Hi Guys:
My daughter's 00 S40 just turned 41K miles.The cold weather prevented me from changing the oil in the car. I took it with my Volvo oil filter to one of these 10 min oil change places. The guy there told me the oil was very dark and that I should have the engine flushed. Also that I should change from the conventional 10W30 oil to synthetic .
Is it advisable to have the engine flushed? Should I change to synthetic oil?
Tks
--
00 S40 40K,90 740 152k ,87 740 340K and 80 240 265K both gone but not forgotten

Oil flush at 10 min places is a scam. Don't believe anything they say. You do a solvet flush if you have had sugar in the gas or the engine filled with water.

If the oil looks bad then replace it, drive for a few hundred miles and repalce it again. Check the PCV system every year.

Well, oil does get dark, but if you've changed the oil regularly, there is really no need for a flush at that low mileage.

Far as changing to synthetic oil, absolutely one of the best moves you could make.
I'm biased, since I've been using and selling AMSOIL synthetics for over 25 years, but a good synthetic provides far superior protection against wear and longer drain intervals.

I have read here that soem people with higher milage cars experience leaks after switching to synthetic. I didn't think that sounded plausible until somone pointed out that the sythetic oil is thinner, and perhaps seeps through older seals faster. It could also be that it is a coincidence, however after readin a number of accounts here of leaks springing up within weeks of switching, I am scared off.

Since I bought my car a few weeks ago and it's had dino in it for years, I think I will just keep going with that. After all, if it is not broken...

Now if I had bought a new car I'd be putting synthetic in it for sure.

I've also been told to make SURE to use the Volvo (Mann) oil filters because they are far superior to Fram ro whatever the local 10 minute place puts in your car. The filter and change frequency is probably more important. I'm buying a case of Volvo oil filters and when I do have to go to the local 10 minute lube shop I'll hand them one and say use this!

Another urban legend that is bunk. The synthetic is the same viscosity as the non-synthetic. Yes, it will flow at lower temperatures, but it doesn't attack any gasket or seals. If there is gunk fill pre-existing holes, then synthetic, or another brand of non-synthetic, can remove the buildup and you'll find the holes.

You'll get good results using a decent non-synthetic and changing relatively often.

However if you do a search on the subject on this forum, you'll find a large number of cases where leaks developed within a month or 2 of switching to syth, so is it just coincidence? It seems like a frequent occurrence.