I've been dragging my feet on this topic for quite awhile now. I want faster/easier starts during the winter when my truck is not plugged in. I've been researching the cold weather choices for dino and synthetic, but still haven't came to a conclusion.

If I switch to 5w40, how do you get all of the dino out of the engine. I'd suck out the hpop, but what about the galleys?

I'd like to switch back to dino once the temperatures warm back up again. There doesn't seem to be a significant amount of data that proves that switching back and forth is good or bad for the engine.

Does anyone keep the 5w40 in during the summer if they are hauling/towing?

Has anyone tried the diesel rated 10w30?

It seems like I'm beating a dead horse here...

 

few oil changes get it out.

 

If you want to change to synthetic, remove the drain plug, remove the filter, replace drain plug and filter after it's stopped dripping, and pour synthetic oil in. Don't worry about the old oil in the HPOP or the heads. It will mix together just fine with no harmful side effects.

And no, it won't cause an oil leak.

 

I hate to say it but I have been having trouble with my HPOP leaking down ever since I went over to Mobile synthetic. Get great millage now but I seem to spend all that saved fuel money on quarts of oil. I used to only lose a quart between oil changes and now the oil is going faster than the fuel.

 

So you're using oil now and the HPOP is draining down? Where's the oil going? Have you tried switching back to dino to see if it changes anything? I switched over to synthetic around 300k miles because the local wally world was selling Rotella synthetic for the same price as dino. Ran that for 3 oil changes until they stopped selling it so I switched back to dino. Never a leak or problem on my truck with the changes.

If the HPOP is draining down, it's probably starting to drain down on the hot oil, where the viscosity of the synthetic closely matches the dino. My guess is your issues will continue if you switch back to dino and this is all a coincidence. How much oil are you burning? I'd switch back to dino till it get's fixed. Then again, I run dino all the time, so in reality, I wouldn't spend the extra $$$ on synthetic, but I live in the South and we don't have winter like you do.

 

Sorry Farm, didn't want to change the subject but I may be having some problems with the syntec that you might want to know about. Might be a coincidence but my oil consumption went way up after the switch not exactly sure how much but it is the syntec leaking or a engine problem its that much. Is it true the syntec will bust up crud in the engine? If so maybe some got lose and is clogging a check valve fore the HPOP?

Hey Farm the syntec pours like water in the coldest weather. The dino is like molasses compared to it. I didn't see a millage increase till I got the Mobile stuff. The Rotella stuff didn't seem to make a diff.

 

Any one used the AMS OIL 5W-40 or other 5W-40 (I hear you can get it in a Delo)? I hear that you get about 1/2 mpg better and with winter coming sounds like a good idea. can you keep running it all


And how the heak do you get your truck info to show up at the bottom of your posts?

 

That would be your signature. Go to control panle "users CP" and you will see edit signature under settings and options.

 

You need like 25 posts or something before you can have a signature..

Back on topic, I had the mobil synthetic bought this winter to put in my truck. I did all my mods this winter and was going to switch. I then changed my mind, deciding since my motor runs so well on the rotella 15/40 and uses no oil, I took it back and got the rotella again. I plug it in overnight anyways if I'm going to use it in the winter, plus I don't use it much then anyway. I maybe put on 500-1000 miles on it in the winter months, otherwise it sits in the shop. That's another reason I didn't switch.

Plus whether true or not I've heard some of the leaking stories and stuff too so the heck with it, stayed with dino.

 

If it did break stuff free and the filter didn't catch it, then all your injectors would be toast. I don't recall seeing too many threads that went like, switched to synthetic, plugged up all 8 injectors and had to flush the rails and replace injectors.

If switching to synthetic really posed a problem, there would be a sticky at the top of the page warning us.

 

the deal is that dino oil covers up some leaks. the synthetic just finds them out. They dont' "make" leaks, but they just let you know where your seals are bad. haha.

 

Thanks for the discussion guys.

I think I'm going to do the switch... That means I need to get my crankcase breather figured out because it's not sealed very well as I had to modify it so I could get me intake pipe in there.


I'm not really concerned about a drip or two. Every hard working diesel I've been around had it's share of spots. Lol.

 

Quick question, I changed my oil about 4,000 miles ago. Checked the oil the other day and its crystal clear....And hasnt lost a drop. ITs Mobil Delvac 15w40. Do i change it? Or leave it for another 1,000?

 

Well on my 7.3 it says every 5k so I would not waste the nearly 4 gallons by changing early, specially if you have great oil like mobil - that stuffs spendy, and I'm kind of cheep.

 

Farm You won,t be disappointed with the synth. in the winter it is like night and day when it comes to starting I ran 0/40 for a couple winters but last winter I decided on 10/30 It is a little better in the cold but not nearly as good as synth. with 10/30 i was finding myself plugging in synth. I never plugged in, This year I am going synthetic again .

Madvan runs synth in the summer he can give you some good info on synth. oil