Dirt roads vs oil life

[wander2039]

My parents live on a country, dusty half the time muddy the other. Does dust have a affect of oil life? I change the air filters regularly and check for leaks. He changes the oil in his every 3k but i'm going to force him to run rotella 5w-40 synthetic and extend it to 6k (all highway miles) and the other car by the OLM anywhere from 5-7500 miles. My dad said he wanted to drive em till they die, he's going to regret saying that someday

Any thought's? Eric

 

[pitzel]

Really depends on the overall quality of filtration you have for both the air and the oil. Some vehicles clearly have better designed intakes than others. Some use better quality oil filtration systems than others.

Run the oil for 3k, pull a sample for a used oil analysis, and then either post it here, or pay Terry Dyson to analyze it for Si loading, or do both.

Living in a rural area or farm where dust is present does not automatically mean 'severe service'.

 

[Jay]

Since silicon is harder than steel, it takes very little Si to do a lot of damage. In a dirty environment it makes a lot of sense to use cheap oil and change it often.

 

[TooSlick]

I'd make sure he's using the highest efficiency air/oil filters possible and consider the use of bypass filtration on both cars. I've seen even John Deere farm tractors and combines running 1000 hour change intervals using bypass filters and still getting very low wear rates.

TS

 

[bulwnkl]

Having been a farmer in the dusty west all my life, my experience has been varied. Tractors usually deal with dirt much better than pickups; they're designed to run that way.

All of the pickups we have ever had until either the '94 or the '98 (basically all American V-8s w/CRAPPY airbox designs) would load the oil with Si before the rest of the oil wore out. That was even the case on our tractors (when we were running Schaeffer synthetics) before the '80s.

Air filtration is a significant problem in a truly dusty environment. Now, living on a dusty road is not the same as farming in the dust, but it gives some context within which to work.

My '98 Dodge V-10 and my '01 Tacoma V-6 both had sufficient air filtration to keep Si out of the oil. However, I changed the air filter at EVERY oil change (10,000 miles max), and during certain seasons, air filters needed to be changed after 500 miles or less. I even had my V-10 sputter and try to die because the filter was so clogged after several hundred miles!

Be careful changing air filters after dusty use. Use a shop vac, a wet shop towel, something to clean things up before you open the airbox. Many times a person will dump more dirt in during a filter change than will get past a poorly sealed filter in 15,000 miles. I use grease on the seals of all my air filters even now that I don't farm anymore. I don't need any more engines eaten up from a poor quality filter or airbox.

BTW, a great many of the farmers I knew in years past just automatically put huge Donaldson air filters on their pickups as soon as they bought them. Best money they ever spent, at least back then.

$0.02

 

[TC]

"My parents live on a country, dusty half the time muddy the other."

Yes, frequent dusty environments are a classic "Severe Service" scenario. The owner's manuals for these rides will suggest an appropriate S.S. interval. Keep in mind that whether you use $1 Citgo from Dollar Tree, or $5 Redline oil, your oil will become equally saturated with solids over time, necessitating more frequent change-out. Therefore, if it was me, I wouldn't bother with expensive lubes in a dusty environment since particulates will trash the oil before you have the opportunity to fully realize the benefits of the more expensive oil.

For what it's worth, here's Quaker State's interpretation of Severe Service: "We emphasize severe service since the majority of motor vehicles are operated in severe driving conditions such as short trips (under 10 miles), dusty or sandy conditions, cold weather, extended idling periods, trailer towing or other harsh conditions. Under ideal conditions, however, such as a dust-free climate, highway driving, light loads, perfect engine performance, etc., the oil drain interval may be extended to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended “normal service” period (generally between 3,000 to 7,500 miles)."
http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/whattoknow.asp

 

[wander2039]

Well I think i've changed my mind on the OCI. I think Trop Artic ($1.12/qt) 5w30 semi-synthetic by the case, Advanced Auto's filters every 3k. Can't get much cheaper than that. My parents are to cheap for a bypass system or the testing so that will have to do. Eric