Getting rid of fuel dilution?

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irv

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Oct 8, 2006
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Oshawa, Ont. Canada
I've read on here numerous times about short city type driving and fuel dilution so I am wondering how long of a drive, occasionally, is needed to help burn that fuel and moisture out of the oil?
I have also read this is a good idea to help keep the battery up to optimum condition as well.

My wife only drives her car 10 kms one way each day normally (20kms total) so today, while out doing some errands, I decided to take her car out on the hwy. Due to the conditions, rain/cold/miserable day, I only drove approximately 25-30 kms (18 miles) but at hwy speeds of 115 to 125 kms/h. I assume this is better than nothing but not likely long enough to do much good? I did accelerate hard getting on the hwy entering both ways just to help clean it out a bit as well.

Curious, how many miles/distance would be ideal to take her car for a spirited drive occasionally to help burn off the fuel and moisture that has likely built up in the engine from the short drives and how often should I do this?

Her car is a 2017 Chevy Impala with the 3.6 L LFX engine. It holds 5.7 L's of oil (6 quarts) and I am currently using Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 D1G2 in it with a Fram Ultra filter if any of that matters?

Thanks.
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Get a Scangauge or other OBDII monitor and see how long it takes for the oil to reach operating temp. My car probably take about 25-30 mins of city driving to heat the oil to 90c during the winter depending on turbo operation. 20 mins on the highway should do it.

I think you have it about right. My mom's car sees almost 100% short trips but gets driven to the cottage, down south, a few times a year.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Get a Scangauge or other OBDII monitor and see how long it takes for the oil to reach operating temp. My car probably take about 25-30 mins of city driving to heat the oil to 90c during the winter depending on turbo operation. 20 mins on the highway should do it.

I think you have it about right. My mom's car sees almost 100% short trips but gets driven to the cottage, down south, a few times a year.


I likely won't go to that length, Max, but that is a good idea just the same.

In your opinion, how often should I take her car for one of these spirited drives? Once a month/every 6 weeks plenty? The oil change I did on her car this past Monday, I thought the oil smelt gassy to me? I did the oil change immediately after she got home from work and the oil had approximately 5,000 kms on it.
 
Originally Posted by irv
In your opinion, how often should I take her car for one of these spirited drives? Once a month/every 6 weeks plenty? The oil change I did on her car this past Monday, I thought the oil smelt gassy to me? I did the oil change immediately after she got home from work and the oil had approximately 5,000 kms on it.
UOA will answer your question. I have no experience with DI cars but I think you are right to be concerned, I would probably want to warm it up once a month in the winter time, maybe every other month when it is warm. Short trips are worse in the winter time, and larger naturally aspirated engines that are slower to warm might compound the issue. If you have a longer commute switch cars for the day, then you don't have to go out of your way and waste fuel.

My waste oil in my port injected cars has always smelled of gas too, and I used to drive a lot of short trips.
 
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Originally Posted by maxdustington
Get a Scangauge or other OBDII monitor and see how long it takes for the oil to reach operating temp. ... 20 mins on the highway should do it. ...
That about how long my old Chevy (below) took for oil pressure (hence temperature) to stabilize. More time hot would allow more evaporation of fuel fractions in the oil. Not all modern cars have oil temperature sensing reported via OBDII; I don't know about Irv's.
 
Just change the oil more frequently. Hopefully GM has the timing chain issues sorted with that engine at this point.
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Change the oil more often


Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Just change the oil more frequently. Hopefully GM has the timing chain issues sorted with that engine at this point.


I just changed it with around 5,000 kms on the oil, (3,100 hundred miles) which equates to twice a year OCIs with full syn oil. Are you guys suggesting more than that or is that plenty?

Personally, if I hadn't heard about the potential problems/issues here, I likely wouldn't even be thinking nor asking about it. Just how serious is this issue or is it something that somehow got hyped and ended up snowballing?
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I found this post from an old thread. I tend to lean with this posters thoughts but likely a lot has changed since 2014 when this thread was written?

"OP you're over thinking things. Just drive normally and change the oil when the OLM hits 15% with full synthetic, it's more than enough to keep the engine in top shape regardless of how often you short trip. Driving extra mileage just to warm the engine up is a waste of gas, your engine is good for at least another 200K as long as the oil is changed on time.

You should be more worried about the battery dying with all the short trips because it'll never get fully charged so you should trickle charge it every few months. Also, the ATF should be replaced before 60k KM especially since the new Honda DW-1 formula is a full synthetic in Canada which dramatically improves cold shifting.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3450518/1
 
Originally Posted by red7404
Don't forget that the acids in the crankcase are water based.


Meaning I have less to worry/concern myself about?
 
Originally Posted by irv
Originally Posted by CT8
Change the oil more often


Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Just change the oil more frequently. Hopefully GM has the timing chain issues sorted with that engine at this point.


I just changed it with around 5,000 kms on the oil, (3,100 hundred miles) which equates to twice a year OCIs with full syn oil. Are you guys suggesting more than that or is that plenty?




I think that's frequently enough. That's the easiest and most sure-fire way of making sure fuel dilution doesn't get out of control.
 
iam meaning the most important thing is to change the oil. but more so try to get and keep engine temp high as much as you can. and be sure the crank ventilation is in good shape
 
Just curious, many miles you have currently?

Have same engine I believe, 2016 lacrosse.
60K miles and usually change out my oil at 10% with OLM on vehicle.
Think it is about 4000ish miles.

Don't know if it helps or not but works fine so far.
Use Fram ultra as well with cheapest synthetic 5-30 oil I can get.
Gets floored frequently 5-6000rpm and 85mph+ highway driving.
Just for kicks there though.
 
Originally Posted by al14786
Just curious, many miles you have currently?

Have same engine I believe, 2016 lacrosse.
60K miles and usually change out my oil at 10% with OLM on vehicle.
Think it is about 4000ish miles.

Don't know if it helps or not but works fine so far.
Use Fram ultra as well with cheapest synthetic 5-30 oil I can get.
Gets floored frequently 5-6000rpm and 85mph+ highway driving.
Just for kicks there though.


Her car just rolled over 30,000 kms (close to 19,000 miles) We purchased it used with around 20,000 kms on it.
Like I mentioned, the car sees 99% city driving and so far so good as well. The car runs super quiet, is peppy, or definitely more peppy than when we got it, and no signs of any issues either.

I will continue to use Pennzoil Platinum D1G2 in this car even though it only requires D1. I have a stock of PUP I was going to use up in her engine but now that my son has a car, he will get that oil instead. Its the same weight, 5W-30 and an 08 2.4 Ecotec so its more than enough for that engine. Both will be using (son's already does) Fram TG oil filters.
 
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