Recommend a PP OCI for me ...

[ChrisD46]

Just changed out oil from Motorcraft Synthetic Blend 5w20 to Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 in 2007 Kia Sedona 3.8L . The Kia is 90% driven in the 'burbs and only sees an Interstate for any length of time a couple of times per month . The MC Syn Blend was good for around 4,500 miles before getting dark amber with the tell tail smell of some fuel dilution (to be expected for OCI of mostly short trips ) . My question is what would be the starting safe OCI you would suggest for a switch to full synthetic Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 under the same driving conditions ...5,000 , 6,000 , 7000 miles ?

 

[PontiacFan]

5000 miles

 

[Chris Meutsch]

$1 (Price is Right style)

I would go 6k and do a used oil analysis. I know my Honda easily achieves 10k runs on this exact oil, but I do mostly highway driving and it's the 2.4 four which would run on whale blubber if you asked it to.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Without a used oil analysis to show really what is happening I agree with short OCI.

Esp with the short trips and you can smell fuel. It does not matter how much you spend for a quart of oil if you have a fuel issue or short trips. It needs to be changed often either way.

Bill

 

[addyguy]

7500 miles. PP is a stout oil.

 

[ChrisD46]

A lot of short 5 , 10 , 15 mile round trips - the oil doesn't come up to full temp all that often . * Rightfully or wrongfully I made a switch this OCI to PP in hopes of squeezing out a safe , longer OCI . Perhaps the real question should be : Is a full synthetic oil (like PP , or M1) going to allow for an extended OCI for a short tripper which doesn't often come up to full oil operating temp versus a good conventional ? I'm sure we're talking increased fuel dilution , moisture , acids and other by products which a short tripper does to strain oil and are synthetics better able to handle this ?

 

[Pingeye2]

My 2 cents... It's an interesting question and my view would be from this perspective:

1. How many miles on the van?
2. How long are you planning on keeping it?
3. Is there any budget constraints?
4. In or out of warranty?
5. Does using synthetic versus dino make a difference to YOU or is it required by Kia?
6. Is this decision causing you to not sleep well?

You get the idea. I am at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to vehicles and what oil goes in them. On one end I have a 2000 caravan that has only had Castrol dino changed every 5k no matter what and it currently has 120k on it and has never once had an engine issue, nor does it use any oil between OCI’s. I don’t even think twice about this one. The Honda, the Volvo, the BMW… I only feed them synthetic and I know I spend way too much time second guessing the OCI, brand, weight, color of the container…

I use the PP in the Honda. It sees lots of short trips and is well known to be a fuel dilutor. I do 5k OCI’s on her no matter what and I (try to) sleep well.

 

[jmsjags]

if you do mostly short trips i would just use a conventional or synthetic blend like you've been doing and change it out every 5,000 miles. synthetic oil seems like a waste in this situation as it doesn't matter how good the oil is when it gets contaminated.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
Is a full synthetic oil (like PP , or M1) going to allow for an extended OCI for a short tripper which doesn't often come up to full oil operating temp versus a good conventional ?


My reply above;

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Without a used oil analysis to show really what is happening I agree with short OCI.

Esp with the short trips and you can smell fuel. It does not matter how much you spend for a quart of oil if you have a fuel issue or short trips. It needs to be changed often either way.


So the answer IMO is NO.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: jmsjags
if you do mostly short trips i would just use a conventional or synthetic blend like you've been doing and change it out every 5,000 miles. synthetic oil seems like a waste in this situation as it doesn't matter how good the oil is when it gets contaminated.


+1

 

[ChrisD46]

Thanks for the replies ... The Sedona has 68K miles on it with a 100K warranty . Engine is clean and it doesn't burn any oil between changes . The Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 was part of my SM rated stash that I'm using up . My part of North Georgia sees teens in the winter and 90's in the summer . I could run a syn during the winter and switch over to a good conventional for the summer run . If I found enough Mobil Super Synthetic or Quaker State Ultimate Durability on sale I would run that for 5K mile OCI's and be done with it . The key seems to be synthetic oils don't have much of an advantage with a short tripper .

 

[ArtDart]

6 mo / 7500 mi
whichever happens first

jringo

 

[FZ1]

4500 miles.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
Just changed out oil from Motorcraft Synthetic Blend 5w20 to Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 in 2007 Kia Sedona 3.8L . The Kia is 90% driven in the 'burbs and only sees an Interstate for any length of time a couple of times per month . The MC Syn Blend was good for around 4,500 miles before getting dark amber with the tell tail smell of some fuel dilution (to be expected for OCI of mostly short trips ) . My question is what would be the starting safe OCI you would suggest for a switch to full synthetic Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 under the same driving conditions ...5,000 , 6,000 , 7000 miles ?


Because of your fuel dilution, switch to 5w30 conventional and change every 4K. No need to change the filter every time. You can remove, empty and reinstall the old filter. It's good for 8K.