Yeah, 31 years has made huge changes to synthetic oil and even normal
oil. I'm mostly concerned about where sludge/coke might build up...
in my experience synthetic oil is pretty effective at cleaning that
stuff out and I don't want to pop a leak when it does.
On Sun, 24 May 2009 16:03:31 -0400, farml@wildblue.net ("Michael")
wrote:
>
>My dad's '69 318 at 140k got its first change of mobil 1 in 1978 and
>promptly burned 3 exhaust valves. About all I can figure is the oil was
>thinner and did not conduct heat from the valve stems to the guides as well
>or something ... things might be altogether different now, though.
>Some people say if you have leaks, the synthetic will leak even more. Maybe
>it's because it doesn't have to be so thick at room temperature to be just
>right viscosity at operating temperature - it's thin all the time!
>I've run synthetic more recently in a 455 Pontiac engine with no issues
>noted.
>Mike
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
>[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Matt Beazer
>Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 3:49 PM
>To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
>Subject: DML: 134k - To Synthetic or not to synthetic?
>
>
>
>What's the general consensus on how well the 318 handles being
>switched to synthetic oil at 100k+ miles? My '94 has 134k on it, no
>real leaks, no oil being burned, excellent oil pressure, at least as
>far as you can trust the stock gauge. The only thing approaching a
>leak is a slow leeching from the valve cover gaskets that will be
>fixed shortly, but it's barely enough to make the top rail of the
>heads damp. It's just the standard hardening of the rubber gaskets
>from hundreds of heat cycles, which I'll fix when I get around to
>buying new gaskets.
>
>Yes, I know that synthetic oil doesn't cause leaks, it just uncovers
>ones that already existed but were plugged by crud that gets eaten out
>by the detergents in the oil. Still, no leaks right now makes me
>happy, heh.
>
> I don't mind replacing a leaking oil pressure sending unit or
>something small like that, but if the rear main seal or something
>that's a pain to get to like that is going to spring a leak I'll just
>have to live with a decent dino juice oil, 3k oil changes, brown
>stained engine internals and a smell that makes me want to gag
>whenever I take something apart. :)
>
>Thanks,
>
>MattB
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