Is 5500 miles too much for Kendall syn-blend?

[mclasser]

In my Pilot, I've had Kendall syn-blend 0W20 in for 6 MO / 5500 miles, with 60% city / 40% hwy driving. I normally use syn oil and dump it around this interval, but life got in the way and I'm a little overdue. The OLM says 40% left but I don't go by that because it doesn't differentiate b/w syn & syn-blend and is too optimistic in this VCM engine, which tears up oil.

How stout is this oil? Does it hold up well to shearing? It's certainly quiet, I'll give it that.

 

[edyvw]

I think you are fine, BUT, considering VCM issues, and generally the fact that that engine tends to be bit hard on oils, I would stick to Full Synthetic whenever I can.

 

[CT8]

What makes you thing the miles are too high?

 

[bullwinkle]

Without a used oil analysis, there's no way to tell if you went too long or not. Kendall does make a pretty tough oil, though.

 

[cheech279]

Unless your Pilot specced full synthetic when it was new, why would you go against the OLM? At least go down to 15-20% anyway. In my Ridgeline, granted with no VCM, for the first 60K miles I used Conoco Phillips 5w-20 blends (Motorcraft, Conoco, 76 or Kendall) at 5,700 mile intervals on average and they did the job. Engine is clean and uses zero oil.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It's a lot, but only because you have the VCM, not because it's a syn blend. For VCM, I'd stick to a full synthetic.

My choice for you would be Napa Synthetic, since it's on sale until the end of December. $2.99/qt and it's rebranded Synpower

Kendall syn blend is Motorcraft

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
It's a lot, but only because you have the VCM, not because it's a syn blend. For VCM, I'd stick to a full synthetic.

My choice for you would be Napa Synthetic, since it's on sale until the end of December. $2.99/qt and it's rebranded Synpower

Kendall syn blend is Motorcraft


Kendall is not the same as motorcraft. It is a sibling oil though. Napa synthetic has a weaker add pack than normal synpower.

 

[OneEyeJack]

The answer is....do a used oil analysis and see where you stand. You might learn something and at least you'll know how your oil is doing if not the engine unless there is a problem.

The oil you are using is up to the job at hand and the used oil analysis will be a good investment.

 

[Camprunner]

Frankly I would not worry about it I used Kendall syn blend 5w30 in my Nissan 4.0 V6 last winter with great results. I have a friend with a Nissan Frontier with the same V6 and he did a used oil analysis at 7,500 miles and it was recommended he take the oil to 9,000 miles. And the Nissan VQ40DE V6 is not that easy on oil (rather large timing chain).

 

[daves87rs]

Syn blend did just fine I my cobalt....

 

[NavyVet88]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Without a used oil analysis, there's no way to tell if you went too long or not. Kendall does make a pretty tough oil, though.


Granted the engine difference, I used to run this oil up to and past 8k oil intervals and it did fine in my civic with oem filter.

 

[Shata]

If your running recommended oil in your manual you can run OLM interval, their pretty accurate in their calculations. To be safe I would stil check 6k /40% mark and see if oil your using still has good tbn. Then jump to interval if blackstone says your okay for another 2k or whatever and resample again etc until your at 5%. I'm pretty firm believer if it's good once your fine.

I would change it at end and run it out to 5% again and sample to verify at end 2nd time. Call it a day if it's good just follow it.

 

[Shata]

I was at about 20-25% on my chevy at 6k and sample came back good to run another 4K and resample but I can't cause that would have put me past 0% so I just change at 6k running warranty. Tbn was 3.0.

 

[SR5]

This member is getting ~ 10,000 miles out of Kendal GT-1 5W20 in his F150 V8 5.0
(Not sure if its the full synthetic or the blend)

[Kendall GT-1 5W20 F150 V8 used oil analysis]

 

[Merkava_4]

The oil is the lifeblood of the engine. What are the chances of the engine lasting longer with an OCI of 2750 miles as opposed to 5500 miles ? I'd say you stand a pretty good chance of gaining a significantly longer engine life with more the frequent oil changes as long as the engine never overheats.

 

[UltrafanUK]

The only way you are going to know if the OCI is OK for sure is to get a few used oil analysis done.

Oddly enough changing the oil too often can increase wear, although you need to do a used oil analysis series to figure out if an engine likes long OCI's or not.

A lot of owners get concerned about high temp shearing, when not many engines tend to shear their oil. Most of those that do have a high max RPM limit or a hot running turbo.
Contamination effects a dino or full synthetic in exactly the same way, so thinking that a full synthetic will last longer than a dino base oil is not always true. The amount of detergents is also a key factor in terms of how long an oil will last.

If you do have an engine known for shearing its oil, I would think about using a real group 4 full synthetic or GTL base oil like Ultra.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
The only way you are going to know if the OCI is OK for sure is to get a few used oil analysis done.


That's what all you guys say when you don't have the guts to tell the OP that 5500 miles is too long.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The oil is the lifeblood of the engine. What are the chances of the engine lasting longer with an OCI of 2750 miles as opposed to 5500 miles ? I'd say you stand a pretty good chance of gaining a significantly longer engine life with more the frequent oil changes as long as the engine never overheats.

The chances are slim to none, Merk. The taxis went 6,000 mile intervals on conventional instead of the 3,000 mile severe service intervals at the time. The bodies fell apart around the engines. I don't think we've seen the slightest bit of evidence we get any significantly enhanced engine life by going from one reasonable OCI to another, assuming both are suitable.

 

[SR5]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I don't think we've seen the slightest bit of evidence we get any significantly enhanced engine life by going from one reasonable OCI to another, assuming both are suitable.


Yep, or one reasonable oil brand / grade to another, assuming both are suitable.

 

[roadrunner1]

If the oil is within spec there is absolutely no reason not to follow the OLM. I am going to assume the Kendall in question is API SN/GF-5 which the OLM is designed around, conventional or synthetic doesn't matter.