Time vs. Mileage for OCIs

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I posted elsewhere on the "time machine" effect of top up oil and filter changes. I drive about 30,000 km a year and add a fair amount of top up regularly (about a quart every 2,000 km).

Based on my oil and filter choice (see sig), I'm thinking about doing a full oil change twice a year regardless of mileage. This will work out to something like:

Nov. 1 to get a sump full of clean oil in preparation for the beating it will take in winter. Anticipated mileage will be about 18,000 km.

May 1 to get the beat up winter oil out and a sump full of fresh oil in for the summer. Anticipated mileage will be about 12,000 km, since I do less driving in the winter (no road trips).

Filter will be changed separately at a yet to be determined interval. This is based on findings that show a filter starts to filter more efficiently after it has some miles on it, and another showing that changing the filter on an extended OCI has a very positive effect on oil life.

This goes against the conventional grain of wisdom here, but my thinking is open to new approaches and running something like PP in a burner like mine also goes against convential wisdom (but the price was half the regualar price as well). I also wouldn't do the above on dino, so the extra I got the syn for cancels out (small) extra cost if it saves only one OC.

Interested in hearing what others have to say on this. Right now this is still only in the conceptual phase, in that I'm mulling it over and looking for feedback but have made no decision yet.

Edit: its worth noting too that the summer miles are easy ones where the car sees a lot of highway (no chance for moisture buildup), and the cold starts aren't as cold.

Winter interval will be much harder on the oil as speeds will be lower, idling will increase a bit, highway will be greatly reduced, and the oil will spend less time at operating temp compared to summer.

-Spyder
 
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Changed at 10k that would be about 3 filter changes per year or about every 4mo. Adding top up oil each time,yet changing the oil twice yearly would still seem like there was a gradient of brand-new fresh and somewhat fresh oil always in the case.I could see a very good blanket of protection for the engine this way,it's all peace of mind ,too.
 
Hi,
I was thinking along the same lines. Royal Purple 5w30, changed twice a year with the filter changed at 3 months.
We put on about 1500 miles a month, 2 cars with a lot of highway. Winter will be the toughest time here in Ohio.
I was thinking of using either a Wix or K&N for filters (Or even mortorcraft and Mopar).

So 4500 miles on filters with
9000 miles on Royal Purple with top off oils etc.
 
Since you drive mostly on highway and accumulate 1500 miles a month, you don't need to change filter midway. Purolator Pure 1 can easily be in service for 9-10k miles.
 
Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
Changed at 10k that would be about 3 filter changes per year or about every 4mo. Adding top up oil each time,yet changing the oil twice yearly would still seem like there was a gradient of brand-new fresh and somewhat fresh oil always in the case.I could see a very good blanket of protection for the engine this way,it's all peace of mind ,too.


That's along the lines of what I'm thinking too. Two OCs, with regular top throughout the OCI, and three filter changes. It strikes a good balance between solid protection and being economical. I may extend the fall OCI to Dec and use the extra filter change in late summer. Even though that OCI will be longer for time and have more miles on it, they will be the easiest miles and the extra filter change over that interval will turn the clock back a bit. Also with consumption higher in the warm months, the summer will also see the most top up added.

-Spyder
 
It'll slow when I switch to 10W30, which I plan to run year round once I make the switch (lower NOACK, higher HTHS, low enough pour point), and even more again over the winter when temps drop.

Even with the burn off and top up, I still think there's utility in the twice a year OCI: to get all fresh oil in for the winter, and the beat up winter oil out for the summer. But its why I'm looking at basing OCIs on a seasonal regimen and pretty much discarding mileage completely.

-Spyder
 
I run 10k miles on 10W30 PP and now Ultra and just go with that interval. No need to worry about moisture or cold around here though. Uses almost no oil.
 
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