Synthetic vs. Conventional
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Olathe, KS
Synthetic vs. Conventional
The debate has always raged on about whether syn or conv motor oil is better. I'm not here to continue that debate but to get some opinions from fellow f150 owners. I've rebuilt my 1990 302 f150 about 40k miles ago. Ever since I've run full synthetic with the idea that it should help my motor last. Well at 7$ a quart I'm not gonna last. Would it be bad to switch to a conventional motor oil now and then maybe back to synthetic later? I've heard that conventional will build up gunk around seals and gaskets that synthetic will clean out causing oil leaks.
Thanks
Josh
Thanks
Josh
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,408
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From: Trenton, MI
$7 for 1 qt no way are you buy mobil 1?
We buy motorcraft synthetic it cheap $2.99 for 1 qts they have 10w30 that what you need. But I believe that buy 1 gal is more cheap than buy qts.
I don't like switch synthetic to conventional then switch to synthetic because leak. Try that and end replace gasket so best stay with synthetic.
We buy motorcraft synthetic it cheap $2.99 for 1 qts they have 10w30 that what you need. But I believe that buy 1 gal is more cheap than buy qts.
I don't like switch synthetic to conventional then switch to synthetic because leak. Try that and end replace gasket so best stay with synthetic.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Personally I don't think one of these pushrod motors needs anything more than regular dino based lube as long as it gets changed regularly. I have 80k on my 5.8 after a complete rebuild and it never got anything by plain QuakerState. There is no gunk buildup inside at all, spotless like the day it was built.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,244
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From: Cottage Grove, WI
Some food for thought for ya, i use 5qts valvoline durablend syn blend 10W30 and 1qt lucas oil stabilizer in all my stuff, with a fram tough guard oil filter. (Now i know everyones opinions on fram, but hear me out) I bought my old 95 DD w/ 120k on the clock, now it has 189k, and no ticks, no noises, doesnt burn oil, only leak is out of the rocker cover, and still pulls just as strong as it always has. Pulled the valve cover last fall to replace the gasket (melted from broken thermo tube) and under there is still clean as can be. No carbon on the valvetrain, just a brown stain. Thats enough proof for me, i will probably never use anything else again
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 37
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From: Littleton, NH
Synthetic oils will improve your gas mileage as well, only by a small margin but if you were to change all oils to a synthetic (engine, trans, transfer, axles, etc.) people have been known to gain 2-3 mpg's. Also, if synthetic is to $$$ for you, get a synthetic blend. I don't run straight dino oil anymore, I'm running a blend in my F150 and full synth in our honda accord.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
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From: Concord, NC
I've rebuilt my 1990 302 f150 about 40k miles ago. Ever since I've run full synthetic with the idea that it should help my motor last. Well at 7$ a quart I'm not gonna last.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: FLA
I watch the sales at Advance Auto and you can get 5 quarts of Mobil 1 (you have to buy 5-1 quart bottles) and a Mobil 1 filter for $29.99. I try and buy at least 2 oil changes every time they have the sale. I just did the Navigator last week. The filter is usually $11.00, so that's a pretty good deal.
Does anyone know who makes the filter for Mobil 1?
Does anyone know who makes the filter for Mobil 1?
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,691
Likes: 6
Some food for thought for ya, i use 5qts valvoline durablend syn blend 10W30 and 1qt lucas oil stabilizer in all my stuff, with a fram tough guard oil filter. (Now i know everyones opinions on fram, but hear me out) I bought my old 95 DD w/ 120k on the clock, now it has 189k, and no ticks, no noises, doesnt burn oil, only leak is out of the rocker cover, and still pulls just as strong as it always has.
If you're gonna spend big dough on oil, get the Amsoil bypass set up. That way you only replace a filter and a single quart every 5000 miles. The cost of this seems more reasonable to me. Their claim is that you don't have to do a full oil change for 25,000 miles.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 1
From: Fullerton, Ca.
I have a 90 f-250, 7.5 that I have had since new. I switched to full synthetic right at the first oil change and ran it to over 100k. I to started getting tired of the pricey oil so I just figured after 100k I'de ease back into conventional. Very soon after the switch the truck leaked like a sieve. I switched to a syn blend and the leak stop almost right away. Like said earlier by others, any good oil should equally protect the engine, your choice. Just something to be aware of though, is the presence of something in the syn that causes seals to leak when the sys oil is no longer used.
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 1
From: St Louis
Remembering an article in one of the motor head mags I use to read, the suggestion was once you went syn in a motor that you need to stay syn. Something about syn was the gunk builder, when you went back to regular oil all the gunk broke loose, with a possibility of the gunk blocking oil galleys. The postion was to stick with one or the other and not to switch without noting if either were superior to the other.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 348
Likes: 1
From: Lutz, FL
I run synthetic in my Mountaineer with the 5.0 but wondered about the F150 with the built 351W. I put a Crane cam in the 351W and it said not to use synthetic with it. Anyone know why specifically? I can't imagine that it would be a problem now that it's gone through the break-in process. I'm running 5w30 Castrol GTX in it now.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
Does anyone know who makes the filter for Mobil 1?
I put a Crane cam in the 351W and it said not to use synthetic with it. Anyone know why specifically?