# 2002 Ford F150 - Switch to synthetic

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford\
**Created:** [November 17, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043 "2018-11-17T22:20:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RobertSears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@RobertSears](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RobertSears)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043/1 "2018-11-17T22:20:57Z")

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Hi Ray, some say you should not start using synthetic oil in a high mileage engine that you’ve not used in before. What’s your take on this?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043/2 "2018-11-18T22:29:52Z")

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Here’s what the people who do actual oil analysis have to say on the subject.

> **[Why Expensive Oil Is A Waste Of Money](https://jalopnik.com/why-expensive-oil-is-a-waste-of-money-1797241527)**
>
> Blackstone Labs analyzes the contents of used motor oil to check how well engines wear over time. Earlier this month, the lab used its vast database of used oil analyses to study whether certain oil brands tend to contain more metal wear particles;...

Tester

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**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043/3 "2018-11-18T22:50:10Z")

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Some are repeating an old wive’s tale. There is no problem switching to synthetic. But it is unlikely to provide much benefit, either.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-f150-switch-to-synthetic/129043/4 "2018-11-18T23:02:17Z")

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It mostly depends where you live and whether your car is parked inside or sits outside. In very cold areas synthetic makes starting easier and causes less wear on the engine. In a very hot climate, synthetic does not “thin out” as much and gives you better engine wear.

If you live in Seattle and are a modest driver and don’t tow a trailer, you get as good results with normal mineral oil as with synthetic.

So, the Blackstone report probably took average operating conditions

However, if your car needs a 0W20 oil, synthetic is the only way to go. I don’t know if non-synthetic 0W20 exists, but if it does, it will be an inferior product.