Long trip coming up ...should I change the oil ?

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Oregoonian

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I am going down to Southern California from Bend, Oregon on 12/28. The total R/T will be about 2000 +/- miles, with 90% highway (55 to 75 MPH).

My 2003 Ford Focus (2.3L Duratec) with 93K on it, had an oil change on 7/1 (Mobil 1 5w20EP)...and will have about 6000 miles on it when I leave.

Question - Should I change my oil prior to leaving OR after I return? My normal OCI on the M1 5w20 is 10K (so that might answer my question)...but I would appreciate your opinions.
 
Ep is rated for 15k and you have 6 on it? leave it in!! you will only have 8k on it when you get back. i would change it at 10 k.
 
Always change after a roadtrip. The oil in there will self-clean and clean the engine during a roadtrip. Just bring top-off oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Just bring top-off oil.
Good idea, and that's my vote too.

Make sure you check your spare too....never know what may jump out at you on that route.

If you're a fan of Fuel Injector cleaners, now would be a good time to use one too.....give it a good "complete" burn through the tank all in one go, if you know what I mean.
 
leave it in, bring an extra quart if you need to top it off, spend your time having fun instead of worrying about your motor oil.
 
Quote:
Ep is rated for 15k and you have 6 on it?.....
and < 6months. Answer is, roadtrip, easiest 2k of the OCI. Roll!!!! Be a waste of M1 EP to dump it now.

Have a safe trip.
 
What's happened to the original Bitogoers ?

Back in 03/04 the answer was simply do a UOA at least 2 UOA's.

Establish a base line and go from there.
 
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I would keep it in, no problem.


Originally Posted By: virginoil
What's happened to the original Bitogoers ?



I wish I knew. Lately, it seems like many of the next gen BITOG'ers are quick to try and correct you (without knowing themselves) and have replaced fact with fiction.
Just my opinion. This is a topic for another thread though.
 
Whenever I am going on a long road trip an oil change is always done before unless I literally have just done it. That and the other fluids are checked/topped off, the air filter is checked/changed, tires checked and PSI set, the brakes and shocks are checked, and an inspection of all belts and hoses is done.

M1 EP is "rated" for 15K but that does not mean it will hold up that long in every application. You say you always run it 10K. Have you done any UOA's at 10K to see if it is actually ok to go that long? Sure you could probably run it for the 2K trip, bringing it to 8K when you are home, and not have any problems. M1 EP is cheap however and as you have already run it 6K it isn't like you got no use out of it at all. I personally would change it.
 
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My initial feeling without reading the other replies is to keep the M1 in and wait until later to change it. Highway miles are going to be easy on the car, so I'd say you're all set.

Drive safely.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Whenever I am going on a long road trip an oil change is always done before unless I literally have just done it. That and the other fluids are checked/topped off, the air filter is checked/changed, tires checked and PSI set, the brakes and shocks are checked, and an inspection of all belts and hoses is done.

M1 EP is "rated" for 15K but that does not mean it will hold up that long in every application. You say you always run it 10K. Have you done any UOA's at 10K to see if it is actually ok to go that long? Sure you could probably run it for the 2K trip, bringing it to 8K when you are home, and not have any problems. M1 EP is cheap however and as you have already run it 6K it isn't like you got no use out of it at all. I personally would change it.


I agree, I guess I'm real old school. The oil has 6000 miles on it, if I had the time I'd change it too. The $30 cost makes the decision even easier for me.
 
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
I am going down to Southern California from Bend, Oregon on 12/28. The total R/T will be about 2000 +/- miles, with 90% highway (55 to 75 MPH).

My 2003 Ford Focus (2.3L Duratec) with 93K on it, had an oil change on 7/1 (Mobil 1 5w20EP)...and will have about 6000 miles on it when I leave.

Question - Should I change my oil prior to leaving OR after I return? My normal OCI on the M1 5w20 is 10K (so that might answer my question)...but I would appreciate your opinions.


If this woudl be my car I would change it when I return, just check your oil level on every fill up
wink.gif
.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Ep is rated for 15k and you have 6 on it? leave it in!! you will only have 8k on it when you get back. i would change it at 10 k.


Correct!

EP can do 8K miles without even thinking about it! Besides that, you are doing easy highway cruising in mild temps. Absolutely leave it in.
 
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I couldn't tell you many long trips I have made using M1 oils starting out with over 6-8K on the oil. In late Sept. I went to Panama City, FL. with the Fusion (2200 mile trip) with no problems.
 
Dont waste your money by dumping that oil or having a UOA done. As most have asserted, change the oil after you get back from the trip.
 
Absolutely no need to change the M1 EP this early. I may be old (I'll be 75 my next birthday), but I began using M1 back in about 1977, and I always used it as it was advertised initially, ie, one year or 25,000 miles, whichever came first. Back before I retired in 2002, this mileage was usually 18,000 to 19,000 per year on my main commuter car. Usually a couple of quarts of make-up oil were required.

Never, ever, had an engine problem, although, since I usually traded my commuter every 6 or 7 years, 140,000 was about my highest mileage. There is no way I would think about dumping perfectly good M1 at 6000 miles. IMHO, it's just getting broken in at that mileage.
 
Thanks for all your opinions. I think the 'keep it in' comments were about 95%...and thats what I'll do. As many of you have said...M1 EP is a fine oil and can easily do 10 to 12K.

As someone suggested, I will use a fuel system cleaner (Redline Sl-1) on my way back in my final fill-up.

Thanks guys and have a very Merry Christmas.
_________________________________________
2003 Ford Focus (2.3L Duratec) / 92K
Mobil 1 5w20EP / Filter: Mobi1 1
 
I've read the whole thread up to now.
I'd change it, but I'm an acountant, and therefore naturally anal.
If you don't change it, I have no doubt that your engine will be just fine.
After all, EP is good for much more than 6 mo and 6K.
Also, a long trip is easy on every part of the car.
A moderate steady state temperature is reached for every moving part, with no real spikes.
 
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