How soon can I use synthetic oil?

grego37 · Jul 15, 2006

Im about to switch from dino oil to synthetic, but I want to make sure its not too soon.
408W ,10:1, Flat tappet cam, moly rings.
it was broken in on a dyno. and driven as a weekend car for a while. My odometer isnt working but Im sure I have a few hundred miles on it.

some people say everythings broken in the first few minutes,
others say after its reached it's running temp 10 times,
others say after 1000 miles
etc...
anyone know the real break in period?

I plan on using synthetic Rotella T, it has plenty of Zinc in its package for the falt tappet set up.

10secgoal · Jul 15, 2006

I take mine to the track, and I figure they're broken in after at least 2 passes.
P.S., not kidding.

65ShelbyClone · Jul 15, 2006

grego37 said:
I plan on using synthetic Rotella T, it has plenty of Zinc in its package for the falt tappet set up.

A good choice, but petroleum Rotella/Chevron Delo/Mobil Delvac does also and costs no more than 1/2 as much. Those diesel oils are popular with motocyclists due to the higher zinc and minimal moly(which glazes wet clutches). I'm not sold on synthetics at all. Petro oil will get 300k out of an engine and synthetic might get 350k mi, but at 2.5 to 3x the cost per oil change. I ran Mobil 1 red cap in my XR600 dirtbike and switched back to petroleum Delo 400 @ $8.50/gallon.

If you really want to use it, I would break the engine in for probably 2000-5000 miles before switching.

grego37 · Jul 15, 2006

the price of the oil is not an issue.

I want the best protection against wear, heat, sludge build up, and start up protection . And I keep reading synthetic is the way to go. Just dont want to switch too soon. Also the synthetic Rotella has much more zinc (4x?) than the regular Rotella .

Stangboy67 · Jul 15, 2006

You should be fine switching at this point. Even several factory high performance offerings (the Cobra, Vette, etc.) come off the factory floor with synthetic. The many benefits of synthetics outway the cost imho. That's why it is in my stang, pickup, motorcycle, compressor and even chainsaw!

rbohm · Jul 15, 2006

1000 miles is plenty for break in and switching to synthetic oil.

A67StangMaster · Jul 15, 2006

drive it around a couple of days I have read this on the mobil one page once.
reach about 500 miles on the car or close would do. then after you are fine to change it. but i allways change it on my next oil change beacuse you would just be wasteing good oil that you only ran about 500 miles with.
My point is you can do it at 500 but save some money and keep it in untill 2500 untill your oil change.

grego37 · Jul 15, 2006

rbohm, thanks for the response. it sounds like I'll wait another oil change to switch over,
In the mean time what weight of Dino would you reccomend?
I live in california and it doesnt get cold where I live.

A67StangMaster · Jul 15, 2006

grego37 where in CA do you live?

grego37 · Jul 15, 2006

near Los Angeles

jerry S · Jul 16, 2006

the shop that built my long block told me I was good to go after the new cam had been broken in on the dyno; "Drive it like you stole it." was their advice.

Regarding synthetic oil, they said that it was ok after 2000 miles.

However, I found a note on Crower's web site (the maker of my cam) recommending against it in racing applications. I am not sure if this also applies for Street and Strip applications as well. Maybe somebody who knows more than I (which could be everyone) can edify me on this:

"Use of Synthetic Oils
Crower does not recommend the use of synthetic motor oils in any racing applications, particularly hydraulic and flat tappet camshafts. The minimum gains in horsepower are offset by the excessive wear to cam and lifter surfaces. Crower recommends Kendall GT-1 (20W50) Petroleum based motor oil in all high performance applications. If your manual suggests running synthetic oil, then do so. We have found, however, that the benefits do not outweigh the costs."

grego37 · Jul 16, 2006

I did talk to Crower, they said synthetics are fine as long as its a synthetic with plenty of zinc . Most major brand synthetics dont have the zinc because they are targeting the new car market (roller cams and cataletic convertors) where zinc is not needed, it actually lowers the life of the cat. convertor.
But for old school apps. flat tappet and no cat. convertor, zinc is needed.
From what I found, Amsoil, Mobil1, Redline, dont have it and Rotella, Valvoline synthetic do have it. (im sure there are many others on both ends of the scale)
Im sure there are various anti-wear additives they use, but crower specifically said make sure it has a good amount of zinc.
learning something everyday.

jerry S · Jul 16, 2006

grego37 said:
I did talk to Crower, they said synthetics are fine as long as its a synthetic with plenty of zinc .

Did they say how much Zinc is enough?

bnickel · Jul 16, 2006

A67StangMaster said:
drive it around a couple of days I have read this on the mobil one page once.
reach about 500 miles on the car or close would do. then after you are fine to change it. but i allways change it on my next oil change beacuse you would just be wasteing good oil that you only ran about 500 miles with.
My point is you can do it at 500 but save some money and keep it in untill 2500 untill your oil change.

actually you should always change the oil after cam break in and within another 500 miles because the breaking in of new metal to metal surfaces, IE bearings, rings, cam and lifters, timing chain, etc. will create metal shavings for the first few hunderd miles. this is why most new cars especially those with flat tappet cams have a factory break in period, or at least they did within the last 5-10 years, i don't know anyone who has bought a brand new car in the last 5 years or so. but i always follow this procedure: change oil immmediately after cam break in, at 500 miles at 1500 miles then again at 3000 miles and change the oil every 3000 after that, if i happen to do an unusual amount of highway driving i might put an oil change off to about 5000 miles.

rbohm · Jul 16, 2006

bnickel said:
actually you should always change the oil after cam break in and within another 500 miles because the breaking in of new metal to metal surfaces, IE bearings, rings, cam and lifters, timing chain, etc. will create metal shavings for the first few hunderd miles. this is why most new cars especially those with flat tappet cams have a factory break in period, or at least they did within the last 5-10 years, i don't know anyone who has bought a brand new car in the last 5 years or so. but i always follow this procedure: change oil immmediately after cam break in, at 500 miles at 1500 miles then again at 3000 miles and change the oil every 3000 after that, if i happen to do an unusual amount of highway driving i might put an oil change off to about 5000 miles.

good advice. thats the way i do it.

rbohm · Jul 16, 2006

as far as what weight to use, 10w-30 or 15w-40 works just fine in your area. i say 15w-40 because i havent found rotella-t in 10w-30, yet.

SoCalCruising · Jul 17, 2006

The new 3-V motor in my 06 calls for 5-20W 100% synthetic or 50/50. Just a note on how things change ....

chromedog · Jul 21, 2006

if you want to become a real believer, find someone who runs synth, and has had a change in for, say 7500 miles (amsoil's change interval) pull the stick, and take a close look at how it has broken down (or hasnt) my 4.0 explorer has been on amsoil for the past 70000 miles, has had the present oil in it for 8500 miles, im due for a filter change, and a top off soon. the stuff just doesnt break down.

Hack · Jul 22, 2006

chromedog said:
if you want to become a real believer, find someone who runs synth, and has had a change in for, say 7500 miles (amsoil's change interval) pull the stick, and take a close look at how it has broken down (or hasnt) my 4.0 explorer has been on amsoil for the past 70000 miles, has had the present oil in it for 8500 miles, im due for a filter change, and a top off soon. the stuff just doesnt break down.

This is the thing about running a synthetic that bugs me. Doesn't the oil get really dirty after so many miles? I would think that the dirt and metal particles suspended in the oil have a lot to do with the amount of wear on the engine. If you wait longer between oil changes, doesn't that negate any benefit you might get from the additional lubricity of a synthetic oil?

jerry S · Jul 22, 2006

Hack said:
. Doesn't the oil get really dirty after so many miles? I would think that the dirt and metal particles suspended in the oil have a lot to do with the amount of wear on the engine. If you wait longer between oil changes, doesn't that negate any benefit you might get from the additional lubricity of a synthetic oil?

Isn't this what the oil filter is for?

How soon can I use synthetic oil?

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