My '06 Silverado is my commuter, doing 15 miles of service daily during the week. Most weekends it sits, unless I am picking up some dirt/bark for the wife, or going to Home Depot. Right now it has about 23,500 miles on it, and I run an approximate 5K OCI, which works out to be once a year. Up until 20K, I ran dinos, either Quaker State or Castrol, depending on what was on sale. Then I decided that because of my short trips, maybe I should switch to synthetic. Went with M1 @ 20K. Now after checking out this forum, I am wondering if I should stick w/ synthetic or go back to dino. I don't tow or off-road; it is mostly rural streets to work. Probably later on this summer when it turns over 25K I will have a used oil analysis done. What do you folks think? Stay with M1 or go back to dinos?
??---Do short trips mean I should use synthetic?
- Thread starter bigdawg74
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Messages
- 39,793
You've got an OLM on that, don't you? Follow it with a limit of one year ...and you can use SM conventional oil of the appropriate grade.
..and..
..and..
A conventional/conventional can do just fine in that situation. Bill_In_Utah and many others are a testament to showing how great conventionals are. Synthetics and conventionals are fine, use what makes you sleep better at night, but if you have been running conventional oil and had no problems why bother switching?
Not necessarily. If your engine is not properly warmed up between trips, you can get condensation forming in the engine and conventionals are more miscible (to water) than synthetics. I know not everyone can do what I do, but I have basically done away with short trips on my vehicles. I walk if it is less than a mile or ride my bike if the trip is less than five miles and have little to nothing to carry. If I have errands to run I lump them in to one day. I have cut my gas bill in half. Once again, I understand not everyone can do this. I will say my used oil analysis are much better though since eliminating short trips.
My wife's explorer does duty in a dusty small town, less than a mile to work, a mile to lunch, then a mile home. It never gets warmed up unless I take it on my commute.
I like to run Mobil 1 0w30 in it, I figure that the "0W" pumps better in that kind of never warmed up condition than a 5W would. You can really tell a difference in how well it starts and runs while warming up in the winter months vs. the NAPA 5w30 I ran in it when I first got it 20k miles ago.
I like to run Mobil 1 0w30 in it, I figure that the "0W" pumps better in that kind of never warmed up condition than a 5W would. You can really tell a difference in how well it starts and runs while warming up in the winter months vs. the NAPA 5w30 I ran in it when I first got it 20k miles ago.
bigdawg74,
What I usually do in my 01' Durango is to take it out on the freeway for about an hour and a half to get the oil hot and circulate it through out the engine. This also dries up and consumes any moisture that collects inside.
Basically you and I are in the same boat so getting the oil hot and circulated could/might simulatte some form of driving that most people might do in a week.
I currently see no issue of you wanted to try a synthetic of your choice as I'm a Mobil 1 guy myself. If your on a budget then I believe you mentioned Quaker State. These guys make the "Q" synthetics and they appear to be a fine synthetic oil to use. If your comfortable with M1 then feel safe for sure as you can't go wrong with Mobil 1.
Durango
What I usually do in my 01' Durango is to take it out on the freeway for about an hour and a half to get the oil hot and circulate it through out the engine. This also dries up and consumes any moisture that collects inside.
Basically you and I are in the same boat so getting the oil hot and circulated could/might simulatte some form of driving that most people might do in a week.
I currently see no issue of you wanted to try a synthetic of your choice as I'm a Mobil 1 guy myself. If your on a budget then I believe you mentioned Quaker State. These guys make the "Q" synthetics and they appear to be a fine synthetic oil to use. If your comfortable with M1 then feel safe for sure as you can't go wrong with Mobil 1.
Durango
Short trips = more changes of conventional oil, imo.
There is no substitute for physically draining out contaminates.
There is no substitute for physically draining out contaminates.
Gary: yeah, it has the basic OLM that just says "change oil now" but I usually hit the one year mark before it comes on.
Durango: I try to do a short trip on the freeway maybe twice a month so that my truck remembers what the upside of 65 feels like. Costco had a coupon deal for M1 at a great price ($26 for a case of 6 qts), so I picked up two cases. I wouldn't really say I'm on a budget, but I don't like wasting money on things that give me zero returns.
Crazyjake: Never really thought about running a 0w30 in it...GM specs the 5w30. Western Washington doesn't nearly get as cold as Nebraska...maybe drops into the upper 'teens on the harshest winter nights, but that's not very often.
SO, with that all being said, do you think maybe doing a six month OCI with something like MC5k would be better than once a year OCI with M1? Or maybe switch to a 0w-30??
Durango: I try to do a short trip on the freeway maybe twice a month so that my truck remembers what the upside of 65 feels like. Costco had a coupon deal for M1 at a great price ($26 for a case of 6 qts), so I picked up two cases. I wouldn't really say I'm on a budget, but I don't like wasting money on things that give me zero returns.
Crazyjake: Never really thought about running a 0w30 in it...GM specs the 5w30. Western Washington doesn't nearly get as cold as Nebraska...maybe drops into the upper 'teens on the harshest winter nights, but that's not very often.
SO, with that all being said, do you think maybe doing a six month OCI with something like MC5k would be better than once a year OCI with M1? Or maybe switch to a 0w-30??
Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Short trips = more changes of conventional oil, imo.
There is no substitute for physically draining out contaminates.
I agree.
That is what I've been doing with vehicles that see short trips all the time and they stay clean, run well and last.
Pretty well what we require of our vehicles. My Uncles F250 with a 351 / 4 speed pretty well saw only hard use with short trips and still is going down the road with a couple of hundred thousand miles on it. My Cousin uses it for towing his horse trailer now since Uncle got himself a 2005 F150.
Originally Posted By: bigdawg74
SO, with that all being said, do you think maybe doing a six month OCI with something like MC5k would be better than once a year OCI with M1? Or maybe switch to a 0w-30??
With that said,
I'm in the camp that I'd do the every six months with a filter each time.
Bill
Short trips = more changes of conventional oil, imo.
There is no substitute for physically draining out contaminates.
I agree.
That is what I've been doing with vehicles that see short trips all the time and they stay clean, run well and last.
Pretty well what we require of our vehicles. My Uncles F250 with a 351 / 4 speed pretty well saw only hard use with short trips and still is going down the road with a couple of hundred thousand miles on it. My Cousin uses it for towing his horse trailer now since Uncle got himself a 2005 F150.
Originally Posted By: bigdawg74
SO, with that all being said, do you think maybe doing a six month OCI with something like MC5k would be better than once a year OCI with M1? Or maybe switch to a 0w-30??
With that said,
Bill
Originally Posted By: ZZman
For the price difference once a year why not stick with the Syn Oil?
Because its not price difference.
Audi Junkie covered it above....
For the price difference once a year why not stick with the Syn Oil?
Because its not price difference.
Audi Junkie covered it above....
Originally Posted By: crazyjake
My wife's explorer does duty in a dusty small town, less than a mile to work, a mile to lunch, then a mile home. It never gets warmed up unless I take it on my commute.
I like to run Mobil 1 0w30 in it, I figure that the "0W" pumps better in that kind of never warmed up condition than a 5W would. You can really tell a difference in how well it starts and runs while warming up in the winter months vs. the NAPA 5w30 I ran in it when I first got it 20k miles ago.
What I would be concerned about is the condensation in the oil .
My wife's explorer does duty in a dusty small town, less than a mile to work, a mile to lunch, then a mile home. It never gets warmed up unless I take it on my commute.
I like to run Mobil 1 0w30 in it, I figure that the "0W" pumps better in that kind of never warmed up condition than a 5W would. You can really tell a difference in how well it starts and runs while warming up in the winter months vs. the NAPA 5w30 I ran in it when I first got it 20k miles ago.
What I would be concerned about is the condensation in the oil .
So is it a consensus that 0w30 would probably not be a viable option then? I was reading a thread on it and am curious if that would work. Don't want to be spending the $$$ on it if I am changing it 2x/year, though.
WA state is mild weather.
Do one change w/5w30 in the cool and once with 10w30 for the warm season.
Since we are talking about a small engine w/short trips, maybe 5w30 a better choice in the warm, but the 10w30 is worth a try.
Do one change w/5w30 in the cool and once with 10w30 for the warm season.
Since we are talking about a small engine w/short trips, maybe 5w30 a better choice in the warm, but the 10w30 is worth a try.
The problem with short trips is not only condensation, but also possible fuel dilution, since the engine runs richer when not fully warmed up. So, change it at least 2x a year. I don't see any need to change to different viscosity ranges for the seasons, however. 5w30 should be good all year round in your climate.
- Status
