Switching to synthetic oil on 80,000 mile car

[EazyDuz]

Dont want to open a can of worms here.
80,000 mile Hyundai 4 pot, no idea what oil it used up to 60,000 miles but i'd guess it was dino oil.
Ive also only used Castrol GTX part synth from 62000 to now. I want to switch to fully synthetic from now onwards. Are there any risks in doing so? Currently has no leaks, burns maybe half a litre every 5000 miles.

[jagnet]

I've never had a problem doing so myself. Even basic oils have long had detergent packs so there really shouldn't be any issue as there may once have been of deposits being dislodged and existing leaks becoming more apparent.

[996TT02]

Only to your wallet?

I'd probably be going in the other direction on an 80k mile car particularly a Hyundai.

[jagnet]

996TT02 said:

I'd probably be going in the other direction on an 80k mile car particularly a Hyundai.

I'm firmly in the opposite camp unless you're just running it into the ground. The older the engine the harder the oil has to work imho - more blow by from piston ring wear and a PCV system not quite as leak free as it once was test the detergents and dispersants to a greater degree. As cars age they'll often see less use and shorter journeys meaning more work for the corrosion inhibitors and anti oxidants. An ageing radiator and oil cooler can struggle to keep temperatures as controlled in the summer so you need an oil that can better cope with higher temps. Plus oil change intervals often tend to be a bit more relaxed on an older car with no manufacturer warranty to maintain.

[Mave]

EazyDuz said:

Dont want to open a can of worms here.
80,000 mile Hyundai 4 pot, no idea what oil it used up to 60,000 miles but i'd guess it was dino oil.
Ive also only used Castrol GTX part synth from 62000 to now. I want to switch to fully synthetic from now onwards. Are there any risks in doing so? Currently has no leaks, burns maybe half a litre every 5000 miles.

If you're not seeing any problems at the moment, why do you want to change? If the specified oil for your engine is semi-synthetic then I'd stick with it

[Boosted LS1]

This has crossed my mind also. My car has over 200'000 miles on the clock. There's bound to be some bearing wear and I was wondering about switching to a heavier grade of oil.

[jeremyh1]

Boosted LS1 said:

This has crossed my mind also. My car has over 200'000 miles on the clock. There's bound to be some bearing wear and I was wondering about switching to a heavier grade of oil.

I have taken Berlingos and C15 vans upto 350K we have never used the anything other than the recommended grade

I understand the theory but I have never seen it proved

[Boosted LS1]

jeremyh1 said:

Boosted LS1 said:

This has crossed my mind also. My car has over 200'000 miles on the clock. There's bound to be some bearing wear and I was wondering about switching to a heavier grade of oil.

I have taken Berlingos and C15 vans upto 350K we have never used the anything other than the recommended grade

I understand the theory but I have never seen it proved

Thanks. Did they fail in any way or were they sold on?

On the opposite side of thee coin I once hammered a similar car on a motorway journey and lost oil pressure due to shagging the rod bearings. Luckily enough the crank wasn't damaged, I'll do some more research :-)

[jeremyh1]

Boosted LS1 said:

Thanks. Did they fail in any way or were they sold on?

On the opposite side of thee coin I once hammered a similar car on a motorway journey and lost oil pressure due to shagging the rod bearings. Luckily enough the crank wasn't damaged, I'll do some more research :-)

One is parked up in the rhubarb its just that everything else had worn out they spend their life on courier work and although the miles are high the gearboxes and engines have an easy life doing 500 miles a day on the motoway .The C15s rust out before the running gear dies and its the same story for the Merc Sprinters .

I like keeping old things on the road . My main car is a Toyota Previa with 300 K on the clock and I have a 1995 Saab convertible .

[Boosted LS1]

My work horse is also a saab hence why I need to look after the engine :-)

[finlo]

996TT02 said:

Only to your wallet?

I'd probably be going in the other direction on an 80k mile car particularly a Hyundai.

Dare I suggest they're better engineered than most things coming out of Europe.

Edited by finlo on Saturday 8th December 22:54

Edited by finlo on Sunday 9th December 11:31

[Boosted LS1]

finlo said:

996TT02 said:

Only to your wallet?

I'd probably be going in the other direction on an 80k mile car particularly a Hyundai.

Dare I suggest their better engineered that most things comming out of Europe.

^ Not with speeling like that ;-)