Severe winter oil change question.....

[dbvettez06]

Curious about change interval...Car is 2004 intrepid, 2.7...I use Mobil 1/or whatever synthetic oil is on sale for this car...I have an auto start, so the car spends some time idleing each morning for 10-12 minutes...My thought is 5000 miles would be about the safe change interval...Opinions appreciated..

 

[dbvettez06]

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Curious about change interval...Car is 2004 intrepid, 2.7...I use Mobil 1/or whatever synthetic oil is on sale for this car...I have an auto start, so the car spends some time idleing each morning for 10-12 minutes...My thought is 5000 miles would be about the safe change interval...Opinions appreciated..

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Also i drive about 20 minutes to work on highway, some in town driving also...

 

[CBDFrontier06]

I think what you're doing is just right. Mobil 1 at 5000 miles is more than adequate, especially since you're getting the oil hot on your morning and evening highway trips.

 

[LouDawg]

That's a pretty long idle time, even in cold weather. You'll get questioned about that here...concerns over fuel dilution, consumption, etc.

How far are you driving it? If you've got some decent commute mileage, you can go further than 5K on M1 or any other synthetic. If it's all idling and lots of stop and go, 5K (miles, not KM) is probably a good number.

 

[dbvettez06]

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That's a pretty long idle time, even in cold weather. You'll get questioned about that here...concerns over fuel dilution, consumption, etc.

How far are you driving it? If you've got some decent commute mileage, you can go further than 5K on M1 or any other synthetic. If it's all idling and lots of stop and go, 5K (miles, not KM) is probably a good number.

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I drive about 25 miles on the highway to work..Hey i let it idle, because my bones are in the 50-s now, and i dont like a frozen car...I have assumed that synthetic would give the extra protection for idleing in the morning, and the extra cold weather, -28F yesterday morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ThirdeYe]

I never let my car idle for more than 5 minutes on a cold morning. Usually only 1-2 minutes. It says right in the car's manual that you shouldn't let it idle more than a couple of minutes, just drive it cautiously to warm it up.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

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I never let my car idle for more than 5 minutes on a cold morning. Usually only 1-2 minutes. It says right in the car's manual that you shouldn't let it idle more than a couple of minutes, just drive it cautiously to warm it up.

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That may be their recommendation but if you don't want to freeze in the morning there is nothing wrong with letting your car idle. Some car manufacturers offer remote start as a factory option now so obviously they don't think it is much of an issue. It is not something I've ever worried about and it has never caused me a problem. Obviously it burns some fuel and may not be ideal but as long as he changes his oil often enough it won't be a problem if the car is running properly.

I let my car idle for 20 minutes the other day when it had over 1/4" of ice all over it. I didn't even have to get the scraper out. My wife let the same car idle for hours once when she locked the keys in it with the car still running. That was years ago and it now has 203k miles on it and runs great. It is not always feasible to do what is "ideal" for our cars.

 

[ThirdeYe]

The heat in my Integra blows really hot pretty quickly, it's got a brand new thermostat in it. So I can't complain

I used to let my Altima idle until it warmed up, but I simply didn't have time for that anymore. I think it's perfectly feasible to only let it idle for a few minutes. It's not that hard to scrape a windshield.

 

[PT1]

When I do that in the winter my OLM goes off at 4000

 

[Dieselbob]

I have never understood all these auto start and long idle people. It's cold outside. Get over it! Put on some warm clothes and get on down the road. I don't like getting in an ice cold car anymore than anyone else, but I just deal with it. I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollar for a decent auto start system and then waste a bunch of gas on top of it, just to escape 5-10 minutes of the car being cold inside. I have to put on warm clothes to go outside anyway, so what does it matter if it's cold in the car? Sorry for the rant. I couldn't cantain myself any longer.

 

[Curious Kid]

Troopers and those spotting with work crews/traffic let their engines idle - it provides them with a cool or warm break, and keeps the battery charged as they power their radios, speed monitoring equipment and/or lights. I think it's been passed around here that they go for about a 3k OCI on non-synthetics. Your engine and operating style are admittedly different, but I wouldn't think it would be at all terrible.

For those whom hold environmental implications paramount, idling might seem like a waste of fuel and induce increased emissions due to the thoughts of slow cat. converter warm-ups and "choke" enrichment cycling. I guess there's rules in Alaska that limit idle times though don't hold me to it.

Be mindful of the potential for CO build-up...I'm amazed at some stories I've heard - lack of education, awareness, and simply not reading the clearly displayed warnings! But in the end I guess, some things are in one's control and thus to take responsibility for such actions and ensuing outcomes.

-28F, Burrr. the coldest I recall was -22 or -25F, coming home one night from work. Everything in the car seemed to be throbbing as the engine and all strained in the cold. I bet the rubber vibration isolators in the engine mounts were as close to being solid as they ever will get.

 

[Curious Kid]

Makes sense to me Dieselbob, but many have taken to the idea of getting it the way they want it. And if there's something out there that they can buy enabling such then it fits their "needs" and provides business to the provider(s). A discuraging piece of the economic puzzle, albeit sense there of.

Not meaning to put anyone down here as I struggle for economic benefit just as much as the next individual. Just thinking about the logic, observing, etc.

 

[Mystic]

It does not bother me that it is cold in the car for a few minutes until the engine warms up enough to supply some heat with the heater. The main thing I am concerned about is that I have a good, fully charged battery and motor oil that will flow in the cold.

I don't idle the engine too long. Once the engine is running decently it is better just to start driving. The engine will actually warm up faster that way. In only a few minutes of driving that little car supplies good warmth through the heater.

Unless it is extremely cold and I have to remove snow anyway I usually don't idle my engine very long. I idle the engine longer in the cold weather then in warm weather but just enough so that the engine is running good. The battery is of course very important. And I like synthetic oil in the wintertime because synthetic oil simply flows better in the cold.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

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I have never understood all these auto start and long idle people. It's cold outside. Get over it! Put on some warm clothes and get on down the road. I don't like getting in an ice cold car anymore than anyone else, but I just deal with it. I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollar for a decent auto start system and then waste a bunch of gas on top of it, just to escape 5-10 minutes of the car being cold inside. I have to put on warm clothes to go outside anyway, so what does it matter if it's cold in the car? Sorry for the rant. I couldn't cantain myself any longer.

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Wow, I never guessed someone would be bothered by someone else owning an auto start system. I don't have one either and usually don't let my car idle for more than a few seconds, even when fairly cold, as long as the car is running nice and smooth. I don't see what the big deal is anyway. Many people aren't going to put on too many layers of warm clothes. I can't get to work and change my clothes very easily. I usually just wear a winter parka and gloves beyond what is comfortable in a 70 deg F building where I work all day. I can see why someone would want their car warmed up. I can't wait to get the stack of drywall out of my side of the garage so I can get it back inside. My garage is not heated but it certainly is warmer than outside when the temps drop to the single digits or lower. It usually doesn't get below 20 deg. F in my garage no matter how cold it is outside.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I agree with you too, Dieselbob. Just wear a coat and you'll be fine.

 

[GMGuy]

And how do you deal with the windows frosting up from your breath?
Ice buildup on the windshield as you drive down the road under some weather conditions?

Driving away cold is fine if you don't have other safety factors entering the picture.

Alex.

 

[Patman]

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And how do you deal with the windows frosting up from your breath?
Ice buildup on the windshield as you drive down the road under some weather conditions?

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As I've mentioned before on here, I start and go immediately, no matter how cold it is outside, and I very rarely run into any "issues" by doing this. On the rare occasion that the windows do start to slightly fog up, they clear up before I even make it out of my townhouse complex and onto the main road.

 

[Gary Allan]

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And how do you deal with the windows frosting up from your breath?
Ice buildup on the windshield as you drive down the road under some weather conditions?


Alex.

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If your car isn't equipped with function AC ..this can be a problem. The defroster, employed in a timely manner, should prevent frosting of the interior windows due to your exhaling of moist warm air. Otherwise, the defroster, again employed in a timely manner with enough blower volume, should keep fogging/frosting in check. If it's that cold, I start - scrape- drive to give the defrost a chance without me blowing 2 gallons of vapor on the windshield.

Now you do have to deal with the hurricane cold draft until engine temp comes up a bit.


..but the number one solution for this ...for those who have the ability to reach an outlet is the block warmer.

 

[peterr]

I have been surprised at how little my current winter car without AC fogs up.

I am of the let it idle for as long as it takes me to belt up then drive gently for two minutes school.

And while the remote starter is not an option for me since I refuse to buy auto trannies, I would resist anyhow. Any electrical problems i have ever had were releated to previous owners who had hacked into the wiring to add a pumping stereo or a stupid alarm. Since I accept that a car is an imperfect listening environment and the car alarm is the most universally ignored sound in the world I miss neither of these amenities.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I've never had any problems with breathe clouding up my windows. I just scrape the outside and turn the defrosters on, works fine for me. I always have my coat on because as soon as I park, I have to wait for a connecting bus to my college's campus. Why would someone not have their coat on in below freezing conditions anyways?