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Do I want to use regular or synthetic motor oil?
I just purchased a 2000 Pontiac GT. So here's the stat's on the car: It's 11 years old, 3800 / V6 engine, 170,000 miles. The engine runs great. It's quiet. It's smooth. I've even had it up at 80 mph on the highway and it still hums with plenty of power remaining. I have it in to get all the fluids checked right today since I don't know when they were most recently checked. ONE QUESTION: For this age car with this many miles... Do I want to use a synthetic motor oil or a regular grade motor oil? The garage asked me and I said I wasn't sure and I'd call them on it. Help and soon please!
7 Answers
- golgafrinchamLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
With that many miles already on the engine, I'd stick with conventional. Maybe high mileage oil, that is your call. High mileage oils have better burn off characteristics, so you should burn less oil, and they also have seal / gasket additives to prevent or slow leaks. But I am not yet fully sold on high mileage oils, so try and see what you think.
Now...if you ever get the engine rebuilt (and after the break-in period), then I'd say to go synthetic. The engine will go much longer. But if you haven't used synthetic up till now, there is no reason to switch this late in the game.
The only reason I might consider going synthetic in your engine today is if you live somewhere that frequently, consistently gets below 0 through the winter, since synthetic has MUCH better cold start characteristics. I am talking far north or high elevations, like Wyoming or Alaska winters, not Missouri or Oregon.
- 1 decade ago
Ok, the reality is that synthetic oil is just regular oil that is refined further. It lubricates much much better and is a great alternative in any car. The cost is higher but it lasts longer so you make it up by not changing so often. We use it in racing engines and here is the breakdown: regular oil will last about an hour, cheap synthetic about a day and good synthetic for about a week. Hands down, no competition. Oh, and if you run a little low, there is no harm in adding regular oil. The idea that only synthetic can be used again is completely false.
Source(s): years of racing and engine repair - ErikaLv 45 years ago
I wouldnt. i'd proceed to apply ordinary oil, or perhaps if that's ingesting somewhat too a lot oil, i'd use a lucas additive. you may also swap over to a extreme milage oil in case you desire. that's in many situations no longer an outstanding theory to change back and fourth between man made and ordinary motor oil. in the journey that your going to make the swap, your commited. Alot of people midlessly believe all of those commericials, and sense that man made oil is the really portion of use and that the international will deliver about case you dont. Thats no longer authentic. also, dont purchase this "10,000 mile oil replace" bs. you nevertheless opt to modify oil many times. It isnt a lot that the oil breaks down, even though it plenty up with contaminants and debris. No oil, man made or no longer, is going to evade this from taking position. shop operating ordinary oil, and modify it many times. As i discussed previously, in case you sense that's ingesting too a lot oil, i'd evaluate a lucas additive. i'm a mechanic and we not often use man made oil, and a number of our consumers vehicles have over 2 hundred,000 miles on them. an outstanding customer got here in in the present day which include his suburban. 1990 with 184,000 miles. Oil replaced religiously, and no significant complications. Jim
- 1 decade ago
I would use regular oil if you put synthetic in you must always use synthetic in the car or it will cause problems and synthetic is a lot more expensive than regular oil
Synthetic oil is a good choice if you have a high performance engine or if you live in an extremely cold climate, otherwise it provides no benefit
Source(s): Ive worked in the car business my whole life - How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- Captain TomakLv 61 decade ago
I have a 2002 Maxima with 197K on it. Bought the car with 38K and use just dino oil( Castrol, Wolfs Head) with a good oil filter...Wix, PureOne, Mobil1. Change my oil every 2-3k religiously.
Save the money on synthetic unless you have a Beemer, Ferrari, Corvette or other real sports car.
Edit: @tom
We are not talking about racing engines which have higher temps, higher revs..........passenger cars are a different beast altogether including passenger sport cars like I had already mentioned.
Source(s): Old School car nut - Charles DLv 71 decade ago
You can get regular oil for high mileage cars. Alsoyou can use Lucas oil stabilizer which ils a big
help. It is about 12 dollars a quart. That is whatI would do. What I understand about synthetic
oil is if there is a leak it will find it.