Conventional oil better for leaks than Synthetic?

[cornflakes2]

Can anyone confirm this or disprove it?
I read that conventional oil doesn't leak out of hoses/pipes/seals as good as synthetic oil does.
I assume that is because synthetic oil must be thinner? If you have a small leak, synthetic oil is more likely to find its
way out through the leaks whereas conventional oil may not as easily.

[steveo3002]

id say more down to the grade...0/20 might leak more than 15/40 typically the 0 or 5 are synthetic so yeah sort of

if it leaks repair it

[GreenV8S]

The only mechanism I can think of for that would be synthetic oil having a smaller molecular size for a given grade. Which seems pretty unlikely to me.

Neither of them should leak if the hose is in good condition and if it isn't then the oil is academic since the leak obviously needs fixing.

[Chris32345]

Full sythenti oil is probably better at high temp due to the more controlled micro structure but in the real world difference is likely minimal


Only times full synthetic may leak more is if you use it in a engine designed to run on old fashioned mineral oil

[steveo3002]

its come about from when synthetics first became for sale.....geezer with 15w/40 in his clapped out cortina put 5w/30 in it and it leaked out and wasnt the correct grade for the engine

its not the fact its syth or not...just that syth is thinner typically

you will also find plenty of wives tales about cannot switch between the two

[cornflakes2]

thanks for the replies. Interesting.

If my understanding is correct, synthetic oil basically lasts a little longer than conventional and has better protection at intense heat/speeds (like those who race/track their cars?).

So do you think for someone who only drives the car 2 times a week for 120 km / week doesn't require synthetic oil and should just switch to conventional (cheaper) oil next oil change? I don't see why I would need the advantages since I won't ever drive that fast/hard and since I don't even drive enough, oil changes for me last long enough that I only need to do it once a year.

Unless, do tuned engines require synthetic like how tuned/turbocharged engines require premium/higher octane gas? Or does motor not matter for but only gas does as some cars must have higher octane gas.

I'm using Motul 300V Trophy synthetic oil and it's costing me like $140 to have an oil change (oil, filter, and labor). Seems like a lot just for a 2.0L engine.
I used to have them done for like $50 on my other cars which were 1.4 - 1.6 L engines.

[steveo3002]

what does the manf spec call for ? typically higher performance engines need better spec oil

if it meets the spec then use whatever you like - here in the uk theres not a massive difference between the prices , motul is expensive stuff

Edited by steveo3002 on Friday 18th December 07:00

[Krikkit]

steveo3002 said:

what does the manf spec call for ? typically higher performance engines need better spec oil

if it meets the spec then use whatever you like - here in the uk theres not a massive difference between the prices , motul is expensive stuff

Exactly! If the manufacturer specifies 0w40 fully synth (for example) then I'd use that, but it doesn't mean I'd spend on the super-fancy Motul Super Awesome 700000 (TM) instead of something that meets the spec and is half the price.

[mickyh7]

Viscosity!
Let's have a race.
Water v Treacle
Guess which leaks out of a small hole fastest?
There's your answer.

[E-bmw]

mickyh7 said:

Viscosity!
Let's have a race.
Water v Treacle
Guess which leaks out of a small hole fastest?
There's your answer.

Sorry does synthetic water leak faster than real water?

Does synthetic treacle leak faster than real treacle?

No it isn't the answer, read the question, all of the question.

[E-bmw]

cornflakes2 said:

thanks for the replies. Interesting.

If my understanding is correct, synthetic oil basically lasts a little longer than conventional and has better protection at intense heat/speeds (like those who race/track their cars?).

So do you think for someone who only drives the car 2 times a week for 120 km / week doesn't require synthetic oil and should just switch to conventional (cheaper) oil next oil change? I don't see why I would need the advantages since I won't ever drive that fast/hard and since I don't even drive enough, oil changes for me last long enough that I only need to do it once a year.

Unless, do tuned engines require synthetic like how tuned/turbocharged engines require premium/higher octane gas? Or does motor not matter for but only gas does as some cars must have higher octane gas.

I'm using Motul 300V Trophy synthetic oil and it's costing me like $140 to have an oil change (oil, filter, and labor). Seems like a lot just for a 2.0L engine.
I used to have them done for like $50 on my other cars which were 1.4 - 1.6 L engines.

Oil/oil synthetic lasts longer & protects better.

Having said that, as was said above read what the manufacturer recommends, that & only that is what you should be using.

[Warby80]

Your car is a Scirocco iirc?

If so the correct spec Quantum oil from the VW dealers costs peanuts.

In the uk it costs about £20/£25 for 5ltrs of oil and a genuine filter.

[Mave]

Different oil base stocks can react differently with elastomers and have different swell characteristics, so you can get leakage due to change from mineral > synthetic or vice vera, rather than just due to viscosity changes. But i suspect that these days no one uses old school mineral based oil anyway.