This fall both our cars will do only short trips

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Our family has two cars:

- an 05 5 speed Vibe with almost 50k miles which has had *only* synthetic engine and transmission oil since almost day 1. (I have done several UOAs for several different oils on this car. I am just over 6 months and 3600 miles into a run of PP5 5W30)

- a new Chevy Traverse with the GM 3.6L VVT DI engine. (I changed out the FF at 500 miles; changed out QH 5W30 at 1500 miles
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rue#Post1494396
and am now on a basic 3k OCI, again with QH and again with a PF48)

Starting this fall and then for the rest of a Canadian winter
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both cars will see daily use but for low mileage consisting of short trips. Specifically during the work week each will go maybe 2 miles to a parking lot, sit all day then return home that evening. So it is often that neither will get to operating temperature during the week day.

This scenario is ripe for fuel dilution for both vehicles but especially for the DI engine.

In my stash I have the following oils:

- GC
- QHorsepower 5W30
- RLI 0W30
- Castrol SLX Professional 4718M (5W30)

I will be changing out the current PP 5W30 in the Vibe (a 6 month OCI) in the next week.

My 3k mile run of QH 5W30 for the Traverse will likely be completed mid to late August.

I am for sure open to suggestion. That is from my stash which oil would you choose for which car for their upcoming oil changes?

(I dont think I am too concerned re the warranty for either car given that some of my stash isnt GM approved. I have a significant supply of the QH with receipts).

Of course the Chevy has the OLM but given the scenario should I just change the oil on both cars after 3 months regardless of miles driven (Vibe) or OLM (Traverse) due to the likely high dilution?

Can one consider any oil better than another in protecting an engine in the presence of fuel?

Thanks for your advice.
 
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The Vibe will be fine with any SM rated Dino for 5K KM, any better oil that you use will be an added bonus.

If the Traverse has the Direct Injection engine I would run a GM approved Synthetic oil and run it to 8K KM. Mobil-1 would be a great choice.

P.s. Still not pricing from the supplier, so I'm going to call a new supplier tomorrow. I have had it with those guys and I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.
 
Both vehicles should have the GM OLM. Just follow that. 0W-30 all year round in both cars. 0W-30 is the only grade you should need to stock, and is especially suited to your 'short trip' usage.

Winters really don't 'hurt' oil. Oil is harmed moreso by extreme heat, not something typically encountered in Ontario unless you get stuck on the Gardiner or the QEW downtown for an hour or two. The 0W is to keep the startup wear to a minimum.

Dilution, IMHO, is the most severely overblown issue there could possibly be in modern cars with fuel injection and functioning thermostats. It simply doesn't happen. Worry about it if you have a carburator, and/or a bad thermostat, but if you don't...
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winters don't hurt the oil, they hurt the engine. Get a Kats oil pan heater, and a block heater, and a nice digital outdoor timer from CTC, the one with flash memory. warm up the oil and coolant for 3 hours every morning. start using the heaters in fall, continue through the winter into spring.
Use synthetic 5w30 or a 50:50 mix 5w20 conv: 5w30 synth for superior cold flow properties.
 
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Based on your list of oils I'd prefer you use the "Q" Horsepower synthetic and just go by the OLMs in both cars.

My 01' Durango V-8 only sees weekend driving currently compared to my newly bought 08' Impala SS which sees miles driven every day. WHEN I do turn the Durango'e engine over I drive it enough to get the oil nice n' hot to absorb/drive any moisture present. That way too the oil won't have a chance of sludging-up. My current oil is Mobil 1 5W-30 "extended".

In Canada the natural cold weather is what your cars need to avoid. IF you can drive them to get the oil hot enough and then put them away. Plan your trips well.

Durango
 
Originally Posted By: Durango

In Canada the natural cold weather is what your cars need to avoid. IF you can drive them to get the oil hot enough and then put them away. Plan your trips well.


What's the point of wasting fuel to 'get the oil hot enough'? Neither of those engines are prone to fuel dilution, and fuel dilution is a non-issue. Getting an engine up to full operating temperature, and then immediately cycling it down, seems to me, as being something that would cause more wear (due to thermal expansion and contraction), as opposed to less wear. Especially on gasketed surfaces.

Just drive normally, take it easy for the first few minutes after a cold start, don't idle excessively, use a 0W-30 oil, and use a block heater. No reason whatsoever to resort to heroics. As with every other car operated in Ontario, the salt and the non-engine maintenance costs will destroy the vehicle far before the engine experiences significant degradation.
 
Originally Posted By: pitzel
Neither of those engines are prone to fuel dilution,


For sure we see on BITOG increasing evidence that points to fuel dilution going hand in hand with DI engines. And this Chevy 3.6 L VVT is a direct injection engine. And short winter drives with evil idling would also contribute to dilution for most engines....DI or not.

In fact my winter UOAs with the Vibe show the presence of fuel which is gone for a summer OCI.


Originally Posted By: pitzel
and use a block heater.


I kick myself for not getting the block heater as an option on this new car
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.

Originally Posted By: pitzel
As with every other car operated in Ontario, the salt and the non-engine maintenance costs will destroy the vehicle far before the engine experiences significant degradation.


Not for my cars. I get them treated annually with the Krown rust treatment
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. The best in the business.
 
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I'd use the QHP in both, change both on the last warm day in November, and then let them go though the winter for 6 months regardless of miles, then change again come spring when it's warm again.

Pitzel, I have no clue where you're coming from with fuel dilution being a non-issue. We see plenty of UOA posted here with driving conditions similar to Rogue's, and they show both fuel and moisture buildup. This is the kind of driving that usually will promote the white gloppy condensation on the underside of the oil cap.
 
Originally Posted By: 21Rouge
Originally Posted By: pitzel
As with every other car operated in Ontario, the salt and the non-engine maintenance costs will destroy the vehicle far before the engine experiences significant degradation.


Not for my cars. I get them treated annually with the Krown rust treatment
08.gif
. The best in the business.


+1
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I Sent a van that was 20 years old to the scrapyard in new like condition, thanks to Krown Rust Control the body was in show-room shape. It had over 400K KM on it. Too bad it had an electrical fire that totaled everything under the hood.
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Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I'd use the QHP in both, change both on the last warm day in November, and then let them go though the winter for 6 months regardless of miles, then change again come spring when it's warm again.

Pitzel, I have no clue where you're coming from with fuel dilution being a non-issue. We see plenty of UOA posted here with driving conditions similar to Rogue's, and they show both fuel and moisture buildup. This is the kind of driving that usually will promote the white gloppy condensation on the underside of the oil cap.


I think he's right when talking port fuel injection. Has anyone really seen any signifigant fuel dilution on a properly functioning port injected engine? DI is a whole different story.
 
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I'd use the QHP in both, change both on the last warm day in November, and then let them go though the winter for 6 months regardless of miles, then change again come spring when it's warm again.

Pitzel, I have no clue where you're coming from with fuel dilution being a non-issue. We see plenty of UOA posted here with driving conditions similar to Rogue's, and they show both fuel and moisture buildup. This is the kind of driving that usually will promote the white gloppy condensation on the underside of the oil cap.


I think he's right when talking port fuel injection. Has anyone really seen any signifigant fuel dilution on a properly functioning port injected engine?


There's been plenty of UOA posted with cold weather short trip operation with more then average fuel dilution. Plus, fuel dilution alone is of less concern then fuel and lots of moisture in the oil from low oil temps.
 
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