To go with synthetic oil?

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Not exactly! Oil temps can and do change regardless of water temps. They can go sky high when a problem occurs and the water temp may not change at all. An engine without an oil cooler/heater has essentially no contact with any water cooled surfaces in an engine, most all oil coolers are cooled by air across the fins of a heat echanger.The of the heat of the oil is generated from friction and leaking combustion (hot) into the crankcase. It's main cooling of the oil is from air flow across the oil pan.
 
Back in the 1990's Honda put synthetic oil in their auto engines from the factory. We were advised that they felt the increased cost would be worth it for the initial break in of the engine. Beyond that they recommended conventional oil which would provide 300,000 mile engine longevity if changed according to their guidelines. Whether they still do this, I don't know.

In the case of the Cummins the life expectancy of the engine with conventional oil is so long that few would ever own it long enough to wear it out.
 
Typically at least for the Cummins Diesels they tend to have oil temps that follow the coolant temp rather closely so I doubt the oil temp idea. Now for gasoline engines oil isn't ran through a oil cooler so it might be a bit more plausible.

This will always be a strong debate between people...
 
Regular Oil/Synthetic Oil makes no difference. No matter what you put in it, make sure the oil is correct for the engine. Newer engines require SJ oil, older engines may require SC or newer oils.

GM's response on synthetics was they are OK as long as you change your oil at the recommended intervals based upon type of service. Check your owners manual.
 
No engine manufacturer is going to OK extended oil change intervals based solely on the use of synthetic alone. There are far to many variables in engine use and wear to make a decision on that basis alone. Heck, Cummins doesn't even agree that oil analysis is a legitimate technique for [potentially] extending the change interval. They favor fresh oil based on mileage or time, whether dino or synthetic. Are they being ultra-conservative? Maybe so, but I'm pretty conservative about the health of my expensive engine too!
 
May be just a couple of thoughts here on oils. I'll list a few facts and opinions below.

Oil change criteria.
Opinion of how it gets there.
1.  water contamination.    Happens alot more on our RV's that sit around, worse in certain weather. Doesn't matter that most will say it burns off and it will, but you start your engine with it there and it remains mixed in for quite a while till boiled off. Is your oil at 212 degrees for long to rid this water?
Fact,
2. acids from combustion. The longer running time the more in the oil.
Fact,
3. Oil additives evaporate and become dormant with time.


Go with the OEM recommendations. Any modifying of this should be based upon any continued use like some trucks do that almost never shut down or when started run for hundreds or even thousands of miles.
 
I'm old school and still change the oil in my cars every 3,000 miles. For my coach it's 5,000 miles. I use synthetic for the RV and at 3,000 the oil was still somewhat clear. My philosophy is to take care of my vehicles, and they will take care of me.
 
thomasamski said:
I'm old school and still change the oil in my cars every 3,000 miles. For my coach it's 5,000 miles. I use synthetic for the RV and at 3,000 the oil was still somewhat clear. My philosophy is to take care of my vehicles, and they will take care of me.
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But remember the quality of the oil is much more improved over 1970's. The owners manual of my 2002 Cummins diesel calls for 7.5K mile oil changes and my 1996 Dodge Ram call for 6K oil changes so the old tyme 3K oil changes are rather wasteful now. Like myself I've extended my oil change on my Cummins to 10K miles and using a bypass filter. So I would read the owners manual of the vehicle and see when it calls to do a oil change not the old tyme 3K. Changing 3 gallons of oil every 3K miles would be a waste...  ::)
 
Your thoughts on today's oils are better quality may be true in a sense, but in reality it is the additives that are better not the oil, the oil is the same as ever. What is really different in being able to increase oil change intervals is three things.
1. Advertising points.
2. The engine management systems are better. (less contamination produced and passed into the oil)
3. How long the engine is operated when put to use. (the longer the engine runs the longer the oil is at a temp to help remove thing's such as water and other chemical's.
 
You forgot to mention that the tolerances in today's engines are improved along with the qualities of the metals used in the production of today's engines. Also the oils today are blended to achieve optimum lubricity along with better additives.
 
"Waste" oil is big business, it can be recycled or used as fuel. It definitely isn't "disposed of" in the conventional manner. I know folks up north that would be in a world of hurt if it weren't for waste oil.

 
It definitely isn't "disposed of" in the conventional manner.
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Would that that was always true. Far too much of it ends up on the ground and in the watersheds. By most estimates, more than a million gallons of used motor oil is NOT recycled every year in the USA alone.
 
Foto-n-T said:
"Waste" oil is big business, it can be recycled or used as fuel. It definitely isn't "disposed of" in the conventional manner. I know folks up north that would be in a world of hurt if it weren't for waste oil.
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Well said.  Being a Northerner, I can attest to the increase of demand for waste oil.  Many trucking companies that have their own maintenance garages, class 8 repair facilities, etc, have been installing filtered waste oil furnaces for heating their buildings.  The newer oil furnaces available are much more efficient and clean burning.  They store their waste oil in large tanks and put it to good use during the cold months.  Saves the cost of having it pumped out and hauled away.  As well as the cost savings over using natural gas.  I have also heard of many farms up here doing the same thing with the waste oil from their farm implements.

As Gary mentioned, waste oil getting into the ecosystem does none of us any good.  Hopefully, more uses for waste oil that are effective and convenient will be thought of.  Uses that even the DIY guy down the street changing the oil in his daily driver will gladly take advantage of.  Rather than sneaking to the storm drain during the night.
 
California tries to track the recycling of lubricating oils and their data shows that only about 60% of lube oils gets recycled, though fortunately the percentage keeps trending upward. Some of the "loss" is spillage and oil that gets burned where it is used, so it's hard to estimate just how much ends up on or in the ground, but even 10% would be a huge amount of oil waste. In 2005, there were over 150 million gallons of lubricating oils used in the USA and about 90 million gallons of that was for engine lubrication. 

Data from the Florida Oil recycling program has some data on the effects of oil filter disposal. A 2005 study showed that the landfill disposal ban of Used Oil Filters resulted in the diversion from landfills of approximately 392,067 gallons of used oil and in the recycling of 10,973 tons of steel. It boggles the mind that so much waste oil and steel comes from such a trivial-sounding source!
 
hes4all said:
It is that time of year where I always do the maintenance on me coach and I was leaning towards going with synthetic oil for my ISL 400 Cummins. I have 30.000 miles on it.  But I am wondering if any of you have had any experience with this? Just talked to a gentleman the other day that did it and had to rebuild his motor because of it. So do any of you have any input? Thank you
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that is simply put not true.Using a diesel rated synthetic oil in a cummins ISL will not do one thing but enhance the oil protection.Dont know your friends cicumstances but dont be blaming the synthetic oil let me tell u.The absolute top oil
SOLD by CUMMINS is synthetic
 
Out here the local recycle center has a tank I dump my waste oil in. The the local Dept of Transportation takes the oil and uses it in there shop furnace to heat the shop. I contribute at least 10-15 gallons every year to their heater.  ;)
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
All good points about modern oils and modern engines. Changing at 3000 miles is simply wasteful, as well as contributing to oil disposal concerns nationwide.
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ESPECIALLY talking cummins ISL engines as they can go up to 20000 miles on a single oil change
 
Mopar1973Man said:
Out here the local recycle center has a tank I dump my waste oil in. The the local Dept of Transportation takes the oil and uses it in there shop furnace to heat the shop. I contribute at least 10-15 gallons every year to their heater.  ;)
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BRAVO MIKE!  I do the same thing with my waste oil.  Being a truck driver, and having our class 8 trucks serviced and parked at a service center,  I conveniently have a a place to dispose of my waste oil for fuel for their oil burner heaters.  No problem bringing the waste oil from home in one gallon jugs and putting it to good use. 
 
Most auto parts stores will accept oil for recycling, whether you bought new oil there or not. Our local landfill also has oil recycling, plus I can drop of containers of oil at any of the transfer stations in the county (it's a mostly rural county, so they are conveniently scattered around).
 
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