To change filter only?

[ChrisJ]

SO I've got a minor problem and want everyones opinion.

Right now our Saturn Vue with Honda 3.5L has I have NO IDEA how many miles on the oil. I'm guessing around 9000 miles and around 5 months. The oil service light has not come on yet for whatever reason but thats kind of moot as I usually don't listen to it anyway.

I'm running Mobil 1 0W20 and a PureONE filter. My concern is I usually do a change at around 8000 miles.

Due to time and money I was not able to and now the wife wants to go on a 1000 mile trip (500 each way).

My thoughts are, everyone claims synthetic oil is capable of going far longer than 10K miles but the filters are not. So I'm thinking of picking up a new PureONE filter and a quart of 0W20 and putting it on tonight.

This would give me a new quality filter as well as a little fresh oil. I can then do a complete change a week or two from now when I have the cash.

What does everyone think? acceptable? Very poor idea?

 

[barlowc]

Depending on the year, we have the same vehicle. Since new, our OLM usually comes on around 5500 miles into an OCI. My wife drives it and it's mostly city driving, used as the proverbial "grocery getter", but we also take it on family trips. I usually change the oil around 6000 miles but have run a couple of OCIs to around 7500.

At the end of the most recent OCI, where I'd run Valvoline SynPower 5W-20 and a PureONE PL14610 for 7850 miles, the UOA was very good. You can view it here. TBN was getting low, but that's been somewhat typical for SynPower.

If you're going to change the filter and top it off, I'd suggest spending a few extra minutes and just doing a full oil and filter change. But if the OLM hasn't come on and you know it was reset when the oil was last changed, you're probably good to go for the 1000 mile trip. The GM L66 / Honda J35A3 engine is generally pretty easy on oil and fairly bulletproof.

 

[simple_gifts]

I wouldn't bother changing it unless you are going to worry yourself to death. I have used white cans for 10K in my Toyota.

 

[brentalan]

500 miles is easy on oil, I would let her complete the trip and then change when she returns.

 

[berniedd]

Borrow the cash from a friend and change the oil AND the filter before your trip. You don't really know how many miles are on that oil, you're just guessing. It just doesn't make sense to me to top up with fresh expensive oil, then get a new filter and let it work on the old oil which you'll be changing in 1-2 weeks anyway.

If money is really really tight, I'd just as soon merely top up with 5W-40 dino oil before the trip. I don't think it will hurt the engine. And then change the oil and filter as planned in 1-2 weeks. But that's just me.

 

[ChrisJ]

Oh I'm good at worrying my self to death, In fact I'm a pro at it.


90% of the driving on the Vue is highway as we are doing 110 miles a day on our commute. While I assume this is good in many ways, I don't know how it affects a filters life. I also do what I can to avoid short trips \ run times in general.

Sounds like I'll be leaving it alone until after the trip and then do a full change.

 

[Artem]

Yea i wouldn't bother with the filter change either. If it was a Classic filter, sure but the P1 should handle 10k without issue.

The 1k trip should be easy on the engine and oil. Do the OC after the trip and possibly take a UOA to see how it did. Who knows, maybe the oil will have some life left after aprox 10k miles and you'll know that you can safely run 10k OCIs if you want.

 

[Sayjac]

Let it be till after the trip. Highway miles are the easiest on the oil anyway and you're running a solid combination of oil and filter. Should be well able to handle the ~10k total.

Make sure the oil level is topped up if needed, and roll.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Since when is a trip "hard on oil" and used oil a bad lubricant? No Worries

Just make sure it's topped off for the trip and check tires and coolant and safty kit and jack and spare important stuf like that.

 

[ChrisJ]

Is the PureONE my best bet if I do long intervals on Mobil 1?

Sometimes I run a Mobil 1 or K&N filter on my engines if I can find them but I've wondered if the PureONE might actually be better and cheaper?

 

[dave1251]

I agree with ARCOgraphite. That does not sound right at all! But it is correct, as it pains me to say.

 

[dave1251]

Do not worry about your filter, I have seen many orange can Fram's handle a 10K OCI and the engines are fine. I use a motorcraft filter for 7K OCI's and it could handle more easily. Some manufactures recommend changing oil filters every 2nd oil change. Do not worry about the filter.

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: ChrisJ
Is the PureONE my best bet if I do long intervals on Mobil 1?

Sometimes I run a Mobil 1 or K&N filter on my engines if I can find them but I've wondered if the PureONE might actually be better and cheaper?

PureONE is a great filter and hard to go wrong with. But is it the "best bet"? That's where the hair-splitting, opinions, and personal preferences come into play. All of the following are great choices IMO, which has been educated by this forum:

Bosch Premium (Basically the same thing as a PureONE.)
Bosch Distance
Purolator PureONE
K&N (The white can "wrench on" ones, not the black can "Pro Series" ones.)
Mobil 1
WIX
DENSO First-Time-Fit (Which I've been a big fan of.)
Baldwin

One interpretation of "best bet" could be which of those can you get cheapest?

On our VUE, I've used K&N, DENSO, and PureONE and they all did just fine for the 6000 - 7500 mile OCIs that I've run.

 

[cptbarkey]

not to be a troll, but just change the [censored] oil if you are compelled enough to worry about it by making a thread on a forum.

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
not to be a troll, but just change the [censored] oil if you are compelled enough to worry about it by making a thread on a forum.

cptbarkey, don't be such a [censored], especially to a new member! His question really isn't any different than the ones the rest of us frequently ask, where we'd like some input from other fellow BITOG members.

 

[fxrider]

Just Change it. $3.27 for a puralator oil filter & $20.57 for a jug of QSUD synthetic. under $25.00. not bad..

 

[tig1]

Don't change it. I do 10K OCIs and never change the filter except at the OC. In three weeks I will be leaving for Florida(2200miles) and will have about 7500 miles on this change.(Fusion) I've done this many times.

 

[DragRace]

If it was ME,I'd change it out. Simply not knowing how many miles on an oil is not how I'd go about taking care of a vehicle.

Vehicle = investment IMO.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: DragRace
If it was ME,I'd change it out. Simply not knowing how many miles on an oil is not how I'd go about taking care of a vehicle.

Vehicle = investment IMO.


Why? His OLM has not indicated a oil change is due. Also it is not like the OP is using US made brand motor oil. He is using a P1 filter with M1 0W-20 that combo will be fine until he returns.

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: DragRace
Simply not knowing how many miles on an oil is not how I'd go about taking care of a vehicle.

Keep in mind that the OP's vehicle has an OLM that has not lit up yet.