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Synthetic oil questions

str8shooter_mn
Explorer
Explorer
With the recent increase of getting an oil, filter change and lube on our 2011 Bounder with a workhorse chassis, I've decided to start doing it myself as I do on our other vehicles. The owners manual calls for 6.4 quarts of 5W30, every 3000 miles. No mention of synthetic.
I currently use Mobil One EP in our car and truck. I know Mobil One says it is good for 15,000 miles, however, I choose to do it every 6 months even though we don't put that many miles on either.

What is the general opinion regarding usage of synthetic in the Bounder? Or should I just continue doing it with regular 5W30 every 3,000 miles?
41 REPLIES 41

Georgia_Popcorn
Explorer
Explorer
Trackrig wrote:
I like synthetics and use it in almost all of my engines, but if you're going to change it every 3,000 miles, it's a waste of money.

Bill


AMEN, I agree completely!
2019---35M THOR Hurricane
2016 Cadillac SRX Toad
Blue Ox

stvdman
Explorer
Explorer
ppine wrote:
Synthetic oil carbon chains do not break down.


This is what I eluded to in my original post last year. I have personally run New/Used conventional and synthetics on the same GC at the same time. Once each sample is run we print of the graphs (chromatograms) where you can see the hydrocarbon chains that are present.

The two synthetics samples were nearly identical (new/used)

The two conventional samples were fairly different. The lighter hydrocarbon chains were severely degraded., the mid weights showed some degradation, the heavier ends were not that degraded.

Basically, by the end of its given life cycle in an engine, conventional needs to be removed as it has LOST a portion of its protective qualities, synthetic has not lost almost any of it, it needs to be changed due to contaminants present (dirt, water, metals, etc. etc).

Oil is the lifeblood of an engine, that's why we are so passionate about it, we all KNOW its importance. I just prefer to go "overboard" in this area.

ct78barnes
Explorer
Explorer
I just switched to Moble One last year on my 2011 Winnebago Using Fords oil In a years time I put 6,000 miles on it so I would change it in the summer then just before storage .I have done this for 5 years and did not change it this year with the Moble one oil. With my coach sitting in storage for almost 6 months a year what does time do to this oil. I will wait till I get 6,000 miles on it and change it . Once a year with the Ford filter would save me one oil change a year. As I do my own oil changes and wait till Costcos has there sale on 5w 30 oil would be around 40 dollars a year for me. I some times go up to 8,000 miles a year but from what I read in these post there would be no problem. If I was paying Camping World 140.00 dollars for one oil change I would go longer to off set these cost. Also the Ford book says when towing you should change the oil sooner. My coach goes no where with out our toad at 4,500 so would towing be a factor in these time of changing the oil. It is so true that growing up in the 60s and 70s the oil companys and the car dealers said 3 months or 3,000 which ever comes first . Old habits are hard to break.

the_silverback
Explorer
Explorer
X572 on Mobil 1. I have used on all my MH's with great results. Use a premium one quart filter and seven quarts of oil on a workhouse W22 or W24 chassis.
the silverback
2015 crossroads Rushmore 5th wheel

fortytwo
Explorer
Explorer
2000 V-10 in 35 ft MH. Mobil 1 at 10/20, later changed to 5/20 by Ford instructions. Had the Amsoil dual filter system (standard filter plus a large bypass filter)installed at 6k miles. Thereafter changed regular filter every 7500 miles and bypass filter at 25,000 miles. Each regular filter change a sample was sent to lab for analysis. Lab would return a recommendation to change oil between 35,000 and 45,000 miles. At 130,000 miles had to pull heads due to spit plug. No measurable wear. Had valves polished and the reassembled engine compression tested like new.

The bypass filter is what makes the long extended oil changes possible. It has a very fine screen (.5 micron if I remember correctly) and oil cannot flow through it fast enough to lube the engine, but Amsoil claims that all oil will make it's way through it within 5 minutes.

My experience indicates that the optimum oil change procedure would be filter change at 10k and oil change at 20k. I do not have the bypass filter on my 2014 V-10, but based on my past experience with Mobil 1, and no way to change filters, I use 15k miles as my oil change goal. Anything less than 10k on full synthetic oil is a waste of good oil.
Wes
"A beach house isn't just real estate. It's a state of mind." Pole Sitter in Douglas Adams MOSTLY HARMLESS

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
Synthetic oil does not wear out. It gets dirt in it though. It helps the diesel turn over easier in cold winter weather. I am retired and drive fewer miles than I used to. I change oil around once a year, which is somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 miles on each vehicle. I could go much longer.

Modern oil is far superior to the old oil. Synthetic oil carbon chains do not break down. We have been sold a bill of goods by the oil industry suggesting we should change oil every 3,000 miles. There have been some 18 wheel rigs that have made it one million miles on the same synthetic oil. They just use micro filtration and change the filters every 5,000 miles or so.

vjstangelo
Explorer
Explorer
I found this post and it had useful info so I thought I'd comment.

We own our first new to us 2011 Winnebago on F53 chassis.The 1st oil change I used Dino with a Motorcraft filter. Ford enthusiast forum experts recommend only Motorcraft or Purolator filters.

For the 2nd change I think I'll use synthetic for the reasons cited that the V10 in a Class A runs hotter than the V10 in my Excursion.
2012 Winnebago Vista 32K
2011 Honda CRV Toad

soren
Explorer
Explorer
J-Rooster wrote:
I'm the the 8th poster on this subject that uses Mobil One Synthetic Oil! I use the Mobil One oil jug that has a Gold Cap and I use 5W-30W! Mobil 1 Synthetic is more slippery then regular oils and takes longer to brake down. I use Mobil 1 in my Riding Lawn mower, Harley Davidson, Honda CRV, and my RV which, I switched to Mobil 1 after I drained the break in oil from the factory when I bought my coach new back in 2004.



I just changed the oil on our CRV. Walmart has the five qt. jug of Mobil one for $22. By the time I add a Honda OEM filter ($5 online) I'm still well below $30 bucks. Top notch products, work done correctly, and no worrying about what the $10/hr monkey at the dealer, or garage, screwed up.

The last time I had anybody else do the work, the dealer tried to up-sell four new tires, a cabin air filter and an engine air filter. They removed the cabin filter from behind the glove box, reinstalled in upside down, and didn't bother to reassemble the glove box correctly. They put 5-1/2 quarts of oil in the engine, even though it takes 4.2. I had to use a brownie pan to drain the excess, while at laying on on the road at our winter campground.

Mobil one oil, and DIY oil changes for me. Cheap, easy, and done right, can't beat it.

soren
Explorer
Explorer
I would look for some serious knowledge from folks who can point to the science behind their claims, which pretty much means trying to forget most of what is posted on this thread, LOL. Spend some time on the "bob's your oil guy" and Blackstone sites. get a sample kit from Blackstone, send them a sample from your next change, and take it from there.

If you want another opinion added to this mess, well, here goes. IMHO, 3K is far too often, and for the insignificant cost difference between dino and synth. there is no way I will ever run dino oil in my vehicles. Good luck.

J-Rooster
Explorer
Explorer
I'm the the 8th poster on this subject that uses Mobil One Synthetic Oil! I use the Mobil One oil jug that has a Gold Cap and I use 5W-30W! Mobil 1 Synthetic is more slippery then regular oils and takes longer to brake down. I use Mobil 1 in my Riding Lawn mower, Harley Davidson, Honda CRV, and my RV which, I switched to Mobil 1 after I drained the break in oil from the factory when I bought my coach new back in 2004.

Hank_MI
Explorer
Explorer
One advantage to synthetic oil is they it withstand higher temps than dino oil before it starts to break down. We all know that MH engines are usually running pretty hot. The water temp may be ok but the engine internals and oil will typically be a lot hotter than a car engine due to the heavy workload.

A case of Mobile 1 at Costco, with a rebate, is less than $30. So for less than $5 a quart, 7 quarts plus a filter you're looking at $40 for an oil change. A dino oil change would be around $20 I guess, haven't bought dino oil in a long time. I'll spend the extra $20 at least once a year and stick with synthetic oil.

427435
Explorer
Explorer
I believe my Ford manual also says to change oil at 3000 miles--------------but the oil recommended is dino. I suspect the Workhorse manual oil change recommendation is also when using dino oil.

In either chassis, the engine is working a lot harder than in a car, thus the shorter oil change recommendation. In 3000 miles, a MH will burn 400-500 gallons. A car will take 8,000-12,000 miles (or more) to do that.
Mark

2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis, 80,000 miles
2003 Ford Explorer toad with Ready Brake supplemental brakes,
Ready Brute tow bar, and Demco base plate.

Passin_Thru
Explorer
Explorer
I use Mobil 1 in gas, Rotella T in diesels. I read an arcticle that said synthetic oils aren't worth the money. However, that said, the US Govamint in their Stoopid ways is changing the formula for all motor oil starting in 2019 I believe. Double the price for everyone.

When you burn DEF you are burning Urea. Urea turns to amonia when heated. Amonia chrystalizes when it enters the lungs and mixes with moisture. When you can no longer breathe, blame the US Govamint. Just think, all the pickup and MH diesel spewing exhaust right into your AC vent.

Kayteg1
Explorer
Explorer
How old is the manual?
On my 12 years old car, oil recommendations changed 3 times already since the manual was printed.
On 8 years old - it changed only once.
Even with 10k. intervals you are not getting full benefit of synthetic.
Older engines are not design for long intervals and don't have filters big enough. So common conception is 10k, even the oil has potential for 100k.
I did test dino Rotella oil after 10,000 miles, on heavy working F450 and Blackstone gave it clean bill of health.
I switched to synthetic for extra protection. That paid back as on our diesel sedan - oil pump chain broke and the engine work few minutes with no oil pressure.
I prize synthetic oil for the protection and replacing head gasket some time later, could confirm that cylinder walls are in perfect shape.