Synthetic vs Conventional Oil

[sneakors]

Hi all!

I have a 2LT and it is coming up for my first oil change however I am stuck between the decision on getting Synthetic or Convential oil.

It is a V6 so not sure the benefits. Could you all elaborate on the pros and cons. I have always been one to change my oil every 3k miles but if there is major benfits to the Synthetic I would love to know.

Thanks in advanced.

Happy Holidays!

[DarkneSS]

Stick with regular until around 30,000 miles, then switch to synthetic. You want to break the motor in properly, synthetic can prevent that at low mileage.

[Mankind]

GM uses Mobil1 from the get go in the LLT for the CTS. I drained the factory oil the day I got it home and went synthetic. Bought a CTS oil cap because it says Mobil1 on it. You can find an article at http://autos.aol.com/article/synthetic-motor-oil/ that has a good discription of our LLT in one of the paragraphs. Is the author bias....probably. But he does state several facts in the article. you can Google search and find hundreds of articles on this subject.

Synthetic oil was made for jet engines. It was later made for autos but has some disadvantages. Older engines with high clearances dont benifit. High performance engines with close tolerance do. It is recomended to allow break in before going synthetic but breaking should occur prior to 30K.

This is a preference on the consumer. I have used Synthetic in all of my new vehicles and have never had any troubles.

[devildoc]

Synthetic since 1500miles. I broke in the car hard then swithced over to keep everything lubed up nicely. I use the Mobil 1 extended performance and let that go for 7500 miles. That and a good filter keeps the engine clean.

[scrming]

Originally Posted by DarkneSS

Stick with regular until around 30,000 miles, then switch to synthetic. You want to break the motor in properly, synthetic can prevent that at low mileage.

Car is broken in well before 30,000 miles... and as Mankind pointed out the Cadillac version, which is basically the same exact motor comes from the factory with Mobil 1... so really there is no reason not to switch to synthetic at the first oil change...

[DarkneSS]

Just going by what the amazingly talented and knowledgeable tech told me that rebuilt my LLT perfectly in less than two days lol.

[Scott@Bjorn3D]

Synthetic oil can run up to 10K between changes. Myself would not go more than 6K because the filter is your weak point. Synthetic will have less wear on the engine than dino oil. I would go with Castrol Edge and O'Rileys is having a great sale on it right now. 5 quarts and Mobil 1 filter for 33.00, I just picked up 2 sets for my SS and will get another 2 this weekend.


Castrol Edge has been getting allot better oil anyalis than Mobil 1 lately so I am making the switch.

[rtcat600man]

Originally Posted by devildoc

Synthetic since 1500miles. I broke in the car hard then swithced over to keep everything lubed up nicely. I use the Mobil 1 extended performance and let that go for 7500 miles. That and a good filter keeps the engine clean.

Similar story for me. First change at 750 miles, broken in (not exactly like the book says too.) Changing every 6000 miles. Using Mobil 1 synthetic.

[i007spectre]

I use mobile 1 in my car. On a side note I hit 10,000 miles today.

[Inuyashas_Brother]

Since we're on the topic of oil, I put about 250 miles per month on my camaro. At that rate, it would take me a year to get to 3000 miles, so how often should I change my oil? Or do I just go with what the car's computer tells me?

[PlantCityPete]

changed with Dino oil at 1500 miles to get break in oil out, got synthetic ready to go at 5000 miles.

[SC2150]

Build motors steadily here, everything from mild street to 1,000 plus alky drag motors and always use a high zinc conventional for break-in and then a good syn after forever. I will take some pics of high mileage cylinder bores to show you the differance. At 100K on conventional there is substantial wear and a ridge developing...and I have some 200k blocks run with sysn their life and the cross hatch is still visable.

No need to even think of convetional after break in.

[Majic]

I've been using synthetic oil since 1977. With older technology is was good to go an oil change or 2 before switching to seat the rings well....not so any more. Tolerances are much tighter and as said above, many new engines are delivered with Mobile 1. Used to use Mobile 1 but after doing a lot of research and reading switched to AMSOIL in 1995. I signed up for their "Preferred Customer" program and get discounted pricing and they ship it to my door. The new GM standard "dexos 1" needs to be adhered to with our LLT engines. Since AMSOIL has a new "OE" formula that meets that standard I am using it....5W-30 by the way.

Any synth. oil will flow better when starting up and thus better bearing life. As SC250 says.....crosshatches can still be seen on cylinders as well after 100 K miles. I have had many engines apart and it is obvious when synthetic has been used.

Dyno oils are better than ever and if changed frequently will be fine...just not as good as a synthetic.....any synthetic.

[VR Baron]

Conventional oil to 6500 miles then Penns platinum plus. Over 10000 miles now,