Synthetic oil....no going back?

[ragingfish]

Is it true if you switch to a synthetic oil from traditional, you can never go back, or it will destroy the engine? My friend said that, and it sounded odd to me...

[esjones]

quote:Is it true if you switch to a synthetic oil from traditional, you can never go back, or it will destroy the engine? My friend said that, and it sounded odd to me...I can't claim first-hand knowledge, but it doesn't make sense that you can't go back. All synthetic oils claim "100% compatibility" with petroleum-based oils, and to me that would have to work both ways. Plus, you can buy synthetic blends with conventional oil, so isn't that what you'd get, in essence, if you switched back to conventional oil, at least for the first oil change?Just working from logic here, and making this up as I go along...

[ragingfish]

That's what I'm thinking...can anyone else confirm that?

[d_m_kolb]

You can go back and further with no adverse effects. Why would you want to go back though?

[NovaResource]

quote:Is it true if you switch to a synthetic oil from traditional, you can never go back, or it will destroy the engine?Not true at all.quote:My friend said that, and it sounded odd to me...Stop listining to that friend when it comes to automotive information.

[ragingfish]

quote:Stop listining to that friend when it comes to automotive information.LOL! Actually, this is the only piece of info he ever gave me...but I know not to go back to him for info. ROFL!

[Cubanpete]

That's BS........You can also mix 1/2 regular and 1/2 synthetic when changing your oil

[MadBill]

Actually, you can buy many brands of "semi synthetic" oil, which is just that: ~50:50 conventional/synthetic mix. No surprise, the price is also halfway between. I guess it's for people who just care a little bit about their engines...