3k vs 5k Synthetic OCI

[picklyrickly1073]

So on my new 2022 1.5t Honda I’ve been doing 5k intervals for now. Factory fill dumped at 5k and have been using M1 AFE (most recently at 20,332) and bought up a bunch of M1 EP (it was on sale and hardly more expensive than AFE) since the wife also has a 2023 1.5t CRV. My understanding is the EP is a solid oil, but both cars being DI and Turbocharged I don’t plan to change the oil any less frequently than 5k.

Then was watching a few videos and saw a few people mention 3k intervals just due to the fact that even though the oil may be designed to last up to 20k or whatever, it is still getting contaminated and holding those contaminants for the length of the OCI. This got me thinking whether maybe I should dump the EP at 3k miles just to have clean oil

Is there any reason to do this, or not to? Each oil change costs me $26 so in my case going from doing 3 a year to roughly 5 isn’t going to really break me financially, but if there is absolutely no benefit then I’d love to use the time for family or fun instead.

I haven’t done any UOA and at this time don’t plan to. Fuel Dilution is obviously a concern but both of the cars drain out the same quantity I put in, so dilution is either not present of very minimal and offset by slight oil consumption though I doubt two newer cars would just so happen to burn oil at the same rate they dilute, considering my drives are long and steady (good anti-dilution) and the wife’s are short and sweet (5-10 mins to get to the highway and on that highway for about 10 mins)

TLDR: is there any benefit or merit to changing M1 EP at 3k miles on a DI Turbo engine compared to running it for 5k?

 

[WobblyElvis]

Everyone will have a different opinion.
Mine.....looking at how they are driven, I'd use supertech synthetic for 7,000 miles.
Maybe longer.

 

[Eddie]

I would follow your manufactures recommendation. Without several UOAs at various drain intervals you are guessing. Ed

 

[picklyrickly1073]

I would follow your manufactures recommendation.

I am not going to stretch them out to 10k miles, this is not a lease

 

[kschachn]

So on my new 2022 1.5t Honda I’ve been doing 5k intervals for now. Factory fill dumped at 5k and have been using M1 AFE (most recently at 20,332) and bought up a bunch of M1 EP (it was on sale and hardly more expensive than AFE) since the wife also has a 2023 1.5t CRV. My understanding is the EP is a solid oil, but both cars being DI and Turbocharged I don’t plan to change the oil any less frequently than 5k.

Then was watching a few videos and saw a few people mention 3k intervals just due to the fact that even though the oil may be designed to last up to 20k or whatever, it is still getting contaminated and holding those contaminants for the length of the OCI. This got me thinking whether maybe I should dump the EP at 3k miles just to have clean oil

Is there any reason to do this, or not to? Each oil change costs me $26 so in my case going from doing 3 a year to roughly 5 isn’t going to really break me financially, but if there is absolutely no benefit then I’d love to use the time for family or fun instead.

I haven’t done any UOA and at this time don’t plan to. Fuel Dilution is obviously a concern but both of the cars drain out the same quantity I put in, so dilution is either not present of very minimal and offset by slight oil consumption though I doubt two newer cars would just so happen to burn oil at the same rate they dilute, considering my drives are long and steady (good anti-dilution) and the wife’s are short and sweet (5-10 mins to get to the highway and on that highway for about 10 mins)

TLDR: is there any benefit or merit to changing M1 EP at 3k miles on a DI Turbo engine compared to running it for 5k?

Contaminated with what? That's an ambiguous term, kind of like "toxins". What contaminates are requiring an oil to be changed at 3K instead of 5K?

And this is what, the third or fourth time you've said you don't have fuel dilution because you drain out the same amount. Several people have pointed out the fallacy in that approach. At this time you simply do not know how much dilution you may have.

 

[Astro14]

Are you going to listen to what other folks are saying?

Or are you going to go the “feel good” route and change it at some interval that a YouTuber recommended?

One method makes sense. The other hurts nothing, well, except your wallet.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Contaminated with what? That's an ambiguous term, kind of like "toxins". What contaminates are requiring an oil to be changed at 3K instead of 5K?

And this is what, the third or fourth time you've said you don't have fuel dilution because you drain out the same amount. Several people have pointed out the fallacy in that approach. At this time you simply do not know how much dilution you may have.

I’m glad you’re keeping mental track of my posts

Are you going to listen to what other folks are saying?

Or are you going to go the “feel good” route and change it at some interval that a YouTuber recommended?

One method makes sense. The other hurts nothing, well, except your wallet.

Some of these random YouTubers happen to be engineers and mechanics. But what are other folks saying? Only 2 people here have actually given real advice or opinion

 

[kschachn]

I’m glad you’re keeping mental track of my posts

Yes, the repetitive posts that don't actually answer questions. Quite seriously though, you need to find out if you actually have dilution and how bad, or if it doesn't exist at all.

And my comment about those contaminates - that's important. If the reference material you're mentioning doesn't lay this out then it should be ignored. Lots of people have lots of imaginary problems with their oil or the engine. Pay attention to details and if they are missing, then there's little reason to be concerned.

 

[demarpaint]

I haven’t done any UOA and at this time don’t plan to.

IMO that's a mistake. I'd spend the money on a UOA or two and base my OCI on that, and not base it on someone's video. The data you get will be applicable to your vehicle/vehicles, not the car/cars from a YouTube video/videos.

 

[BrendanC]

So on my new 2022 1.5t Honda I’ve been doing 5k intervals for now. Factory fill dumped at 5k and have been using M1 AFE (most recently at 20,332) and bought up a bunch of M1 EP (it was on sale and hardly more expensive than AFE) since the wife also has a 2023 1.5t CRV. My understanding is the EP is a solid oil, but both cars being DI and Turbocharged I don’t plan to change the oil any less frequently than 5k.

Then was watching a few videos and saw a few people mention 3k intervals just due to the fact that even though the oil may be designed to last up to 20k or whatever, it is still getting contaminated and holding those contaminants for the length of the OCI. This got me thinking whether maybe I should dump the EP at 3k miles just to have clean oil

Is there any reason to do this, or not to? Each oil change costs me $26 so in my case going from doing 3 a year to roughly 5 isn’t going to really break me financially, but if there is absolutely no benefit then I’d love to use the time for family or fun instead.

I haven’t done any UOA and at this time don’t plan to. Fuel Dilution is obviously a concern but both of the cars drain out the same quantity I put in, so dilution is either not present of very minimal and offset by slight oil consumption though I doubt two newer cars would just so happen to burn oil at the same rate they dilute, considering my drives are long and steady (good anti-dilution) and the wife’s are short and sweet (5-10 mins to get to the highway and on that highway for about 10 mins)

TLDR: is there any benefit or merit to changing M1 EP at 3k miles on a DI Turbo engine compared to running it for 5k?

i would try a 5k interval and send a sample off to oil analyzers/wear check etc. you’ll then have rock solid data on whether or not you have fuel dilution issues and can make an educated decision from there. based on the report maybe 7k OCI OR 3K OCI based on the findings.

 

[Astro14]

That’s enough bickering. @picklyrickly1073 - keep the post on your question, what oil change interval for your new car, instead of going after other people.

 

[kschachn]

Some of these random YouTubers happen to be engineers and mechanics. But what are other folks saying? Only 2 people here have actually given real advice or opinion

Yes, get a reliable UOA that actually measures fuel dilution.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I would simply change it every 3k and leave the filter on, change oil and filter at 10k. So, essentially every 3,333 mi give or take.

What I do on mine is drive it, check it once a week cold and top off if need be. Granted I have almost 350k miles; if I get bored I suck out a quart or two between 60-40% MM and run it and continue to top off.

I see you got around 20k miles on it. How do you like it?

 

[picklyrickly1073]

I would simply change it every 3k and leave the filter on, change oil and filter at 10k. So, essentially every 3,333 mi give or take.

What I do on mine is drive it, check it once a week cold and top of if need be. Granted I have almost 350k miles; if I get bored I duck out a quart or two between 60-40% MM and run it and continue to top off.

I see you got around 20k miles on it. How do you like it?

Love the car aside from a few interior noises. Getting over EPA ratings on MPG too. It’s a civic sport touring, very nice car. Wife’s CRV is just a tall civic so equally nice and IMO plenty of power

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Yes, get a reliable UOA that actually measures fuel dilution.

What’s a good lab? My other post disappeared

 

[racer12306]

Oil Analyzers gives good reports.

Do not use Blackstone if you're concerned about accurate fuel dilution.


Is this the engine that dilutes like crazy on 87 but tends to dilute less with higher octane? I think I read something about that somewhere, probably here, but don't know anything about the engine personally.

 

[TomYoung]

So on my new 2022 1.5t Honda I’ve been doing 5k intervals for now. Factory fill dumped at 5k and have been using M1 AFE (most recently at 20,332) and bought up a bunch of M1 EP (it was on sale and hardly more expensive than AFE) since the wife also has a 2023 1.5t CRV. My understanding is the EP is a solid oil, but both cars being DI and Turbocharged I don’t plan to change the oil any less frequently than 5k.

Then was watching a few videos and saw a few people mention 3k intervals just due to the fact that even though the oil may be designed to last up to 20k or whatever, it is still getting contaminated and holding those contaminants for the length of the OCI. This got me thinking whether maybe I should dump the EP at 3k miles just to have clean oil

Is there any reason to do this, or not to? Each oil change costs me $26 so in my case going from doing 3 a year to roughly 5 isn’t going to really break me financially, but if there is absolutely no benefit then I’d love to use the time for family or fun instead.

I haven’t done any UOA and at this time don’t plan to. Fuel Dilution is obviously a concern but both of the cars drain out the same quantity I put in, so dilution is either not present of very minimal and offset by slight oil consumption though I doubt two newer cars would just so happen to burn oil at the same rate they dilute, considering my drives are long and steady (good anti-dilution) and the wife’s are short and sweet (5-10 mins to get to the highway and on that highway for about 10 mins)

TLDR: is there any benefit or merit to changing M1 EP at 3k miles on a DI Turbo engine compared to running it for 5k?

I think that even for these cars and this engine, you are doing more than you need with a 5k interval and your very respectable oil choice. As others have mentioned, the question of dilution can be answered definitively by practically any UOA. The likelihood of an actionable fuel dilution level at 5k is low, but with a UOA you’d know. The idea of a 3k oil change is not likely to provide any benefit. On the topic of these 1.5t engines, you see plenty of CRVs and Civics on the road, but have yet to see or hear of one breaking down or getting a new engine because of fuel dilution failure. I think that the real world is probably telling us that even at factory OCIs, the engines tolerate an amount of fuel dilution.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Oil Analyzers gives good reports.

Do not use Blackstone if you're concerned about accurate fuel dilution.


Is this the engine that dilutes like crazy on 87 but tends to dilute less with higher octane? I think I read something about that somewhere, probably here, but don't know anything about the engine personally.

That is a very common generalization, yes. Thanks for the lab suggestion

 

[ZZman]

5,000 is reasonable and easy to remember too.

 

[BISCUT]

As others have indicated you need to find out about fuel dilution. Honda's had some issues with fuel dilution and the only way to truly know is a UOA. Your engine is broken in so I would run a 5k OCI and get the UOA and let that guide your final determination. High probability Mobil 1 EP at 5k will more than suffice. But the UOA will confirm.

I'd stay away from the youtubers and online wacks. Some people are rather convincing even when they are wrong.