No doubt that short trips produce condensation with not reaching full oil temperatures. My vehicle is a 2006 Dodge Durango AWD 4.7 v-8 40,000 miles. Some three month intervals we may only put 1,500 miles on the ride. I thought changing every three months would keep the motor squeaky clean but after a recent change I noticed a film of soft sludge like residue on the return port to the oil filter. I have been using Quaker State conventional and Pennzoil conventional with a few runs of Pennzoil Plat. I am in no way bashing these oil's quality, I am not sure what to do about swithching to a oil that will help prevent these deposits. All used oil analysis have come back fine showing very low wear with low insolubles, the highest being .4 I ran a full clean treatment of auto-rx and am now in the rinse phase and will see if those deposit's leave. I am confident they will leave in the rinse cycle. Not much way to change driving styles, they are what they are. I do get a few longer trips in the OCI, and thought that would be enough to burn up the excess moisture. I probably will continue to use the maintenace dose of arx or go to LC. What about oil brands, I thought the sopus produts were top level but for this engine but there might be a different add pack like in valvoline which has sodium which might work better. Any thoughts.
Short trip driving and deposits
- Thread starter RedOak
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I have run a few 70 mile round trip drives to the inlaws. Not much else can be done unless I just go out and burn gas for the heck of it.
You are an ideal candidate for synthetics. Use PP!
The best thing you can do is use a high quality synthetic.
The most important additive in oils for preventing low temperature deposits are dispersants. Oils meant for gas engines that have the best dispersancy are generally synthetics that are good at long drain intervals.
If I go to synthetic it will be the best, Amsoil 0w-30. But I will have to go at least 6 month intervals to justify the cost. I thought changing conventional oil every 3 months would work but at least for this engine it may not.
I understand not wanting to increase oil costs, but it's probably going to take increasing your cost per mile spent on oil to address this problem.
Use the cheapest 0W-20 or 5W-20 oil you can get, syn or dino it doesn't matter since you're not seeing high temp's.
Change the oil every three months in the winter but don't change at all in the summer when condensation is simply not a problem.
You're a prime candidate for a plug-in hybrid or pure electric when they become available.
Change the oil every three months in the winter but don't change at all in the summer when condensation is simply not a problem.
You're a prime candidate for a plug-in hybrid or pure electric when they become available.
I think the Amsoil 0W30 will serve you well for 6 month OCI's, in fact it's overkill. That's assuming your vehicle calls for a 30 grade oil, otherwise the ASM 0W20 will be good too. You can also run any good SM store bought synthetic oil in the specified grade for 6 months and save a few $$ over the Amsoil products, if you're concerned about the cost.
Does oil hit the oil cap? If it dosen't, how is it going to "rinse" off? Those deposits or build up is condensation and blow-by. I see it many times a day in VW's, because the oil cap isn't near oil splash. The engine may be clean, but the oil cap might not.
I've worked on several of those engines and had condensation under the oil cap, and was able to pour water onto my hand and show the customer. Why? because the oil cap is far, far away from oil circulation.
I've worked on several of those engines and had condensation under the oil cap, and was able to pour water onto my hand and show the customer. Why? because the oil cap is far, far away from oil circulation.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I think the Amsoil 0W30 will serve you well for 6 month OCI's, in fact it's overkill. That's assuming your vehicle calls for a 30 grade oil, otherwise the ASM 0W20 will be good too. You can also run any good SM store bought synthetic oil in the specified grade for 6 months and save a few $$ over the Amsoil products, if you're concerned about the cost.
+1
IF you're driving under 15k miles a year you should be able to get 6 month OCI's with just about any good name synth, such as valvoline, QS, PP, M1, or castrol.
I think the Amsoil 0W30 will serve you well for 6 month OCI's, in fact it's overkill. That's assuming your vehicle calls for a 30 grade oil, otherwise the ASM 0W20 will be good too. You can also run any good SM store bought synthetic oil in the specified grade for 6 months and save a few $$ over the Amsoil products, if you're concerned about the cost.
+1
IF you're driving under 15k miles a year you should be able to get 6 month OCI's with just about any good name synth, such as valvoline, QS, PP, M1, or castrol.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I think the Amsoil 0W30 will serve you well for 6 month OCI's, in fact it's overkill. That's assuming your vehicle calls for a 30 grade oil, otherwise the ASM 0W20 will be good too. You can also run any good SM store bought synthetic oil in the specified grade for 6 months and save a few $$ over the Amsoil products, if you're concerned about the cost.
You don't think that with only 6k miles per year or so, the SSO would be good for a year? Maybe with a filter change midstream?
Maybe doing the first change of SSO at the 6mo mark, then go a year? What do you think?
I think the Amsoil 0W30 will serve you well for 6 month OCI's, in fact it's overkill. That's assuming your vehicle calls for a 30 grade oil, otherwise the ASM 0W20 will be good too. You can also run any good SM store bought synthetic oil in the specified grade for 6 months and save a few $$ over the Amsoil products, if you're concerned about the cost.
You don't think that with only 6k miles per year or so, the SSO would be good for a year? Maybe with a filter change midstream?
Maybe doing the first change of SSO at the 6mo mark, then go a year? What do you think?
Here's my idea, try Mobil Clean 5000 5w30 for your 3-6 month intervals and see if it does any better. I have noticed that the quart bottles and the 5 qt jugs of all grades have the older CF diesel spec on them (with the API SM also, of course) that only better synthetics have as well. This would indicate, to me at least, that this oil has better dispersant ability than most all of the other SM oils that do not have the CF rating. Plus this oil is one of the less expensive ones on the shelf. I think that this oil would serve your engine well for at least the 3 month interval you have been running. It is guaranteed for 5000 miles and 6 months and you will be running it half that long. Amsoil 0w30 would be wasteful for your use IMO. How about using the maintenance dose of ARX with this oil? I don't see how that could allow any deposits with your type of use. And this combination would still be far less expensive than a high dollar synthetic.
The other idea would be to find some HDEO 10w30 like Rotella which would carry the SM spec and the CJ-4 diesel rating. This oil would be able to keep the engine clean for the 6 warmer months without any problem with your type of use. This would be an ideal summer oil for your rig, IMO, and not too expensive, either.
The other idea would be to find some HDEO 10w30 like Rotella which would carry the SM spec and the CJ-4 diesel rating. This oil would be able to keep the engine clean for the 6 warmer months without any problem with your type of use. This would be an ideal summer oil for your rig, IMO, and not too expensive, either.
Good ideas and feedback from everyone, Thanks. I have considered the Mobil Clean 5000 because of the CF rating and low point of cost and also looked at HDE0 10w30 but they are so hard to find unless you buy in bulk as in 55 gallon drums. As Jag pointed out the dispersants is the main objective to improve and I will switch to synthetic. May be overkill but Amsoil it will be, I paid 26,000 for the vehicle so what is a 70.00 dollar oil drain and fill with Amsoil filter. Chump change when you want your vehicle to last for a very long time and be squeaky clean. Auto-rx is a fantastic product but using it with regular sm conventional will increase your cost's comparative to using an OTC synthetic group 3 like PP or Valvoline Synpower or Castrol Syntec. 26 dollars for a bottle of ARX, Six dollars for a wix filter and 13.00 for a jug of pennzoil plat. is 45.00. I will just go with Amsoil and their best filter and rest easy.
Originally Posted By: Bambam
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
Ummm, that would be 52 "nice rides" to burn out the junk each year. That would add up to several hundred gallons of gas bought and burned, just to burn out junk? $$$$$$ Far more cheaper to just use PP!
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
Ummm, that would be 52 "nice rides" to burn out the junk each year. That would add up to several hundred gallons of gas bought and burned, just to burn out junk? $$$$$$ Far more cheaper to just use PP!
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: Bambam
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
Ummm, that would be 52 "nice rides" to burn out the junk each year. That would add up to several hundred gallons of gas bought and burned, just to burn out junk? $$$$$$ Far more cheaper to just use PP!
Still got crud/water and other stuff floating around,not mention fuel dilution burn off,more top off oil etc..
Originally Posted By: Bambam
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
Ummm, that would be 52 "nice rides" to burn out the junk each year. That would add up to several hundred gallons of gas bought and burned, just to burn out junk? $$$$$$ Far more cheaper to just use PP!
Still got crud/water and other stuff floating around,not mention fuel dilution burn off,more top off oil etc..
Originally Posted By: Bambam
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
+1.
If you own a car, why not DRIVE it? Of course gas costs money, but that is an assumed cost of owning and operating a vehicle. Besides, all you need is a 15-20 minute trip on the interstate. Lots of on ramps where you floor it and blast out the crud!
Otherwise, get a battery powered transportation-mobile for short trips!
MAN-O-MAN!
Why would you guys recommend a high end synthetic??? I would stick to dino and use the money saved on buying synthetic to take a nice ride every saturday or sunday to burn out all the junk!
+1.
If you own a car, why not DRIVE it? Of course gas costs money, but that is an assumed cost of owning and operating a vehicle. Besides, all you need is a 15-20 minute trip on the interstate. Lots of on ramps where you floor it and blast out the crud!
Otherwise, get a battery powered transportation-mobile for short trips!
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