Full Synthetic or Synthetic Blend

Amdavis76 wrote:
Hi All,
I have my first 1,000 miles on my new 2013 1500 Silverado. I am going to get the oil changed soon and am thinking to switching from the blended oil that comes stock to a full synthetic.

You spent a lot of money for that truck. Why in the world would you do anything to it other than what the manufacturer recommends? Read your owner's manual and do exactly what it says. The people who designed and built your truck know more than anyone on her with their opinions.

Unless you're doing extended drain intervals skip the synthetic.

I'd go with the factory-recommended oil. I've had three vehicles go over 300,000 miles using straight dino oil. Does synthetic work better? I don't know. I think there's a lot of advertising hype with synthetics.

I didn't know they still used break in oil in vehicles anymore. I would stick with what GM recommends.

I would keep the break in oil for at least 2,500 miles, normally would keep it for about 5,000. IT helps seat the rings into the cylinders.

Then a change to full synthetic would be what I would do.

I had a buddy who rented a car that "Burned a little oil" - it had very low miles when he rented it, and probably had never been driven hard. He drove it back to Chicago, about 2,500 miles, in a time before GPS tracking on the cars. Now if you do over 85 MPH in a rental car, they can fine you a huge amount, but back in the 80's - no problem.

When he got it back, it was no longer burning oil, he had run it hard enough to seal the rings well.

Overall he put about 6,000 miles on the car, enough that they where 1/2 way to selling it as a used car. He had a 2 week unlimited mileage rental for about $250, and it covered everything. But had used about 1/3 of the total miles that the rental company had expected to put on the car before selling it at about a $3,000 loss.

Fred.