What are the hazards if any, if you change from a synthetic to a conventional oil after 1 oil change? My car has 6300 miles on it and I'm not sure if I want to keep using a synthetic.

 

I don't think you have anything to worry about changing back to dino oil with so few miles on your engine IMO. Just out of sheer curiosity, why are you thinking of changing back?

 

I owned a 95 Camaro(V6) prior to this Z and used dino oil, had 145,000 miles on it before trading it. I never had any problems with it, and was thinking of switching back.

By the way what does "dino oil" mean? Dinosaur?

One reason being its so freaking expensive, I only use my car for driving day to day, it never is driven "hard".

Second reason is I switched to it before researching it to see if it was beneficial. After doing a search on this board I think 85% of the posters use Synthetic. I'm still not 100% sure I want to stay with it or revert back to dino oil, mainly checking to see if I wanted to change I could.

 

I dont think you will have any problems by switching back. Every synthetic I have come across has said that they are compatable with conventional oils. It is like when people change trans. fluid to a synthetic. If you drop the pan, it only takes 4 or 5 quarts to fill it back up. The actual capacity is about twice that. So you end up with about half of each.
I personally would stick with the synthetic. The dealership I worked at charged a kid $7300 to replace the motor in his 2001 SS. five bucks a quart seems like cheap insurance to me.

 

you will have absolutely no problems if you switch back to regular oil, but like B smith said why not put the best in your car? cheap insurance!

 

I knew I would be using synthetics.. but wasnt sure which one..

After the problems of looking around for Mobil 1 here I went with Amsoil.. and am prolonging my changes till the light comes on or about 6500 miles.. I figure that it will be more cost effective and in the end be just as good or better..

 

Well, I am staying with Mobil 1. I have just been going to the wrong place to get it changed. I was charged $65 for my last oil change with synthetic


I have now looked around and found I can get an oil change for $30 at Walmart. Crazy people upcharging for not using a "house" oil, I can understand it, but seems a little expensive since you can go somewhere else to get it less expensive.

Anyway thanks for all the replies, greatly appreciated!!

 

I walk into the chevy dealer carrying mobil 1 and they only charge me around 9 or 10 dollars for labor.

 

Performing oil changes yourself is so much cheaper, i only paid $35 for the oil and filter(syn), I think its ridiculous how the oil and lube places charge over $50 for that. Guess they want to make a profit

 

I do my own, if I have time and a decent place to do it. I have taken it to the dealership twice in 4 years. Some people aren't able to do it themselves, and I was just offering an alternative. If it wasnt such a pain to jack the car up, I would never take it to the dealer for oil changes. I personally would much rather take it to a dealer than to Walmart.

 

yeah, no more Walmart, an oil change took me 2 hrs to get my car back.

I live in an apartment so its hard to change my oil myself, althought I would love to.


Anyone here from Jackson, TN have any suggestions of who to use?

 

Well personally I will run "conventional oil" since I have seen Cars that have have over 275,000 miles still running with original engine, only had to have the valve job to the heads, but other than that, the car still runs like new.. (One of Yellowcabs 87 Caprice Classics), used still to this day in SB, California.. Since I change my own oil and I prefer to change it every 3,000 miles.. It does not bother me.. Synthetic Oils are not bad but I would just find it kind of a waste, if I am changing the oil every 3K miles, why pay double for oil then... This is just my opinion though..

 

Synthetics will also not "coke" inside your engine like dino oil will. Coking is that hard coffee looking stuff you see under your valve covers and I don't want any of that crap in my engine at 5000+ rpm. Also synthetics will let your engine run cooler as there's less friction, they don't burn like dino oil, and don't break down. If you never drive hard and change your oil regularly though dino oil is probably fine. I had a car I drove the **** out of for 140,000 miles and used dino oil. The car (gulp) a mustang gt ran perfect except for being a little soft on top but compression was still good. I change oil, including sythetic every 2000 miles. Just makes me feel better.

 

I wont understand why a superior oil would need to be changed at the same intervals!??! That makes no sense..
Its like someone selling me something that is supposed to be better but I will never know cause I never give it a chance..

I will increase my interval as stated above to 6500 then after that change, I will go until the light comes on. That should be about 7500 miles later. I will come out ahead since thats about 2.5 oil changes and the oil doesnt cost me that much more for a better synthetic..

 

In the Army, we have the AOAP ( Army Oil Analysis Program) , and I had an Hmmv (aka Hummer) that hasnt had its oil changed in two years ( approx 12,000 miles)... The lab says it within nomal parameter..