taking Havoline 5w-20 dino to 7500 miles

[mikep]

My last UOA with Havoline 5w-20 was just a tad under 5,000 miles and it held up very well
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002053#000000
and now with winter weather here and the loss of my dad's heated garage I'm not looking forward to a late winter change. So, with the addition of LC at 1 ounce per qt. initial dose and another ounce every thousand miles I think I'll take the thin, el' cheapo Havoline dino out to 7500 miles. Of course, I'll have the drain analyzed to see if the LC really did it's job.

Am I crazy? LCD says 10,000 mile changes with inexpensive, conventional oils are recommended. BTW..the filter is the OE Mazda cartridge filter which is a PITA to change.

Personally, I'd rather just stick with 5,000 mile intervals and no additives but if LC does what Terry, Mola and others say it does AND keeps my fat arse off the cold asphalt this winter I'll be happy.

 

[Al]

I think we are all going full circle around here. My problem with pushing the dino oils too far is that they leave deposits. Granted those deposits may do nothing more than make the inside of your engine "dirty" looking. But for me that is not acceptable

.

I personally think that this milage is stretching it..but that's just me. There is bound to be a nice day in there somewhere to change oil.

 

[C4Dave]

Good point, Al. Which brings up a question. Do UOAs show the formation of sludge? Would an UOA show acceptable wear, but not show that sludge is forming?

5w20 oils that meet the Ford spec would probably be good for 7500 miles. Especially if adding LC. I say go for it, and let us know the results. Can you see the valve train from the oil fill hole? Maybe take some before and after pics. Or at least record your visual observations.

 

[Whimsey]

With a modern clean burning engine and an oil that meets Ford's tougher standards I'd say go for the 7,500 mile OCI. Doesn't Honda have 7,500 and 10,000 mile OCI's using that spec oil? And I think using the LC will be a bonus. As long as 7,500 mile OCI's don't void your warranty. Personally I'm going for 10,000 mile OCI in the wife's 2002 Explorer. I'm using Schaeffer's 5W-30 Supreme Blend and LC plus FP. I did a 8,200 OCI with that Schaeffer's but WITHOUT the LC and FP and it held up fine.

Whimsey

 

[427Z06]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Al:
There is bound to be a nice day in there somewhere to change oil.

---

I agree with Al. Add your LC and wait for a good day to come along.

Or, here's another idea. Drive south for 7 hours, change your oil at a rest stop, drive back. Makes for a long day, but it might be a bit warmer.

 

[Marlin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Whimsey:
With a modern clean burning engine and an oil that meets Ford's tougher standards I'd say go for the 7,500 mile OCI. Doesn't Honda have 7,500 and 10,000 mile OCI's using that spec oil? And I think using the LC will be a bonus. As long as 7,500 mile OCI's don't void your warranty. Personally I'm going for 10,000 mile OCI in the wife's 2002 Explorer. I'm using Schaeffer's 5W-30 Supreme Blend and LC plus FP. I did a 8,200 OCI with that Schaeffer's but WITHOUT the LC and FP and it held up fine.

Whimsey

---

Jeep, Toyota, etc... use to have REALLY high oil change times. But that was before a lot of engines showed up going bad from sludge. I also want to say Honda had some problems like this and has been sued. I think toyota just went from telling EVERYONE to go 7000, to now 5000miles.

Oil and filter cost less then $10, is it really worth it to not change it?

 

[mikep]

All valid points gang. Believe me, I didn't reach this decision on a whim but more so based on results of the first two UOA with straight Havoline 5w-20.

If LC does indeed perform as it is marketed then 7500 miles should be no problem given the fact LCD states 10,000 mile intervals with dino juice. Yea, it's my car that I'm "experimenting" with and sure there will be a nice day (anything above 30 degrees) between now and then but why in the world use these additives unless you take advantage of their capabilities? It wasn't easy making the move to using LC. I really dislike the idea of using an oil additive but continued endorsements and recommendations from Terry made me willing to at least give it a try. I already know Havoline can do 5,000 miles in my car with room to spare so my expecations with LC are high.

C4Dave and Al...would the beginnings of sludge formation show up as insolubles? I'll try to snap a pic or two of the filler opening. With only 13,000+ miles on the car it is squeaky. I certainly would like to keep it that way.

 

[Whimsey]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marlin:
Jeep, Toyota, etc... use to have REALLY high oil change times. But that was before a lot of engines showed up going bad from sludge. I also want to say Honda had some problems like this and has been sued. I think toyota just went from telling EVERYONE to go 7000, to now 5000miles.

Oil and filter cost less then $10, is it really worth it to not change it?

---

Today's oils are light years ahead in quality compared to the oils of the 70's, 80's and even early 90's. Most of the sludge was due to using the early 10W-40 oils. GM and other vehicle manufactures are going to OLM's (oil life monitors). They must have faith in today's oils. Of course it's still the customer's/dealer's responsibility to use the CORRECT oil. Plus when people swear that they changed their oil faithly every 3,000-5,000 miles but just "can't find the receipts" chances are they didn't change the oil when they were suppose to. I'm not familiar with Honda having sludge problems. Can you give me some details. A lot really depends upon HOW you accumulate those miles. Does it takes you 2 years to accumulate 7,500 miles or do you do it in 6 months or less? I don't know about the rest of you but as I approached the half century mark and past it I'm less inclined to crawl under a vehicle, especially in rotten conditions

. If I can avoid doing so without causing harm to the vehicle I'm all for it. When I was was in my late teens and early twenties a blizzard never stopped me from changing my oil faithfully at 3,000 miles

.

Whimsey

 

[427Z06]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Whimsey:
When I was was in my late teens and early twenties a blizzard never stopped me from changing my oil faithfully at 3,000 miles

.

Whimsey

---

When I was that age, a January Buffalo blizzard didn't stop me from replacing the clutch in my Dad's car.

 

[mikep]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 427Z06:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Whimsey:
When I was was in my late teens and early twenties a blizzard never stopped me from changing my oil faithfully at 3,000 miles

.

Whimsey

---

When I was that age, a January Buffalo blizzard didn't stop me from replacing the clutch in my Dad's car.

---

I've been told those Buffalo folk are a hearty bunch

.

When I was in my early twenties I did some wrench turning in the mid-winter cold when I worked for my dad. I didn't really like it then and I suspect I'd like it even less now. Gotta give LC a chance to prove itself to me. One chance, winter conditions in a non-garaged vehicle driven 60 miles daily....nice new clean motor using the same motor oil with two prior interval UOA reports to use as my benchmark.

 

[Tones]

Today's oils may be better, but today's emissions controls really put the oil to the test. I would change it.