We had recently moved and so it went from having a 60 mile daily commute (all highway), to about a 5 mile daily commute (all neighborhood) so I was curious on this sample if the lower distance frequent trips would have any impact (and if that was what contributed to the spike last time). Doesn't seem to be much concern for that motor though.
:
The change in your commute is a pretty big reduction. However the change will not manifest into any issue in wear; the Dmax just doesn't react much to changes such as this.
MY OPINION:
Now, ask yourself why we use UOAs? (Or at least, why we
should use UOAs?) Not as toys, but as tools to tell us how things are reacting, and how we can predict future maintenance plans. That in mind, consider the following ...
I see a potential for a change in your oil selection. I'm not saying you must change; I'm only acknowledging a potential for change. I'll explain ...
The ratio of your travel reduction is huge. You went form 60 miles to 5 miles; you've cut your driving by a factor of 12! You ran 79k miles in 4.5 years; an average of 18k miles a year. Now you're likely to be around 1.5k miles a year.
One of four things must be true; these cannot be avoided:
1) you will continue to use AME, and OCI annually per the Amsoil warranty statement, and throw away perfectly good oil with 1500"ish" miles on it
2) you will continue to use AME, and and UOA ONLY when the UOA indicates a change is necessary (probably be 10 years, if it can last that long?)
3) you will change to a decent CJ-4 dino oil, of any brand that is on sale, and still OCI annually, and throw away perfectly good oil with 1500"ish" miles on it
4) you will change to a decent CJ-4 dino oil, of any brand that is on sale, and extend the OCIs out to where a UOA would tell you otherwise
Now, I admit I know nothing of your life other than what you post here. You do a great job of sharing lots of UOAs; not just engine oil, but diffs, xfer case, tranny, etc. You seem to be pretty much "into" UOAs, and I expect you understand both the benefits and limitations of such tools. But you're now in a position where spending money on a PAO syn simply will NEVER, EVER pay for itself unless your OCIs extend into the terms of a decade of years! Either that, or you'll be on a big route to wasting a lot of good oil.
I, myself, run three or four year OCIs in my Dmax; about 12k miles or so, on dino 10w-30. My UOAs show my wear rates are fantastic, but that's true of just about any Dmax UOA. These engines simply don't wear much at all, regardless of the OCI, or the region you live in, or the use you put them through, or the lube you use. Same goes for my Kubota tractor; I only O/FCI when I do the truck, about every three or four years.
Again - I'm not taunting you or trying to force you; I have no ability to alter your life. But I'm just trying to open up a dialogue that may help you (or even others) see where it is wise/foolish to spend money on lubes. There's nothing wrong with spending high $$$ on premium lubes, IF you use them to full benefit. But if not, it's waste. In fact, even dino oil can be wasted if tossed prior to it's practical end.
My recommendation may not mean a darn thing to you, but I'd suggest this:
On your next OCI, change to any decent HDEO you can find on sale, as long as it's API qualified.
Run a year and take a UOA; it will come back fine; continue to use oil.
Run another year and take a UOA; it will come back fine; continue to use oil.
Run a third year and take a UOA; it will come back fine; continue to use oil.
Run a forth year and take a UOA; it will come back fine; consider an OCI, not because the oil is "done for", but because you can now stop the UOAs. After 4 years you'll only have 6k or 7k miles for goodness sake ...
Run four year O/FCIs after that, forget the UOAs, and save big money.
I've done this enough that I no longer take UOAs; it's just not worth the expense to confirm what a bazillion of miles of Dmax UOAs already tell us. These things don't wear, regardless of what you use or how you drive them.
Let's put real numbers to this:
Presume you continue with AME and EaO filter; your O/FCI is probably $100? (That's assuming you get a preferred customer discount ... as retail costs are above this).
I spend $30 on an O/FCI (typically whatever CJ-4 is on sale at $10/gallon, and a Napa/Wix filter). I spend less than 1/3 of your cost.
If you O/FCI annually, you'll spend $400 in four years. I will O/FCI once in four years; I'll spend $30. And yet we'll get the same wear rate results. You'll spend more than 10x more money, and get zero benefit, in this example.
Even if you O/FCI with AME every four years, you'd still spend 3x more money than me. And yet we'll get the same wear rate results.
Now - you can argue about the exact cost of any lube/filter to the penny, but you will NEVER shift the magnitude of disparity enough to make it anywhere close to palatable.
Your previous operating pattern of high mileage made the AME at least come close to paying for itself; your new pattern will likely never, ever even come close.
Just my $.02 for you to chew on.
