My 4-cylinder car has 144,000 miles. Is it safe or beneficial to switch to synthetic oil now?

Answer 1

Synthetic oil is a waste of money in high mileage engines. Use a heavy duty oil like mobile delvac 1300 in 15w40>

Answer 2

Switching to synthetic oil is one of the best things you can do, regardless of the mileage on your engine. The benefits can be far greater than the costs, if you keep a few things in mind.
1- Does the engine have any oil leals or does it burn oil? If so, get this fixed prior to switching to synthetic, only because your leak will become very expensive very quickly, as you will be pouring expensive oil out of the engine onto the ground, or through your tailpipe. 2-Do you have any weird noises in your engine? This can indicate major problems that simply switching oil will not fix. Again, get repairs done.
3- How far do you drive each day? The benefits of high quality synthetic oil include increased mileage, less wear on your engine, cooler running engine, and longer oil life. Alot of todays vehicles recommend 5000-7000 mile intervals between oil/filter changes. Synthetic oils can go that long and more, as long as the engine is in reasonably good condition. Still, be sure to follow your maintenance schedule. If you drive many miles (for example, 100 miles a day) Then the increased fuel economy will be more than the cost of the oil. However, if you drive 5 miles a day, you probably won't see that mileage benefit, ALTHOUGH you will still have the benefit of better lubrication and engine life that goes along with it. And yes, you can switch back to regular oil if you decide that the costs aren't worth it to you. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I would remain the same, you have 144,000 miles, I would think something is right. I am by no means a mechanic, but at this stage of the game, I do not think it to be wise to switch from regular oil to a synthetic. Due to temperatures, regular oil will "wax" against the interior components of the engine, it is a process of cooling off and sticking. Sort of like bacon grease in a skillet, when heated it's liquid when cooled it waxes.

A synthetic has a different molecular composition that will cause a sloughing off of the residue, known as sludge in car talk to work against the lubrication of the engine components because that old oil is a different mass. As a result, it can clog up the engine and require a very expensive flushing of the entire motor.

From what I have heard, Synthetic Oil is a good option for engines with lower miles, but at this point, I would heed to the old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Answer 4

Never put synthetic oil in a high mileage car that hasn't used it for a long time. The synthetic oil will clean out some of the crud the regular oil has left and possibly cause leaks.

Find a high mileage oil and keep changing it at regular intervals. treat it gently. remember it is stupid to keep pressing the gas pedal while heading towards a red light.(I see idiots do this every day, then they complain about gas prices.)

Answer 5

Yes you can.
There are several benefits to do the change -over if you care to. If your car calls for 5W30 synthetic oil pours at a 10-20 degree Fahrenheit lower temperature. This helps in frigid cold temperatures to start your car. Low viscosity synthetic oil allows the oil pump to pressurize the oil galleries faster so that critical internal bearings, lifters, rocker arms, cylinder walls, wrist pins and camshaft receive lubrication faster. This type of oil has a very aggressive detergent package, anti-wear properties and high temp flash to fire is much higher. Consult Mobil 1 website and compare properties of mineral based oil and synthetic.

Answer 6

You shouldn't have a problem. I would take it somewhere like Oil Can Henry's and ask them though. Use High Mileage Castrol Syntec.