Changing to synthetic oil

[psychopathy]

My 03 Pathy has 118,000 miles on it. I've been using the high mileage oil for quite some time now and I was wondering if it is too late to switch to full synthetic oil. I use Mobil 1 in my other vechicle but I started using it on the first oil change when it was new. I bought this Pathfinder used a couple years ago.

 

I DID try the search function but just couldn't find a good answer.

[01silvapathy]

I just changed over to full synthetic from mobil 1 last oil change, which would put it right at 98k for the miles. And all I noticed was gains, truck rain quieter and just had a smoother feel about it

[tekazgtr1984]

You can go synthetic, and you'll be happy you did. Just don't ever go back to regular dino oil.

[esy]

on the first couple oil changes, i'd do them at shorter intervals though since the full synthetic will get into areas that regular, dino oil was not able to.

 

IMO, i would just get some regular, store brand, full synthetic (like the SuperTech from Wal Mart). it runs almost exactly the same as the Mobil 1, Chevron, etc., and there are very little to no benefits of the Mobil 1 over something full syn like SuperTech. you'll only notice larger differences when you step up to something like Amsoil, Royal Purple, etc. many of the oil analysis' for different full syn oils seem to show that you're just wasting money on Mobil 1 and the like. it's better to simply get some kind of full syn and a better filter. best filter i've come across so far are the Purolator PureOne filters. pretty awesome for about the same price as OEM or cheaper.

 

most of the filters out on the market are manufactured by Honeywell, which makes FRAM, who also makes the majority of the OEM filters nowadays. just an FYI.

 

here's an oil analysis from a G20 site when i used to have one, but i believe it was taken from a Supra forum. My link

Edited August 26, 2010 by edwinsyip

[psychopathy]

Thanks for the info....I'll be switching on my next oil change at 120k. In my area...West Va....Mobil 1 at Walmart isn't all that expensive. Costs about 6 bucks more per oil change than dino oil, but I will check the others.

[tekazgtr1984]

A lot of members run Mobil-1 and rave about it. If the price is right, go for it.

[pathblazin420]

most oil filters are actually manufactured by Champ Labs. from what they told me is they are taking over most of honeywells customers

 

i deal with them a lot because they manufacture our company's oil and tranny filters

[esy]

A lot of members run Mobil-1 and rave about it. If the price is right, go for it.

 

Yeah, i used to use it a lot many yeqrs ago, but when i saw a bunch of the oil analysis of it, i kicked it to the curb since i was paying a ridiculous price for it (even when i bought it from Costco! Haha) and it had a very similar analysis that a cheap wal mart brand like supertech had. Granted mobil 1 is slightly better than supertech, but it didn't justify the cost in my eyes.

[Tungsten]

You can run either Mobil 1 synthetic or Motul synthetic, both have worked great for me.

[MY1PATH]

hey now, be careful, find a synthetic that says it is compatible with conventional oils on the label and run that for an oil change before you run anything else in it. When mixed, some non-compatible synthetics will do this thing under heat and preassure where the polymers (what control multi viscosity oil ie 10w30, 5w30 etc) break down and then reform together in LONG chains (more like clumps) that you don't want cloging your engine and somewhere on here a member posted a nasty pic of what those nasty clumps look like....

 

 

[esy]

most oil filters are actually manufactured by Champ Labs. from what they told me is they are taking over most of honeywells customers

 

i deal with them a lot because they manufacture our company's oil and tranny filters

 

are you saying that Champ Labs is buying out Honeywell? or is Allied Signal selling their Honeywell share to Champ Labs? not sure what you're getting at exactly. last i heard, Allied Signal still owns Honeywell, who obviously still makes quite a bit of filters. i know Champ makes quite a few like the Mobil 1, Motul i believe, and the STP. those are the most popular that i know of, and WIX/Dana make a few filters as well.

 

again, i really like the design of the Purolators (who make their own filters), and there were some people that did cross-sections of several filters that helped solidify why i like them. here's one website i like to refer to every now and then.

 

My link

[Kingman]

hey now, be careful, find a synthetic that says it is compatible with conventional oils on the label and run that for an oil change before you run anything else in it. When mixed, some non-compatible synthetics will do this thing under heat and preassure where the polymers (what control multi viscosity oil ie 10w30, 5w30 etc) break down and then reform together in LONG chains (more like clumps) that you don't want cloging your engine and somewhere on here a member posted a nasty pic of what those nasty clumps look like....

 

 

 

Beat me to it. X2 on that...

[tekazgtr1984]

Yeah, i used to use it a lot many yeqrs ago, but when i saw a bunch of the oil analysis of it, i kicked it to the curb since i was paying a ridiculous price for it (even when i bought it from Costco! Haha) and it had a very similar analysis that a cheap wal mart brand like supertech had. Granted mobil 1 is slightly better than supertech, but it didn't justify the cost in my eyes.

 

Didn't know that. Definitely good info. But I don't run Mobil1 in any of my rides, anyway. Never will.

 

You can run either Mobil 1 synthetic or Motul synthetic, both have worked great for me.

 

Motul Synthetic 5W-40 FTW.

[colinnwn]

again, i really like the design of the Purolators (who make their own filters), and there were some people that did cross-sections of several filters that helped solidify why i like them. here's one website i like to refer to every now and then.

 

My link

 

Wow, thanks for the information on Mobil 1 oil. I am currently running it with 20k mile oil changes and 10k filter changes. Last time I investigated oils was in 2000. At the time, M1 was thought to be (and probably was until 2006) a group IV PAO, and Castrol's betrayal of the full synthetic name with their switch to group III was still fresh knowledge in the car/oil enthusiast community. Since then, I've wondered if cost cutting (especially after Exxon's purchase) had ever affected the quality of M1. Apparently it finally did. After reading your oil links, I'm going to try to find, and switch to the German Castrol SynTec 0w-30.

 

I found that oil filter teardown site at the same time I was looking at oil 10 years ago. Ever sense I've been running only Mobil 1 or Pure One filters. I wonder if their quality has changed? Looks like he quit updating the site in 2000.

[adamzan]

Actually the best filters to run are Nissan OEM. Other than that a wix or a bosch. I was told this by someone who has personally cut apart over 25 filters.

[colinnwn]

Actually the best filters to run are Nissan OEM. Other than that a wix or a bosch.

 

I can tell you when I switched to M1 oil filters from Nissan OEM, the rather severe startup valve tick in my 1995 Maxima, and the light startup tick in my 2001 Pathfinder greatly reduced for the entire service life of the filter. When I used OEM, it would tick for a longer time, and it would get dramatically worse over the life of the filter. M1 filters virtually eliminated that. The implication is the oil drainback valve in the M1 is much better and longer lasting than Nissan OEM.

 

The link that edwinsyip posted, which I had previously used, as I recall showed Bosch being pretty mediocre, and Wix being high quality but not quite as good as M1 or the Pure One. One of the newer links off the oil pages edwinsyip posted, showed where someone cut open a current Bosch, and it looked like they had switched from a Fram manufactured crappy design circa 2000, to a better Champion design circa 2008.

Edited September 16, 2010 by colinnwn

[adamzan]

I've never used the M1 filter 1 because it is like 15 bucks here and 2 because I can never find them for my truck . That is strange about the lifter tick I find the nissan filter works the best on mine. I rarely get the lifter noise but it usually happened with the purolater filters the oil change place I went to. I want to try an M1 one if I can find one for the wd21.

 

Then again my pathy has so much mileage I'm not sure it even matters anymore (though I just completed a full tour of the usa in it and it didn't use a drop of oil, never does).

[esy]

OEM Nissan filters were switched on the VG oil filters from the 60U, japanese made ones to the Honeywell 55Y filters. the 60U and 55Y are a part of the part numbers for the VGs, and i'm pretty sure the SOHC VGs used the same filters as the DOHC VGs, as the 60U filters were the ones that i normally used on my Z32. when i unknowingly switched to the 55Y filters, i did notice a slight decrease in power, a bit darker in oil color when changing (although that could've been due to more city driving than normal), etc.

 

when you guys mention the startup valve or lifter tick, what are you referring to? is it the tick that goes away after the engine gets to normal operating temps? if so, that tick is usually the warped exhaust studs on the VG engines. although it's not a typical "problem", it's more of an annoyance than anything. i've yet to hear an actual problem linked to the infamous tick, but i wouldn't doubt it if there were some.

[esy]

good luck trying to find that german castrol syn. it's near impossible, from what i understand.

 

Wow, thanks for the information on Mobil 1 oil. I am currently running it with 20k mile oil changes and 10k filter changes. Last time I investigated oils was in 2000. At the time, M1 was thought to be (and probably was until 2006) a group IV PAO, and Castrol's betrayal of the full synthetic name with their switch to group III was still fresh knowledge in the car/oil enthusiast community. Since then, I've wondered if cost cutting (especially after Exxon's purchase) had ever affected the quality of M1. Apparently it finally did. After reading your oil links, I'm going to try to find, and switch to the German Castrol SynTec 0w-30.

 

I found that oil filter teardown site at the same time I was looking at oil 10 years ago. Ever sense I've been running only Mobil 1 or Pure One filters. I wonder if their quality has changed? Looks like he quit updating the site in 2000.

[Kingman]

OEM Nissan filters were switched on the VG oil filters from the 60U, japanese made ones to the Honeywell 55Y filters. the 60U and 55Y are a part of the part numbers for the VGs, and i'm pretty sure the SOHC VGs used the same filters as the DOHC VGs, as the 60U filters were the ones that i normally used on my Z32. when i unknowingly switched to the 55Y filters, i did notice a slight decrease in power, a bit darker in oil color when changing (although that could've been due to more city driving than normal), etc.

 

when you guys mention the startup valve or lifter tick, what are you referring to? is it the tick that goes away after the engine gets to normal operating temps? if so, that tick is usually the warped exhaust studs on the VG engines. although it's not a typical "problem", it's more of an annoyance than anything. i've yet to hear an actual problem linked to the infamous tick, but i wouldn't doubt it if there were some.

 

There are two ticks. One is the lifters being dry of oil and clattering until pumped full. This is why some filters can make a big difference. The exhaust manifold tick is the one that usually goes away as everything warms up, and depending on how bad the leak is, it can be a problem. Cold air can enter the system and burn valves, but it's likely not going to happen with just a small leak. You'd have to have some pretty messed up manifolds for that.

[colinnwn]

when you guys mention the startup valve or lifter tick, what are you referring to? is it the tick that goes away after the engine gets to normal operating temps? if so, that tick is usually the warped exhaust studs on the VG engines.

 

As Kingman said, in my case it is valve lash from the hydraulic lifters being dry at startup. It clears at worst within 10 seconds of starting the car. Our family has had 2 VGs in a 1990 Maxima that got to 270k before someone hit-and-run rear-ended it, and a 1991 Maxima that got to 190k before a drunk driver side swiped it on the highway. We always used Nissan OEM filters in those and they never had a significant startup valve lash.

 

We've owned my mother's 1995 Maxima since new. It is the one with a significant startup valve lash, especially on OEM filters. Other than that, it is running strong at 200k miles. I've heard this first year of VQ engines are known for having undersized oil galleries that cause oil flow problems. But before we switched to synthetic, my absent minded father let it get to 25k miles between one oil change. Since switching to synthetic, and especially after switching to M1 oil filters, the startup valve lash is mostly gone.

 

I bought my 2001 Pathfinder with 135k miles on it. It had minor startup valve lash. It also had a crappy Fram oil filter on it at the time, and the first oil change it got an OEM filter. Since I switched it to synthetic and M1 oil filters, the lash is gone, and I'm at 180k miles.