Many of you know that I recently purchased my 03 CL from Carmax. Its time for me to get an oil change. I planned on using Mobil-1 like many of you have said but my father told me that you shouldn't change the type of oil that you use midway through the life of an engine.

The problem is that I dont know what oil the previous user used or what carmax has put in the car. Well it be detrimental to the health of my engine if I begin to use Mobil-1? My car currently has about 42k miles on it.

 

nope...it should not be a problem. also, you only have 42k miles on your car, so your pretty early in the game.

 

yup i agree with moodist.

 

 

This is from this link: http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/whattoknow.asp


Motor Oil Myths and Facts

Myth #4

You can't switch from synthetic oil to conventional oil or vice versa.
You need to start with a synthetic blend for a few oil changes before moving to full synthetic oil.
Once you start using synthetic motor oil you cannot go back to conventional oil.
Synthetic and conventional engine oils can't be mixed, or else they react and cause engine problems.

Fact
As long as the synthetic motor oil product and conventional motor oil product meet the viscosity and performance requirements outlined in the vehicle’s owner’s manual, you may interchange them with each other.


Myth #5

Synthetic oil causes engine leaks.
Synthetic motor oils eat gasket material and cause engines to leak.
Synthetic motor oils affect engine seals and result in excessive oil leakage.
Synthetic oil can’t be used on high-mileage engines.
Synthetic and synthetic blend motor oils cannot be used in older or high-mileage vehicles.

Fact
Synthetic oils do not cause engine oil leaks. Deteriorated and hardened seals and gasket material cause engine oil leaks. If the seals are already leaking with conventional motor oil, they will leak with synthetic oil. If the seals are in good condition, synthetic oils may be used in high-mileage engines.


Myth #6

Engines have to be “broken in” before using synthetic oil.
I need to break in my engine with non-detergent oil.
If I use regular oil or synthetic oil in a new engine, my engine will take longer to break in.

Fact
It was common years ago for engine manufacturers to recommend non-detergent oils for engine break-in. This was when the pistons used cast-iron “square-faced” rings and the rings needed to wear some to “seat” into the engine. With today’s technology of oils and engine manufacturing, engine manufacturers no longer recommend the use of non-detergent oils for the break-in period. In fact, engines today are factory-filled with high quality API SL performance motor oil, which contains high levels of detergents and dispersant additives.

Josh
Excelerate LLC

 

Everyone, thank you for all of your help.

From reading old threads I've come to the conclusion that Mobil-1 0w-20 is the best to use or am I mistaken?

 

If you can easily find/get 0w-20, use it. I use 5w-20, that is all that I can easily get in stores and stuff.

 

I've been using Mobil-1 0W-20 for 30k miles with a Mobil-1 oil filter changed out every 7500 miles.

This isn't exotic, but the oil analyses I've gotten at the end of each change period (Blackstone/Terry Dyson) always show exemplary performance. Wear particles in the oil are all but nonexistent and the analysis always states that the oil could have been used for at least 10000 miles.

There are those that say more exotic oils are better than Mobil-1, but nonexistent wear after each 7500 mile changeout is all that matters to me. Everytime I go to Autozone I always find Mobil-1 0W-20 on the shelf--it's quick and easy to get.