Synthetic Oils
Just had a question for you folks. When is it ok to change out the old dino oil and replace it with synthetic? I just changed our oil at about 10,000 miles, second change, and wonder if I should loo...
Forum Discussion
The delta between mineral/dino and synthetic is no longer as great, but there
still is a difference
If you do not run your ICE hard, then dino is just fine
Yes, synthetic no longer have seal issues, but does have better additive
package that will dissolve or loosen crud that might cause issues
on a loooooooooong neglected engine. Similar to ATF's issues
Filtration is just as important, if not more important than the oil itself
For automotive type filters, it is all to do with two things. #1 particle size
allowed to pass. #2 holding capacity with an ancillary PSI drop
Having more sq area plays with #2
Once the element starts to fill up and clog the 'holes'...it starts to impede
the flow rate. Therefore pressure drop (there is a high side and low side...keeping
that differential down to a min key to good flow)
If the OEM recommends every other...they feel (and assume empirically) that the
surface area has the capacity to NOT cause a major pressure drop
The other components of a 'good' filter is both the by-pass valve and anti-flow
back valve.
Once the filtration element starts to load up and clog...the by-pass valve
(preset to some PSi level) will start to open and allow un-filtered oil
to flow through
Oblique this...additive stuff or snake oil...LOL whenever hear folks asking if
Teflon (PTFE) is a good thing. No...worst thing you can do for any ICE. PTFE
is wonderful for the 'right' lube application, but so wrong for any ICE oil
Plastic, so it's thermal rate of expansion high compared to other lube additives
(like Moly or Tungsten disulfides). So 'good' filters, filter them out quickly
Good filter has a smallest particulate size allowed to pass in the 3-7 microns, IIRC
Other is that the large PTFE particles build up in the oil galleries to plug and
that it does not plate
MolyB disulfide and Tungsten disulfide manufactured down to the right size (less
than 3 microns) passes through all but the best filters and does plate
still is a difference
If you do not run your ICE hard, then dino is just fine
Yes, synthetic no longer have seal issues, but does have better additive
package that will dissolve or loosen crud that might cause issues
on a loooooooooong neglected engine. Similar to ATF's issues
Filtration is just as important, if not more important than the oil itself
For automotive type filters, it is all to do with two things. #1 particle size
allowed to pass. #2 holding capacity with an ancillary PSI drop
Having more sq area plays with #2
Once the element starts to fill up and clog the 'holes'...it starts to impede
the flow rate. Therefore pressure drop (there is a high side and low side...keeping
that differential down to a min key to good flow)
If the OEM recommends every other...they feel (and assume empirically) that the
surface area has the capacity to NOT cause a major pressure drop
The other components of a 'good' filter is both the by-pass valve and anti-flow
back valve.
Once the filtration element starts to load up and clog...the by-pass valve
(preset to some PSi level) will start to open and allow un-filtered oil
to flow through
Oblique this...additive stuff or snake oil...LOL whenever hear folks asking if
Teflon (PTFE) is a good thing. No...worst thing you can do for any ICE. PTFE
is wonderful for the 'right' lube application, but so wrong for any ICE oil
Plastic, so it's thermal rate of expansion high compared to other lube additives
(like Moly or Tungsten disulfides). So 'good' filters, filter them out quickly
Good filter has a smallest particulate size allowed to pass in the 3-7 microns, IIRC
Other is that the large PTFE particles build up in the oil galleries to plug and
that it does not plate
MolyB disulfide and Tungsten disulfide manufactured down to the right size (less
than 3 microns) passes through all but the best filters and does plate
