Thoughts on 18 month OCI

[Brent_G]

So August is normally when I change all my vehicles. My truck however only has about 4k on the M1 0w20 and I don't really want to dump it when their is life left in it. Summer is 90% pulling a 7500lb trailer and mostly all highway, sitting for a few weeks at a time, no DD. Winter is all short trips 2 mile round trip to work 5 days a week and some >20 mile trips.

2001 F150 - 5.4
140k miles
Current fill was put in 8/9 135,947
M1 0w20 - FL 820S filter - No makeup oil added
Average of 4.5 - 5k annual mileage

Thoughts on pushing this out to January or later? Don't really want to do a UOA as I can change it for a few dollars more.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Pulling a trailer on the highway has to be about ideal for engine oil.

As long as you can get it up to temperature once every week or so, it should be fine.

 

[gfh77665]

I have gone 24 months on trucks with similar low mileage intermittent use with ZERO issues. Using syn M1 even reinforces full confidence of extending the use.

 

[TFB1]

Actually pulling a trailer is considered severe duty on most vehicles... I'd consider a dragging 7500Lb trailer with a F-150 most certainly severe duty...

Above said the M1 will probably be good at 5K mi...

 

[dparm]

M1 AFE is designed for exactly that purpose.

 

[Brent_G]

My biggest concern was fuel dilution, and moisture. In the winter the truck maybe gets water up to full temp once every 2 weeks or so and its not for long. I doubt the oil ever gets hot though the whole winter more than 5 times. Also idles between 1-5 minutes every morning.

My thoughts are with the large sump, and the long highway loads in the summer it should have burnt most of that out. But i'm not as up to speed as many on here about how that may have effected the oil. It feels like such a waste changing a syn after 4k.

 

[FZ1]

Run it till your "winter short trips" start,dump it,and get fresh oil in it for the winter.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Run it till your "winter short trips" start,dump it,and get fresh oil in it for the winter.


That sounds like a solid plan.

 

[TallPaul]

I am at 21 months on my motorhome and about 3500 miles. Think I'll change it out soon.

 

[Donald]

Who wants to change oil in January in SD?

I try and not have oil changes due in dead winter. Or inspections.

 

[Brent_G]

I have access to a heated shop and lift so it isn't a problem. Need to defrost the truck every once and awhile anyway or i start hauling around 500lb of snow/ice.

And with the way winters have been the last few years, I might be able to change it outside while wearing a t shirt catching a tan in january lol.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: Brent_G
Thoughts on pushing this out to January or later?


It will be fine beyond January at low usage and low mileage. It would be interesting to get a TBN reading when you finally do change it. I would probably do it just before next towing season, but the 0W-20 is probably overkill even for this application. A good conventional 5W-20 would be fine for the same purpose and save you even more money with no negative consequences.

 

[troyb43]

How about performing an oil analysis once, you will know what it can do now and likely for the future as well

 

[901Memphis]

I don't see a problem with pushing it to a warmer month. Those are the easiest engines on oil in the world.

 

[Brent_G]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
Originally Posted By: Brent_G
Thoughts on pushing this out to January or later?


It will be fine beyond January at low usage and low mileage. It would be interesting to get a TBN reading when you finally do change it. I would probably do it just before next towing season, but the 0W-20 is probably overkill even for this application. A good conventional 5W-20 would be fine for the same purpose and save you even more money with no negative consequences.


My reason for the 0w20 is winter temps. When they start dropping below -15, things dont like to work. If I get a call and have to go on a tow, I have to go, and can't afford to have my truck not start. I don't have access to plugins at my apartment so every little bit helps. Twice in the past has it not started and i would rather not have that happen again

 

[StevieBoy]

I would definately recommend staying on synthetic in S.D.! But I would probably change the oil & filter every spring after the thaw and before the summer trips start if it was me. That sitting around in cold weather is hard on the oil. Then you would have good fresh oil for the hard summer hauls.

 

[bigt61]

0W-20 towing a 7500lb trailer in the summer? That would scare me more than running the oil a few extra months during the winter. I guess I'm just old school. I used to run 15W-50 when I towed a trailer with my Suburban. The trans cooler ran through the radiator and stuff got hot - the thermostatically controlled fan was always kicking on.

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Who wants to change oil in January in SD?

I try and not have oil changes due in dead winter. Or inspections.

This is EXACTLY why I personally run synthetic oil,it's darn cold here in the winter months.

 

[Brent_G]

I had decided imm going to pull a sample later this month and send it off. I need to toss it on the hoist to change the TC anyway so might as well.

I also checked my notebook, and i have 4,200 miles on this change, and added 1 quart of Klotz 10w40 350 miles in due to a leaky filter gasket. Will be interesting to to see the UOA and how the 0w20 is holding up!

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Who wants to change oil in January in SD?

I try and not have oil changes due in dead winter. Or inspections.


+1...im going to swap my oil in early November to PU 5w20. And not worry til winter is done..id recommend u do the same.