Oil Changes -
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 351
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From: Wisconsin
But I'm sure some (honda/toyota) driver out there has gone 100k and 6 years without changing thier oil and their car is probably still running.
If it's mostly short trips where the engine never gets to spend much/any time at operating temp (like you just drive 5 miles each way to work and back plus the occasional 1-2 mile trip to the store) then you should probably change it every 3 months regardless of miles, and use the cheapest stuff you can find of the proper weight.... that's the very essence of severe-duty driving and it's very hard on oil.
If it's more like you take one 100 mile round trip a week or something then changing once a year with a decent synthetic would be the way to go and should give you no trouble at all.
If it's more like you take one 100 mile round trip a week or something then changing once a year with a decent synthetic would be the way to go and should give you no trouble at all.
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: MD
(pic of the bottle: http://twitpic.com/5an6ht )
But I'm not familiar with that. I know with my UOA (discussion starts here and goes til the posts up until early this morning ending with Kurtz's comments) that I can push 12k on my regular mobil 1 as long as I change the filter along the way
Question, do I change my oil frequently enough or no? I use either Valvoline SynPower 5w-30 or Mobil 1 5w-30 to change my oil every 6 months, beginning of Spring and Fall. I drive about 5000 miles a year. My commute to and from school is about 25 miles a day. Then there's the occasional times I drive a mile or so to the store.
I agree that its probably excessive but in my head its cheap peace of mind plus I enjoy doing it.
Free is even cheaper.
You're literally pouring money down a drain changing synthetic every 5k in normal driving.
This has been proven over and over and over with every used oil analysis I've ever seen on a 2IS.
In normal (ie non-severe-duty) driving there's no reason whatsoever to change any sooner than 10k miles (and most folks can safely go longer than that.. but UOA is the only way to be sure how much longer)
You're literally pouring money down a drain changing synthetic every 5k in normal driving.
This has been proven over and over and over with every used oil analysis I've ever seen on a 2IS.
In normal (ie non-severe-duty) driving there's no reason whatsoever to change any sooner than 10k miles (and most folks can safely go longer than that.. but UOA is the only way to be sure how much longer)
Question, do I change my oil frequently enough or no? I use either Valvoline SynPower 5w-30 or Mobil 1 5w-30 to change my oil every 6 months, beginning of Spring and Fall. I drive about 5000 miles a year. My commute to and from school is about 25 miles a day. Then there's the occasional times I drive a mile or so to the store.
if that's 25 miles total a day, and it's like a 10 min highway drive each way, you might think about changing every 3 months with cheap oil.
If it's 25 miles each way, or mixed type driving where it takes more like 20+ minutes each way, you're likely fine with what you're doing now (and could probably even be fine with 1/year oil changes given it's only 5k total miles a year).
Mainly the indicator for frequent changes will be if you're only, or primarily, taking short enough trips the engine doesn't get any time to run at operating temp.
UOA will be the only way to know FOR SURE of course.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: GA
Kurtz, can you explain to me how it is hard on oil and your engine it runs through if you only have a 10 minute drive to work twice a day without stop and go traffic? To my knowledge the worst thing on oil is driving in dirty conditions all the time or with a lot of idling and stop and goes where the oil usually stays hotter and burns. Im just interested in the science of your reasoning.
Thanks
Thanks
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Kurtz, can you explain to me how it is hard on oil and your engine it runs through if you only have a 10 minute drive to work twice a day without stop and go traffic? To my knowledge the worst thing on oil is driving in dirty conditions all the time or with a lot of idling and stop and goes where the oil usually stays hotter and burns. Im just interested in the science of your reasoning.
Thanks
Thanks
Not my reasoning, it's pretty common knowledge... never getting to run at operating temp means all the condensation and other contaminants never get to burn off...water and fuel will end up contaminating your oil if you only take short trips.
(I haven't checked, but I'd be surprised if the owners manual doesn't list such driving as one of the "severe duty" conditions that calls for more frequent oil changes)
Some other places that mention this:
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/m...frequency.html
Short-trip driving is indeed severe service and requires frequent oil changes because the oil does not get hot enough to evaporate the water or gasoline contamination that gets in it.
http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/oil-change/#b
or
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/...filter-sensors
or a ton of other folks a quick google will turn up
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
From: CA
sh..t! I got this car for 10 minute trips...
Greetings! I had the best used oil analyses on record with my Mazdaspeed3 and was doing 7-9k intervals, incredible for an engine known to otherwise destroy oil in short order. I used Pennzoil Platinum and since I total'd the Speed, will be using the rest of my PPlat stash on the IS, with my first UOA here in probably another six months. I checked the dipstick the other day w/my first 3k now on it and the oil still looks unused, amazing compared to what I had with the MS3. That's to say, I'm really excited to see how she does! Those of you sold on Mobil1 hype, give Penn Plat a try. It's a tad cheaper and heralded by most in the know over at BITOG to be right up there with the rest of the best!
Also, agreed on the 10k mile OCI's. My Toyota dealership who changed my oil for the first time on the IS actually wrote out 10k miles for my next interval on the reminder sticker! Enjoy!
Also, agreed on the 10k mile OCI's. My Toyota dealership who changed my oil for the first time on the IS actually wrote out 10k miles for my next interval on the reminder sticker! Enjoy!
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: MD
But with oil, with a used oil analysis there's really no arguing what comes back. You said the phrase "cheap peace of mind," But considering the cost of synthetic oil, parts, labor (or if you do it yourself, your own time), it's a pretty decent amount you're unnecessarily losing. If you can push your oil 2-3 times longer than you currently are now you should go for it.
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: MD
Walmart sells Mobile 1 full synthetic in a 5 qt jug for $24.50. I usually buy 3 and change the wifes car and still have some left, (then I only need two the next time).
I usually change mine twice a year with full synthetic, though I am debating on changing to every 9 months or possibly just once a year.
My brother, who is a service manager at a toyota dealer only changes his once a year with the cheap stuff, he is convinced that its all it needs.
I usually change mine twice a year with full synthetic, though I am debating on changing to every 9 months or possibly just once a year.
My brother, who is a service manager at a toyota dealer only changes his once a year with the cheap stuff, he is convinced that its all it needs.
Can someone explain the pros/cons of 0w30 vs. 5w30?
