Anyone Run Synethetic Oil? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Graplr · 02-17-2009, 09:12 AM

Hi all,
Does anyone run synthetic oil in their Avalons? What interval do you use for changes? I have a '98 Avalon XLS with 89k on it.

I am on my first oil change with Mobil 1 [Synthetic] 5W-30. I am approaching 5k miles. I plan on going to 7,500 miles, changing it and then sending a sample to a lab to test it and see how long I can go inbetween oil changes.

Thanks!
Ryan

Raddman · 02-17-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graplr

Hi all,
Does anyone run synthetic oil in their Avalons? What interval do you use for changes? I have a '98 Avalon XLS with 89k on it.

I am on my first oil change with Mobil 1 5W-30. I am approaching 5k miles. I plan on going to 7,500 miles, changing it and then sending a sample to a lab to test it and see how long I can go inbetween oil changes.

Thanks!
Ryan

I go 10-12K with my 03 corolla, with one or two filter changes, I just replaced mine at 10K and the oil looked great, I'm interested to hear how the lab results come out, please post them, thanks

Graplr · 02-18-2009, 09:06 AM

I just ordered a test kit from http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ for free.
They charge 22.75 for a test plus 10 for test the TBN (longevity of oil).

I actually think I will leave the oil in the car and just suck a sample out and send it and see what they say.

Hajoca · 02-18-2009, 10:08 AM

If you are going to send sample in straight away, no need to dump all the oil. Result is usually one week.

Look for the Fumoto oil drain valve or FRAM sur-drain. (popular with VW/Audi diesel crowd, because oil drain involves removal of a skid plate) before next oil change.

Graplr · 02-18-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hajoca

If you are going to send sample in straight away, no need to dump all the oil. Result is usually one week.

Look for the Fumoto oil drain valve or FRAM sur-drain. (popular with VW/Audi diesel crowd, because oil drain involves removal of a skid plate) before next oil change.

Yes, in my second post I mentioned that I had changed my mind and was going to leave the oil in. I will use a pump to siphon the oil out through the dipstick (as recommended on blackstone's site).

eldiaoble · 02-20-2009, 11:18 PM

I use Mobil 1 every 5k miles. Works really well.

TMack409 · 02-21-2009, 09:08 AM

REDLINE 10W30 - changed every 10K. Sometimes I do a new filter at the midway point. I've had the car 10 years and still going strong at almost 200K.

Raddman · 02-22-2009, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eldiaoble

I use Mobil 1 every 5k miles. Works really well.

I use Mobil1 every 10K+ miles with 1 filter change and no problems at 104K, why pay more then double the cost of convention oil just to run it a few thousand miles more, it makes no sense and it's a waste of money in my opinion, run out those miles, Mobil1 is good up to 10K, they love people like you!!!

TMack409 · 02-22-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raddman

I use Mobil1 every 10K+ miles with 1 filter change and no problems at 104K, why pay more then double the cost of convention oil just to run it a few thousand miles more, it makes no sense and it's a waste of money in my opinion, run out those miles, Mobil1 is good up to 10K, they love people like you!!!

IIRC there are 3 grades of M1. The top grade with [the gold top] might run 10K in a modern (less than 3 years old) but I'd be loathe to recommend that in our vintage w/o an oil analysis being performed on the oil at ~5-7k.

FWIW that top grade of M1 is the same price as REDLINE oil - so why risk it? (Use the REDLINE and go the 10K interval, with no risk).

Raddman · 02-22-2009, 04:07 PM

IIRC there are 3 grades of M1. The top grade with [the gold top] might run 10K in a modern (less than 3 years old) but I'd be loathe to recommend that in our vintage w/o an oil analysis being performed on the oil at ~5-7k.

FWIW that top grade of M1 is the same price as REDLINE oil - so why risk it? (Use the REDLINE and go the 10K interval, with no risk).

You have me confused, when I get my oil I only see two kinds, M1 synthetic and M1 extended formula which is what I use, what's the third one? Plus I must be old school because I've never seen REDLINE oil up here in Cleveland, how does that compare to amsoil?

Plus what makes redline better then M1 top grade?

TMack409 · 02-22-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raddman

IIRC there are 3 grades of M1. The top grade with [the gold top] might run 10K in a modern (less than 3 years old) but I'd be loathe to recommend that in our vintage w/o an oil analysis being performed on the oil at ~5-7k.

FWIW that top grade of M1 is the same price as REDLINE oil - so why risk it? (Use the REDLINE and go the 10K interval, with no risk).

You have me confused, when I get my oil I only see two kinds, M1 synthetic and M1 extended formula which is what I use, what's the third one? Plus I must be old school because I've never seen REDLINE oil up here in Cleveland, how does that compare to amsoil?

Plus what makes redline better then M1 top grade?

REDLINE is definitely not "off-the-shelf". You have to seek it out (Google). REDLINE is the only Group V (POE) syn that is readily available - M1, Amsoil, Royal Purple are all lower classification Group IV (PAO).

M1 may have indeed settled down to 2 variants. they used to have a red top, silver top, and a gold top. I don't know anymore as I don't play along with their marketing game....

The beauty of REDLINE POEs are that they don't need as much in the way of additives to perform over the long haul. REDLINE contains more of the real thing, less of the band-aids to prop it up....than all the others.

Hajoca · 02-23-2009, 02:20 PM

FRAM is a label, the oil filters are piss poor.... but the Sure drain valves were well made, and unfortunately now, discontinued as well.

***PhatRoyale*** · 02-23-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMack409

REDLINE is definitely not "off-the-shelf". You have to seek it out (Google). REDLINE is the only Group V (POE) syn that is readily available - M1, Amsoil, Royal Purple are all lower classification Group IV (PAO).

M1 may have indeed settled down to 2 variants. they used to have a red top, silver top, and a gold top. I don't know anymore as I don't play along with their marketing game....

The beauty of REDLINE POEs are that they don't need as much in the way of additives to perform over the long haul. REDLINE contains more of the real thing, less of the band-aids to prop it up....than all the others.

+1

There are plenty of other oils out there that will easily outperform Mobil 1.

Motul 300V or 8100, Shell Helix, ESSO XD-3 Extra, Castrol Edge and German Castrol Syntec just to name a few.

smata67 · 03-26-2009, 07:44 AM

I bought my 1997 Avalon in 2000 with 30,000 miles. I have been using Mobil 1 with a PureONE filter since, changing it once a year in the Fall. It is now 2009 and I have 105,000 miles on it. That is about 8,000 miles between oil changes. The car runs like a champ and I recently popped the valve cover to replace the gasket, clean as a whistle. I'm also using the same once-a-year oil change approach on a Windstar (about 2,000 miles between changes), so far so good.

Graplr · 03-26-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smata67

I bought my 1997 Avalon in 2000 with 30,000 miles. I have been using Mobil 1 with a PureONE filter since, changing it once a year in the Fall. It is now 2009 and I have 105,000 miles on it. That is about 8,000 miles between oil changes. The car runs like a champ and I recently popped the valve cover to replace the gasket, clean as a whistle. I'm also using the same once-a-year oil change approach on a Windstar (about 2,000 miles between changes), so far so good.

I don't think I will be able to get away with once a year changes. For me that would be around 20-30k miles.

I sent a sample to Blackstone Labs a week and a half ago. I haven't heard from them yet. The sample had 6k on it. I will post what they say when I hear.

Thanks for all the input.