So my stepson did not keep track of his oil change interval. The vehicle is a 2009 Ford escape V6.
I had helped him change the oil sometime back and used penzoil platinum full synthetic and installed a fram tough guard oil filter. After I was done I reset the oil life monitor and installed a sticker on the windshield of when the next oil change was due.
My wife got into his car to move it out of the way the other day, and noticed the oil change light was on in the car. She also saw the sticker on the windshield with a mileage the next oil change was due. It said 141,000 miles.
Well where the problem comes in is the current mileage is 160,000.
When I became aware of the situation, I initially thought no way that could be correct. I mean who would run oil that long. Knowing me I put the mileage at 6 to 10 thousand mile interval on the sticker. So that leaves us at 25 to 29 thousand miles on the oil and filter.
Whatever it may be, I pulled the car in the shop and did an oil change. The oil was pretty dang dark, but not as bad as you would think. It didnt appear to be really thick or sludgy.
Then refilled the car with Valvoline Full Synthetic High Mileage and put a wix filter on it, just because I had some laying around. I also checked the air filter it was the worst I had ever seen, excluding tractors. So I changed it also.
After I changed the oil and filters the car seems to be running fine, as it did before the oil change.
I still didnt believe it was 25 to 29 thousand mile oil, but after talking to him when he got home, sure enough it was. He just left the oil life monitor light on, ignored the sticker and just kept on driving.
So most likely the filter reached capacity and either broke through or the bypass activated at some point keeping the engine supplied with oil saving the engine.
One positive is the car has several leaking gaskets and I add about half a quart a week to maintain level so he doesnt burn up the engine because he doesnt check it. Im sure having a slight amount of fresh oil helped to some degree.
I guess in the future, Im gonna have to keep a better eye on his vehicle maintenance or lack of. The kid is autistic and cars just arent his thing, even though between his work and hobbies does an insane amount of driving. So its really kinda my fault I guess. Im uses to my wife proptly telling me when she needs an oil change and assumed he would do the same as he has before.
I really regret not sampling that oil for analysis. I do still have the filter. Not sure how much oil I could get out of there for analysis or if it would be worth it. So if anyone with a filter cutter wants it to see how the filter performed for 25 thousand plus miles I can send it to you.
