need advice OCI&oil type 06 scion xA

[Persocon]

2006 Scion xA 86,500 miles
owner's manual says 5w30 5k interval
live in Denver, dry high altitude
hard and fast driving habit (chinese delivery)
daily drive = many short trips of 3 to 14 miles per.
all city, all red lights, lots of engine braking
lots of medium hard accelerating, lots of idling.
-car has no problems at all, regular toyota workhorse

Wondering if 1year/15k interval would work using Amsoil signature series with their filter?

Other recommendations?

The car runs quieter on royal purple 5w30, louder with M1 syn.
lately i've just been using whatever's on sale with Purolator 1 filter and 3k interval.

 

[david_ES2]

with the excessive short trips and way you drive. i would keep doing what you're doing. maybe even change it sooner.

 

[fdcg27]

How 'bout using whatever syn is on sale and doing 5K?
You are short-tripping the car, but you are getting it up to temperature and keeping it there, so the usual short trip concerns don't apply.
AMSOIL Signature Series on 15K intervals?
Maybe.

 

[dparm]

I think 15k is probably too far, even for that oil, given your driving style. I suggest running it to 7.5k, sending a sample, and seeing how much further you can go.

 

[whip]

You're worried about the oil in your engine , and at the same time ruining the drive train by doing "lots of engine braking". Makes no sense to me.

 

[crazyoildude]

First of all welcome to B.I.T.O.G. secondly to answer your question i would use a good synthetic 5w30 and change it twice a year just to be sure

 

[gathermewool]

I would have ZERO reservations running Amsoil to 15k/1year in that application, thoigh ONLY after sending a used sample out for analysis. I do a lot of short trips (lots of highway, too) in my turbo Subie and AMSOIL Signature Series was pretty beat up, but still doing its job at 7500+ miles. Would you say your XA is as hard on oil as my Subie?

A lot of short trips, but, as was said before, the oil is up to temp all day, so I wouldn't expect the usual gunk, condensation and (excessive) fuel dilution. I don't have any experience with this engine, so I'll say again that a used oil analysis will tell you exactly how long you can go. However, since it seems you'd like to extend your intervals to save money, then why not just buy what's on sale AND of high quality?

If it were me, I'd be doing annual changes using Mobil 1 Extended Performance and Mobil 1 filter or Edge and Bosch Distance Plus, which are usually the ~$30 oil change specials.

 

[yaris0128]

Having the same motor I'd use something good like Pennzoil Platinum or Quaker State Ultimate Durability and do 5ks with that. All that city wouldn't make me comfortable doing a 1yr oci.

 

[bodeh6]

Just do 6 month OCI with some thing like Castrol EDGE w/Ti 5w30.

 

[sm00thpapa]

If you want to stick with Amsoil I would run the Amsoil XL 5w30 for 6 month OCI's and you will be fine.

 

[Oregoonian]

IMO....Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30....with an OCI of no more than 10K....and a Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter.

Have you done an (ATF) transmission fluid change...most vehicle need that service every 30K to 40K.....the transmission is more likely to fail than your engine....if you fail to maintain an ATF change regularly.
___________________________________________
03'Ford Focus (Duratec 2.3L PZEV) / 99K
Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 / Purolator PureOne / OCI: 8,000 +/-

 

[Persocon]

Originally Posted By: whip
You're worried about the oil in your engine , and at the same time ruining the drive train by doing "lots of engine braking". Makes no sense to me.

i used to never do any engine braking trying to save the transmission. I do it now because any chance I get to rest my right leg, I do it. Getting lots of knee pain from all the driving. I would gladly swap in another transmission rather than damaging my leg. I'm only 25. I will stop engine braking. Happy?
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian

Have you done an (ATF) transmission fluid change...most vehicle need that service every 30K to 40K.....the transmission is more likely to fail than your engine....if you fail to maintain an ATF change regularly.

it's a stick shift. I have drained factory fill around 15k and put in Redline 75w90 gear, and another drain and fill 50k after that. Good point, you think it's necessary to do another d&f on the transmission?

 

[yaris0128]

Hows the redline working out in your 5spd? I'll be doing the gear oil here next week in my Toyota with that same transmission. I went semi-cheap and got Castrol Syntec 75w90. Wishing I dished out for Royal Purple though.

 

[Oregoonian]

Originally Posted By: Oregoonian

Have you done an (ATF) transmission fluid change...most vehicle need that service every 30K to 40K.....the transmission is more likely to fail than your engine....if you fail to maintain an ATF change regularly.

it's a stick shift. I have drained factory fill around 15k and put in Redline 75w90 gear, and another drain and fill 50k after that. Good point, you think it's necessary to do another d&f on the transmission? [/quote]


Wih 36.5 on the last transmission fill....I think its about due.
____________________________________________
03' Ford Focus (2.3L Duratec PZEV) / 99K
Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 / Purolator PureOne / OCI: 8K +/-
FSC: Redline Sl-1 / 3oz. MMO per 10 gal fill-up

 

[gathermewool]

How is it that engine braking will harm his drive train? Unless you mean continually upshifting to engine brake, then I'll have to disagree, and say that engine braking is better than clutching in and braking everywhere.

If you do engine brake, then make sure you're not using your gas pedal as an on-off switch. For instance, there is one light that is always red when I come around a corner near my house on the way to work, and is on a downgrade. Instead of speeding up or shifting to fourth (low RPMs at 25-30mph,) I stay in 3rd and engine brake around the corner. If the light is red, I can engine brake most of the way down the hill >2k RPM, so I'm burning no fuel. Even if the light is green, I have to make a right at the light, which requires a downshift to second, so there's absolutely no reason to shift to fourth or coast down the hill clutched in.

This is only one instance in which I save gas and brakes with out having to even rev-match and upshift to slow down using engine braking. I'm sure, like me, there are just as many, if not more, opportunities for yout to save gas and brake pads/rotors during your commutes.

I just want to reiterate that you should send out a sample for analysis (including TBN) to determine how long to go. Otherwise, if you choose one of the previously-posted suggestions, you'll be basing it on conjecture, not actual data. I'll cost you ~35 bucks (whatever the cost is, incl TBN,) but you might be able to extend out to 15kmi like you want without worry.

Good luck, buddy

 

[Persocon]

thanks everyone.

I'll do some used oil analysis and see about stretching 7.5k to 10k

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Persocon
thanks everyone.

I'll do some used oil analysis and see about stretching 7.5k to 10k


You mean 10k PLUS!