20,000 mile oil & filter

[MDXer]

I typically change the oil and filter in all of my vehicles at 5,000 miles because I have always used either conventional oil or a synthetic blend. I purchased a 2016 Acura MDX with around 68K miles last year. I performed one oil change on it so far using a full synthetic 20,000 mile 0W20 oil and 20,000 mile filter. I had no intentions of going 20,000 mile between oil changes, but the price difference was only a couple of dollars for the oil and filter compared to a lower mileage oil/filter and I figured I could give myself a little longer between oil changes. I'm using full synthetic oil because that is what is recommended for this vehicle.

I don't have much experience going beyond 5,000 or 6,000 miles between oil changes or using higher mileage full synthetic oil. My question is how long are people generally comfortable going between oil changes when using a 20,000 mile oil and filter? I figured I would change it between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. The oil life monitoring system on the MDX just recently indicated a change was needed at around 7,500 miles. My assumption is that monitoring system, at least in part, is based on the owner using the recommended full synthetic oil.

I'm interested in what the scientific and engineering literature says about this, but I don't want to spend hours upon hours researching it. I am hoping some others on this forum have already studied this. I do almost all my own repairs and maintenance on my vehicles, but I'm not an expert on this particular topic.

 

[CharBaby]

5000-6000 miles(depending on how much hiwy driving you do) is fine and changing the oil filter very 2nd oil change is fine as well. If you do mostly hiwy driving, you can go even further. I can’t define “ further”!
If you do mostly or lots of stop & go or city type of driving, stick with 5K-ish miles.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Personally, I’d make it an even 10k OCI with any off the shelf synthetic. That’s a good engine.

 

[dishdude]

7,500-10k on that V6 with full synthetic should be easily doable.

 

[Glenda W.]

This is my daughter’s 2016 RDX 3.5 running Mobil 1 ESP 0w30, 5k oci’s, 125k on the clock. A lot of these have a lot of varnish if pushed to 10k on budget synthetic.

 

[MDXer]

7,500-10k on that V6 with full synthetic should be easily doable.

That's what I'm thinking. And there's really no reason to push it any further than that. The cost difference is minimal. Plus I'm already giving myself a little more time between oil changes on this vehicle compared to my other vehicles (2015 Nissan Armada, 2013 F250, 2007 Honda Odyssey). But I'm thinking of switching to full synthetic on the Armada.

Maybe it's just my age, but it would be difficult for me to go 15K-20K between oil changes. I would have a lot of anxiety about it LOL.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Toyota now specs 10K OCI on pretty much whatever 0W-16 and their pretty basic denso made filter. Not saying that is what I do - but that is what they spec, and as so must have data that will be good enough for most owners. There not trying to get 300K+ miles out of a vehicle either.

Since no filter gets out much under 10um wear particles, and industrial studies show that even particles down to 1um cause wear over time, I like to do 5K OCI. I am sure the oil itself is still good, but all the little particles in it are not to my liking.

 

[MDXer]

Toyota now specs 10K OCI on pretty much whatever 0W-16 and their pretty basic denso made filter. Not saying that is what I do - but that is what they spec, and as so must have data that will be good enough for most owners. There not trying to get 300K+ miles out of a vehicle either.

Since no filter gets out much under 10um wear particles, and industrial studies show that even particles down to 1um cause wear over time, I like to do 5K OCI. I am sure the oil itself is still good, but all the little particles in it are not to my liking.

Good point!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Keep with 5k.
If you want to extend that 20k oil filter to 10k OCIs, that's fine also. Just leave the filter on when you change at the next 5k OCI and run it for 10k

 

[Jetronic]

That's what I'm thinking. And there's really no reason to push it any further than that. The cost difference is minimal. Plus I'm already giving myself a little more time between oil changes on this vehicle compared to my other vehicles (2015 Nissan Armada, 2013 F250, 2007 Honda Odyssey). But I'm thinking of switching to full synthetic on the Armada.

Maybe it's just my age, but it would be difficult for me to go 15K-20K between oil changes. I would have a lot of anxiety about it LOL.

the benefit of running better than required oil and filter is that you're not strictly bound to the oil change interval. Time is not premissive, or the weather is terrible, or you yourself are under the weather come OCI time? Do it next month, or the month after without worry. That's worth a few dollars to me.

 

[ATex7239]

If you don’t want to spend hours reading and researching oil/filters then get an OEM filter and full synthetic oil which meets the required spec and change both by the oil life monitor. Problem solved.

 

[Patman]

The nice thing about the extended life versions is that they generally have a better base oil and are better at keeping the engine clean.

And even though I don’t go beyond 10,000 miles on oil changes in my Civic, I always feel better when I’m running an oil that’s rated for 20,000.

 

[Hohn]

Toyota now specs 10K OCI on pretty much whatever 0W-16 and their pretty basic denso made filter. Not saying that is what I do - but that is what they spec, and as so must have data that will be good enough for most owners. There not trying to get 300K+ miles out of a vehicle either.

Since no filter gets out much under 10um wear particles, and industrial studies show that even particles down to 1um cause wear over time, I like to do 5K OCI. I am sure the oil itself is still good, but all the little particles in it are not to my liking.

They also say transmission fluid never needs to be replaced, so there’s that.

 

[RobbS]

I use 20k mile oil and filter and change my fluid at 7k miles, give or take.

 

[burbguy82]

I typically change the oil and filter in all of my vehicles at 5,000 miles because I have always used either conventional oil or a synthetic blend. I purchased a 2016 Acura MDX with around 68K miles last year. I performed one oil change on it so far using a full synthetic 20,000 mile 0W20 oil and 20,000 mile filter. I had no intentions of going 20,000 mile between oil changes, but the price difference was only a couple of dollars for the oil and filter compared to a lower mileage oil/filter and I figured I could give myself a little longer between oil changes. I'm using full synthetic oil because that is what is recommended for this vehicle.

I don't have much experience going beyond 5,000 or 6,000 miles between oil changes or using higher mileage full synthetic oil. My question is how long are people generally comfortable going between oil changes when using a 20,000 mile oil and filter? I figured I would change it between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. The oil life monitoring system on the MDX just recently indicated a change was needed at around 7,500 miles. My assumption is that monitoring system, at least in part, is based on the owner using the recommended full synthetic oil.

I'm interested in what the scientific and engineering literature says about this, but I don't want to spend hours upon hours researching it. I am hoping some others on this forum have already studied this. I do almost all my own repairs and maintenance on my vehicles, but I'm not an expert on this particular topic.

Don't get comfortable beyond 5k IMO

 

[Pablo]

Correct oil and driving conditions, you will be fine even to 20K.

Most people here have a large fear. largely unfounded - based on some DI engines.

 

[Leo99]

You asked for science. You'll get a lot of opinion and anecdote.

 

[Kira]

For >20 years, my owner's manuals cite a 7,500 mi. OCI.
The several oil analyses I've had done show the oil "in the happy zone".
A larger than average proportion of my driving is highway (based on what I read in fora).
Pushing an oil to 10,000, even if they say 20,000, might be OK in my applications but I'm never going to spring for additional oil analyses
until oil reaches $50/gallon.

That's anecdotal science and opinion for sure.

 

[Bill7]

I typically change the oil and filter in all of my vehicles at 5,000 miles because I have always used either conventional oil or a synthetic blend. I purchased a 2016 Acura MDX with around 68K miles last year. I performed one oil change on it so far using a full synthetic 20,000 mile 0W20 oil and 20,000 mile filter. I had no intentions of going 20,000 mile between oil changes, but the price difference was only a couple of dollars for the oil and filter compared to a lower mileage oil/filter and I figured I could give myself a little longer between oil changes. I'm using full synthetic oil because that is what is recommended for this vehicle.

I don't have much experience going beyond 5,000 or 6,000 miles between oil changes or using higher mileage full synthetic oil. My question is how long are people generally comfortable going between oil changes when using a 20,000 mile oil and filter? I figured I would change it between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. The oil life monitoring system on the MDX just recently indicated a change was needed at around 7,500 miles. My assumption is that monitoring system, at least in part, is based on the owner using the recommended full synthetic oil.

I'm interested in what the scientific and engineering literature says about this, but I don't want to spend hours upon hours researching it. I am hoping some others on this forum have already studied this. I do almost all my own repairs and maintenance on my vehicles, but I'm not an expert on this particular topic.

I think 5,000 mile oil changes with a full synthetic are optimal for most use cases.
The way I think about this is to ask myself, if I am buying a used car, would I prefer if the previous owner did 5k OCI or 20k OCI, the answer is obviously 5k OCI.

 

[svtrit]

I'll probably extend the OLM to 7500-10,000 miles now that I am entering my personally chosen last year of ownership of my minvan. I wouldn't do it otherwise, even if the oil advertises 20,000 miles of life. I would use that 20,000 mile oil do do my 7500-10,000 miles.