Hello, just joined this forum, after reading it for couple straight days (who would've thought a topic like engine oil has so much info), so i hope i write in the right forum section. I have e39 530d, and my usual trips to work and back (for the last year or so) is only like 2,5miles (7minutes), and i live in 4 season climate (hot summers (86 F) and very cold winters (-22 F)). So after reading this forum (and all the Dr. Haas info) i came to a conclusion that i very rarely get to working oil temperatures (sometimes even coolant ist not in its peak temperature when i finish my trip), and that should'nt be very healthy for my engine. My car has 205k miles, the first 130k had only dealership oil changes every 20k miles, the last 75k miles i changed it every 10k miles. Do you have any advices on what my OCI's with short trips should be? Should i go with very thin oil? Maybe some additives would be beneficial (or an engine flush?)? My car has auxillary coolant heater and is remapped if that changes anything. Thanks for the answers, always interesting to learn something new.
Help with short trips
- Thread starter VinK
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What oil are you using right now?
I suggest you shorten your OCI to 10.000kms ( 6000 miles )
And try to drive the car atleast 2 or 3 times a month on a long highway trip where the engine warms up fully and driving at a higher RPM than normal so the harmful deposits evaporate from the oil.
For your climate i would suggest a 5W-40 Full synthetic oil, that is ACEA A3/B4.
I suggest you shorten your OCI to 10.000kms ( 6000 miles )
And try to drive the car atleast 2 or 3 times a month on a long highway trip where the engine warms up fully and driving at a higher RPM than normal so the harmful deposits evaporate from the oil.
For your climate i would suggest a 5W-40 Full synthetic oil, that is ACEA A3/B4.
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Another suggestion is to install a mask on the radiator to control the airflow. They used to be standard equipment years ago, but I don't know these days.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
What oil are you using right now?
I suggest you shorten your OCI to 10.000kms ( 6000 miles )
And try to drive the car atleast 2 or 3 times a month on a long highway trip where the engine warms up fully and driving at a higher RPM than normal so the harmful deposits evaporate from the oil.
For your climate i would suggest a 5W-40 Full synthetic oil, that is ACEA A3/B4.
Right now im on Mobil 1 0w40 New Life (5k km in). I do actually have at least couple of 20-30 min trips every week, but what do you consider a long highway trip?
Originally Posted by Pelican
Another suggestion is to install a mask on the radiator to control the airflow. They used to be standard equipment years ago, but I don't know these days.
I have absolutely no idea what that is.
What oil are you using right now?
I suggest you shorten your OCI to 10.000kms ( 6000 miles )
And try to drive the car atleast 2 or 3 times a month on a long highway trip where the engine warms up fully and driving at a higher RPM than normal so the harmful deposits evaporate from the oil.
For your climate i would suggest a 5W-40 Full synthetic oil, that is ACEA A3/B4.
Right now im on Mobil 1 0w40 New Life (5k km in). I do actually have at least couple of 20-30 min trips every week, but what do you consider a long highway trip?
Originally Posted by Pelican
Another suggestion is to install a mask on the radiator to control the airflow. They used to be standard equipment years ago, but I don't know these days.
I have absolutely no idea what that is.
I have absolutely no idea what that is. A mask is anything used to block airflow through the radiator. When I was little it was as simple as a piece of cardboard. A diesel truck will often have shutters. Others just plastic ,some snaps to attach it and a zipper.
Originally Posted by andyd
I have absolutely no idea what that is. A mask is anything used to block airflow through the radiator. When I was little it was as simple as a piece of cardboard. A diesel truck will often have shutters. Others just plastic ,some snaps to attach it and a zipper.
I don't trust the shutters, I much prefer a mask like in the picture above at least then know if it's on or off.
I have absolutely no idea what that is. A mask is anything used to block airflow through the radiator. When I was little it was as simple as a piece of cardboard. A diesel truck will often have shutters. Others just plastic ,some snaps to attach it and a zipper.
I don't trust the shutters, I much prefer a mask like in the picture above at least then know if it's on or off.
Interesting, never seen one of those before
let The vehicle serve you and adjust service as needed.
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Originally Posted by VinK
Interesting, never seen one of those before
I had something similar, but made of rubber that fit inside the rad opening in both my Peugeot 505 and my MB 240D. They also had small windows that you could adjust to regulate the flow of air.
Interesting, never seen one of those before
I had something similar, but made of rubber that fit inside the rad opening in both my Peugeot 505 and my MB 240D. They also had small windows that you could adjust to regulate the flow of air.
Originally Posted by andyd
I have absolutely no idea what that is. A mask is anything used to block airflow through the radiator. When I was little it was as simple as a piece of cardboard. A diesel truck will often have shutters. Others just plastic ,some snaps to attach it and a zipper.
You've never seen a fabric grill cover on a OTR or medium duty truck?
I have absolutely no idea what that is. A mask is anything used to block airflow through the radiator. When I was little it was as simple as a piece of cardboard. A diesel truck will often have shutters. Others just plastic ,some snaps to attach it and a zipper.
You've never seen a fabric grill cover on a OTR or medium duty truck?
I would agree that you should ignore Dr. Haas's writings.
Originally Posted by CT8
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations. Short trips ,, change the oil often.
^^^ This
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations. Short trips ,, change the oil often.
^^^ This
Originally Posted by CT8
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations. Short trips ,, change the oil often.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
I would agree that you should ignore Dr. Haas's writings.
Originally Posted by anndel
Originally Posted by CT8
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations.
^^^ This
Why is that? Is his rhetorics considered false?
Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
let The vehicle serve you and adjust service as needed.
Originally Posted by CT8
Short trips ,, change the oil often.
So, change it about every 10k km?
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations. Short trips ,, change the oil often.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
I would agree that you should ignore Dr. Haas's writings.
Originally Posted by anndel
Originally Posted by CT8
Forget all you have read regarding the Dr Hass writings and follow your manufactures recommendations.
^^^ This
Why is that? Is his rhetorics considered false?
Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
let The vehicle serve you and adjust service as needed.
Originally Posted by CT8
Short trips ,, change the oil often.
So, change it about every 10k km?
I just had a discussion with my neighbor a couple weeks ago about this. He only drives 1.5 miles each way to work. It's a late 90s Camry that he's put less than 10,000 miles on in 4 years, and hasn't changed the oil is as much time. He said he uses the larger Fram orange can filter, swaps it out every 3 months, and tops off the oil. It sounds and runs fine, surprisingly.
Nice. The coolant heater is a nice feature.
I agree, follow the manufacturer recommend oil change intervals. Shorter intervals will just produce more diluted oil changes. IMO 20-30 minute trips are not long enough to burn off fuel dilution.
Does the manufacturer allow use of 5w-40 grade? It has more stable viscosity than 0w has.
I agree, follow the manufacturer recommend oil change intervals. Shorter intervals will just produce more diluted oil changes. IMO 20-30 minute trips are not long enough to burn off fuel dilution.
Does the manufacturer allow use of 5w-40 grade? It has more stable viscosity than 0w has.
I'm sure there are some modern cars with radiator shutters and I believe it was done as much for improved aerodynamics as it was temperature control.
Short trips are are also hard on the oil for air cooled engines where there is no control of the cooling at all. Here is my modest effort at lagging the rocker covers which helps increase oil temperatures a little and more specifically stops the dreaded mayonnaise forming inside the rocker covers.
Short trips are are also hard on the oil for air cooled engines where there is no control of the cooling at all. Here is my modest effort at lagging the rocker covers which helps increase oil temperatures a little and more specifically stops the dreaded mayonnaise forming inside the rocker covers.
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