How long can I go?

[Anduril]

Long story short, I'm sick of doing oil changes every 3-4k miles, and I refuse to take my car anywhere to have it done after they [censored] up my wife's drain plug beyond repair and now I have to put oversize rubber washers on it to stop it from constantly leaking. Was at Wal-Mart today and picked up some Valvoline full synthetic 5-30 because it happened to be on sale. I'm not interested in doing used oil analysis or anything like that, I just want to know how long I can safely run this for without causing any harm.

Car is a 2000 Cavalier, 2.2 engine. I do mostly in-town driving, with the occasional 100 mile each way freeway trip. It doesn't burn or leak anything as far as I know.

 

[UNC197]

How many miles would you do in a year?

 

[Anduril]

I'm going to guess about 10k

 

[UNC197]

I would suggest not running that Valvoline synthetic past 7500 miles without a used oil analysis. I drive < 7500 miles a year and change oil once a year.

 

[PT1]

I'd say you might be an Amsoil 1 year 10k OCI candidate. Start in warm weather and change every Spring. No more Winter oil changes.

Wait...your in Irvine...still with a female driver...definitely Amsoil & amsoil filter...then check once a month for any top off...easy peasy

 

[StevieC]

^^^ What he said! ^^^

You will have superior protection, and less aggravation IMO.

 

[PT1]

BTW, invest in one of those drain bolt repair kits or jbweld a locking fumoto valve in there.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: PT1
BTW, invest in one of those drain bolt repair kits or jbweld a locking fumoto valve in there.


If he intends on keeping the car a while, I would replace the oil pan... Much better solution... I would have the people that screwed it up to pay for it... My aunt did!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: Anduril
Long story short, I'm sick of doing oil changes every 3-4k miles, and I refuse to take my car anywhere to have it done after they [censored] up my wife's drain plug beyond repair and now I have to put oversize rubber washers on it to stop it from constantly leaking. Was at Wal-Mart today and picked up some Valvoline full synthetic 5-30 because it happened to be on sale. I'm not interested in doing used oil analysis or anything like that, I just want to know how long I can safely run this for without causing any harm.

Car is a 2000 Cavalier, 2.2 engine. I do mostly in-town driving, with the occasional 100 mile each way freeway trip. It doesn't burn or leak anything as far as I know.


Nobody here knows if your oil gets fuel or coolant-diluted over the course of your OCI.

Only a Blacksone oil analysis can detect such. As a result, you can extend your OCIs right now, but you may not be doing you or your engine any favors...... until you find out it's beneficial -- via a Blackstone UOA.

 

[Nickdfresh]

You could use any 5w30, conventional to synthetic, and go at least 5000 miles or six months on that engine. I have one also and suspect they are very easy on the oil.

If you don't have any leaks, anything like Valvoline or Pennzoil conventional would work well in twice a year changes at 5K. My engine loves (yeah right, like there's really much if any difference

) Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 and the current fill of Val. MaxLife syn blend 5w30...

Depending on how much driving I'm doing this summer, I'm planning to use Mobil 1 10w30 HM on a long OCI...

 

[firemachine69]

5K/6m OCI is spec'd for my Yaris on any conventional SM-rated oil, and per my last Blackstone report, even with 95% of the driving being short hops (under two miles), I still had over 2.0 TBN left, a.k.a. lots of juice to keep going on the Shell 5w30 fill.

 

[Cutehumor]

in California, summer is coming, 7500 miles is doable. Just keep a tab of the oil smell for any fuel dilution.

 

[Spector]

Also, sugggest a FUMOTO drain valve on your wifes car and once installed forget about any more issues with the drain plug washer etc..