Annual oil change.......

[UltrafanUK]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5w20 and orange can annually


AHHH! Not the, "Orange can of death", suds and an annual job again.

OK, I give up, so will suggest a compromise, with a major brand 0 or 5w20 HC synthetic and an annual oil dump with a bi annual oil & filter job. The oil filter should be good for 10K miles.

 

[CharlieBauer]

I'm surprised there are so many recommendations but nobody has asked the OP how those 4000 miles a year are put on.

Is it 1000 trips of 4 miles or 40 trips of 100 miles?

And what's the coldest temperature he starts the vehicle at. As oils age, their cold performance suffers so suggesting 2 year ocis could cause him problems if his oil gets beat up during those 8000 miles and he goes into his second winter with the same oil.

And of course, the best way to decide what to do is with oil analysis.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Originally Posted By: jarad248
Castrol Edge is the best oil. period.

I'm calling repeated B_S unless you can prove it somehow ...

In this application, the important thing is moisture control. If it gets to full OP temp every time and gets say 10~20 miles runs, OK on good old every day oil. If it runs short runs in the cold, you better rethink what you're doing.

I don't disagree with RK or TSC oils. They're fine. But if it's building up moisture and lots of cold start condensates, then I'd be changing 1/2 way through winter like Feb 1 and definitely staying once a year ...


Heard this before, and not sure I really understood the rationale then either.

If its building up moisture, an oil change will presumably get rid of most of that moisture, assuming its emulsified into the oil and isn't sitting in the bottom of the sump.

BUT taking it for a run and getting it good and hot should drive off all (?) that moisture. IF moisture accumulation is completely reversible (?), this seems preferable to an oil change, and there should be an opportunity to do it at least as often as you are likely to do an oil change.

There may be irreversible effects on the engine such as corrosion. These wont be reversed by an "Italian tune-up", but they won't be reversed by an oil change either.

There may be irreversible effects on the oil, most likely acidification and base depletion. These won't be reversed by an Italian tune up but will be reversed by an oil change.

So if you short trip so that moisture accumulation is likely to be an issue, it would seem that a high TBN is especially desirable.

 

[Brybo86]

I would do once a year with your favorite 0w20 and a Fram ultra.
Change the oil right before winter to get maximum cold flow properties.
If you want change filter every 2 years.

 

[circuitsmith]

If you're making short trips every day then every 6 months, synthetic and conventional.
If, like me, you don't drive to work and make longer trips a couple times a week, then once a year.

 

[UltrafanUK]

What problem do you think you will get from using a good oil for 2 years (If the max recommended OCI is not exceeded). I've seen rather a lot of used oil analysis from engines that have sat idle or been used very little for many years and none of them showed any contamination in terms of water or excess insolubles, with no sign of a jump in Fe during the following OCI from corrosion.
One truck did have far too much Si in the used oil, BUT the air filter element had been eaten by field mice (Big issue in some areas).

 

[1bioguy]

about 30 mile or so

 

[1bioguy]

I wont use Castrol, ever....well maybe if its free

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: 1bioguy
I wont use Castrol, ever....well maybe if its free


Your choice. Some would/will never use Mobil after that company's CEO received the highest "friendship award" from Putin. Every oil co has skeletons in the closet.

 

[KL31]

How about keep doing what your doing. There's not a mega ton of difference between 5w20 or 0w20. Once a year seems like a good change point too.

 

[Branson304]

I'd just keep doing what you are doing. 0W-20 will work fine also, it will just be a little thinner at startup versus a 5W-20. It probably doesn't get cold enough in your area to where it matters though.