Re: alfa-digest V9 #304

[Iopsycheng@domain.elided]

Karl,
The biggest part of your problem is not being aware of the product you are 
using. Synthetic oil does not have to be changed every 3000 miles. I am a 
defense contractor and during a diesel engine maintenance contract for the US 
Coast Guard I had the opportunity to work very closely with several petroleum 
engineers. Because of the large amounts and multiple duties it must perform 
lubricating oils on shipboard diesels are not changed frequently. What is 
done is the oil is analyzed for contamination. Without getting into great 
detail the condition of the oil is inspected chemically and then any 
decencies are corrected either by chemical addition, replacement of the oil 
or physical repairs to the engine. Not being any happier with the cost of 
synthetic oil than you are I asked about the claims of 25,000 mile 
protection, cold/hot weather stability etc. What I learned would fill volumes 
but in a nutshell synthetic oil is many times more stable chemically than 
parrafin/asphaltic based petroleum oils. The contaminates which normally 
affect these oils have minimal affect on the chemical bonds in synthetics. 
To test what I had learned I decided to risk an Alfa V-6 engine. At the time 
my GTV-6 had about 7,000 on a rebuilt engine. I had lost a timing belt at 
53,000 miles and had just completed the first year back on the road. (I am a 
machinist by trade and the GTV-6 has had Mobil 1 15W-50 in it since it had 
16,000 miles. During the rebuild I measured ALL moving pieces for wear... 
Nothing was out of factory specs...) I changed the oil and drove the car as 
my daily driver for the next 11 months. I drove through 100 degree stop and 
go June traffic in Virginia and I slogged through 19 degree winter and 
everything in between. After 7500 miles we took an oil sample and compared it 
chemically to a sample taken from a new bottle of oil. There was less than 5% 
degradation of the used oil, well within safe operating parameters. I ran the 
oil another 6300 miles before the next test. It had still only dropped 8% 
total. According to the petroleum engineer the oil in my car at 13,800 miles 
was still a better lubricant than most of the other oils available. I asked 
about filtration and was told that using the largest, best quality filter is 
a must as the filter helps trap not just solid contaminants but some chemical 
ones as well. I was also told that the filter could be changed and the oil 
level simply topped back up. Jacking the car up on the filter side and 
letting it sit overnight will drain the filter and reduce the mess factor...
Anyway, I run all of the Mobil 1 products in all of my Alfas, there are 
eleven, and in my Toyota and in everything else, mom's Dodge, the outboard on 
the sailboat, etc. Currently my 164L has Mobil 1 15W-50 in the engine and 
Mobil 1 ATF in the transaxle and the power steering system. I use the same 
oil year round in all cars and I use the various ATFs or gear lubes as 
applicable. I have never had any lubrication related problems. None of my 
four V-6s have the oiling mod to the head and all have 55psi or better at 
3,000rpm and all are over 100,000 miles. Removing the valve covers reveals 
honey colored aluminum and absolutely no sludge anywhere. Oh, the Toyota has 
over 300,000 miles! 
If you change the oil every 7,500 your cost will be about the same as normal 
oil changes every 3,000 miles. One other thing I learned. Because of the 
synthetics unique properties, solid contamination is significantly reduced 
and chemical contamination is more easily burned off during long runs, 
therefore filter life is also extended. I cut open one of my oil filters 
after 7,500 miles and it looked better than one I took off of my in-laws year 
old Chrysler. I would suggest going to 7,500 mile oil and filter changes. Of 
course all of this assumes an engine in good operating condition. No 
lubricant is going to repair a damaged engine and abusing a cold engine still 
isn't a good idea but today's synthetic lubricants are light years ahead of 
regular oils.  
Thomas A. Gonnella  
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