I just did the first oil change at 2500 Miles today and put in about 7 qts of organic 5w-30. My question for those of you who already have switched to synthetic is what brand and grade are you using and how often it is recommended to change. Did you experience any difference after switching to Synthetic. I saw a post on TT recommending to change the synthetic oil at 7500 interval. At what mileage did you switch to synthetic? Thanks.
Synthetic Oil
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I use Mobil 1 5W-30 motor oil. For a filter I use K&N oil filter. I follow the owner's manual for change times even with synthetic oil. I have done this on all my vehicles and it works well.
Syko
Syko
They do not come with syn oil, in fact, Nissan doesn't even recommend Syn. I've used Mobil 1 since about 1989 in most of my cars. Cars I was planning on getting rid of after 2 years (sev minivans) I used conventional oil. Only real downside to Syn is the extra cost.
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I just called my service person at Superior Nissan. Unless otherwise specified, they ONLY use synthetic oil now.
This is the Superior Nissan in Los Angeles. Not sure if this is the same at other locations.
I personally can't tell any difference between synthetic or regular oil.
Even though the owners manual does not mention synthetic, the dealers are using it.
This is the Superior Nissan in Los Angeles. Not sure if this is the same at other locations.
I personally can't tell any difference between synthetic or regular oil.
Even though the owners manual does not mention synthetic, the dealers are using it.
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Not to drive this thing into the ground, but I got home and looked at my invoice for my oil change last week from Nissan Dealer.
Lube, Oil, Filter Service: Quaker State Synthetic Blend 5w/30 oil........
Now I'm curious, is Synthetic Blend actually synthetic oil? or is this like the good ole BMW Leatherette seats?
Lube, Oil, Filter Service: Quaker State Synthetic Blend 5w/30 oil........
Now I'm curious, is Synthetic Blend actually synthetic oil? or is this like the good ole BMW Leatherette seats?
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All I need to know about oil I learned on the internet...
Synthetic doesn't hurt. General rule of thumb is that if you are going to go the full 7500 miles between oil changes, use synthetic and a good filter (more to follow). Further recommendation is to change the oil filter at 3750 and top off the oil.
Reasoning.
Synthetic oil will go longer without breaking down, plus it provides additional protection in temperature extremes (flows better when it's cold, doesn't deteriorate when it's hot). But, synthetic still picks up the same amount of contaminants as dinosaur oil - which is what oil is supposed to do. So you still have to change it.
Recommended oils - just about any synthetic oil will work. Wal-Mart has a supertech brand that is less expensive and still manufactured by one of the leading oil companies. The company of origin changes as Wal-Mart fishes for the cheapest supplier, but in general you can compare the plastic container to others in the aisle and find out where it's coming from. Search the internet and you'll find that the Supertech holds up just fine under some serious analysis. Because you can get low cost full synthetic, the incentive to buy a synthetic blend is removed.
A good filter is a Nissan filter or a Wix/NAPA silver filter. Again, do a search on the web and eventually you'll find a few guys who have cut open every filter under the sun. The universal manufacturer to stay away from is FRAM. Wix/NAPA are good quality and cost about $5 a filter. When the price of your filter jumps to $12-$20, that's a good indication that you are moving from a paper media to a synthetic media filter. What's the difference? Synthetic media can filter smaller particles. Most experts say that this further level of filtering is not required on passenger vehicles. Save it for the track.
Change the filter at 3750 even if you don't change the oil. The Nissan filter is tiny and regularly filtering 7 quarts of oil in a V-8 will work it hard. Cheap insurance is to change the filter early and this ensures that it is working properly, and most importantly, that a clogged filter isn't forcing unfiltered oil into the motor via the bypass valve.
Synthetic doesn't hurt. General rule of thumb is that if you are going to go the full 7500 miles between oil changes, use synthetic and a good filter (more to follow). Further recommendation is to change the oil filter at 3750 and top off the oil.
Reasoning.
Synthetic oil will go longer without breaking down, plus it provides additional protection in temperature extremes (flows better when it's cold, doesn't deteriorate when it's hot). But, synthetic still picks up the same amount of contaminants as dinosaur oil - which is what oil is supposed to do. So you still have to change it.
Recommended oils - just about any synthetic oil will work. Wal-Mart has a supertech brand that is less expensive and still manufactured by one of the leading oil companies. The company of origin changes as Wal-Mart fishes for the cheapest supplier, but in general you can compare the plastic container to others in the aisle and find out where it's coming from. Search the internet and you'll find that the Supertech holds up just fine under some serious analysis. Because you can get low cost full synthetic, the incentive to buy a synthetic blend is removed.
A good filter is a Nissan filter or a Wix/NAPA silver filter. Again, do a search on the web and eventually you'll find a few guys who have cut open every filter under the sun. The universal manufacturer to stay away from is FRAM. Wix/NAPA are good quality and cost about $5 a filter. When the price of your filter jumps to $12-$20, that's a good indication that you are moving from a paper media to a synthetic media filter. What's the difference? Synthetic media can filter smaller particles. Most experts say that this further level of filtering is not required on passenger vehicles. Save it for the track.
Change the filter at 3750 even if you don't change the oil. The Nissan filter is tiny and regularly filtering 7 quarts of oil in a V-8 will work it hard. Cheap insurance is to change the filter early and this ensures that it is working properly, and most importantly, that a clogged filter isn't forcing unfiltered oil into the motor via the bypass valve.
Nissan recommends mineral based oil
I bought 8 Nissan brand oil filters and 8 new crush gaskets from http://www.irontoad.com/en_US/ for Less than $50 including shipping.
On page 9-5 in the Armada owner’s manual Nissan recommends mineral based oil.andy said:
I bought 8 Nissan brand oil filters and 8 new crush gaskets from http://www.irontoad.com/en_US/ for Less than $50 including shipping.
1. Synthetic oil shouldn't be used for breaking in an engine.changezi said:
2. Once you start using synthetic oil, you have to keep on using synthetic oil. You never, ever switch back.
3. BMW's (and a few GM products like the Corvette) have a so-called "oil change sensor," which really isn't a "sensor" but just a program that monitors driving conditions. A BMW comes from the factory with synthetic oil, and based on your use of the vehicle, a display will tell you when to change your oil. It isn't unusual for a BMW to go 18,000 miles between oil changes.
To the best of my knowledge, the Armada doesn't have the so-called "oil change sensor."
4. Unless you do huge mileages and drive your vehicle very hard, you're better off staying away from synthetic oil. Personally, I prefer more frequent - and cheaper - oil changes.
If you're doing 1,000-1,500 miles/week, go synthetic.
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I tend to prefer synthetic oil. Especially for towing. Yes, the cost is higher at changing oil per the recommended intervals. Replacing the engine is even more costly. I am not saying that it can happen every time, but I prefer the piece of mind.
Pulling 7000 plus pounds for a 4-6 hour run, can play havoc on your engine and powertrain system.
I use and prefer (not an adverstisement, just my 2 cents) Mobil 1 synthetic. I broke the motor in with the factory installed oil and then changed it out.
I have used it in my 94 Dodge Ram 1500, 99 Dodge Ram 1500, 97 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, 04 Grand Prix GT-2, and finally my 03 Dodge Ram 1500. I have never had engine knock, issues with wear or other out of the normal operating temps while towing with the trucks.
Yes, changing oil more frequently with less expensive oil is fine. But the breakdown on synthetic at high temps and longer duration is less likely.
That is also why the military uses synthetics in the Abrams Battle tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Syko
Pulling 7000 plus pounds for a 4-6 hour run, can play havoc on your engine and powertrain system.
I use and prefer (not an adverstisement, just my 2 cents) Mobil 1 synthetic. I broke the motor in with the factory installed oil and then changed it out.
I have used it in my 94 Dodge Ram 1500, 99 Dodge Ram 1500, 97 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, 04 Grand Prix GT-2, and finally my 03 Dodge Ram 1500. I have never had engine knock, issues with wear or other out of the normal operating temps while towing with the trucks.
Yes, changing oil more frequently with less expensive oil is fine. But the breakdown on synthetic at high temps and longer duration is less likely.
That is also why the military uses synthetics in the Abrams Battle tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Syko
Ditto
I change oil, filter (&crush gasket) AND rear end gear oil every 3k with top quality organic oil. The oil is not in there long enough to break down and it keeps debris flushed out. It cost me only about $15 to do all 3. The rear gear oil @ 3k & 6k miles looked pretty bad. My Armada has some kind of trailer behind it 70% of the time. Granted it is slippery stuff but at 3-5 times the cost (x7qts) of premium organic oil, I do not see 3-5 times the performance difference. I would rather spend the savings on other things like gear oil and transmission fluid changes. Besides, like I posted earlier the Nissan owner’s manual recommends organic oil. Just my .02redzed said:
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Myths about synthetics 1
From the Mobil1 website...
Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to a synthetic oil like Mobil 1.
Reality: You can start using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn Technology in new vehicles at any time, even in brand new vehicles. In fact, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn Technology is original equipment (it is installed at the factory) in:
Aston Martin
Bentley Amage and Bentley GT
Cadillac CTS, XLR, SRX and STS
Chevrolet Corvette
Dodge Viper
Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi EVO
Pontiac GTO
All Porsche vehicles
One of the myths that surrounds synthetic oils is that new engines require a break-in period with conventional oil. The fact is, current engine manufacturing technology does not require this break-in period. As indicated by the decisions of the engineers who design the high-performance cars listed above, Mobil 1 can be used starting the day you drive the car off the showroom floor.
From the Mobil1 website...
Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to a synthetic oil like Mobil 1.
Reality: You can start using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn Technology in new vehicles at any time, even in brand new vehicles. In fact, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn Technology is original equipment (it is installed at the factory) in:
Aston Martin
Bentley Amage and Bentley GT
Cadillac CTS, XLR, SRX and STS
Chevrolet Corvette
Dodge Viper
Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles
Mercedes SLR
Mitsubishi EVO
Pontiac GTO
All Porsche vehicles
One of the myths that surrounds synthetic oils is that new engines require a break-in period with conventional oil. The fact is, current engine manufacturing technology does not require this break-in period. As indicated by the decisions of the engineers who design the high-performance cars listed above, Mobil 1 can be used starting the day you drive the car off the showroom floor.
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Myths about synthetics 2
From Mobil1, AMSOIL and Quaker State....
Can different synthetic motor oils be mixed together?
Mobil 1 is fully compatible with conventional motor oils, semi-synthetic motor oils and other synthetic motor oils, should it be necessary to mix them. However, it is important to note that the superior performance of Mobil 1 will be reduced by diluting it in any way.
AMSOIL XL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil is compatible with conventional petroleum oils. However, AMSOIL does not recommend using a mixture of oil and conventional oils for 7,500-mile or six-month drain intervals. Engine oil additives are not recommended for use with AMSOIL oil.
Another myth...
You can't switch from synthetic oil to conventional oil or vice versa.
You need to start with a synthetic blend for a few oil changes before moving to full synthetic oil. Once you start using synthetic motor oil you cannot go back to conventional oil. Synthetic and conventional engine oils can't be mixed, or else they react and cause engine problems.
Fact
As long as the synthetic motor oil product and conventional motor oil product meet the viscosity and performance requirements outlined in the vehicle’s owner’s manual, you may interchange them with each other.
More myth...
Engines have to be “broken in” before using synthetic oil.
I need to break in my engine with non-detergent oil.
If I use regular oil or synthetic oil in a new engine, my engine will take longer to break in.
Fact
It was common years ago for engine manufacturers to recommend non-detergent oils for engine break-in. This was when the pistons used cast-iron “square-faced” rings and the rings needed to wear some to “seat” into the engine. With today’s technology of oils and engine manufacturing, engine manufacturers no longer recommend the use of non-detergent oils for the break-in period. In fact, engines today are factory-filled with high quality API SL performance motor oil, which contains high levels of detergents and dispersant additives.
From Mobil1, AMSOIL and Quaker State....
Can different synthetic motor oils be mixed together?
Mobil 1 is fully compatible with conventional motor oils, semi-synthetic motor oils and other synthetic motor oils, should it be necessary to mix them. However, it is important to note that the superior performance of Mobil 1 will be reduced by diluting it in any way.
AMSOIL XL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil is compatible with conventional petroleum oils. However, AMSOIL does not recommend using a mixture of oil and conventional oils for 7,500-mile or six-month drain intervals. Engine oil additives are not recommended for use with AMSOIL oil.
Another myth...
You can't switch from synthetic oil to conventional oil or vice versa.
You need to start with a synthetic blend for a few oil changes before moving to full synthetic oil. Once you start using synthetic motor oil you cannot go back to conventional oil. Synthetic and conventional engine oils can't be mixed, or else they react and cause engine problems.
Fact
As long as the synthetic motor oil product and conventional motor oil product meet the viscosity and performance requirements outlined in the vehicle’s owner’s manual, you may interchange them with each other.
More myth...
Engines have to be “broken in” before using synthetic oil.
I need to break in my engine with non-detergent oil.
If I use regular oil or synthetic oil in a new engine, my engine will take longer to break in.
Fact
It was common years ago for engine manufacturers to recommend non-detergent oils for engine break-in. This was when the pistons used cast-iron “square-faced” rings and the rings needed to wear some to “seat” into the engine. With today’s technology of oils and engine manufacturing, engine manufacturers no longer recommend the use of non-detergent oils for the break-in period. In fact, engines today are factory-filled with high quality API SL performance motor oil, which contains high levels of detergents and dispersant additives.
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