Which Oil to use

Fully "synthetic" oils are a waste of money in my opinion. Their purported advantages are purely advertising hype intended to
part the non-technical driver from his money. The majority of synthetic oils are still overwhelmingly produced from crude oil.
The only advantage I can see for the average driver using a synthetic oil is longer periods between oil changes—which I guess
could help amortise its higher price. My 2000 TD5 Discovery's still running its original engine with 330,000km on the clock, and
has never used synthetic oils (I have its service records from day one).

If I were running a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, then of course I'd be using a fully synthetic oil. But I'm not, LOL.

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Originally Posted by ausGeoff

Fully "synthetic" oils are a waste of money in my opinion. Their purported advantages are purely advertising hype intended to
part the non-technical driver from his money. The majority of synthetic oils are still overwhelmingly produced from crude oil.
The only advantage I can see for the average driver using a synthetic oil is longer periods between oil changes—which I guess
could help amortise its higher price. My 2000 TD5 Discovery's still running its original engine with 330,000km on the clock, and
has never used synthetic oils (I have its service records from day one).

If I were running a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, then of course I'd be using a fully synthetic oil. But I'm not, LOL.

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https://mobiloil.com/en/article/car-...nventional-oil

tl;dr Synthetic oil is better for your engine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ausGeoff

The majority of synthetic oils are still overwhelmingly produced from crude oil.

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Minor issue, the class III base stocks perform very well and close to a class IV POA oil. The extended oil change intervals would be a major reason why the shift to synthetics is so common.

Thanks everyone.

So I am gathering from what I have read is that I am doing the right thing on my 2000 Td5 with 310,000kms on the clock. Either using 5W or 10W-40. I won't be putting my engine at risk, as my mate indicated which is great news.

Cheers all for the feedback

Matt

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Originally Posted by southaussiematt

Thanks everyone.

So I am gathering from what I have read is that I am doing the right thing on my 2000 Td5 with 310,000kms on the clock. Either using 5W or 10W-40. I won't be putting my engine at risk, as my mate indicated which is great news.

Cheers all for the feedback

Matt

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Yes.

I have always used 5w 40 fully synthetic either Castrol/BP Edge and in recent years went to Penrite enviro full synthetic in diesel and petrol motors.
One main reason for me is that modern cars have very much smaller oil galleries in heads and such, and I find that fully synthetic apepars (I say appears to me anyway), to leave less residue inside covers and in motor, so figure that inside of engine galleries may be cleaner.
I do my oil and filter changes every 10,000k's and the oil from the diesel motors usually looks less contaminated than when I used mineral oil in my diesels.
First engine in My D3 did over 300,000k nil issues, and I had a chance to fit a 40,000k motor and removed it, selling the 300k motor on to another D3 who is still running that engine on the same oil/filter regime without any issues at now over 400k.

I'm staying with fully synthetic, BUT I only buy it in 10L or 20L when I see it on special at Repco or such, and then it can be quite reasonably priced.

I use 10w-40 heavy duty diesel oil found it to be great at 350000 the car uses no oil at all .

coconut oil smells the best

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ausGeoff

Fully "synthetic" oils are a waste of money in my opinion. Their purported advantages are purely advertising hype intended to
part the non-technical driver from his money ......

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I started using synthetic when I had my '79 RRC(actually just before in my then Rover sedan v8s) but carried over into the RRC.
Changed at about 10-15K klms without fail. motor had 150K klms when I got it, and it took me to 650 off K klms by the time I parked it up for good(ish).
Other than a couple of front end seals, motor still ran roughly in that either big ends or mains were worn .. but it ran, never gave me issues.
Lots of around town and lots of arid zone Aus touring.
Ran very hot for a couple of years somewhere in the middle of that klm range too(turned out to be a old radiator core in the end).

Same with my Rodeo 3.2lt V6(it's kind of replacement).
Started at 100K klms, I ended up at 636K klms, only ever used synthetic oil in it in the 7 years I did my 500+ klms.
At about 250K klms the 3.2lt V6 wore out it's valve guides(apparently a common issue) so motor wasn't well for a good many klms, but even knowing this I had to get my value for money out of it, so with the hope that synthetic oils would partially save me a very much delayed engine rebuild ... and this is exactly what happened.

Only other vehicle I had for any length of klms was my XF falcon wagon. to say it lasted any distance would be a joke ... put a conrod through the block!
As it was a carpy boat anchor motor, I'd never used expensive oils in it, can't recall exactly which oil viscosity, but always Penrite(my mechanic got me onto it, and the bonus of supporting an Aussie Co .. I guess.

summary of above: basically your experience will vary to what someone else will find.

With regards to "its only semi synthetic etc etc" the wording by oil companies and oil blenders of "Full synthetic" is a marketing term and is not a measurable quality.
So using 5W40, 10W40 in either semi or full synthetic in older engines is going to be fine.

After all that is said and done the best thing you can do to an engine is change the oil on a regular basis.