5000mile bad UOA on synthetic

[berge]

I've searched the UOA section and I couldn't find any 'bad' UOA's on synthetic at less than 5000miles. If it was a bad analysis where the oil was used up or there were other red flags, there always seemed to be another issue responsible for it-engine problems, first fill on synthetic cleaning out the crap from previous dino fills, etc.

check out
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000517#000000
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000270#000011

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000265

am I missing something or is it pretty much a foregone conclusion that if you have a properly maintained, well running vehicle with synthetic oil, even with the worst kind of use you throw at it-short trips, cold weather, etc.- the oil will hold up for at least 5000miles?

I can't wait to do a UOA on the wife's poor acura but it's going to take her about a year to do 5000miles.

[ February 04, 2004, 11:38 PM: Message edited by: berge ]

 

[Swift]

It's hard to consider 5k as an extended drain for a synthetic oil. Now getting up around 8-10k now that would be more appropriate.

Even with synthetic oils most of us don't seem to feel comfortable enough to go much past 5k before putting in new juice.

 

[berge]

you're right, it is an unbelieveable pshchological barrier to go past 3-4K on oil. I have never let any car I maintained go past 5000Km/3100miles on oil. It's not going to be easy watching the odometer roll 8000km before I get under the car again.

 

[Tim]

quote:

---

Originally posted by berge:
you're right, it is an unbelieveable pshchological barrier to go past 3-4K on oil. I have never let any car I maintained go past 5000Km/3100miles on oil. It's not going to be easy watching the odometer roll 8000km before I get under the car again.

---

So, I'm not the only one with this problem? What a relief!


Tim

 

[Ross]

quote:

---

Originally posted by berge:
you're right, it is an unbelieveable pshchological barrier to go past 3-4K on oil. I have never let any car I maintained go past 5000Km/3100miles on oil. It's not going to be easy watching the odometer roll 8000km before I get under the car again.

---

I feel your pain!! I still change my M1 every 3,000 miles... I just can't say no.. It's an addiction or something like that.. any help groups aroud?

 

[satterfi]

I'd have no problem going 10k miles with M1, Redline or Delvac 1.

I'd go 15k miles with Amsoil.

But since I have a bunch of Dexsil test kits sitting around, I don't have to wonder how long the oil will last. I just test it.

 

[Pablo]

I guess I have an obvious bias, but I just went by 5k headed for 10K miles on my turbo, and it didn't seem to bug me.....well it did because I promised awhile back that I would do a 5K shoot out of the Amsoil 15W-40, verses a homemade blend, etc....don't have time or inclination to change my oil right now....

 

[batterycar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ross:

quote:

---

Originally posted by berge:
you're right, it is an unbelieveable pshchological barrier to go past 3-4K on oil.

---

I feel your pain!! I still change my M1 every 3,000 miles... I just can't say no.. It's an addiction or something like that.. any help groups aroud?

---

HELP: Get a job where you have to drive ~300 miles a day. That's an oil change every 2 weeks! Once you get tired of that constant hassle, you'll quickly learn to extend your changes.

I now do it every 10,000 miles (~1.5 months).

 

[Spector]

It took me several years as I never believed the marketing claims that synthetics could go longer. So with the UOA I gradually went up so that now it is one year on a couple of cars and 12,000 miles on one etc.

However, I will admit, if this board existed 8 years ago with the way they criticize the UOA I never would have convinced myself to go beyond 5000. On one car at least the high lead count would have been crucified on this board and I would have continued to change more frequently due to the comments but back then the lab did not flag it. As it turns out that engine is the 162,000 mile one and still has high lead.

3000 mile OCI hard to break but if you do it gradually it can be done. I believe they make a patch now for those trying to break the habit. You place it on your butt so that anytime you try to get under a car with less then 7500 miles since the last OCI it gives you diarrhea!

 

[wtd]

The very first UOA I did on the 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my 98 chevy truck with the 5.7L with 5,000 miles on the oil, came back with 55ppm of lead. Truck only had 32,738 miles on it at the time. The next UOA with 3,000 miles on the Mobil 1 had 18ppm of lead. Obviously Blackstone Labs suggested staying at 3,000 mile oil change intervels. This is why you can never assume that any oil can go a set amount of mileage with out trend oil analysis.

Wayne

 

[widman]

I have never been a 3,000 mile person. When I worked in the states and had a company car, the company policy was every 5,000 miles. Here our use is severe dust, dirt, mountains, mud, and in-town deliveries. I use 6,000 km (3800 miles) for our fleet of 12, but have several customers with 20,000 km (long distance, asphalt). The 3,000 miles will be safer for the cold whether where more water of fuel can get into the oil, and is certainly better for the oil companies.

 

[berge]

quote:

---

Originally posted by satterfi:
I'd have no problem going 10k miles with M1, Redline or Delvac 1.

I'd go 15k miles with Amsoil.

But since I have a bunch of Dexsil test kits sitting around, I don't have to wonder how long the oil will last. I just test it.

---

I checked their website. they have several different kits for UOA, which one are you using?

 

[Quick_lude]

quote:

---

Originally posted by berge:
am I missing something or is it pretty much a foregone conclusion that if you have a properly maintained, well running vehicle with synthetic oil, even with the worst kind of use you throw at it-short trips, cold weather, etc.- the oil will hold up for at least 5000miles?

---

That's pretty much correct but you forgot to mention the people that are weekend racers/lappers/auto-x'ers. If I go to a couple of lapping events I change my oil regardless of mileage.

 

[Ugly3]

Come on guys, it is not 1962 any more. Look at the data on modern synthetic motor oils.

In normal driving an 8,000 to 10,000 mile oil change interval is indicated.

The wear tests indicate that the most wear is in the first 3,000 miles so the folks doing 3,000 changes are actually increasing the wear in their engines.

In the long term synthetic oil test currently being conducted on this site Mobil 1 has gone 18,000 miles with a filter change at 12,000 miles and was still protecting the engine just fine. Amsoil is at 10,000 miles, no filter change yet, and is doing just fine.

As for cost - a 3,000 mile change routine with a quality dino oil is about the same cost as a 10,000 change with a synthetic (within $5.00 for 10,000). I would pay $5.00 not to change the oil twice and get less engine wear.

Information is KING - not Grandpa's oil change rules.

 

[jsharp]

The standard interval on most cars made since 1980 is 5000 miles or more. My 1980 Toyota was 7500 miles, and that's with the dino oils of the day.

I'd trust the owners manual a lot more than the oil company commericals...

 

[biodiesel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ross:
I still change my M1 every 3,000 miles... I just can't say no.. It's an addiction or something like that.. any help groups aroud?

---

It's not an addiction. It's called being in denial of how wasteful you are.

This kind of mentality from people that drive 12 qt. sucking Porsche's and other monstrosities like the H2 is why we have to go to Iraq and secure more oil reserves.

People...seriously...the time has now come to wake up. We have this board for a reason. UOA's have shown time and time again that synthetics are only beginning to breathe at 3,000 miles. QUIT CHANGING YOUR OIL THEN AND BREAK A BAD HABIT!! Think about the future of your grandchildren's grandchildren and quit raping the earth of its supplies.

 

[Hemidart]

I went synthetics because I decided to follow the oil change monitor, which turned on at 6.5k the last time. This will be my first past 3k OCI in any car I have ever owned. I also plan to use a different synthetic/GIII at every OCI and get a UOA. This round is M1 10W-30...but next to to be curious I might try Lucas 10W-30 racing oil....Only because I have never seen a UOA on it, and someone needs to be a guinea pig. I also have some GC and might also try some Amsoil.

 

[kwikrnu]

I am going to start changing my corollas oil every 10k miles to make up for my 10mpg excursion. Maybe I should get a couple save the whale bumper stickers and some birkenstocks while I'm at it...

 

[Steel Blue Wind Rider]

Ugly3,
"The wear tests indicate that the most wear is in the first 3,000 miles so the folks doing 3,000 changes are actually increasing the wear in their engines."

I'm not sure I agree with this statement. I've been viewing the boards a while now, nothing I see shows this trend, help me out if I'm missing something. I do UOA on my car and find the longer I go before changing the oil, the worse my UOA looks, not a huge difference, very slight really, but 3,000 versus 7,000, the 7,000 has slightly increased wear numbers. 03 BMW/325i and MANN oil filter and Amsoil.

 

[JustinH]

Its been very hard to get me to change oil beyond the 3k barrier, but I am finally doing it.

With SLX in my daily driver, I just rolled by the 4500 mile barrier, and i'm not going to change it until the snow flies in october or november.

My tbird racecar gets fresh mobil1 every 6 months, which is usually about 1500 miles.

JH