific performance. Oil companies have to test performance when they have their oil designed. To get the 'certification' they simply send the test results and a LARGE check to BMW and MB and VW and GM, etc. It's a scam. If an oil company says an oil meets a spec and it doesn't, the oil company has to fix the car. Having an oil 'approved' by an OEM doesn't make it better - it just means we have to pay more for a quart to cover the extortion money paid to auto manufacturers.
TL;DR: just follow the manual.
Friend of a friend (motorcycle racing mechanic) told me "as long as there's oil in the engine you're good". :-D
One thing not mentioned. The larger the container the better quality of the same oil. It is due to the real life way oil is packaged at the refineries.They fill the 1 litre bottles first and the 205 litre drums last. As the oil is taken from the holding tanks, it's quality improves. Also, another thing often overlooked by both mechanics and back yard mechanics. When an engine is running on gas, it needs a gas specific oil or an extra additive added to normal petrol oil or change it more often. It is very important for an engine on gas not to exceed the change interval.
So that information I felt was basic, but I've learned most people don't know it. This guy always does great videos and this is one I think every car owner should watch.
To add to it, based off of some obscure engineer's blog from back in the day and some other reading I'm going to throw in my two cents so take with a grain of salt. Initially synthetic wasn't good for vehicles since it was being pioneered. By the time it was a better alternative people would still blame it for messing up their engines. The blog explained that sometimes on high mileage vehicles the the carbon deposits eat at and become the gaskets. By using synthetic you risk cleaning them out the deposits acting as gaskets and opening a leak. So my take away was don't switch to synthetic unless under 100k and you're religious about oil changes. Mechanics have okayed my engine for synthetic at 200k because they know I religiously change oil. Not worth the risk for me.
Also, mentioned in the blog is aside from synthetic running cleaner longer, the dual weight is built up in the base formula. Conventional oil the dual weight is created by additives. This means that conventional oil properties will degrade quicker than synthetic. Even if an oil maintains viscosity, the additives meant to protect or clean your engine can wear down too. Add to it that biproducts are meant to be absorbed by some of the additives so you should always follow your vehicle's recommended interval changes rather than the oil companies to which many oil companies will acknowledge in fine print. Change your oil so the additives can take out the crud! That said, yes synthetic is cleaner and lasts longer so if you push mileage it won't be as bad as pushing conventional. Manufacturers are also changing manuals to represent synthetic intervals.
Now something many people say and I roll my eyes at, "I had a car in the 70's that could go 8k to 12k on conventional". Older cars have looser clearances for pistons and other moving parts. Abrasions from dirty oil might be more forgiving. Older cars tend to burn up oil. Newer cars are finely tuned athletes with soft spots. Modern engines have tighter clearances and stricter emissions standards. They don't really lose oil through the pistons until they get older and worn typically. Dirty oil even while viscous may shorten your engine's lifespan. If oil starts to slip through in it's old age you need to keep it topped off. The plugs will burn it off if small. Eventually, there will come a day when the wear and tear fails your emissions and you'll need a new car or engine.
Now let's talk weight. Your owners manual will have different recommendations for different environments, but most modern vehicles can do one specific grade across most climates which your manual will recommend. That said, you can try a heavier weight within recommendations to try and slow the loss of oil; however, a heavier weight may increase engine pressure and make the leak worse. You have to experiment and watch it. I recommend fixing the leak, but sometimes the internal piston or valve leaks aren't bad enough to justify opening it right away. You might get a little more mileage then rebuild or go new. As long as your spark plugs burn up the excess oil, don't destroy your Catylitic converter, and you still pass your emissions tests then the only issue is remembering to keep the oil topped off. Synthetics can be harder to burn off than conventional and I have read recommendations to use it if the pistons allow more oil by. My thoughts are as long as it gets burned off the less likely it is to go out the exhaust & pollute the O2 sensors or catalytic converter. Just acknowledge at this point your engine is going to need addressing soon.
Lastly, if you travel to higher elevations your engine pressure will increase as it works harder to which it will lose more oil than normal. I see older cars broken down on the way in to Denver from Texas quite a bit. The cars might just reflect the priorities of the owners. That said, your gas mileage will get better as air gets thinner and your car dumps less fuel in to the thin air mixture, but that is also why you will have less engine power and increased engine pressure from it working harder.
Feel free to kindly correct me if you think me mistaken.
One way to look at Multi Viscosity oil and understand it, is this. It is a temperature related performance rating of the oil at two different temperatures. At 0 degrees Celsius and at 100 degrees Celsius. Given a 5W30 oil, what that means is the oil will behave the same, viscosity wise, at 100 degrees centigrade than a conventional straight 30 weight oil behaves at 100 degrees Celsius. And at 0 degrees centigrade the oil will behave the same, viscosity wise, at 0 degrees centigrade than a conventional straight 5 weight oil behaves at 0 degrees Celsius. The viscosity unit of measurement is Centipoise or when density is considered, Centistokes.