is my truck to old to run synthetic oil? it has 172,000 miles, i heard that synthetic oil is not good for older cars,dont know if that is true. thanks for the help!

 

im in the same boat. any answers be great

 

If it doesn't leak it or burn it, you can run it. Well you could still run it if it leaked or burned oil, but whats the point? LOL...

 

is their any advantages to synthetic?

 

The problem with running synth in a high mileage vehicle for the first time is it will clean out deposits the old oil may have left that are plugging possible leaks.

 

If you changed your oil on time there shouldn't be any deposits in your engine!

Advantages to running synthetic are better mileage, less wear and tear, and increased change intervals. If you figure it out, running synthetic costs the same in the long run, but you are laying under the truck a lot less. I drive a lot, so thats important to me, plus the increased protection when working your motor hard is good too! (I tow a lot as well)

 

Yeah, in a perfect world maybe. lol. There are so many reasons as to why there could be sludge in an engine other than it's oil change interval.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but someone told me that synthetic oil thins out a lot so it is able to get in the tightest spaces to make sure that ALL parts that need to be lubricated get lubricated. In older engines if you use synthetic oil, over time you will notice oil leaking around the seals.

 

Yes, you are correct. So let me make my point a little better. If you changed your oil on time and kept up with all the maintenance on the vehicle, putting synthetic in at any mileage should be fine.

My Bonneville is a 92 and the first owner took great care of it, while the second owner (my little brother) neglected it and beat the hell out of it for the 2 years (20,000 miles) he owned it. I run castrol syntec full synthetic in it and haven't had any issues with 167k on the clock...

 

I had a 92 Nissan sentra.. with 176,xxx and ran synthenic.. and i red lined it everyday at least once.. And that car was strong

 

Many good points are made here, synthetic oil doesn't make leaks - it finds them. Synthetic oil has very good cleaning properties, it could remove some crap that is plugging a small leak. Chances are, if it doesn't leak now it won't leak after a switch. I would want to start out with a clean motor and conditioned seals before I made the switch. I'd do at least 1 Auto Rx treatment first.

http://www.auto-rx.com/