Best Tips for Short Trippers?

[cadfaeltex]

Was just reading an oil filter discussion and it said what to do unless you're a short tripper. I see lots of questions asked for people who make many short trips - with a variety of answers. So, I'll ask the question here to see if I can consolidate info in one place...

What are the best maintenance practices for those who drive a lot of short trips? Oil and Filter OCI? Other special maintenance? Other tips?

For reference, my wife drives an '07 Acura MDX - drives once or twice a week to the store - about 7 minutes each way. Twice a month drives about 20 minutes one way to the large shopping area. Once a year or so a 1,000 mile or more family vacation in the big car.

For me, I drive 5-7 days a week 2.3 miles each way to work including coming home for lunch. About once a week I drive 'into town' for about a 15 minute drive to the Chriopracter. My car is a '94 Jag XJS with the 4 liter straight six.

 

[Quattro Pete]

When it gets colder outside, do you see white buttery substance under the oil cap? If so, the engine isn't getting up to temp long enough to evaporate moisture. The solution: take the car for a longer drive once a week and let 'er stretch her legs, if you know what I mean.

If you don't want to do that, do a UOA to see just how much moisture and fuel there is in oil. If it's substantial, I'd start doing shorter OCIs. Stop wasting money on synthetic, if that's what you're currently using.

 

[OldCowboy]

Both you and your wife rarely get your engine oil up to operating temps long enough to burn off water and fuel contaminants. This means you're using up the additives quickly. We've seen a couple of UOAs with this kind of pattern and the oil is shot after as little as 3000 miles.

Your best bet is to change oil and filter on a short OCI - say 3000 miles. With this short an oil change, I'd recommend Pennzoil Yellow Bottle (PYB), based on the findings posted here .

 

[Jim 5]

Just changed the oil on my parent's 2007 Camry. 1 year, 1800 miles. All 2-3 mile trips in the city.

Definitely going to a 6 month OCI with garden variety dino. The oil was black, and I suspected the oil would have been very low in TBN based on the use.

 

[JHZR2]

The best thing is to try and get it on a long trip. I found long ago by UOA that 5-block commutes with syn oil were no problem if a longer drive (out situation was 150-200 mi) was done every so often.

 

[hardcore302]

I too make short trips. I go for an occasional 50 mile trip once a month..

Should I start doing shorter OCIs as well with conv? On my mustang?

 

[cadfaeltex]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The best thing is to try and get it on a long trip. I found long ago by UOA that 5-block commutes with syn oil were no problem if a longer drive (out situation was 150-200 mi) was done every so often.


Ordered a test kit for my wife's car. JHZR2 et al, what qualifies as a longer drive? Also, just got Redline for my Jag to do a one year OCI, guess maybe I should have asked the question first

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The best thing is to try and get it on a long trip. I found long ago by UOA that 5-block commutes with syn oil were no problem if a longer drive (out situation was 150-200 mi) was done every so often.


This is largely what my parents do, but every so often on the long trip is not that reliable. They are also using a motomaster (Canadian Tire - Shell) synthetic.

My thought is a synthetic doesn't add much value in this use (low miles/long interval). The oil will be spent due to condensation/acid/low TBN before any of the advantages of the synthetic oil could kick in. My thought was to switch to dino oil and half the OCI from 1 year to 6 months.

Am I on the right track here?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
My thought is a synthetic doesn't add much value in this use (low miles/long interval). The oil will be spent due to condensation/acid/low TBN before any of the advantages of the synthetic oil could kick in. My thought was to switch to dino oil and half the OCI from 1 year to 6 months.

Am I on the right track here?

That's my understanding and what I would do as well.

 

[bigdawg74]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Just changed the oil on my parent's 2007 Camry. 1 year, 1800 miles. All 2-3 mile trips in the city.

Definitely going to a 6 month OCI with garden variety dino. The oil was black, and I suspected the oil would have been very low in TBN based on the use.


Color means nothing in relation to if the oil was still in good shape or if it was shot.

 

[cadfaeltex]

I ordered the blackwell kit and on reading over their site it looks like it is $10 extra for a TBN test. Do you think it's worth it? (BTW, this is for the wife's Acura).

 

[cadfaeltex]

Been thinking about the Redline I got for my Jag too. It will probably sit in the carport a lot more and be driven a lot less if it snows like it has the last two years. Should I go get some PYB to put in it for the mostly idle winter months?

 

[OldCowboy]

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
I ordered the blackwell kit and on reading over their site it looks like it is $10 extra for a TBN test. Do you think it's worth it? (BTW, this is for the wife's Acura).


In my opinion, TBN is critical as it is the only way to estimate additive depletion and help you adjust OCIs for your vehicle and driving style.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: bigdawg74
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Just changed the oil on my parent's 2007 Camry. 1 year, 1800 miles. All 2-3 mile trips in the city.

Definitely going to a 6 month OCI with garden variety dino. The oil was black, and I suspected the oil would have been very low in TBN based on the use.


Color means nothing in relation to if the oil was still in good shape or if it was shot.


I have heard that over the last 5 years a few times. But some of our senior members have pointed out that the blotter test is a relevant metric. That test takes into consideration a number of things, including color of the oil. Some commentary on that includes:

"- A colorless spot or slight yellow outer ring - "good" oil.
- A dense, dark deposit zone – Dispersancy failure
- A black, pasty zone – Glycol (Antifreeze) in your oil
- A dark center with distinct outer ring – Severely oxidized oil
- A dark center with surrounding rings – Fuel in oil

Information for the blotter spot test found in:

Fitch, J.C., “The Lubrication Field Test and Inspection Guide”

Noria Corporation 2000"


From what I can see, I think it is misleading to say that color means nothing in respect of the condition of oil. I have read in a number of places that dark oil is often associated with fuel dilution, though it is not always determinative of same. I will admit that I do not have any technical data to back that up, though I'm interested in hearing more information on that point.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
When it gets colder outside, do you see white buttery substance under the oil cap? If so, the engine isn't getting up to temp long enough to evaporate moisture. The solution: take the car for a longer drive once a week and let 'er stretch her legs, if you know what I mean.

If you don't want to do that, do a UOA to see just how much moisture and fuel there is in oil. If it's substantial, I'd start doing shorter OCIs. Stop wasting money on synthetic, if that's what you're currently using.


The Altima in my sig sees a trip longer than 20 miles MAYBE every 6 months. An average trip for this car is probably 1-1.5 miles. After nearly 2 years I've yet to see any moisture under the cap, however. And the car still gets 19 mpg in this type of service...which is only 1 mpg shy of the EPA city rating.

I do change the oil every 6 months or 3k though.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The best thing is to try and get it on a long trip. I found long ago by UOA that 5-block commutes with syn oil were no problem if a longer drive (out situation was 150-200 mi) was done every so often.


This is largely what my parents do, but every so often on the long trip is not that reliable. They are also using a motomaster (Canadian Tire - Shell) synthetic.

My thought is a synthetic doesn't add much value in this use (low miles/long interval). The oil will be spent due to condensation/acid/low TBN before any of the advantages of the synthetic oil could kick in. My thought was to switch to dino oil and half the OCI from 1 year to 6 months.

Am I on the right track here?


I dont know that youre wrong, but also dont know that youre right. Can different basestocks create different TBN retention characteristics? Well, sure, oxidation and nitration resins are acidic and cause an escalation of TAN, or in other words, titrate into the oil thereby using the buffering capability, which causes TBN to drop.

Group III has substantially better oxidation performance than dino oils, and good grp III oils rival or may even best PAO in terms of oxidation performance. So they should provide superiror TBN retention and thus performance in the acidic and moist environment.

 

[FZ1]

I change my M1 EP using a 6 mo oci October 1 and April 1. That's about 3750-4250 for me. I want synthetic for severe service.

 

[MatKimChi]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
When it gets colder outside, do you see white buttery substance under the oil cap? If so, the engine isn't getting up to temp long enough to evaporate moisture. The solution: take the car for a longer drive once a week and let 'er stretch her legs, if you know what I mean.

If you don't want to do that, do a UOA to see just how much moisture and fuel there is in oil. If it's substantial, I'd start doing shorter OCIs. Stop wasting money on synthetic, if that's what you're currently using.


The Altima in my sig sees a trip longer than 20 miles MAYBE every 6 months. An average trip for this car is probably 1-1.5 miles. After nearly 2 years I've yet to see any moisture under the cap, however. And the car still gets 19 mpg in this type of service...which is only 1 mpg shy of the EPA city rating.

I do change the oil every 6 months or 3k though.


Hi, there, I'm in a similar situation as you.

I only drove my 4runner something like 2000 miles per year, with 2 short trips around 1 mile a day, and a 40 miles trip once a month. Currently I do the oil change at dealership every 6 months or 1000 miles. Can I switch to Mobile 1 synthetic and safely extend OCI to 1 year/2k miles? TIA.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

I dont know that youre wrong, but also dont know that youre right. Can different basestocks create different TBN retention characteristics? Well, sure, oxidation and nitration resins are acidic and cause an escalation of TAN, or in other words, titrate into the oil thereby using the buffering capability, which causes TBN to drop.

Group III has substantially better oxidation performance than dino oils, and good grp III oils rival or may even best PAO in terms of oxidation performance. So they should provide superiror TBN retention and thus performance in the acidic and moist environment.


Thanks for this explanation! This is the first compelling reason I've heard supporting using a synthetic in this application. Very interesting, this is why I come back to this site.