Short Tripper

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My wife drives a 2003 Grand Am V6 with 86,000miles. She drives 3 miles to work, doesn't warm up the engine (unless it's cold out), drives to lunch at noon (1/2 mile each way), to the store at 2 (another 1/2 mile), to her mom's at 5 (yet another 1/2 mile), then 3 miles back home, then we go to town to walk at night (another 3 miles each way). This is done nearly every day, even on weekends (except work). This car sees A LOT of start-ups and very short trips. I do take it for a longer trip about once every two weeks to burn out the moisture and fuel that may be in the oil. She is the ideal candidate for a plug in electric car, but that will never happen really. I've recently run Amsoil ASL 5W-30 and a EaO filter on it, but I'm thinking its a waste of good oil for this short tripper. Oil consumption is about 1 qt per 5,000 miles with the ASL. I just changed back to Supertech 10W30 with ST filter and doing a ARX run to clean out what the ASL missed. My question is what do you think I should put in this car once the RX run is done?? I have some Maxlife in 5W & 10w30.
 
Welcome to the world of Severe Service operation. I would use a 5W-30 oil vs the 10w-30. Then run the Severe Service Main't Schedule listed in the OM. Oil changes should be based on time vs miles. Any good dino oil, with the ST filter should be fine. If possible try to get the car on the highway for a 20-30 minute drive. If you are using A-rx I would suggest going on the main't dose when you've completed the clean rinse phases.
 
Wow that poor car
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,whats the OLM show?? i would stick with a 5w30 and short OCI's. PP would be a good cheaper synthetic oil to use to help flow and go on them no warm up starts.

tell her she needs to warm the thing up a few mins before leaving,how would she like it if as soon as she woke up out the door running. lol
 
demarpaint and daman have given you good advise. Although dino oil is probably fine for the application I think PP would be a better choice. I also like the 0W-xx oils in a synthetic vs a 5W in a short tripper. Downside is more $$$$$..

AD
 
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
I also like the 0W-xx oils in a synthetic vs a 5W in a short tripper.

I totally agree thats my thinking too no matter how little it may help over a 5xx oil,every little bit helps.
 
Same here, according to Dr Haas's articles even at higher temps like 75*F the 0w oils are faster to get flowing than a 5w. No matter how minute a difference it might be.
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AD
 
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
Same here, according to Dr Haas's articles even at higher temps like 75*F the 0w oils are faster to get flowing than a 5w. No matter how minute a difference it might be.
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AD


I think that's spot-on advice. That car is operating kinda like a hybrid, isn't it. Were it my car, I'd look probably figure out what my oil temps were running and consider a 5W20 oi1.
 
Hi Jim,

I like the 20 grade oil idea, better than the 30. You're correct in saying that car is like a hybrid, makes sense. As long as we're talking 20 grades. A 0W20 might be just the ticket, that would force the OP to use synthetic oil but perhaps he can extend the OCI to 9 months or a year and recover some of the additional cost associated with the more costly oil.

There are certain applications where a synthetic is a better choice, this might just be one of them.

AD
 
GM specs 5w30 in there stuff do we think a 20 will be "ok" to use? i thought of that too during the winter months.
 
For short trips like the OP is doing it would probably be fine. If he's really concerned then go with one of the thinner 0W30 oils. I'm currently running a HM Ford on 5W20, back spec'd to a 20wt from a 30wt which it used its whole life. I'm very pleased with how it is running.

AD
 
I've been thinking of using a 0w20 or 5w20 this winter or maybe year round. It is speced for 5w30 but I don't think a thinner oil would hurt being the way its driven. It doesn't have a OLM only an idiot light when the OCI is due. Can U get a 0-20 or 5-20 in dino? Or do I have to use synthetic. I do have ASL 5w-30 but would rather run that in my X-terra and use something else for her car.
 
Originally Posted By: ridgerunner
My wife drives a 2003 Grand Am V6 with 86,000miles. She drives 3 miles to work, doesn't warm up the engine (unless it's cold out), drives to lunch at noon (1/2 mile each way), to the store at 2 (another 1/2 mile), to her mom's at 5 (yet another 1/2 mile), then 3 miles back home, then we go to town to walk at night (another 3 miles each way). This is done nearly every day, even on weekends (except work). This car sees A LOT of start-ups and very short trips. I do take it for a longer trip about once every two weeks to burn out the moisture and fuel that may be in the oil. She is the ideal candidate for a plug in electric car, but that will never happen really. I've recently run Amsoil ASL 5W-30 and a EaO filter on it, but I'm thinking its a waste of good oil for this short tripper. Oil consumption is about 1 qt per 5,000 miles with the ASL. I just changed back to Supertech 10W30 with ST filter and doing a ARX run to clean out what the ASL missed. My question is what do you think I should put in this car once the RX run is done?? I have some Maxlife in 5W & 10w30.


That sounds exactly like my wife's Malibu Maxx. I had a UOA from a 3K-something mile winter run on SuperTech 5W30 and it was fine.
Syn oil in your application would be a waste. I would run SuperTech 5W30 to 3500-4000 miles or run the OLM down to 20%.

Originally Posted By: ADFD1
Same here, according to Dr Haas's articles even at higher temps like 75*F the 0w oils are faster to get flowing than a 5w. No matter how minute a difference it might be.
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AD


Technically true, but it has no impact on engine longevity if you run an appropriate oil for the outside temp. At 75*F you would not be able to see the difference between a 0 or 5 weight when the engine started. While I respect the good Doctor's work, IMO, it scares people into believing that you MUST run the thinnest oil you can so it get's there faster. People don't understand that oil is pumping as soon as you are cranking.
 
I agree the oil is pumping as soon as it is cranking, however there is a bit more to it than that. Although I don't agree with everything the doctor states in his articles, the first start in the morning and cold start explainations he made makes a lot of sense. Especially for the short trippers, or people running a lot of short trips during the course of the day. The average driver will probably never notice a difference until the cold weather sets in again.

AD
 
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