Changing oil earlier than expected?

[Beast of Busco]

I am thinking about changing the Pennzoil Platinum early (about 3k miles) on my '01 Saturn SL1 and want some oil guru opinions.

I had some issues with my car for a few weeks idling very poorly. I tried new plugs, fuel injector cleaner, fuel filter (a costly part for this car

), 2 temperature sensors, and finally.....the culprit....the intake manifold gasket (it was leaking around cylinder #1 causing engine misfires).

With the possiblity of contaminants or fuel in the oil, I think that I should change the oil now and not run it out to 5k or more like I had planned. (My last used oil analysis, which is in the used oil analysis section, was okay at 4k on the Pennzoil High Mileage oil).

Plus...the weather is a "warm" 40 degrees now, so I guess it would be the time to get'r done

A side note: since I've switched to Platinum, I have used 1 quart. This concerns me a little since it hasn't used oil before, but I understand that it might do this for a while. Hopefully it will settle out since I have enough to do 2 more oil changes with the Platinum.

 

[1040 WreckerMan]

The poor idling probably caused some fuel dilution, but my real concern would be with debris from the intake manifold change. I personally would change it now just to be safe. I don't like the idea of chunks of gasket material floating around my oil galleries, sounds like a good way to spin a bearing.

The fuel will evaporate once the oil is up to operating temp, but the other contaminates will just keep riding around (any smaller than the filter will catch). Not real familiar with that engine, is there any coolant passages in the intake? A little coolant will go a long way in causing problems in the basement. I figure $40 worth of oil is inexpensive insurance against a $4000 repair!

Patrick

 

[Triple_Se7en]

The debris/dilution may be causing the oil consumption, not the Platinum by itself. Could of happened with any oil used during leaky gasket periods.