[Kris]

I am considering switching to synthetic oil. It seems that everybody is talking about Mobil 1 SuperSyn. I found recently AMSOIL who claims that their synthetic oil is superior and needs to be changed only every 25,000 miles or once a year. For me even 5,000 miles would be OK however, I am looking for superior oil performance in terms of engine wear, lubrication properties, antioxidants etc.

Anybody out there with experience regarding the above.

Happy MO-ing!

 

[Doombringer]

I've heard the same. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either oil. If you can get at least double the mileage of conventional oil out of one synthetic change, then you've saved money (and time).

Mobil 1 is supposedly factory-fill for a lot of high end automobiles, sportcars and luxury cars. All those auto makers can't be wrong

Anyone know anything about AMSOIL?

 

[lnichols]

Back on the VW boards their were people who swore by Amsoil, and some by Mobil 1. I think on the VW though it was discovered that Mobil 1 did not meet one of the VW specs for oil. May have been that Mobil 1 just hadn't got around to testing the new specs. Just verify what specs Nissan says the oil must meet, verify that the synthetic you choose meets those specs and use it.

From the manual Nissan recommends the use of low friction oil for fuel economy. It also states to only use oils with the American Petroleum Institute certification on the label. But is also says that Nissan recommends mineral based oils (I think this is just so you can't go as long between oil changes). I don't think I have seen any manufacturer recommend synthetic for a non-turbo or sc car though.

In the end it just comes down to personal preference and what you have used. The old Coke vs. Pepsi debate.

 

[Kris]

Thanks for the information.

Yes, the filter can be a limiting factor. However, i am not looking at extending oil life up to 20K miles! 5K will do. So in that case i am confident a "conventional" filter will do the job.

If synthetic oil prevents wear etc. and is longer lasting chemically it means filter does not have to filter so many particles. Or does it?

 

[lnichols]

I will probably switch to the 7500 mile change interval when/if I switch to synthetic. Nissan has this interval in the manual and I don't know that you would economically get the full bennifits of synthetic if you change at every 5000. Since the Murano is normally aspirated and the 3.5L is not wound out for ultra high performance 7500 is not pushing the limits.

 

[Kris]

If i used Mobil 1 SuperSyn what filter would you recommend. Should i give the dealer both the oil and the filter or just oil.

 

[Enforcer]

AMSOIL is good stuff. Don't know if it still is, but it used to be the only MIL-SPEC oil.

 

[lnichols]

For the Oil Filter I would go pick up the Nissan one from the parts dept. From what I have heard, the manufacturer filters are usually of higher quality than the aftermarket ones. Plus the dealer can't try and pull some BS for warranty work by saying "that was caused by that aftermarket filter", sometimes those guys will find any excuse to not cover work.

 

[Kris]

Thanks everybody.

My next oil change will be sync. I will keep you posted on milage increase etc.

 

[Dookie]

I may be replying late in the game, but I use Amsoil. I change it every 6k miles and use an Amsoil oil and air filter as well. The oil filter part number is SDF57...(off the top of my head....don't quote me.)

 

[Kris]

what about the air filter?

 

[buck]

synthetic vs dino oil

Synthetc is is great oil for our winter in Western Canada as it flows well in extreme cold. Switching to synthetic in high miler cars ('98 Regal GS and '93 Jeep) caused serious leakage in valve cover and oil pan gaskets which stopped after changing to a mineral based "high mileage" oil. Has anyone noticed gasket leakage in a Murano using synthetic?

 

[Kris]

I cannot imagine leakage in a new vehicle.........It would not say much about the workmanship...........

 

[Dookie]

The leakage from a high mileage vehicle most likely stems from the synthetic oil cleaning the insides of the motor out upon initial application. When a high mileage vehicle uses dino oil for an extended period of time, sludge builds up around the seals, causing them to not be in contact with fresh oil, which in turn, dries them out. As soon as synthetic oil is added, the cleaning detergent properties of synthetic cleans out the sludge/varnish, and exposes the dried-out seals to the synthetic oil.

For a high-mileage vehicle, I would not recommend using synthetic oil. For the Murano, I don't think anyone has racked up over 75,000 miles yet so I wouldn't be concerned too much with this issue. Worst case scenario, if it leaks, take it to the dealer for a warranty claim---there's nothing in the manual that states you can't use synthetic oil.

Let me go look up the air filter part number for the Murano...BRB

 

[Dookie]

Okay I'm back...

The Amsoil air filter part number is TS74. It is a two-stage foam air filter that fits good!

 

[Eric L.]

I'm not sure how Mobil 1 would not meet manufacturers specs, but as long as it has the API star on the bottom of the bottle, and meets the latest motor oil certification (is it SJ, SK, or SL I forget..) then it should be fine. As for the filter, the Nissan OEM filter is excellent, and very inexpensive (about $4).

 

[Kris]

Okay I'm back...

The Amsoil air filter part number is TS74. It is a two-stage foam air filter that fits good!

Thanks Dookie,
much appreciated.

 

[Dookie]

Just to let you guys know, if you become a Preferred Customer of Amsoil ($20/year), the 5W-30 is $4.55/bottle, and the SDF57 oil filter is $7.25. Note that the Amsoil filter is one of the best, if not the best, filters out there as well.

I used to use Mobil 1, but decided to use Amsoil partly because of cost, let alone the better specs the oil has on wear test and others of the same nature.

The biggest reason why I decided to switch was when I had my '02 Acura RSX Type S, M1 was consumed at a much higher rate than what Amsoil did. (Noack Volitility)

 

[Dookie]

Thanks Dookie,
much appreciated.

No problem. If you want to try Amsoil out, let me know and I'll tell you where the nearest warehouse is to you...

 

[Kris]

Thanks,

just ordered on line. Should receive it in 7 days.