Mineral or synthetic engine oil

[Alant]

Almost due to change engine oil, so I am wondering whether to use mineral or synthetic oil with viscosity 50 as old car need thicker oil? Are they of the same flow characteristic ?

 

I am driving a 12 yrs old car.

 

Thanks.

[S2P2]

use 20/50.....yours is old car, piston may have worn....if you use fully syn, you may find your engine oil gone pretty fast as the worn piston will have gaps and the oil will like sip through easily

[Alant]

So that means I can only use mineral oil. Thought of using the new Mobil 1 fully synthetic with 50 viscosity index.

 

Am I right to say that mineral or synthetic oil with the same oil thickness, the synthetic oil will still be thinner?

[Turbobrick]

Visco rating may be the same but Syn oils have very high visco index and with higher film and heat strength so the oil remains thinner even at higher temps compared to mineral.

 

The risk of an old car using Syn is the syn oil may "clean" off the old mineral sludge that may be "sealing" the leaky gaskets, once that happens then oil leak is imminent.

 

So if your car has always been on Syn, the gasket should be good and tolerances are tighter in the engine so continuing Syn will be fine. If the previous oil used was unknown then it's recommended you stick with mineral and change oil every 5k

[Madarmour]

Fully syn also have a viscosity index of 50, 60.

[S2P2]

castrol RS lor but expensive mah

Edited July 1, 2003 by S2P2

[Madarmour]

Most fully syn are kinda expensive here anyway......

[Mavvy]

Has anyone use REDLINE here ?

[Madarmour]

Don't know who's the distributor.

[Mavvy]

I know...

 

and got lobang..

[S2P2]

thats why for an old car....perhaps mineral is good enuff.....i using minerall too what and my car less than 4 years old

[Madarmour]

You know how much is a quart of 10W 30 and 10W 40?

[Madarmour]

If you do regular oil changes, mineral is OK. You might want to try the semi-synth Royal Purple. Quite value for money, for abt the same price as your mineral.