Yeah I'm not saying it's the best kind of mousetrap out there, just that it gets the job done and I don't have to worry about anything with it.

 

Rotella & Mobile1-301 is what I use and have for a long time and never had any problems but I also change all the fluid when or before its supposed to be changed.

 

In addition to being "sold on" the use of synthetic oil, you should research the application for which you are using it.

Synthetics are made for modern tight tolerance engines that tend to last hundreds of thousands of miles,

Rovers have a 50+ year old Buick flat tappet Pushrod V8 design.

Synthetics may well be fabulous for your BMW, Corvette, DOHC Acura, etc...

Putting them in a 10 to 15 year old vehicle with a 50 year old motor design is a whole other story.

I got to buy a new camshaft and lifters (along with a lot of other parts since the thing was apart) largely because an LR Dealer broke in my new 4.6 (in 2007) with synthetic 5w30. At the time I questioned this, but I had just bought the truck and took their word for it. It took 4 years and 42k (end of extended warrantee) to destruct using that oil w/ all service done by same dealer.

That was before I learned about LR Dealer Service Departments and how LRNA supports the decistions they make. (not)

 

So how does a guy preach that he is "sold" on synthetic oil and then turn around and say that he would not use it in his truck? Does not make much sense to me.

 

If he knows the difference between a new Corvette engine and a Disco engine. Thats how.

 

Fat chicks and skinny chicks like cake all the same man...

 

Syn oil is great stuff, but its not that great. I spent a lot of cash on sun oil and it turned into crud anyway,changing oil often is the key. Use syn if you like,it doesn't hurt, it's just cost more.

 

Ok, here is the low down on your question, you know I've never lied to you Julian.
IF you use Royal Purple use their 15w-40, use the larger Mobil 1 oil filter and change the oil every 15,000 miles or once a year.
IF you use the Rotella use a standard oil filter, like from NAPA and change the oil every 5,000 miles no matter the time.

Royal Purple is good for at least 15,000, the limiting factor is the oil filter, the Mobil 1 oil filter is good for 15,000 miles.
Rotella, in our engines, for the normal driver, is good for close to 10,000 miles, it is almost as good as a full synthetic, remember more over the road trucks use Rotella than any other oil and they go 1million+ miles before needing a rebuild.
However I would still recommend 5,000 mile oil change intervals.
The more expensive oil filters are a waste of money unless you are going over 10,000 miles between oil changes.
They do NOT tramp more dirt, they only HOLD more dirt, there IS a difference.
There is a huge cost vs benefit factor you need to think about, changing a oil like Royal Purple to often is a absolute and complete waste of time and money.
The 3,000 mile oil change interval was put in place 50 years ago by people who make money off of oil changes, the oil companies and the shops that do the oil changes.
The 100% correct way to know when to change your oil would be to have a oil analysis done, then the lab could tell you "change it every X,XXX miles as long as you use this oil and filter combo"
I use standard sized oil filters, Shell Rotella, change it every 5,000 miles and I dont worry about it.
For the first 152,change of my trucks life the oil was changed every 7-8,000 miles at the dealer, I switched it to 5,000 miles, almost 220k and still going strong.
Its just a truck, it will last as long as it lasts no matter what you do.


www.bobistheoilguy.com for more than you ever wanted to know about motor oil and motor oil filters.

 

Flat Tappet Cam Tech - How to Prevent and Fix Cam and Lifter Failure - Hot Rod Magazine

Rotella, for high zinc, cheap price and decades of field proven reliability.

If I ran standard oil, I'd use a zinc additive. I wouldn't be especially "worried" about using synthetic either. They are supposed to be highly resiliant in resisting high pressure situations that are posed by flat tappets. I'm sure they do more then plenty for bearings and everything else that dyno oils been doing by itself since the industrial revolution.

3,000 miles, 5,000 miles, 15,000 miles..... not NEARLY as important as the temperature and oil grade. 3,000 miles in a 10 mile daily commute, a weekend 4 mile trail crawl, and a 1,500 mile a week big rig run are completly different. I live in NJ, less then 3k a YEAR, so I change the oil roughly 3 times a year, switching to from 15 to 5 only around december, since overnights tend to go around or below freezing from then until roughly march depending on the year. I also have a slow leak, (or several haha) so I end up putting a half quart or quart of fresh new oil in every once in awhile between filter changes.

Going easy on the gas pedal will probably have far more effect on engine life then the oil company you choose... I rarely see above 2k rpm around town, 3.5k is the highest shell see merging on the highway if someones commin up behind me quick. saves me alot of wear and tear in the long run, saves me a good amount of gas, and i cant remember the last time i had to change pads/rotors on anything i've owned other then to upgrade them for ****s n giggles.

 

The only problem with adding zinc is when it gets past the rings and valve seals and into the exhaust it WILL clog the catalytic converter and ruin it, thats why they have reduced the amount of zinc and phosphorus in modern motor oils.
It also ruins the O2 sensor's.