Semi-synthetic or dinosaur?

Minivan with almost 200,000 miles. 3.0 V6 Voyager. Not smoking which is pretty
good, knock wood.

The dealer is using semi-synthetic Conoco 5W-30 oil. The dealer got it in bulk
so it's being used instead of the much cheaper dinosaur oil.

I could be wrong, but the minivan seems to be using less oil with the
semi-synthetic, which is very pleasing, if it's true. Hard to test because the
dipstick on these cars is a hassle to use. So much so that I made some vinyl
tubing and using it like a pipette to get an accurate reading. And even then
it's up in the air. Others have noticed that this dipstick with bends and what
not seems to pick up extra oil so it's not clear what the actual level is.

In any case, will the semi-synthetic possibly hurt such a mature engine? It's
over 10 years of old and has been used to dinosaur oil.

Any recommendations? I have noticed High Mileage semi-synthetics and dinosaur
oil. I got some Valvoline blended or semi-synthetic to top off. Also some
dinosaur from Walmart's whic had a rating of SM in it's circle, which is pretty
good.

 

Your better to mix your own It only has to be 5% to be classed a blend.
most blends in fact are 5 to 15% tops. Buy 1 quart / liter synthetic
and 4 of regular oil and your blend is 20%?? Superior to name brands blends.
Dodgem
PS Synthetic starts with deno base is more highly refined to make the
molecules constant and has supposedly superior additives!

 

Just about any name-brand oil available today is better in most ways for
your 3.0 than just about any name-brand oil available 5 years ago. If
you're getting it inexpensively and having good results, keep it up.
Remember, "Semi" synthetic oils (or "synthetic blends") can contain *ANY*
percentage of synthetic oil. 1% is enough for the "semi synthetic" or
"synthetic blend" label.

"High mileage engine" oils contain excessive seal-swell additives which
can reduce oil leakage in the short run, but increase it in the long run
(the softened/swollen seals wear much more rapidly).

That's only for use by sadomasochists.

 

Thanks for the information. And the joke.

I gather SM <> SuperMan. Too bad.