The truck....M1 5W-30 EP, 6 quarts with Motorcraft filter. Changed the oil two years ago, has about 5500 miles on it. Did the oil blot test and the oil still spreads like crazy. It gets driven at least every two weeks for about 45 minutes. It sits in a covered carport when not in use. With that good of an oil and blot shows that oil still seems good...I know, no lab test, you think I should change it out now? I'm not unopposed to that, just hate to waste good oil if I don't have to.
Long change interval...replace?
- Thread starter Schmoe
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I do the one drop test at about 7K in my normal 10K OCI. Here is a link for the one drop oil test.
http://www.gwrauto.com/One Drop.htm
http://www.gwrauto.com/One Drop.htm
Originally Posted By: JoelB
If you're concerned why not just change it? It's less than $50 for the oil and filter and you're doing it every 2 years. No brainer for me.
I'm with you. Two years. When in doubt, change it out. Then invest another few $$ get a UOA, and eliminate the doubt going forward.
If you're concerned why not just change it? It's less than $50 for the oil and filter and you're doing it every 2 years. No brainer for me.
I'm with you. Two years. When in doubt, change it out. Then invest another few $$ get a UOA, and eliminate the doubt going forward.
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
The truck....M1 5W-30 EP, 6 quarts with Motorcraft filter. Changed the oil two years ago, has about 5500 miles on it. Did the oil blot test and the oil still spreads like crazy. It gets driven at least every two weeks for about 45 minutes. It sits in a covered carport when not in use. With that good of an oil and blot shows that oil still seems good...I know, no lab test, you think I should change it out now? I'm not unopposed to that, just hate to waste good oil if I don't have to.
My gut tells me that it's fine for awhile longer.
My head suggests you get a UOA, then you will KNOW for certain.
The truck....M1 5W-30 EP, 6 quarts with Motorcraft filter. Changed the oil two years ago, has about 5500 miles on it. Did the oil blot test and the oil still spreads like crazy. It gets driven at least every two weeks for about 45 minutes. It sits in a covered carport when not in use. With that good of an oil and blot shows that oil still seems good...I know, no lab test, you think I should change it out now? I'm not unopposed to that, just hate to waste good oil if I don't have to.
My gut tells me that it's fine for awhile longer.
My head suggests you get a UOA, then you will KNOW for certain.
Don't know if you are a Three Stooges fan, but they had a short film where one of the characters was the Emir of Schmoe.
Having done UOA on all the cars here to see what the facts were show me that the engine oil drop test
on test papers is mostly meaningless.
Here's why:
1) > UOA on good engines without excessive blow-by showed low contamination and oil
Total Base Numbers (TBN/BN) over 3.3 or more on oil with 10K miles! Usually a report will recommend
an oil change when BN hits 2.0 or less. By then it looks dark just like to oil drop test.
2) > Since I've used a pair of FilterMags on my spin-on oil filters the oil stays clear months longer,
these mags pick up ferrous, chromium metal wear and reduce lead & aluminum levels too. Normal fine metal
wear in the .1 - 5 micron range easily turns oil black way before oxidation unless you run the oil level
way low on the dipstick or abuse the engine to bake it!! The oil drop test would fail good oil with
usable life in it!
3) > So the claim that dark oil on the drop tests is oxidation is mostly false. If you run synthetic oil
oxidation in a healthy engine run on street applications with the correct oil level is nearly a non-issue!
Of course that threw me at the time, since we've brainwashed for decades!
4) > Old vintage cars, engines are a different issue, tons of blowby gases, marginal crankcase PCV systems
allow creation of crud in the oil. So shorter conventional change intervals apply.
I wish I'd thought of FilterMags first and used them 30 years ago, when I went really high distances and ran engines
until compression was terribly low! LOL
on test papers is mostly meaningless.
Here's why:
1) > UOA on good engines without excessive blow-by showed low contamination and oil
Total Base Numbers (TBN/BN) over 3.3 or more on oil with 10K miles! Usually a report will recommend
an oil change when BN hits 2.0 or less. By then it looks dark just like to oil drop test.
2) > Since I've used a pair of FilterMags on my spin-on oil filters the oil stays clear months longer,
these mags pick up ferrous, chromium metal wear and reduce lead & aluminum levels too. Normal fine metal
wear in the .1 - 5 micron range easily turns oil black way before oxidation unless you run the oil level
way low on the dipstick or abuse the engine to bake it!! The oil drop test would fail good oil with
usable life in it!
3) > So the claim that dark oil on the drop tests is oxidation is mostly false. If you run synthetic oil
oxidation in a healthy engine run on street applications with the correct oil level is nearly a non-issue!
Of course that threw me at the time, since we've brainwashed for decades!
4) > Old vintage cars, engines are a different issue, tons of blowby gases, marginal crankcase PCV systems
allow creation of crud in the oil. So shorter conventional change intervals apply.
I wish I'd thought of FilterMags first and used them 30 years ago, when I went really high distances and ran engines
until compression was terribly low! LOL
It's not $50 if you take advantage of this month's Mobil 1 rebate ($12). 6 quarts will run you $16. Toss in the $3-$4 M/C filter to get you to $20.
WM M1 EP
Order 2 jugs....or 1 jug + Fram Ultra + 75c item to get free shipping. I'm with the change the oil now for $20. If it were garaged in a more stable temp environment then maybe longer.
WM M1 EP
Order 2 jugs....or 1 jug + Fram Ultra + 75c item to get free shipping. I'm with the change the oil now for $20. If it were garaged in a more stable temp environment then maybe longer.
I'd charge ahead with the fill unbothered.
I've always figured the "15k or 1 year" bit was to account for short trips on DDs that are harder on the oil than just sitting quietly in the oil pan. If you're really only putting 90 minutes of driving in 45 minute intervals, I'd run it to 10k, test to know going forward, and then change if necessary.
I've always figured the "15k or 1 year" bit was to account for short trips on DDs that are harder on the oil than just sitting quietly in the oil pan. If you're really only putting 90 minutes of driving in 45 minute intervals, I'd run it to 10k, test to know going forward, and then change if necessary.
I know that 3 years in my application was too long--UOA showed the Yellow Bottle 5-30 in the low 20 weight zone. It was a Toyota V6 engine which sat for 6 months at a time.
If it was me, and I was going to keep the vehicle, after 2 years,an oil/filter change would be a no brainer
Steve
If it was me, and I was going to keep the vehicle, after 2 years,an oil/filter change would be a no brainer
Steve
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
50 bucks is 50 bucks....like I said....if it's still good, don't want to waste it.
I can't say I blame you, but the only way to know for sure it to spend a few more $$ and have it tested. That will eliminate any guess work.
50 bucks is 50 bucks....like I said....if it's still good, don't want to waste it.
I can't say I blame you, but the only way to know for sure it to spend a few more $$ and have it tested. That will eliminate any guess work.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
50 bucks is 50 bucks....like I said....if it's still good, don't want to waste it.
I can't say I blame you, but the only way to know for sure it to spend a few more $$ and have it tested. That will eliminate any guess work.
Agreed - as I stated earlier, take a sample and have it analyzed.
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
50 bucks is 50 bucks....like I said....if it's still good, don't want to waste it.
I can't say I blame you, but the only way to know for sure it to spend a few more $$ and have it tested. That will eliminate any guess work.
Agreed - as I stated earlier, take a sample and have it analyzed.
If you value the vehicle, the cost of an oil change at this point is justified. Don't waste the money on a UOA, spend it on new oil and a filter.
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
If you value the vehicle, the cost of an oil change at this point is justified. Don't waste the money on a UOA, spend it on new oil and a filter.
So... are you saying there's no value to the OP's desire to make sure he's not draining good oil?
Or perhaps you're saying there's no value to a UOA...that will help OP make sure he's not draining good oil?
Or are you saying something else here? Please elaborate.
If you value the vehicle, the cost of an oil change at this point is justified. Don't waste the money on a UOA, spend it on new oil and a filter.
So... are you saying there's no value to the OP's desire to make sure he's not draining good oil?
Or perhaps you're saying there's no value to a UOA...that will help OP make sure he's not draining good oil?
Or are you saying something else here? Please elaborate.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
If you value the vehicle, the cost of an oil change at this point is justified. Don't waste the money on a UOA, spend it on new oil and a filter.
So... are you saying there's no value to the OP's desire to make sure he's not draining good oil? Or perhaps you're saying there's no value to a UOA...that will help OP make sure he's not draining good oil? Or are you saying something else here? Please elaborate.
What I am saying is that balanced against the cost of the car it makes good sense to spend the money to change the oil if in doubt.
You are correct in saying that I see no value in a UOA and I never have. Instead of spending money on UOAs trying to stretch out the last mile or day from an oil change, my view is the "UOA Money" is better spent on extra oil and filter changes. Your engine with thank you for that. Mine do so every day.
No, I am not saying anything else.
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
If you value the vehicle, the cost of an oil change at this point is justified. Don't waste the money on a UOA, spend it on new oil and a filter.
So... are you saying there's no value to the OP's desire to make sure he's not draining good oil? Or perhaps you're saying there's no value to a UOA...that will help OP make sure he's not draining good oil? Or are you saying something else here? Please elaborate.
What I am saying is that balanced against the cost of the car it makes good sense to spend the money to change the oil if in doubt.
You are correct in saying that I see no value in a UOA and I never have. Instead of spending money on UOAs trying to stretch out the last mile or day from an oil change, my view is the "UOA Money" is better spent on extra oil and filter changes. Your engine with thank you for that. Mine do so every day.
No, I am not saying anything else.
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Change it out. UOA were designed more for work vehicles and trucks that do so many thousands of miles per year and cost a heap of money to repair. Situations like this I'd only UOA if I had lots of spare cash and was just plain interested.
2 years is plenty and I'd change it.
2 years is plenty and I'd change it.
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