3k vs 5k Synthetic OCI

[vpr5703]

Instead of driving 3 miles directly to work every day, I take a 75 mile scenic route just to mitigate fuel dilution.

I just went the east way and got a job 55 miles from home.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

My drive is 33 country miles where I’m basically always cruising at a steady speed and RPM, so I don’t expect much dilution. Then again I know some is to be expected and not concerning to a point

 

[RevvCats]

They seem useful but what’s to say if the car doesn’t have dilution now that it won’t in the future. So you end up in this loop of constantly paying for UOAs instead of potentially paying to change oil prematurely. I’d do one or two here but that doesn’t mean that in 50k miles everything will be the same

Car care nut is a bit of a clown, he has a video (maybe it’s the one you linked) where he literally says oil analysis won’t catch varnish/sludge formation while offering ZERO proof that 1) the broken engine he disassembled had used oil that would pass a lab analysis with flying colors 2) what oil was used, was it really a quality off the shelf brand or some discount mystery bulk barrel 3) what the oil change interval even was, he alludes to 10k mile oci being the death of the engine but again offers ZERO proof to back that up.

Folks are real quick to buy into these conspiracies that manufactures / CAFE regulations are out to destroy your engines, but somehow the mechanic preaching 3k miles who directly profits from short intervals are 100% on the up and up.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Car care nut is a bit of a clown, he has a video (maybe it’s the one you linked) where he literally says oil analysis won’t catch varnish/sludge formation while offering ZERO proof that 1) the broken engine he disassembled had used oil that would pass a lab analysis with flying colors 2) what oil was used, was it really a quality off the shelf brand or some discount mystery bulk barrel 3) what the oil change interval even was, he alludes to 10k mile oci being the death of the engine but again offers ZERO proof to back that up.

Folks are real quick to buy into these conspiracies that manufactures / CAFE regulations are out to destroy your engines, but somehow the mechanic preaching 3k miles who directly profits from short intervals are 100% on the up and up.

Sounds like you’re referencing a different video than I posted In that video where he tears down an engine he says it came to him where the owner had dealer maintained his Camry at 10k intervals as suggested by the dealer. And the oil control rings were stuck, which you wouldn’t see in a UOA. As he said in the video he would make much less money changing someone’s oil every 5k vs 10k than replacing their engine at 150k



I’m not some CAFE conspiracy regurgitator but I’m not going to run 10k intervals, I’m just not. And part of that is the same reason that “clown” said, rather spend a few hundred more on oil over the life of ownership than a few thousand on hardware

 

[wlk]

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?

Benefit? Sure fresh oil and 1 extra change per 10k miles of driving. If you diy your oil changes, then it will cost you an extra $30/10k miles of driving. If you care about the car and want to keep it say 200k miles it is 66 oil changes at 3k vs 40 at 5k intervals. Now for the dollar amount it is a measley $780 difference. So can it stave off something bad, maybe/possibly but I don't have a crystal ball to know for sure. Personally I would do 3k oci's, I had an 18' civic 1.5l and at 3k oci the oil wreaked of fuel each time. I do 5k on my vehicles unless towing then 3k as regular practice. I have a good stash of oil and may switch to 3k for a while so my wife stops asking why I ordered oil when we have so much already. I keep telling her we will save money lol. Good luck with it as the price difference is peanuts just change it and enjoy the car.

 

[ltslimjim]

even in that video, he commented how bulk dealer oil isn’t likely the best oil you could be using.

Is oil burning a known issue for that series engine?

If so, it’s arguably a mechanical design flaw that needs the OCI adjusted to compensate.

This is why blindly following any OCI; especially when extending the interval, is a risk. But, you can usually figure out if it’s possible to extend the intervals based on engine, driving conditions, oil selection, etc.

I have an 07 Honda Fit with 325k miles. It burns 1 Qt every 4k miles; typical for an I4 Honda engine with this many miles (some from a rear main leak).

I wasn’t the first owner so no idea previous OCI habits. Purchased in 2014 with 156k miles. So I’ve put approx 169k miles on it since then. I’ve ran from 7.5k to 15k intervals with UOA data on various full synthetic oils. I’m sure it could make 500k easily with other regular maintenance if it weren’t for the rust that might get to it first.

So, overly cautious OCI advice based on specific engine issues and conditions doesn’t mean that automatically is required or applicable advice for a different engine; or even same engine for that matter, with different driving conditions and oils, etc.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Sounds like you’re referencing a different video than I posted In that video where he tears down an engine he says it came to him where the owner had dealer maintained his Camry at 10k intervals as suggested by the dealer. And the oil control rings were stuck, which you wouldn’t see in a UOA. As he said in the video he would make much less money changing someone’s oil every 5k vs 10k than replacing their engine at 150k



I’m not some CAFE conspiracy regurgitator but I’m not going to run 10k intervals, I’m just not. And part of that is the same reason that “clown” said, rather spend a few hundred more on oil over the life of ownership than a few thousand on hardware

Me either it would probably take me 5 years to get 10,000 miles

 

[Rogueman2016s]

even in that video, he commented how bulk dealer oil isn’t likely the best oil you could be usi

I never had an issue with dealer bulk oil when I would let the dealer do oil changes. It was the hired hand that would be the issue if any.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

I’m not against 5k intervals, happy to have the time to do other things. appreciate the out, ordered a few test kits

what is the difference in time to do other things with a 3K or 5K interval?

 

[nicholas]

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?

5k summer
3k if you short trip in the winter.
DI and turbos are bastards......

 

[nicholas]

Car care nut is a bit of a clown, he has a video (maybe it’s the one you linked) where he literally says oil analysis won’t catch varnish/sludge formation while offering ZERO proof that 1) the broken engine he disassembled had used oil that would pass a lab analysis with flying colors 2) what oil was used, was it really a quality off the shelf brand or some discount mystery bulk barrel 3) what the oil change interval even was, he alludes to 10k mile oci being the death of the engine but again offers ZERO proof to back that up.

Folks are real quick to buy into these conspiracies that manufactures / CAFE regulations are out to destroy your engines, but somehow the mechanic preaching 3k miles who directly profits from short intervals are 100% on the up and up.

If it was so great for the engine the manufacturer would recommend it for other non CAFE countries..........yet......they don't.

That should tell you something right there. Theory or not.

 

[TomYoung]

Car care nut is a bit of a clown, he has a video (maybe it’s the one you linked) where he literally says oil analysis won’t catch varnish/sludge formation while offering ZERO proof that 1) the broken engine he disassembled had used oil that would pass a lab analysis with flying colors 2) what oil was used, was it really a quality off the shelf brand or some discount mystery bulk barrel 3) what the oil change interval even was, he alludes to 10k mile oci being the death of the engine but again offers ZERO proof to back that up.

Folks are real quick to buy into these conspiracies that manufactures / CAFE regulations are out to destroy your engines, but somehow the mechanic preaching 3k miles who directly profits from short intervals are 100% on the up and up.

He is not a clown. He is a meticulous mechanic sharing a professional opinion. He is asking, modestly, for shorter oil changes on cars that are great, but have some sludging tendencies.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

what is the difference in time to do other things with a 3K or 5K interval?

2 less oil changes a year means more time with family or doing other things I need/want to do

 

[picklyrickly1073]

If it was so great for the engine the manufacturer would recommend it for other non CAFE countries..........yet......they don't.

That should tell you something right there. Theory or not.

What is “it”?

 

[nicholas]

What is “it”?

if you don't get my statement then what's the point for further discussion.

You have your mind made up.
So do what you want.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

If you don't get my statement then what's the point for further discussion.

You have your mind made up.
So do what you want.

Are you talking about thin oils? Long intervals? Short intervals? I have no idea what “it” is, you responded to a post where someone made numerous statements and are just talking about “it”. Can you explain what you mean without the insults?

 

[nicholas]

Are you talking about thin oils? Long intervals? Short intervals? I have no idea what “it” is. Can you explain what you mean without the insults?

All of the above.........
More specifically......CAFE north american regulations.

Many engines are only recommended thin 20 weights and even lower in CAFE countries. Japan being the exception. However their traffic and usage is very different from NA.

Other countries with the same weather patterns manufacturers recommend 30 or higher for the exact same 20 weight engine.

They also use the temperature usage oil weight recommendations. Which makes sense for places like Canada and the northern US.

CAFE cars usually have only 1 recommended weight. Not multiple based on ambient temperatures.

It seems very suspect.


My apologies for the comment. I honestly thought you were being sarcastic and facetious.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

All of the above.........
More specifically......CAFE north american regulations.

Many engines are only recommended thin 20 weights and even lower in CAFE countries. Japan being the exception. However their traffic and usage is very different from NA.

Other countries with the same weather patterns manufacturers recommend 30 or higher for the exact same 20 weight engine.

They also use the temperature usage oil weight recommendations. Which makes sense for places like Canada and the northern US.

CAFE cars usually have only 1 recommended weight. Not multiple based on ambient temperatures.

It seems very suspect.


My apologies for the comment. I honestly thought you were being sarcastic and facetious.

Can you explain the difference in Japan vs North American traffic and usage? As far as I know in Japan not many people own cars at all but I’ve never lived in or been to Japan. I’d love to hear from someone who has

 

[02zx9r rev2]

2 less oil changes a year means more time with family or doing other things I need/want to do

Oh ok, I didn’t know 20 minutes twice a year was such a big deal. Got you

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Oh ok, I didn’t know 20 minutes twice a year was such a big deal. Got you

That’s 40 more mins I can spend on thick vs thin threads