After the cold temps that we have had here in Fairbanks recently, I am considering changing over to synthetic oil because I have been told that it is easier on your engine in cold weather. Is this so? Also I am concerned about the synthetic oil eating any seals or doing anything adverse to my engines' internal parts. Is there anything about synthetic oil that I should look out for?

 

you should have no issues, I love it!

 

6.0 PowerStroke Page

 

I only run synthetic in all my vehicles, great stuff.

 

Just put in some valvoline premium blue 5w-40 and noticed a quieter engine on start up in mid 30's, it actually seems faster, and when it's started in the morning I noticed the oil get's to the turbo faster.

 

Cold start ups are much easier. Go for it!

 

It will definitely help on cold starts.

 

I use synthetic in all my vehicles and farm equipment. I have never had any issues.

 

Actually, in a 1996 test, Consumer Reports tracked 75 NYC cabs and found no real difference in performance between syn and dino. I mention that only because they made a caveat that "Big-city cabs don't see many cold start-ups or long periods of high speed driving in extreme heat." This seems to answer your concerns.

Bob

 

I cancelled my subscription to Consumers Reports some time ago because they've gone "green" with a strong lean to the left and I can no longer trust their product evaluations to be unbiased. As for oil, I am strickly synthetic as my driving conditions in AZ are severe.

 

i use 5w40 syn in both cars and the pickup, buti gotta know how did you measure how fast the oil reached the turbo.

 

I always pick up Mobil-1 turbo diesel truck oil at Walmart then I drive over to Seekins and let them change it for me. with the cost of the filter it cost me let than $25 and I drink there coffee.

 

While we're on the subject of syntenic oil (5W-40)...and the fact that I'm too lazy to dig through countless back threads to find the answer. Can I run that light of an oil year round? I can clearly see the advantages during the winter...but I'm worried about the summer. It gets over 90F for weeks at a time with 100F for a week or two where I live...so summer heat would be an issue.

 

Mobil1 turbo diesel truck oil is fine for all year/any temp

 

5W-40 oil acts like a 5 weight oil upon start-up and acts like a 40 weight oil when at operating temps... so you are sacrificing nothing by running it year-round.

Some will say (me that is) that synthetic fluids flow better upon start-ups and better lubrication year-round is better. As well, the high heat protection of a synthetic for your turbo bearings is a GOOD thing.

Just use synthetic oil for the benefits of using and not because you want extended oil drain intervals. Use a Motorcraft or Racor (OEM) oil filter and change on schedule and your motor will amaze you.

I have 139,000 miles with 100% of the parts my motor was built with... but I think that my dieselsite.com coolant filter has a lot to do with that along with my conservative oil change program of synthetic oil and Motorcraft/Racor oil filters.