Extended Drain Opinion

I think people are noticing it more with extended drains. If you have minor oil consumption, you probably wouldn't notice it in a 3000 mile oil change. It may be a bit low but nothing noticeable. Extend that to 10K and you'll notice it.

That's why Subaru backed off on the 7500 mile oil change on the F-series engines. People were noticing a lot more oil consumption and running their engine dry. I would have liked to be able to do 7500 in my Forester!
 
Do any of you think one of the reasons we are seeing more engines using oil than they did 10-20 years ago is due to the fact car makers
have changed their OCV's guidelines from 3K to 5K to 7K to 10K.....?

My understanding is some engines are being made "looser" to help mpg requirements and this may have an effect. Please don't get all technical on me. You know what I am trying to say, right?

Second question, what is the mileage that you consider "extended" drain? Is it 10K, 15K, ?

I apologize if this has been asked in the last few months. I have been "sabbatical" and don't feel like searching.;)
It's possible that longer service intervals have lead to increased wear and therefore increased oil consumption. Hard to say because every vehicle is driven differently, in a different area, and maintained differently, etc. I am pretty confident in saying that modern motor oils, oil filters and air filters are better than 10-20 years ago. I would say the general idea behind longer drain intervals is that modern cars run clean and deposit fewer contaminants into the oil, allowing for a longer drain interval (depending on the oil capacity). Too many other things going on to really know. DI is pretty rough on oil, so who knows.
As for "loose engines," the days of low tension piston rings are gone, by my understanding. That's the only design feature that I would consider for a new engine to be loose. Nowadays, most major manufacturers have quality machining and tolerances better than ever before, so it's really hard to understand how a carmaker can say that 1 quart per 1200 miles is normal consumption -- my road vehicles are 15 years and 26 years old and neither of them consumes any oil at all.
Finally, there is no single mileage number considered to be extended oil drain interval. It depends on the vehicle, the condition of the engine, how it is used and the environmental conditions where it is used. 15,000 miles may be no problem in one situation and 5,000 miles is way too far in other circumstances. People keep asking these broad blanket questions and there is no one answer that fits all scenarios. Sorry to get all technical on you. Maybe you should have done a search after all...
 
ARE more engines using oil? Neither my wifes 2012 Highlander (10,000 oci @ 130,000 miles) nor my 2016 2.7 EcoBoost F150 (7500 oci @ 75,000 miles) uses enough to show on the dipstick.
 
Well, to answer my question, I consider anything over 5k to be an extended drain interval. And I'm speaking in general terms.
I was just wondering what OCI that pops in your head when you think the words "extended drain interval." There is no right or
wrong. Just opinions. To me, I got a little give to 7500 but a 10k OCI would terrify me. I would feel like an abusive car owner.
I would need counseling.
 
To me, I got a little give to 7500 but a 10k OCI would terrify me. I would feel like an abusive car owner.
I would need counseling.
Why not just do a UOA and let the data drive your decisions? No need to get terrified over things that can be readily determined and analyzed.

That would be like living in a hocus pocus world which these days is, unfortunately, much too common.
 
Hyperbole
Why not just do a UOA and let the data drive your decisions? No need to get terrified over things that can be readily determined and analyzed.

That would be like living in a hocus pocus world which these days is, unfortunately, much too common.
Hyperbole LOL
 
It's possible that longer service intervals have lead to increased wear and therefore increased oil consumption. Hard to say because every vehicle is driven differently, in a different area, and maintained differently, etc. I am pretty confident in saying that modern motor oils, oil filters and air filters are better than 10-20 years ago. I would say the general idea behind longer drain intervals is that modern cars run clean and deposit fewer contaminants into the oil, allowing for a longer drain interval (depending on the oil capacity). Too many other things going on to really know. DI is pretty rough on oil, so who knows.
As for "loose engines," the days of low tension piston rings are gone, by my understanding. That's the only design feature that I would consider for a new engine to be loose. Nowadays, most major manufacturers have quality machining and tolerances better than ever before, so it's really hard to understand how a carmaker can say that 1 quart per 1200 miles is normal consumption -- my road vehicles are 15 years and 26 years old and neither of them consumes any oil at all.
Finally, there is no single mileage number considered to be extended oil drain interval. It depends on the vehicle, the condition of the engine, how it is used and the environmental conditions where it is used. 15,000 miles may be no problem in one situation and 5,000 miles is way too far in other circumstances. People keep asking these broad blanket questions and there is no one answer that fits all scenarios. Sorry to get all technical on you. Maybe you should have done a search after all...


I think the above post here is very, very well stated.
 
“NOOOOO my 4% fuel dilution dropped the oil one grade my engine is going to explode NOOOOO”
lol, the level kept going up on the stick. Higher every week. Had i left it in, who knows , i could have made it to 10%. Yea i could not stomach a 0w20 with >5% fuel dilution, so i run 0w40 in winter and 0w30 in summer.
 
I definitely agree with you. But what's defined as "large oil sump"?
I'd say 5 to 6 quarts of oil is good for an extended drain, I think its a waste especially with modern oils with engines with oil filters to only run the oil for 3,000 miles. I go 7,000, or maybe that one time 12,000 when I forgot.
 
I'd say 5 to 6 quarts of oil is good for an extended drain, I think its a waste especially with modern oils with engines with oil filters to only run the oil for 3,000 miles. I go 7,000, or maybe that one time 12,000 when I forgot.
And I'd say the answer depends very much on the size of the engine, specifically cylinder swept area, and on how hard it's working.
 
+1 Add oil analyses to learn HOW dirty etc.
At $10 to $25 per analysis, it's costly when compared to a few additional oil changes.

I just wish there was a deposit on oil which you got back upon recycling. Perhaps there'd be less pollution.
Ha-ha...AND LESS HOARDING! I just thought of that...pretty funny, eh?
Maybe campaign for this before some cleanliness/environmental/aesthetic/locally prominent effort succeeds in banning private oil sales?
 
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