Vetteguy1990

Three subjects I try to avoid at all cost - politics, religion, and motor oil.

I'll take a chance here and ask about oil. Have a 1996 Chevrolet Corvette with about 110,000 miles. Bought it last year so I don't know if it has ever had synthetic in it or not, I have used Sinopec T500 non synthetic for 2 oil changes. So far so good - but I have considered switching to T700 full synthetic oil. My primary interest extending the life of the engine as long as possible. I read claims of better fuel economy, less frequent changes, cooler temp, not as important as engine life, would likely continue to change oil at about 4000 mile intervals. I have been doing some research and can not find a conclusive answer, their are a lot of mixed responses online and I am not sure if this goes as a per vehicle basis. The T500 has been my choice of oil simply because it's basically shell rotella / mobil delvac but without the crazy prices. A lot of you guys may not be familiar with the T500 but since I have multiple diesel engine vehicles so for 399 a barrel I caved.

Product Data Sheets can be viewed here:

T500:
https://buysinopec.com/products/15w4...l-55gal-drum-1

T700:
https://buysinopec.com/products/15w4...55-gallon-drum

I'm concerned about how the oil will affect the current sludge and buildup in the engine, and if whether or not it is worth it to switch oils.
Thanks Much for any input, almost time to hit the road again!

SXGT

synthetic oil isn't a gimmick, it is better.


here is some more data for you

SlothX311

This ^

Conventional oil is a natural product. There are natural anomalies which leads to a less "pure" product. Synthetic oil is a man-made product that can have 100% molecular purity. It's better in every measurable way.

c4cruiser

Your 1996 had Mobil-1 5W-30 full synthetic oil installed at the factory. I would think that the engineers knew what they were doing when it came to oil selection. Full synthetics can handle heat and there are now versions of full synthetics that can go longer between changes, anywhere from up to 10K miles or more or even 12 month intervals. Along with a good quality oil filters and a full synthetic that meets the Dexos2 standard, your engine will be protected.

Rotella may be good for diesel applications and it's probably where they should be used.

the kid C6

Interesting. I have a 1996 vehicle, and when I switched to synthetic oils, I was told that once I did that I could not go back to traditional motor oil without damaging the engine. I guess that's not true. I hate when repair shops tell fibs.

Tim2013

i had a V35B that I started using synthetic oil in and the A&P said you could not go back either. Fact is synthetic oil is just better oil. I had a Harley that ran cooler with Amsoil synthetic oil in it. For my cars I like Mobil 1 Extended Performance. The dealer changes my oil, for free, in my Vette so it gets the Dex synthetic. Tim

cmonkey713

Mobil 1 in all my vehicles.

SPSandman

Used nothing but Synthetic for the last 25 years would never use anything but. The data is out there backs up how much better it is than conventional.

The C4 should have had synthetic at the factory as I know my 94 did when I bought it in 97 the dealer said to make sure I kept using it as that is what it had in it since new.

MPeters1961

In case some weren't aware, there is a forum called, "Bob is the Oil Guy" that is absolutely chocked full of information and oil tests. If you're looking for research by a lot of gear heads and oil fanatics, bobistheoilguy.com would be a great place to visit.

charley95

I even use it in my mower and snowblower too.

Michael Zhang

Agreed. Synthetic oil contains much less impurities compared to traditional or hybrid oils.Spending a couple more bucks is worth the longevity it will provide to your engine. If you wanna read a guide about motor oil you can go check out Dig My Ride. They have a comprehensive comparison of the different types of oil you might want to consider for your next oil change. Also, it's a good practice to follow the manufacturer's guidelines since what's prescribed is usually best for your vehicle.

Purple92

Synthetic flows better in very cold weather, and resists breakdown better at high temps than conventional oil. These days there is relatively little price difference between a good conventional oil and a good synthetic oil - years ago - synthetic was at least three times more expensive than conventional - but not so today. While I agree conventionaloil today is significantly better than it was decades ago - Why exactly would you NOT want to run Synthetic ???

Kenny94945

I too favor synthetic in a modern vette engine.
All above posts from our co-members offer good info.

OP, you are changing the oil every 4000 miles?
Sludge build should not be a concern with either dino or synth.

Yet, with sythetic, you could resonable double your oil change interval.
Further, and debatable, with syntheic, you could change every 2 years intead of every year, typically wilth no ill efforts, except perhaps moisture build up from your environment
Plus, look to Walmart (etc), as Mobil 1 goes on sale often for under $30 for 5 quarts, which is close in price to dino 5 quarts.

Good luck in your decision.

Markm10431

There is a reason my 2001 manual says to use Mobil 1

cv67

That engine was built with very tight tolerances, get the right oil in it.
They were designed to run hot also...using syn keeps oil temps cooler to boot.