Royal Purple Synthetic Oil

[Intrepidation]

My engine has what's known as the "3.x tick". On cold start ups the car will tick. Speeding on the temperature the tick would either go away after a few seconds or last until the engine has fully warmed up (the colder it is the longer the tick lasts). This is considered normal with the 3.2/3.5 motors in the LH cars (possibly the Pacficia as well). However, it annoys the hell out of me, especially when the ticking lasts until the engine has achieved operating temperature. Now that it's getting cold out (anything 50 and below) this happens on a daily basis.

While this is considered normal and doesn't harm the engine (I believe it has something to do with the lifters but I can't remember), I've read on the forums that high quality oils like Mobil 1 Synthetic and Royal Purple Synthetic can reduce or eliminate the noise all together.

Well with the cold weather coming and it being close to due for its first oil change, I decided to make the switch from Castrol GTX High Mileage Oil and a Fram Tough Guard filter (I know now that Frams are junk and will never buy them again) to RP synthetic with an RP filter.

Changing the oil was "fun", as the oil filter in the 3.5 is in a hard to get place. However now that I know where it is and have done it, should be easy next time.

The next morning it was in the lower 40's. I started the car up and...no tick at all, not even for the usual second or so it does it on warm days. This morning it was in the upper 20's after the snow. Started the car up and the tick was there just for s split second and then was gone.

That right there is proof enough for me that this oil is far superior to convectional oil's lubricating properties. Excellent product. The Prizm has been running it for nearly 3k and has been quieter running with the oil than it was with the dino juice.

I'ms old, Royal Purple for my cars from now on.

[Drew Dowdell]

I think you can save a bit of money and just go with the Mobile One and a purolator Pure One.

[Intrepidation]

Both are good products, I'll probably stick to the oil, but I may go with Purolator Pure One filter. I wanted to give RP's filter a try.

[A Horse With No Name]

I agree with oldsmoboi, you can save $ with Mobil 1. Running Mobil 1 in both of my cars...major upgrade in performance over the dino stuff.

Chris

[Justin Bimmer]

I just put Sinpower (Valvoline) in two of my cars today and Mobil 1 in the Cadillac.

[A Horse With No Name]

Let us know how you like the Mobil 1 in the Cadillac.

Chris

[Justin Bimmer]

Let us know how you like the Mobil 1 in the Cadillac.

Chris

It works fine. Have been using Mobil 1 in the Cad (06 STS 3.6) since we bought it.

[frogger]

Mobil 1 used to be a premium full synthetic like Royal Purple is still today.. But I'm not sure RP is worth it over the regular synthetics like Mobil 1, Penzoil Platinum, Synpower etc for non-tracked cars.

Edited December 12, 2009 by frogger

[Croc]

Question...if I were to switch to synthetic, what (if anything) would I have to do in changing out the oil? Are there any issues with switching to synthetic in a 10 year old car?

[A Horse With No Name]

None...and I've noticed a difference in every car I've ever done it with...usually starts running a little better right away.

But do yourself a favor and get a better filter than a FRAM.

Chris

[ShadowDog]

I like Mobil 1, particularly for OHV engines where so many components are so far away from where gravity tends to take oil. The 3.4L DOHC in the Monte Carlo was notorious for lifter tick at startup. Just as DF stated for his car, mine would go away after the engine warmed when started in cold weather. Synthetic oil reduced lifter tick to about two-to-three seconds and everything smoothed out. The only noticeable difference on the road was always related to cold weather starts. The oil also helped put my mind to ease with regard to the 30 second wait time after a cold start to get the oil circulating.

I've been tracking the oil changes in the high mileage vehicles at work. I went from Mobil 1 on one truck to a store-brand synthetic that is made by Shell (which is basically the same as Pennzoil Platinum). So far, there has been no noticeable difference between them in that they both perform better than dino oil for cold starts and appear to have the same solid contaminant qualities at change time. A 4.4 Litre jug of Mobil 1 goes for around $43 CDN ($35 on sale) while the store-brand synthetic goes for around $30 CDN ($17 on sale at last purchase - $20 otherwise). I figured that if it's better than dino, it might as well be good in the grocery-getter or work truck. For the price of Mobil 1, I'm not exactly driving a high-dollar race car to worry that much more about subtle additional benefits.

[Drew Dowdell]

None...and I've noticed a difference in every car I've ever done it with...usually starts running a little better right away.

But do yourself a favor and get a better filter than a FRAM.

Chris

This is a great older thread that compares the quality of oil filters on the market. It basically convinced me to go with the Purolater PureOne.

[Intrepidation]

Question...if I were to switch to synthetic, what (if anything) would I have to do in changing out the oil? Are there any issues with switching to synthetic in a 10 year old car?

Just use a high quality oil filter, drain as much of the oil oil out as you can (what you do anyway), and just keep an extra close eye on the oil level on the first change). I converted both the 196,000 mile Prizm and the 125,000 mile engine in the Intrepid without issue, only improvement.

None...and I've noticed a difference in every car I've ever done it with...usually starts running a little better right away.

But do yourself a favor and get a better filter than a FRAM.

Chris

Couldn't agree more.

I like Mobil 1, particularly for OHV engines where so many components are so far away from where gravity tends to take oil. The 3.4L DOHC in the Monte Carlo was notorious for lifter tick at startup. Just as DF stated for his car, mine would go away after the engine warmed when started in cold weather. Synthetic oil reduced lifter tick to about two-to-three seconds and everything smoothed out. The only noticeable difference on the road was always related to cold weather starts. The oil also helped put my mind to ease with regard to the 30 second wait time after a cold start to get the oil circulating.

I've been tracking the oil changes in the high mileage vehicles at work. I went from Mobil 1 on one truck to a store-brand synthetic that is made by Shell (which is basically the same as Pennzoil Platinum). So far, there has been no noticeable difference between them in that they both perform better than dino oil for cold starts and appear to have the same solid contaminant qualities at change time. A 4.4 Litre jug of Mobil 1 goes for around $43 CDN ($35 on sale) while the store-brand synthetic goes for around $30 CDN ($17 on sale at last purchase - $20 otherwise). I figured that if it's better than dino, it might as well be good in the grocery-getter or work truck. For the price of Mobil 1, I'm not exactly driving a high-dollar race car to worry that much more about subtle additional benefits.

Yep, its lifter tick with the 3.x engines as well. I think there's actually a TSB on the 3.5s in the Pacifica for it, dunno about Intrepids. On cold days like its been lately (in the 20's), the tick is literally gone by the time the rpms drop to idle after you start it...so less than a second. When its in 45 or above there's no tick at all. Before when it was below 50 that tick would last until the engine fully achieved operating temp. Annoyed the crap out of me.

One of the keys besides superior lubrication is that oil filters like the Purolater PureOne and Royal Purple filters is that they have an Anti-drain Back Valve which keeps oil in the top end of the engine, so when you start the car oil is already there and not having to flow back into the top end, which of course is much better for the engine.

This is a great older thread that compares the quality of oil filters on the market. It basically convinced me to go with the Purolater PureOne.

Yep that thread along with countless other posts about Frams being junk convinced me to never use Fram again. I used to buy Frams because I thought they were good...boy oh boy was I wrong. Never again.

[Justin Bimmer]

Synthetic oil tends to find places to "drip" out of the engine easier than conventional oil. If your car doesn't drip after you change over then you are cool.

[Nick]

I use Mobil 1 in the bimmer and it has been great...speaking of which, I think I am well overdue for an oil change...been kind of neglecting that lately. As a side note I use Motul in the bike...not that it really applies here. RP is good, but as most have been saying, it probably doesn't offer any benefit over Mobil 1, and it will cost you more.

Question...if I were to switch to synthetic, what (if anything) would I have to do in changing out the oil? Are there any issues with switching to synthetic in a 10 year old car?

As DF mentioned, just drain your oil pretty well. Let a drip pan sit underneath of the car for a while until you see it stop dripping, then just continue on with the oil change, and fill it with the synthetic. You don't have to worry about it too much. There isn't any science or technique or anything to watch out for or be cautious of. Whatever dino oil was left in there will be gone the next time you change your oil.

If you wanted to be sure it is clean (and do a favor for your engine at the same time) you could always just throw some seafoam in there.

[Intrepidation]

With the Intrepid's first run of synthetic I'm running a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil. I didn't with the Prizm but I think I will on its next change.

[Croc]

Believe it or not, I don't change my own oil. I don't really have the facilities to do so, and my Aurora requires that it be perfectly level or angled downward toward the front due to the location of the drain. Stupid. I was just asking because my 100k is coming up really soon, and I wanted to switch without sounding like a fool at the mechanic shop--I don't want to come off as a stupid upstart.

[Intrepidation]

The mech may try to tell you that switching to synthetic at high miles can be bad, cause leaks etc. (common myths). So long as your engine has been well maintained there won't be a problem, and if there's an issue like that then oil is the least of a person's concerns.

Just make sure that he does cheap out on the filter.

[ShadowDog]

Synthetic oil tends to find places to "drip" out of the engine easier than conventional oil. If your car doesn't drip after you change over then you are cool.

This tends to be a problem only if existing seals have deteriorated. I tend to be more concerned about the carbon deposits of dino oil being left around the seals to block oil from seeping in the first place.

[Intrepidation]

Right, if you've got leaking seals you have bigger issues to be concerned about than the type of oil you're using.

[daves87rs]

I think you can save a bit of money and just go with the Mobile One and a purolator Pure One.

I'll agree with this.

I think pretty much any synthetic will help. Heck, I'm running 3 different synthetics right now.....

[Justin Bimmer]

and PureOne = Bosch filter because stores appear to carry one or the other.

[daves87rs]

Ah, I find that the AC Delcos work just fine....

[Intrepidation]

Fiber end caps and plastic tube sounds like extreme cost cutting. No thanks.