After first purchasing a new vehicle, a lot of people wonder if they should start using synthetic oil. There are many benefits to synthetic oil over regular oil, including but not limited to higher purity, better resistance to high heat, better viscosity, and being less likely to break-down or turn into sludge. But these advantages may not matter depending upon how you use and maintain your new Tundra. First of all, are you zealous when it comes to changing your oil? In other words, if the manual says to change your oil every 5000 miles, do you have the oil changed at 4999.9? If you follow an oil change regimen, chances are you won’t benefit from synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is highly resistant to breakdown and sludge forming. However, most regular oil won’t breakdown unless excessive time and/or mileage passes between changes. Because most the benefits of synthetic oil over regular oil don’t show until the oil is subjected to adverse conditions, you really won’t see any benefit from synthetic unless you stress the oil. If you are the type that might forget an oil change (shame on you), or if maybe you don’t get to changing your oil right at 5000 (or within 500 miles of 5000), then you can buy a little insurance against engine damage by using synthetic oil. For example, think about a person who only drives 3,000 miles per year. They may go more than a year without changing the oil in their car. As oil ages, it's effectiveness decreases, and if it gets old enough it will break down and the motor will no longer be protected. In this case, synthetic is the logical choice. Also, if someone accidentaly goes past the recommended 5,000 mile oil change interval without changing the regular oil, it will start to "fall-apart" and the engine will be at risk. If you or someone you know might forget an oil change, synthetic is a good way to limit your risk. Another reason to consider using synthetic oil is if you find yourself in extreme conditions often, or if you find you're running your engine a lot when the vehicle is parked. Extreme conditions (like high temps or high altitudes) will often cause the engine to run at higher-than-normal temperatures, which in turn will lead to accelerated oil break-down. If you're running your engine a lot when your vehicle is parked, you're also creating higher-than-normal temperatures in your engine. Synthetic oil performs better in these situations. The last example of a high-temperature use that would benefit from synthetic oil would be racing. Hopefully, if you’re racing, you’re using the best oil you can and changing it often. Some experts suggest synthetic oil in stop and go traffic. I believe it depends on where you live. It depends on your typical drive and just how much “stop” is mixed in with your “go”. If idle is excessive, then you can go synthetic. There is also some advice out there stating that if you only drive your vehicle short distances, you should use synthetic. The theory is that synthetic coats the engine better in a short time period than natural oil. In my opinion, if you only drive short distances, synthetic oil will not save your engine. Short distances are bad because the engine never gets a chance to fully lubricate and cycle the oil in the system. With modern engine tolerances being so high, I really don’t think synthetic will make much of a difference by sticking to all your parts better than regular oil. My advice to people that only drive short distances - stop it. Drive an extra 10 minutes. Join a carpool. Take the long way home…etc. Stop hurting your motor. If one of the above situations applies to you, take care when you purchase synthetic oil. Many places will suggest a synthetic blend as a way to save money (instead of full-synthetic), however the "blend" is often times a mystery. Maybe you're getting a 50-50 blend, or maybe you're getting 1% synthetic and 99% regular oil. I say go full synthetic or don't bother -- unless the blend suggested is provided by your vehicle's manufacturer. That blend would be OK. Last but not least, what does Toyota have to say about synthetics? “Any oil that meets API standard specifications can be used in your vehicle.” That means normal oil is just fine. In summary: If you're using your new truck like there's no tomorrow, than synthetic is the best choice. For everyone else, go regular.
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After first purchasing a new vehicle, a lot of people wonder if they should start using synthetic oil. There are many benefits to synthetic oil over regular oil, including but not limited to higher purity, better resistance to high heat, better viscosity, and being less likely to break-down or turn into sludge. But these advantages may not matter depending upon how you use and maintain your new Tundra.
Author Jason Lancaster has worked in the auto business and with the Toyota Tundra for the better part of a decade. Find more Tundra Info at his website, www.tundraheadquarters.com. Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the Uber tundra info article directory
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