| sunflower | -- 03-28-2010 @ 4:26 PM |
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Is synthetic oil good to use in our flathead engines? Thanks.
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| 40guy | -- 03-28-2010 @ 7:02 PM |
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Yes. But so is non-synthetic. I have always maintained that it is the FREQUENCY of oil changes that is more important than a certain type/brand/weight. This is from my own experience. This subject has been discussed before and you will recieve opinions as varied as the weather.
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| supereal | -- 03-29-2010 @ 6:49 AM |
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Synthetic oil is becoming the standard for new cars, together with extended oil change periods. Our new Lexus requires 0W-20, and they say changes can be extended to 10K miles, about which I am skeptical. That said. we don't recommend synthetic oil in older engines because it tends to escape the original style seals, creating leaks, particularly around the mains. Our rebuild guarantee states that we will not be responsible for oil leaks if synthetic is used, as we have had a lot of problems in that regard. Non-synthetic is a whole lot less expensive, and you can have frequent changes for the same benefit.
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| TomO | -- 03-29-2010 @ 7:30 AM |
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In addition to the leaking problem, you cannot realize the benefits of the synthetic oil longer change intervals due to a lack of an efficient filtering system. Modern engines have electronic fuel injection and computer controlled ignition which allows better burning of the fuel than a carbureted engine with a mechanical spark control can accomplish. This leads to less contaminants in the oil. Combined with a full flow oil filter allows longer mileage intervals between oil changes. Most of the flat heads have a very inefficient carburetor, marginal spark control, inefficient air cleaner and a bypass oil filter. This is why the oil change interval was 1,000 miles when the cars were new. Newer oils will hold the contaminants in suspension, so sludge doesn't build up, but you still need to change the oil to get rid of them. Tom
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| ford38v8 | -- 03-29-2010 @ 6:24 PM |
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I agree that oil must be changed frequently, but I don't agree that synthetic oil attacks seals. All fords drip a spot of oil after a hard run, so if yours doesn't, you might not have any oil in it! What nobody has acknowledged, though, is that dinosaur oil will rapidly break down under excessive heat and will lose its ability to properly lubricate your engine. Synthetic oil does not break down, and will provide superior lubricity for the entire time it is in the engine, even a Ford Flathead engine, as hot as they can get. I've always used Mobil 1 10-30 (full synthetic), and there isn't enough oil loss to add oil between changes about every 1200 miles. Alan
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| TomO | -- 03-30-2010 @ 7:55 AM |
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I missed the post that said synthetic attack the seals. I know that it will seep past the poor seals used in the flathead engines, more than dinosaur oil will. Tom
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| supereal | -- 03-30-2010 @ 9:05 AM |
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Synthetic oil really doesn't "attack" seals, but has a lower surface tension that promotes seepage around the primitive lip seals in old cars. We first noticed the problem years ago when we built an engine for a beautiful Pontiac GTO that was trailered to us from California. The owner was a perfectionist (not a virtue for an old car owner), and was very unhappy when oil spots began to show up on his garage floor. At his insistence, we pulled the engine, and replaced the seals, with the same outcome. After first denying it, he confessed to putting synthetic oil in, even though we had warned about excessive seepage. Synthetic is great stuff, and so good it will delay or prevent seating of piston rings if initially used after overhaul. If you like it, use it. Just have plenty of cardboard for your garage floor!
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| 51f1 | -- 03-30-2010 @ 1:26 PM |
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I don't believe this stuff about extending oil changes w/synthetic. No oil wears out. You change it because it becomes contaminated. How fast it becomes contaminated is determined by engine design and filtration. In the same engine, synthetic will become contaminated as fast as regular oil, unless there is something going on with synthetic that I am not aware of. So, no matter what you use, change it in accordance w/the manufacturer's recommendation. Use synthetic because it lubricates better, thereby reducing wear. Richard
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