[T-Sportage]

I went for a 10,000 mile oil change today and had them use synthetic oil. My mechanic uses Kendall. I've heard good things about using synthetic oils over regular oil. What is your preference and why? Have you noticed a difference? Would it be ok to change between different brands of synthetic oils? Enlighten me

 

[twinscroll]

Changing brands is fine.

You won't notice a difference, unless you use the wrong or poor-quality oil, which you may notice in many years as sludge in the engine.

Synthetic is quantifiably better than regular oil; if you have the money to spend, it's great. While practically necessary for the turbo SX (turbos reach high temperatures), LX will be fine with conventional oils.

There's a few threads here on the subject

 

[T-Sportage]

^^ thanks twinscroll.

i tried the search function but got a lot of threads about oil but not synthetic specifically. ok, so once you start with synthetic do you have to keep using it or can you switch back to regular oil (i've heard that you have to stick with synthetic). also, i thought with synthetic oil you can go twice as long before needing another oil change, truth or lie?

 

[The Sage]

I use synthetic. You can go longer between changes. I change it every 7500.

 

[twinscroll]

You can potentially drive further with synthetic oil, since it is more stable. That said, sticking with maintenance guidelines is better, removing contaminants. Oil is less about performance, and more about longevity & reliability.

You don't need to stick with synthetic oil. You can even blend different brands of conventional with synthetic oil, although I personally don't like the thought of a chemistry experiment in my engine. If you're concerned about sludge (oil cooking or reacting to form deposits), sticking with synthetic could extend engine life further versus using conventional occasionally.

There's a lot of myths about oil, and it's better to not mention them. Basically, use the specified oil grade, change the oil as recommended, change the oil filter every time, synthetic is better but not necessary, and oil additives can be damaging.

I change the oil while the engine is hot, so it drains better. Some people believe thicker oil will carry contaminants out, but I believe flow works better. I also add a can of light oil (eg. seafoam) before changing the oil, to thin it as an oil-based solvent; I've seen light oil flush filth from an engine, but some people disagree so it's in this "probably" paragraph.

The search doesn't work well for me either. I use Google's site search.

 

[SneakyMe]

I have an SX and personally use synthetic. I also agree 100% with Twinscroll. He's basically told you everything a "normal everyday driver" needs to know about oil ;-) Which includes me so thx for the refresher...

My local Kia service center allows me to bring in my own 5 US quarts so I can pick what I want to use vs. getting stuck with whatever stuff they use. I just pay them for the filter and the tiny bit of labor. I save money on the synth since I buy it in bulk online. Not a bad idea to look into if you want to continue using synth and not break the bank.

As for brand: Again, as Twinscroll said, there's tons of threads on that here. I read just about all I could find and have stuck with Mobil 1 fully synthetic. But, I've read about a few that are basically the same quality and a bit cheaper per quart. So, may go with those in the future to save some extra cash.

Even though the warranty/manual says you can use conventional oil for both turbo and non-turbo Sportages, I like synth as I feel I'm really helping my motor run better and cleaner plus hopefully adding a few years to its life...

 

[twinscroll]

Thanks for the vote SneakyMe.

For brands, anything certified should be sufficient. In another thread I posted this PDF link (still works) of a review I have that did actual testing. I save data like that because the experiments approximate real-world conditions, and remind us it's still a science and not magic. In their test, Mobil1 was middling, but I still use it often, as well as RP. Oil weights varied a little, and they didn't test for temperature or inside engines, but they really tried.

I go to small oil-change shops. I've heard horror stories, but I've had no issues. My local dealerships all overcharge, and the small shop employees seem to love it when I watch and help. I should bring oil with me too.

I'm trying to think of anything else I could add. Turbocharged, or in a classic heirloom-type car, I'd be paranoid about oil. Otherwise, as long as the filter takes clumps out and lets oil through, and as long as there's enough oil and its approximately as oily as it originally was, and it's certified and rated to flow at local temperatures, I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[SneakyMe]

Yeah, that's why when I order more oil tonight on Amazon.com I'll probably be switching from Mobil 1. It's not cheap and "middle of the road" performance makes me not want to buy it.

Amazon pro-tip: they have certain items which are "subscribe and save" eligible. This means that you setup a subscription (no commitment/cancel anytime) and save up to 15% additional on top of their already competitive price. Saves a few extra bucks and doesn't cost anything as mentioned. They just hope you forget about it so they can keep sending you more stuff monthly/quarterly

 

[cloud9utk]

Thanks for the vote SneakyMe.

For brands, anything certified should be sufficient. In another thread I posted this PDF link (still works) of a review I have that did actual testing. I save data like that because the experiments approximate real-world conditions, and remind us it's still a science and not magic. In their test, Mobil1 was middling, but I still use it often, as well as RP. Oil weights varied a little, and they didn't test for temperature or inside engines, but they really tried.

I go to small oil-change shops. I've heard horror stories, but I've had no issues. My local dealerships all overcharge, and the small shop employees seem to love it when I watch and help. I should bring oil with me too.

I'm trying to think of anything else I could add. Turbocharged, or in a classic heirloom-type car, I'd be paranoid about oil. Otherwise, as long as the filter takes clumps out and lets oil through, and as long as there's enough oil and its approximately as oily as it originally was, and it's certified and rated to flow at local temperatures, I wouldn't be too concerned.

I dunno about you guys, but based on that article, i'm glad i have only used Royal Purple 5w-30 and will keep using it every 10k miles. Since it seems that they believe that the "Synerlec" does something, i hope it does it's thing on my turbo and top end! Hell i'm thinking about using it in my motorcycle to help it keep lasting.

 

[r1concepts]

I would suggest using Mobil 1 or Royal Purple! I would spend more money for better quality and product. So you can't go wrong with Synthetic oil.

 

[SneakyMe]

I ended up buying 2 cases (6 quarts per case) of Pennzoil Ultra 5W-40. I've read good things and will stick with that for now. Not super expensive online and at Walmart so I feel it's a good choice.

Walmart doesn't seem to sell 5W-40 so will just use what they do stock (5W-30) if I need to buy more. Either way, seems better rated than Mobil 1 and others (at least from the propaganda I've read...hehe).

 

[sportage13]

I would suggest using Mobil 1 or Royal Purple! I would spend more money for better quality and product. So you can't go wrong with Synthetic oil.

Agree

I will also switch from Castrol oil to Mobil 1, I guess Mobil 1 is the best and fits the HOT weather in Saudi Arabia

 

[AzSX]

I too have the SX turbo and use synthetic. It's hot here in AZ and turbos run hot so taking no chances. Almost everything I've read shows synthetics perform better although there is still some debate.

 

[xylene]

Mobil 1 5W-30 with Kia filters (of course)

 

[api5471]

Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic 10w-30 also with Kia filters.
I have used this for years in my other cars in the past

 

[FABIAN4]

I use synthetic. You can go longer between changes. I change it every 7500.

Personally I wouldn't go over 5,000miles that's how I feel with synthetic. Don't forget also if you run the engine harder it's a good idea to change the oil more frequently. Ya can prob go even let's say 10,000miles on synthetic but I feel more comfortable changing my oil which is synthetic at 4,000miles and let's face it, it's cheaper to by synthetic oil than a new motor. That's just how I feel!

 

[cloud9utk]

Personally I wouldn't go over 5,000miles that's how I feel with synthetic. Don't forget also if you run the engine harder it's a good idea to change the oil more frequently. Ya can prob go even let's say 10,000miles on synthetic but I feel more comfortable changing my oil which is synthetic at 4,000miles and let's face it, it's cheaper to by synthetic oil than a new motor. That's just how I feel!

i run 10,000 mile intervals for oil change. it's also the perfect time to rotate the tires, pour in a bottle of Techron, and replace the cabin air filter. I use Royal Purple 5w-30 and factory filters. I check the oil level throughout and verify the integrity by smelling it. If it smells burned up or heavily of gas, i would probably change it, but that hasn't happened yet.

Most of the miles that are driven on it are interstate so far, so probably a minimal amount of start up/shut down and stop and go traffic. I also run it in ECO mode 95% and try to keep my mpg above 26. This results in the engine not being revved high and the turbo pressure is limited. That being said, there are times where i drive it harder and engine brake for fun. I mean, i didn't spend the extra money to get the turbo just for the fancy T-GDI badge.

I really trust RP products and believe the make a great oil. They are one of the few FULLY synthetic "synthetic" oils in the US market. Mobil et al use a refined base oil and add synthetic additives to it. It is a good product, but not as good as RP. I also believe their proprietary additive, Synerlec, provides an advantage on wear prevention over other "synthetics".

PS: i do not work for RP, i am just a fan of their products.

 

[WD Pro]

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