Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 22:53:31 GMT From: Merritt Mullen <mmullen8014nopsam.com> Subject: Re: Does anyone use synthetic oils?
Michael Pardee at michaeltnopsamrtrails.com wrote on 9/16/01 3:21 PM: > Many people who have put synthetic in engines with high mileage have > suffered oil leaks, sometimes intolerable ones that required major work > to repair - especially if the rear main seal starts pouring oil. The > popular view is that synthetic dissolves deposits that coat hardened > seals, leaving gaps. 50K miles is the point at which most of us get > uneasy about it. Engines that were changed to synthetic before the seals > hardened don't have that problem. That's a similar problem we had with aircraft engines back in the 50s when oils containing detergents first came into use. The detergents would loosen up old deposits which would lodge in oil passages, leading to engine failure. Merritt