Severe Service Qualifications

[wrcsixeight]

I know that driving 2 miles, shutting down the vehicle for 8 hours then driving 2 more miles qualifies.

How about 2 miles to one store for 10 minutes, 5 miles to another store for 5 minutes, perhaps 4 or 5 stops total, but not enough time for the engine to cool down very much.

The coolant temp gauge will read full temp, and my PSI gauge will read about 23 psi hot idle, whereas it will read 20 PSI at Idle after a 20 minute highway drive.

I'm in S California where the temp swings are not drastic, and my last oil change was at 14 months with 2200 miles on it. Mobil 1 10w 40. It was a light brown color but the hot idle oil PSI had dropped from 20 to 16 before I changed it.

I'm aware I could save money, that I do not need synthetic, but the synthetic eliminated my lifter tapping on cold start up, so it is worth it to me to not hear that.

 

[ChrisD46]

I had read that it takes approx. a 14 mile drive to burn off moisture and such in oil . You could do yourself a favor by taking a 30 mile trip once a month - maybe a scenic drive , a lunch out or a new favorite store to visit would be incentive enough for you. If not , at the rate you drive (even with synthetic) I would consider dumping the oil out a little sooner than 14 months.

 

[Spyder7]

That still sounds like short trips. The temp gauge is a very poor indicator of much of anything. It takes some time, as in sustained driving, for oil to heat up to full operating temp. If your total round trip is 7, or 14 miles, that is short trips.

Given the diminishing price between synthetic and conventional, and that synthetic tends to hold up better in more severe usage, if its also producing a noticeable benefit that is worthwhile to you, that is reason enough to use it IMHO.

I've switched to synthetic exclusively in winter, and mostly because in sub-zero temps it lubricates faster resulting in less start up wear. With the price difference as close as it is, that's reason enough for me and everything else is gravy.

-Spyder

 

[getnpsi]

I don't feel that "cooling down very much" is as important as warming up very much. If that is the only type of driving you do I'd drop down to as least a 30 weight...syn, blend, or dino. If you are stuck on syn look up the thinnest one at 40c and that would be the best when the car isnt at temps yet...in theory anyway.

I took a 1993 camry from 10-30specced to 5w-20 motorcraft oil for a full oil change using it as a pizza delivery vehicle. Lots of not quite warm starts,and that car did fine on that diet.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I recently replaced my whole cooling system(water pump radiator, t stat, CTS, hoses, I also replaced the 1 wire gauge sender, which did return my temp gauge to normal readings. I take it's readings with a grain of salt. I rely more on my mechanical Oil PSI gauge to tell me when it is truly at full temp.

Like 23 psi at hot idle is as low as it will go with new 10w 40 in there. If I see 32 psi waiting at a light, I know it's not really at full temp despite the coolant temp gauge reading so.

I do notice after a short trip into the store, the oil PSI when starting back up hasn't changed much since before I turned it off, So I'm thinking the oil does not cool off nearly as fast as the coolant

I waited the 14 months mostly because I knew I was going to replace the leaky water pump, and while there, the timing chain, and I knew the old coolant would drip into the oil pan when doing so, so I put off the oil change longer until I could afford the quality parts and the time to do the work myself.

I do try and do a 30 mile round trip highway drive monthly, but even my shorter errand runs around town do bring the OIL PSI to near the minimum readings I will see after a longer highway drive.

The only fluid in my vehicle that is not yet synthetic is the power steering fluid. I'm sold on it and it is the only thing I buy at Walmart.

 

[bullwinkle]

The secret is getting the OIL to full operating temperature-not JUST the engine! Don't feel too bad, none of my diesel's engine's oil ever get hot in winter!

 

[Steve S]

The oil gets to full operating temps before the oil in the sump gets to full operating temps . Think about where the oil goes.

 

[mechtech2]

wrc -
The oil temp goes up slowly [esp in cold weather] compared to the coolant temperature.
You may not have the worst case scenario, but are certainly not on easy street. More severe than not.

 

[Smokescreen]

Get a scanguage, then you'll see the water temp gauge is more or less a dummy gauge...very very inaccurate...the water temps can vary 40+deg and not even move.

 

[wrcsixeight]

My vehicle is OBD1. A scan gauge won't tell me coolant temp.

My new aluminum radiator has a 3/8 bung along the top tank. I was gonna install a friend's free mechanical VDO gauge in this but did not have the correct adapter. My inake manifold only has one place for a single 1/8 NPT sender, which rules out a mechanical gauge. I Double check the temps at the T stat housing with my IR thermometer on occassion. It reads about 10 degrees under my T stat rating.

I checked my new motorad 195 degree T stat in a pan of water. It began to open at 190 degrees. I have monitored my top radiator hose, and noted the height of the temp gauge when the T stat opened. I'm not saying my gauge is accurate, but I have a good idea when my coolant is at full temp.

But point taken. My service is more severe than not. Next oil change will be in 11 months and 2 weeks, as I doubt the mileage will be close to what the oil is capable of handling. I will get an analysis done then and see where I stand.

Not on Easy street? That contradicts what my driver's liscence says