Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 15:54:58 -0500 From: fristnopsamm.wvnet.edu (Ramsey Frist) Subject: Re: Synthetic oil?
In article <34c43831.5625467nopsam.mindspring.com>, kevgnopsamspring.com wrote: > I am the proud new owner of a '86 Saab Turbo (115k miles). I was > wondering about the use of synthetic oil, especially considering the > turbo and the age of the vehicle. The previous owner was very > conscientious about regularly changing the oil, and I want to maintain > his vigilance. Last year I passed my 85 SAAB down to my son with 120 k miles on it. He has put on another 30 k miles or so an the dipstick level still does not change between changes and the turbo is silent. With the oil-cooled turbos you must change the oil religously every 3500 miles and you must not cook the oil with a premature shutdown. All the newer name brand HD 10W-30 oils have to meet higher specifications than your 86 SAAB called for (I prefer Wolf's Head) and should do nicely. To me, it seems far wiser to change oil frequently with regular oil than to use synthetic oil with longer change intervals. If you can afford 4.5 quarts of synthetic oil every 3500 miles maybe it is OK. I have heard that if you switch to synthetic it should be for good. To switch back brings troubles. I am reluctant to change brands of oil let alone types. In the old days (and I am old) changing brands was risking bringing in new detergents that might "disturb" certain hitertofor harmless deposits. Today the standards are such that mixing oils probably doesn't make any difference. The 86 SAAB Turbo is wonderfully agile car. Have fun but let that turbo cool before shuting down. One cooking of the oil can mess up the turbo bearing. That is why SAAB went to a water cooled bearing in later models. R.H. Frist
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