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Re: Synthetic oils in new engine
Scott:
If I remember things correctly now (in my 40's), it was Hot Rod that did the
study. I have always lived by that credo with rebuilds or new vehicles.
However...it seems that I've heard that Porsches now come with synthetic
from the factory. And I think some other cars do, too. Maybe there's a way
around it, but until I hear the logic, I'll stick with what has worked.
BTW, personal experience here, bought a car in '78 that had only used
synthetic (Ollmo, remember that early stuff) and had around 26k on it. It
seemed to burn some oil, not much, but it felt like it hadn't ever been
broken in. Talked to the owner to find that he had almost exclusively
driven it on the L.A. freeways at far off-peak hours (air traffic
controller) and never took it to the hills. So it saw a lot of time nearly
lugging in fifth. Switched to Valvoline Racing dino and made a point to
work the revs up higher every week and start running through the hills.
After the first oil change at about 3000 miles, it NEVER burned or lost a
drop of oil..and it ran much smoother than when I picked it up. Sold it
with 177k on it and compression still above spec. All Valvoline Racing.
I tend to think that the proper method of break-in has as much to do with it
as the oil. And if you don't work the revs up, you're not doing it.
Steve
----------
>From: QSHIPQ@aol.com
>To: quattro@audifans.com
>Subject: RE: Synthetic oils in new engine
>Date: Fri, Dec 3, 1999, 10:00 AM
>
> Alan writes:
>>A trusted friend of mine said that I will have trouble seating the rings in
>>my new engine w/ the Mobil 1 I put in. True? Engine so far has only run 1
>>hour and no oil burning evident.
>>TIA,
>>Alan
>
> Most engine builders use and recommend non synthetic on new engines, since
> the final "machining" (seating, mating) of surfaces is done while the new
> engine is running. I believe it was Hot Rod Magazine did a long article on
> this several years ago. What they reported was that the synthetics really
> didn't allow the proper seating of critical interference machined components.
> Most builders recommended (and what I go by) dyno oil (shale oil, not sand
> oil - ala quaker state, but don't remember why exactly) for the first 2 or 3
> oil changes, then switch to synthetic. One of the major builders said 10k
> miles, which is about right at 3 oil changes. Although you have no evident
> problems, the theory is you really haven't allowed the proper seating, by
> using the synthetic from the get go.
>
> Lots of documentation on the controversy of this concept, but most use the
> dyno oil for the first x thousand miles/x oil changes of new motor operation,
> cuz it certainly isn't hurting anything. The gains are longer term, properly
> breaking in a new motor, makes it last longer.
>
> If I remember the article correctly, those that have a new motor with
> synthetic in it should add 1 oil change to the dyno oil routine above. If I
> can find the article, I will post it up. Right now, your safe bet is to
> switch to dyno oil for a few changes, then go back to synthetic.
>
> HTH
>
> Scott Justusson
> QSHIPQ Performance Tuning
> QSHIPQ@aol.com
>
>