-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Palmer [mailto:rpalmer@ucsd.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 8:02 AM
To: Michael Lane Hobson; Tiger List (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Synthetic Oil
Michael,
Larry has posted a good summary on the question of synthetic oil. As for
additives like Prolong, Duralub, etc., you can fool some of the people some
of the time, but . . .
Check out these links:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9909/prolong.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/9911/prolongcmp.htm
The best you can hope from adding these products to your engine is they
don't do any harm.
So, the answer to your question about Prolong is pretty clear cut; don't use
it. On the other hand, the question of synthetic oils in general is a very
complex one. I might add that, just like non-synthetics, not all synthetics
are created equal. Mobil 1 is highly rated and I would also use Red Line or
Castrol Syntex (which I have been using in my Tiger for five years now). I
am sure there are others that are also good, but just because the oil is
"synthetic" doesn't necessarily make it better. The structure of the oil
itself and the additives are all factors. In general though, an engineered
molecule is going to work better than the mix of molecules found in "dino
oil" as Larry calls it, the refining process notwithstanding. You can search
the Web and come up with a lot of information (some true, some false) on
synthetics. Here's an example:
http://www.mr2.com/TEXT/synth_oil.txt
Note at the end of the article the section on oil filters. A few days ago I
questioned whether an oil filter was really needed in normal engine
operation. Subsequent discussion and consideration has convinced me that it
is. I am not ready to leave my oil in for 25k miles, as is recommended for
synthetics, but perhaps for 12k or 12 months, whichever comes first and a
change of filter (filters in my case) with that too.
Happy motoring,
Bob
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