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Hey everybody! This is my first time here and I need a little advice. I just watched the video about synthetic oil and conventional oil, and I have a question. But first, a little background. I’ve been doing most of my maintenance and repairs for years, only limited by tools and a place to do some repairs. I drive approximately 35,000 miles per year in a ’01 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 six, with 259,000 miles. I started with conventional oil, then decided to go to Mobil full synthetic, but then changed back to conventional for about 2 or 3 changes, then decided to go to Amsoil. I used Amsoil some years back in a Ford Explorer 4.0 pushrod engine, which had 371,000 miles on it when I sold it, and no engine problems ever. I do have, as pointed out in the video, some engine noise (sounds like lifter noise, and this engine supposedly this noise common in a 4.0), and have developed some oil seeping at the rear main seal. After this roller-coaster ride of a story, here is my question – I think I should probably go back to the conventional oil and stay there, but, should I use a flush (Sea Foam, etc.) or some sort of additive in the old oil just before I go back to the conventional stuff? Or just make the change back and drive? I’m really open to any suggestions, including the idea that maybe I should stay with the Amsoil. Anyway, any advice here is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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No need to flush you could go right back to conventional. A far as whether to stay with synthetic or go conventional that’s kind of a matter of preference. A synthetic flows better which also means it will leak better too. Keep that in mind with your leak that has developed. I’m kind of on the fence with oil. I have synthetic in one and conventional in another. There are many benefits to a synthetic and I believe I saw a video Eric did on this subject, very cut and dry objective video.I recommend watching it if I can find the link real quick I’ll post it for you.
I have run Dino oil all my life and change my oil at 3k and never had an engine/car die due to lubrication related problems….
Everyone is looking for a longer lasting solution, and it is great, saves money, filters, time and all that…
I really am weary of BITOG arguments over which is better, which will last longer, which has xxx great additives/properties and how this is better than that…..
In the end, there will be wear on an engine that will eventually render it unusable… Just happens…
Personally, I think that anyone who pays SO much attention to oil is bound to have a car that lasts a long time due to their diligence in giving so much time to a mundane thing like oil…. If you think this much about oil, you probably are also watching the engine (Car maintenance) as a whole very closely… I know there will be some who say they have an old 6 cylinder with 400k miles that they never do anything to but change the oil, but I believe these are a minority… and as we all know, not all engines are created equal…
Case in point… Put all the AMSOIL and MOBILE 1 you want into a 2.7L Chrysler and guess what… It will still probably die well before 120k miles and that is if you are lucky…
Turn on the TV or read any Sunday newspaper ads or listen to the radio and they will all speak about magic diet pills that you can lose 30 pounds a month and is the GREATEST MIRACLE BREAKTHROUGH and clinical results have shown……. (liars, damn liars and statistics)….. Then check the fine print… Not approved by FDA, these results not typical, Your results may vary, etc…. This is the same thing only with oil…
Everyone is looking for the magic formula for oil (and the same with diets), and to be honest, I don’t think anyone has a patent on it.. Yet
JMHO
-Karl
I agree with you. Usually I really like what I drive and this is the case for my Jeep, and I want it to last as long as possible. Thanks for your input!
I have two cars. One calls for synthetic and I use synthetic oil in it. The other calls for dino oil and that is what it gets. Engines are designed for the oil the maker specifies. As for leaks, that is a seal problem not an oil problem.
DFRanger: Thanks! I figured a flush probably wasn’t necessary. I think what is driving this for me is the noise, which is a small tapping sound. I had the same noise in a ’97 Explorer 4.0, started using Amsoil, and the noise went away. But the jeep noise wasn’t there when I bought it at 175,000 miles, so I am wondering if the Amsoil or Mobil or both have caused the noise. I guess that is one of those questions that may never get answered. Thanks again for you response!
If you want to find out why a vehicle has a tapping noise… Get a mechanic’s stethoscope, remove the valve cover, isolate the sound location, remove the Cams or check the tappet assembly, adjust the valves, replace the lifters/worn parts and be done with it…..
There is no mechanic in a bottle… I can pour 50 weight oil into a car and get rid of a tapping sound… But it won’t fix anything…..
Don’t blame the oil……… Blame time, blame heat, blame the freezing of winter, blame metallurgy, blame yourself for driving it 250K – 350k miles…. Heck just blame running the engine and wearing of steel on steel for 15 to 20 plus years on a sound…..Things wear out and a car engine will not operate forever…… The easy thing is to blame the oil….
-Karl
P.S. Nothing personal… This subject is just one of my “buttons”
As pointed out you don’t need to flush the engine. Just switch to regular oil and you should be fine. Most synthetics are blends anyway and are designed to mix with regular oil so it’s not a big deal.
Good luck and keep us posted if this helps with the noise and the leak.
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