[naj]

My two cents on Synthetic vs Mineral oil.

For most automotive purposes Mineral oils are more than sufficient in terms of performance. They do their job well and have sufficient properties and additives even when they are operating in adverse conditions.Only that they need be renewed earlier than the compatible grade of synthetic oil.
And ofcourse the Mineral oils are much cheaper even with this early oil renewal.

Where the synthetics shine is more in specialized machinery like Air compressors or refer plants where in one can get just that desired property for a trouble free running.

Cheers

naj

[sgiitk]

@naj: exactly my view a few tens of pages ago. If I look for VFM I find SemiSynths the best. Run of the mill cars do not have any real need for a synth.

[asitkde]

@sgiitk, with due respect, I beg to differ. For my 'run of the mill' Getz, I have switched to fully synthetic recently, and after a little over a month's drive, I do not think I'll ever consider mineral oil again for my car and any future cars we buy (may want to experiment with the grade I am using though, to best suit the weather). The reason is simple: the car likes synthetic oil, and it is very obvious, and as a result I like the driving experience better. We have another car, a 7 year old WagonR with 70K kms. Whether we change its oil to synthetic? May be not, but to Magnatec semi-synthetic? Perhaps yes. These days, when a trip to the multiplex with the family costs a thousand, I do not consider the extra money spent on the synthetic oil that bad, that too, typically once a year. Yes, the cost is a little high at the moment (may come down with higher volume of sales), and but in my view the driving pleasure and the well-being of the engine (especially in my case, because of all these short drives I described before) outweigh the high cost, at least for me.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by asitkde

These days, when a trip to the multiplex with the family costs a thousand, I do not consider the extra money spent on the synthetic oil that bad, that too, typically once a year. ..........but in my view the driving pleasure and the well-being of the engine outweigh the high cost, at least for me.

Amen to that! My run-of-the-mill car uses Shell Helix Ultra and I am very happy with the oil. Will I shift back to mineral? Very, very unlikely. There's a difference in the engine and the car has become more responsive and smoother. My normal twice-a-year mineral engine oil changes are now yearly with synthetic and compliant with the mfrs recommendations.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

If I look for VFM I find SemiSynths the best. Run of the mill cars do not have any real need for a synth.

Agreed. I don't recommend synthetic to anybody but absolute enthusiasts who 'feel' that partly logical but mostly emotional need to use synthetic (The "I want the best oil for my car" types).

But sgittk ji, you will agree that once you have synthetic in your engine, you won't want to go back to mineral.

Rgds,

[sriturl]

A good "above the prescribed spec" mineral and synth are absolutely good.

But I feel the decision as to what goes into my vehicle should depend on the usage of vehicle. If I am running 10K which is prescribed for a mineral oil change in 6 months, and the change interval is 10K km/ 1 year, I would go for a synth which will keep my interval for 1 year, assuming I can double my 10K to 20K with a synth.
If my running is less, I would stick to a mineral oil.

Thats my perception.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by R2D2

But sgittk ji, you will agree that once you have synthetic in your engine, you won't want to go back to mineral.

Sorry to disappoint you. I had used Esso Synth (Uniflo?) in my Esteem, the next year i went back to GTX2 or Magnatec. No big deal!

[anilisanil]

Hello all, I am about to complete 10k KMs on Figo TDCi and would be due for second service soon (in less than a month) so my questions are-

1) Should I start going for synthetic now on or should I wait till I clock 20K?

2) If yes what brand?

3) Would the Ford service top it up with synthetic Oil, or should I get it done else where?

4) Should I do an engine flush before oil change? If yes who does that?

Kindly help me! Replies/pointers please be noted I am based in Pune/Kothrud!


P.S: I will be going on a 7k KM continuous trip post the service, just in case if that helps you in advicing!

[khoj]

Hi anilsanil,

See my replies below in bold

Originally Posted by anilisanil

Hello all, I am about to complete 10k KMs on Figo TDCi and would be due for second service soon (in less than a month) so my questions are-

1) Should I start going for synthetic now on or should I wait till I clock 20K?
The engine has been run in so now is as good a time as any.

2) If yes what brand?
Go with the brand that your manufacturer recommends otherwise Shell, Mobil and Motul are the better ones. Just ensure that in case of Shell and Mobil you get the oil specific to Diesel engines. The Motul 8100 Xcess available in Poona is specified for both Diesel and Petrol engines.

3) Would the Ford service top it up with synthetic Oil, or should I get it done else where?
Do the top up your self

4) Should I do an engine flush before oil change? If yes who does that?

Please do not go down that road, no arguments here no and don't even think about asking again

Kindly help me! Replies/pointers please be noted I am based in Pune/Kothrud!


P.S: I will be going on a 7k KM continuous trip post the service, just in case if that helps you in advicing!

Pointers for what? if it is availability then Shell is available at the Shell Petrol pump in Hinjewadi. Mobil no idea for Pune but there must be an auto spares market in Poona otherwise go to MY CAR in Wakad and catch hold of their Sr. Sales Consultant by the name of AMRUT give him my reference and he will get you the vendors contact details from his stores/Purchase guys, pm if you want his number. For Motul again I do not know the Vendor but the stores incharge at the Mitsubishi dealership on East Street will be glad to sell you the same for MRP and will also provide you with the vendors details if you so desire. You may get a better price from the vendor when buying direct.

In case you have any plans to drive to Lonavala etc then I can set you up with the distributor for Shell and Mobil for Raigad. He is based in Khopoli and you can save nearly a thousand bucks off the MRP on a 4 liter pack.

What is this 7K trip, where are you headed now? reply by pm if you want.
Ciao

[scarlet.fever]

Guys I got the price for semi synthetic Castrol Magnatec 10W40 as 860 bucks from an authorized dealer.
Could somebody confirm whether the price is correct ?

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by scarlet.fever

Guys I got the price for semi synthetic Castrol Magnatec 10W40 as 860 bucks from an authorized dealer.
Could somebody confirm whether the price is correct ?

I guess it is a 4l packing. Looks Ok.

[nitrous]

Could be a 3 litre or a 3.5 litre pack.
4 litres for 860 isn't right.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Guys, my 2004 WagonR VXi has completed 70,000 kms. Going in for service soon. Thinking of switching to synthetic, for the first time. I have a few questions in mind.

1. For a 70k run WagonR, does it make sense shifting to synthetic?

2. Service will most probably be done at Ignite, Chennai. They stock Motul synthetic. What are the specs for WagonR. (I dont have the service booklet with me, hence cant check! )

3. Is Shell a better option?

[Sawyer]

I see that this is still a hot topic!

My views based on having no engine issues with 6 new cars over a period of 20 years...and I remember going out of my way to procure Mobil 1 in the past because I was hypnotized by the synthetic marketing! Older and wiser now...

1. I do not believe that there really is any animal called semisynth. It is a bit like the blended with scotch nonsense - technically, a drop in a barrel allows Indian hooch to be called that! In my book, its mineral or synthetic. Magnatec is a very good SM grade mineral oil.
2. In typical Indian city driving stop/start conditions with drives of 30/45 minutes duration where the engine spends very little time at correct operating temperatures, regardless of which oil one uses, a 6 monthly change of oil/filter is advisable to keep the engine in as decent a shape as such stressful use will allow.
3. A good brand genuine ( as opposed to spurious ) mineral, of the correct weight and API grade is all that the engine needs. We are not talking formula 1 or rally applications!
4. The impact of switching from a oil as described above to a synthetic one of the same spec definition is all in the head of the driver, not in the sump of the engine.
5. Given all of the above, by all means use a synthetic if it makes you feel good, but it needs to be changed every 6 months, regardless of what it costs to do that.
6. If the cost of the change is an issue, then the good mineral will do just fine. But be sure it is not spurious and is of the correct spec. I now use a 10w-40 SM grade mineral in my cars.
7. Where a synthetic really makes sense is if one runs high kilometers in 6 months - say 15k-18k. I wouldn't keep a good mineral oil in the car once it has crossed 10k, even if the last change was just 3 months ago. While I would be ok to do so with a synthetic, and let it run for even 15k-18k in the 6 months period, when I would change it. For that kind of running, in 6 months, I would change a mineral after 3 months, so the synthetic makes sense from a cost and environment perspective.
Of course, all of the above matters for people that love engines, and do not change cars every 4 years. For the latter category, it really doesn't matter, the question of long term engine life or "as new" engine performance all the time! Modern engines can take a lot of abuse and will put up with it for that much time.

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by prince85

Anyways according to the owners manual, the engine oil table provided is as under.

1. For -5deg (C) to 50deg (C) - 20W50
2. For -15deg (C) to 50deg (C) - 15W40
3. For -20deg (C) to 50deg (C) - 10W30
4. For -30deg (C) to 50deg (C) - 05W20 or 05W30.

Infact regarding SAE30, below the engine oil viscosity chart, there is a note that says "For better fuel economy, it is recommended to use the engine oil of a viscosity grade SAE 05W20, 05W30 (API SJ, SL/ ILSAC GF-3). However, if the engine oil is not avalable in your country, select the proper engine oil using the engine oil viscosity chart".

Now my current engine oil is Shell HX3 which is a 20W50 oil and though its one of the recommended grades as per the above mentioned chart, its a dated API-SG spec which is worrying for me.

Now with all of the above info in mind, Consdering mumbai conditons, plz suggest a proper grade of oil for my car and the brand. Would love to have the castrol magnatec 10W40 oil which meets API-SM spec but 10W40 is not suggested anywhere in the owners manual....it that a problem?

See, yours is a new-gen, twin-cam, high compression kappa engine.

Using 20W50 is wrong.
15w40 or10W40 is acceptable.
But, 5W30 is the best oil to use in your modern engine. This is what I think and this is what your owner's manual aka engine designer says.

5W30 is the latest formulation by oil companies.
Apparently, 5W30 is available in Castrol magnatec - API SM too.
So, go get it.

[sgiitk]

@Nitrous: I agree about 5W30 Magnatec. Only he is in Mumbai (like you in Chennai) so 20W50 will not be such a disaster. If it was Leh or even Srinagar I will steer him to a 0/5W30!