synthetic oil vs dino juice

[dsedon@domain.elided]

some thoughts on recent oil comments:

<<<"...I would like to see a discussion/experience of SEMI synthetic oils which is what Alfa specifies for the 91-93 V6s.  I started using semi synthetic about two years ago in a effort to improve oil consumption on my 91 S.  The consumption improved perhaps 15-20 percent to about 700 mi/U.S. qt....">>>
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my '92 164L calls for full synthetic...  perhaps if ya wanna reduce the factory-recommended interwal of 10k miles, a blend would be ok.  but, if yer '91 calls for 10k intervals w/a blend, then i dunno...  mebbe the "s" engins were spec'd differently?  sounds odd...

<<<"...I bought a Ducati 900 SP brand new in 1997.  I drove the bike home and ran it around the neighborhood for a week or so to show off for my neighbors, and then, with less than 80 miles on the bike, I changed the oil and filter. The oil came out golden and beautiful - just like new - but there were metal filings in it.  This is obviously residue from assembly, but it spooked me nonetheless.  The filings did not appear to be trapped down in the sump, but rather suspended in the oil itself.  They were very, very tiny, but I could run the oil between my fingers and feel it.

Two hundred miles later, I changed the oil and filter again, and there were
still filings in the oil.  Fewer, to be sure, but some.  Eventually, after
about four oil changes in the first 1000 miles, they were seemingly gone,
but the whole thing had a profound impact on my attitude towards oil change
intervals....">>>
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finding metal filings in the oil is not atypical for a brand-new engine that has received less-than stellar cleaning-up, de-burring, etc, after machining & during assembly, which is why most mfr's recommend an initial oil change at the 1st ~600-1k miles, plus or minus.  also not atypical that the  filings went away, after the 1k mile mark!  which is why it's then ok to run a synthetic to 10k w/no issues.  ;~)  i'd also recommend breaking in a brand-new engine on non-syntheti oil, as synthetic is so slippery, rings may not seat as well in their bores...

<<<"...However, since good quality mineral-based oils can typically be bought for around $1.50 a quart, or 1/4 to 1/3rd the price of a quart of full synthetic, it's cost effective to use mineral base oils and change oil more often than using the higher-priced synthetics. And for older engines that typically suffer more oil contamination from piston ring blowby, changing the oil more frequently is a good thing to minimize acids and other contaminants in the crankcase...">>>
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it's not only cost effective to use synthetic oil & change it 3 to 4 times less frequently as w/dino-juice, it's easier!  ;~)  also, as mentioned prewiously, synthetic oil deals w/contaminants much better than organic oil.  also, more enwironmentally friendly, changing oil less frequently, imo...

ymmv,

doug s.

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