Whats the difference in oils?
Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004 at 00:25
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Member - Les & Clare (WA)
Hi all,
Please can anyone explain to me in laymans terms the difference between mineral oil and synthetic oil and the advantages and disadvantages of both.
I have a 2003 TD Bravo and am using
Caltex CXJ 15W - 40 oil at present which is a mineral oil but am thinking of changing to
Caltex Delo 400 which is a synthetic oil. The oil is changed every 5,000km. Any comments greatly appreciated.
Regards
Les
Have beast - will travel!
Reply By: David N. - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004 at 09:51
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004 at 09:51
There is only ONE disadvantage with synthetic oils...... cost.
They are superior in every other respect.
The cost is unfortunately a huge consideration with a diesel as the oil change intervals can not be extended too much, due to soot build up in the oil, although this can be reduced somewhat by very good filtration such as bypass filtering.
IMHO for a petrol engine there is no arguement for staying with mineral oils, as the cost is more than compensated for by extended change intervals and much better engine protection both hot and cold.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Big Trev - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004 at 14:49
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004 at 14:49
Not that this is terribly relevant, but I thought I would pass it on anyway. When I purchased the old MQ Nissan back in '89 I was unsure of its last oil change so I did the right thing and did the oil change, I used a hight grade mineral oil, and as David indicated above this engine was full of sludge etc,
well the downshot of all this was that the superior oil flushed the engine clean and the goddam thing started using oil which it hadn't done until I changed the goddam oil.
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