5.5 mile trips made 4 to 8 times a day

[pmwalter]

I need an official BITOG hand-held OCI calculator. That would make it really easy to calculate my OCI's. Anyways, my job now requires me to work 24 hour shifts. During that time I will be allowed to go home as many times as I want. I figure that I will make at least 4 trips, but as many as 8 trips if I get busy. By a trip I mean one way. Any suggestions for what oil I should use? I'm currently using GC Gold 0w-30. What OCI would you use if you did this type of driving? BTW, this is a 98 Toyota Camry with the I4. I must consider the sludge factor. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[moribundman]

I suggest you purchase a Ferrari and use 0W-20. Just make the last trip of the day a bit longer (+20 minutes) and get the engine really hot. Your oil choice is just fine.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Hmm, How many days a week do you do this schedule? How many miles on car? How do you drive? Let's go with 4 days a week, 6 miles one way times 6 = 36 miles a day times 4 days = around 150 miles a week. Let's add 50 more miles for other stuff so 200 miles a week. 200 miles a week so 20 weeks for 4000 miles or 5 months. Short trips, cooler temps in OR, older outfit with possible sludge I'd go with the following; 1. make sure your PCV is working and replace every two years. 2. I'd go with a good dino or blend and change it out every 4000 miles or 6 months whichever comes first. my 3 cents... Take care, Bill

 

[pmwalter]

Extra info. The car has 62K miles on it. Just finished Auto-Rx. No signs of sludge, however dipstick shows that there may be some varnish. All filters, ie: oil, air, PCV, etc. are changed out more than regularly. I drive her real easy, it's a Camry after all. I only work three days a week, so the car will sit for the most part during the days I don't work. Sludge is exactly what I'm trying to avoid here. I know these short trips are a recipe for disaster if I don't watch out for it.

 

[Amkeer]

Mobil 1 at 9 months/6500 miles. Keep up the good maintenance and no worries! Also change coolant/distilled every 2-3 years with Toyota Red. Daily Drives: -2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner,2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil1 5w30 ODO 23800 -1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter,6 cylinder, Mobil1 5w40 tsuv ODO 102500 http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer

 

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

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The car has 62K miles on it.

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quote:

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I only work three days a week, so the car will sit for the most part during the days I don't work.

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Thanks for the update. I really think that your best plan would be 3-4k miles or 3-4 months and change it out with dino or blend. I have a 2000 Silverado V-8 powered 4x4 ext cab truck with 41k miles that sees about 5-6 ONE mile trips a week and sits a ton and I have it on a 3 month oil change. It's coming up to 3 months and it's seen 1,500 miles (which is a lot but I've been driving it to work which is 120 miles round trip here and there) but still will change it out. With Gas going up, it's going ti sit even more.. Had a valve cover gasket replacement on one side due to leakage and it looked new inside. 6 quarts of Pennzoil, Chevron, QS, Halvoine,or any name brand oil and a $2 supertech filter is well under $10 since I buy my oil on sale. Oil is cheap, I recycle the used oil so it's not going down the drain somewhere. I would not want to go over 6 months with ANY oil.. Some folks would and great, But $4-5 oil is too expensive in this driving style.... The varnish I would not worry about. It's not going to do any damage. I'm in the mindset that you want to change the oil and get the ugly stuff out more often... Take care, Bill