Road trip with 4k miles on oil already

Making a lengthy trip in a 30 yr old vehicle is a win in itself regardless of mileage involved. If time allowed I'm sure some on here would have a UOA done just to be sure... Besides, you could always swing by a Jiffy Lube mid-trip, bwahaha.
 
If this concern crescendos during your trip, stop by a VIOC and get it done there. 30 minutes tops.
 
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OP -

I will presume there's no indication of any problems with that old (great!) 1UZ-FE engine.

Given that both the lube and the filter you are using, you are probably safe to run out to 20k miles, and the propensity for that engine series to be really easy on oil, I'd say you are WAY overthinking the OCIs, if 4k miles is your self-imposed limit. Stretching out to 5k miles (if it could even be called that) is NOT a problem for the oil and engine in your circumstance.

Take the trip and change oil when you get back, and find something else to worry about.
 
I did that once in our minivan. Changed the oil with 6800 miles on it upon return. No problems and I still have the van with 126,000 miles.

I find rust is what ends a cars life, not long oil change intervals. Highway miles are very easy on a car, unless a deer crosses your path.
 
Shucks18 said:
Hey guys I’m looking for someone to either calm my nerves or recommend some advice. Going on a roadtrip tomorrrow around 800 miles one way, I have 4k miles on my oil. It’s a 1994 Lexus ls400 v8, running Quaker state euro 5w40, with a fram enduro synthetic filter rated for I think 20k miles. I’m 4k mile oci guy, but the reason I switched to a euro 5w40 and fram enduro filter is to be able to run longer oil changes. What would you guys do? The majority of the 4k miles is from my road trip to Colorado from Illinois and some city miles. My trip is going to be high speed 85mph the whole way. Would it be fine if I just changed the oil but not the filter?? Thanks.
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Do it. Highway trips are the easiest on the oil. Then send off a test sample.
I say always follow manufacturer recommendations, have the oil tested if something doesn't seem right, say it stinks like fuel well inside the normal oci or you're trying to do exteded oil changes.
 
Shucks18 said:
Hey guys I’m looking for someone to either calm my nerves or recommend some advice. Going on a roadtrip tomorrrow around 800 miles one way, I have 4k miles on my oil. It’s a 1994 Lexus ls400 v8, running Quaker state euro 5w40, with a fram enduro synthetic filter rated for I think 20k miles. I’m 4k mile oci guy, but the reason I switched to a euro 5w40 and fram enduro filter is to be able to run longer oil changes. What would you guys do? The majority of the 4k miles is from my road trip to Colorado from Illinois and some city miles. My trip is going to be high speed 85mph the whole way. Would it be fine if I just changed the oil but not the filter?? Thanks.
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Wouldn't change anything, that's going to be easy miles for the oil.
 
A couple of obvious contradictions here:

“I’m 4k mile oci guy, but the reason I switched to a euro 5w40 and fram enduro filter is to be able to run longer oil changes.”

Well, then run longer OCIs! That trip to Colorado and back will have no detrimental effect on the oil or your engine.

If you can’t bring yourself to stop fixating on whether or not you can extend that oil beyond 4k miles, simply switch to another oil and change it every 4k miles.

“Stuck in my old ways despite only being in my 20s lol”

If you are indeed in your 20s you haven’t remotely lived long enough to have developed any “old ways.”

And skip any notion of having a UOA performed post-trip. It’s a waste of money on that specific oil with a 6k miles OCI, assuming you haven’t given in to your “old ways” and changed it this morning.

Finally, IF you weren’t making the trip to Colorado what would you do? Change the oil or let it ride?
 
Shucks18 said:
My trip is going to be high speed 85mph the whole way.
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I do that driving trip often. Some advice. Do not go more than 5 over in Iowa and any speeding ticket in WY that is > 5 over is a misdemeanor and you'll have to appear in court and no smart layman appears in court without an attorney to represent you ($$).
 
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You have plenty of reserve with the 20k miles oils that there is no concern about going on your trip without doing an oil change before leaving. Long ago when I took long trips that I'd take oil along and change it when needed. I don't think I'd do than now. It seems that there is a clear consensus on this thread that you can safely do your journey without concern about it at all. Have a good and safe trip.
 
Shucks18 said:
Hey guys I’m looking for someone to either calm my nerves or recommend some advice. Going on a roadtrip tomorrrow around 800 miles one way, I have 4k miles on my oil. It’s a 1994 Lexus ls400 v8, running Quaker state euro 5w40, with a fram enduro synthetic filter rated for I think 20k miles. I’m 4k mile oci guy, but the reason I switched to a euro 5w40 and fram enduro filter is to be able to run longer oil changes. What would you guys do? The majority of the 4k miles is from my road trip to Colorado from Illinois and some city miles. My trip is going to be high speed 85mph the whole way. Would it be fine if I just changed the oil but not the filter?? Thanks.
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I used to do 4,000 mile OCI for years. Some of the vehicles I don't even own anymore. 4k OCI was just a big waste of money and time with no benefit. Now I do 5,000/6 month OCIs with a Dexos 1 Gen 3 approved oil. The Dexos 1 Gen 3 spec sets stricter limits which limit sludge/varnish deposits than regular API SP.

The biggest risk to the engine is short trips in cold weather as the moisture in the oil from that can cause sludge,
which can clog up your oil passageways and lower the oil pressure. If you are doing short trips in cold weather, I would change much sooner.
 
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6.7 CTD said:
Personally, I’d just take the trip and change both when you get back.
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+1 small.webp
 
Not to hijack the thread, but I'm curious to see if anyone's advice changes under different circumstances.

So, I just changed the oil (VRP 5W30/FRAM Endurance) in our 2019 Kia Sportage (118k) on Saturday. I do 5k OCIs. We leave later next month, going from NY to TX (with a stop in GA) and back. Google Maps estimates this trip to be 3,600 miles. Idk how much driving we will be doing while there but I'm sure it will be less than our work commutes.

Speaking of, We typically average about 1000 miles driven for our commutes to work every week, so I estimate there to be about 3k miles or so on the oil between now and when we leave. The possibility to change it at my destination exists, but I was wondering what the BITOG wisdom is.

A) Change before the trip (about a 1000 miles early give or take)
B) change at destination (over 5k on oil, probably over 6k, but it's 1800 miles of highway)
C) change when home (for those who like to live dangerously?)

I lean towards A) change before the trip. But I think our car will handle B or C. However, I believe in "better safe than sorry" in most cases
 
MrBaumTastic said:
So, I just changed the oil (VRP 5W30/FRAM Endurance) in our 2019 Kia Sportage (118k) on Saturday. I do 5k OCIs. We leave later next month, going from NY to TX (with a stop in GA) and back. Google Maps estimates this trip to be 3,600 miles. Idk how much driving we will be doing while there but I'm sure it will be less than our work commutes.

A) Change before the trip (about a 1000 miles early give or take)
B) change at destination (over 5k on oil, probably over 6k, but it's 1800 miles of highway)
C) change when home (for those who like to live dangerously?)

I lean towards A) change before the trip. But I think our car will handle B or C. However, I believe in "better safe than sorry" in most cases
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Based on your concerns, the miles on your car, and the unknown amount of driving while at your destination, I'd change the oil before leaving. I've read a number of your posts and it seems that you tend to be cautious and conservative wrt oil changes, so why put yourself through any unneeded stress. Taking "you" out of the equation, and considering my own feelings and behavior, I'd change before the trip as well. I tend to be cautious and conservative.

I did just that before leaving on a long road trip a couple of years ago. The maintenance reminder light comes on at 5,000 miles in my Camry, and on my return trip it came on as my total trip
length was a bit more than 6,000 miles. I was running a blend of High Mileage and regular M1 EP 5W-30, so I knew that the oil would stand up to the distance, yet it still bothered me slightly that the light was on for a thousand plus miles on my trip home.

So, although the oil would probably handle the trip, I wonder how you'd handle the situation. You've already stated your preference ... so, change before leaving and have one less thing on your mind while traveling.
 
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