New Extended Drain Plan

[Jonny Z]

Okay – I have purchased a home in the Burb of Austin and am finally doing more commute driving. I am thinking I will finally go extended drain. Here is my plan –

Car:
2002 Toyota Camry, 4 CYL, Manual, 30K on the clock. It will cover about 15K the next year, mostly easy highway driving (50MPH – 60MPH).

Climate:
Central Texas – Coldest day in the winter, +20 F; Hottest day in the summer, +110 F. Not dusty at all, except for occasional road construction encountering.

Plan:
Buy a 5-qt jug of M1 5W30 EP from Wally World, and a Purolator Premium Plus L14477, and a drain plug gasket from Advance Auto. The car has a 4 qt sump and does not use any oil on standard M1. Install 4 qt of the oil with the P+ filter for the winter. I picked the P+ for flow in the winter – I know oil pumps are positive displacement, I just thought a high flow filter will probably be easier on the element on a cold start. Drive it for 7.5K (which is the factory’s service interval), which will be May, 06, change the filter to a PureOne PL14477, use the remaining 1qt EP in the jug to top it off, and drive it for another 7.5K, then repeat the above.

I do not plan on doing an UOA, as it would off set all my savings.

From an UOA I have seen on a Civic with M1 EP, it held up very well for 12K of use.

Comments?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Sounds like a good plan to me. 7500 miles should be easy with that oil and driving conditions.

 

[Gary Allan]

I think he's doing 15k on two filters and 4+1 quart of oil.

I still think it's just fine.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

poor reading comprehension on my part. Still should be acceptable with the describbed conditions assuming a healthy engine. I thought 7500 was conservative even without oil analysis. Though he may need more than 1 qt makeup oil in that interval, especially if it is his first run of a M1 product.

 

[Jonny Z]

Sweet - it is now Gary Allan approved!

I am on standard M1 5W30 now. 6K. The oil level was a hair above the FULL line when I first filled it - now it is 2 hairs below the FULL line

, which leads me to believe that 7.5K will require no mark up oil. Any thoughts?

BTW I am also the type that checks my dip stick at the gas station and pizz off the guy behind me waiting on the pump.

 

[ekpolk]

Don't assume that you have to do UOA with every OCI. I'd recommend waiting until your second run and then testing one time at about 80% of the OCI you're planning to stay with. If all looks good, stay with it, confident that you're relying upon some facts vs. a good guess. Keep most of your savings and make sure your engine-oil-driver-conditions is up to the longer OCI.

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

Sounds good, but don't forget to check the dipstick from time to time. Heck, even if your car doesn't use any oil with Mobil 1, it might drink it with EP-- well, probably not, but still pull the stick.

I've been running AMSOIL that way for over 27 years, and seldom take an oil sample unless I suspect a problem.

 

[Jonny Z]

ekpolk -
Good point. I might do the UOA once. I have no problem paying for it, I just had problems justifying for it. You have just given me the justification. It is now written off in my book as "research investiment for future savings".

 

[JakeR22]

Won't using the remaining 1 quart over fill oil capacity?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

No, It is for top off after the filter change which removes some oil halfway through the interval. The entire qt may or may not be needed depending on consumption.

 

[Jonny Z]

If someone cares to follow this story for a year I will report the mark up oil used and the UOA @ 15K.