Ultra worries past 12.5k miles

[ericthepig]

My fill of PU 5w20 is in its home stretch. Dropped it in first wkend of July 2010. Just went past 12k miles. Haven't decided whether to put it to rest the first wkend of June, or to take it to the one year mark (July). It's been pushed hard - mostly kid hauling - dropping my kids at two schools, piano lessons, wrestling, family to church, & wife's many errands. Sees hiway miles perhaps once/month.

Any hard evidence out there that PU is at risk of catestrophic callapse in the 13k range ?

(1/2 qt top up about five months ago)

 

[tinmanSC]

This is the perfect time to do a UOA. The oil is ending it's service life so you'll get some very good data. If it comes back good, you can leave it in for a few more weeks, until you change it out (I assume you're going with Ultra again?) and feel confident in another year-long run. If not, change it out and just remember that a year is a bit too long. Ultra is certainly an exceptional product, but there is no way to tell over the Internet how it's doing in your engine. This is especially true if you have been making lots of short trips, as is often the case if you are using it to haul kids around. IMO, UOA's are sometimes misused, or used too often. But this is exactly where it can be applied to normal passenger vehicles, determination of oil life remaining to ensure 1) long one-year change interval is a good idea 2) oil life remaining beyond 1 year.

 

[chubbs1]

I agree w/ Tinman You saved money not having to change the oil it would be excellent to get a UOA to see if PU can take the punishment you handed it. Order the Blackstone Analysis and change it when you get it. That will tell you how the oil is and you won't worry waiting until July. JMO

 

[FZ1]

Running it too far. Look in your manual and see how far,and how long,in time,the "severe service" recommendation is. My Honda is 6 months,so that's how long I run it. Forget the uoa,use that money for an oil change.

 

[Brons2]

What made you think you could take it to 12K to begin with? Have you had any fluid analysis on this engine in the past?

Change the oil!!

 

[ltslimjim]

Not sure how the 6 is on oil at all. I think the OP has gone long enough on this oil, though. Drain, sample, re-fill and you may need to cut the interval down to 7.5k on PU depending on UOA results. Any UOA of a Mazda 6 on the forums as reference?

My .02 cents...

 

[Geonerd]

Assuming you've got a decent filter and a healthy engine, nothing catastrophic is going to happen. The TBN might be getting kinda puny, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over the issue.

I like the idea of a UOA. You can find out for sure how the oil is doing, and also share some pertinent data with this bunch.

 

[electrolover]

like many others here I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT UOA!!!

 

[ericthepig]

Was just chking to see if anything had cross BITOG radar concerning PUs long drain capability.

I previously did 11.5k miles (9 months) on M1 0w20 in the Mazda. Blackstone stated oil could've made it to 1 yr - but BITOG agreed the oil was near the end of it's life at 11.5k.

In the interim I had two fills of Schaeffers, but it turned black at 3k - bothered my nerves.

I'm going to wait till the end of the OCI to UOA. I'm in search of an oil capable of 1 yr in this app. I've already bought my next jug of PU 5w20, but kept my Wally receipt.

I'm a historical long OCI'r. I took an '88 Mazda 323 to 25k (1 yr) on Amsoil back in the mid-90s, and did several long runs on it on Amsoil and M1 15w50. Sold that car about 3 yrs ago in great running condition (still got about 38 mpg HW).

I'll post the UOA either June or July. I'm losing no sleep here (especially given the 1/2 qt top off w/ this 13tbn oil), but I don't plan to take this past 13.5k.

 

[ltslimjim]

Ah, I see. Didn't remember your M1 0w-20 run. You might still be okay, but are more likely near or at the end of the rope either way.

The UOA will probably get loads of attention. Bump this thread up with a link over to that when you finally get it sampled/back in for posting.

 

[ericthepig]

Decision time - this wkend is my last free wkend till mid-June (I like to do OCs on Saturdays so I can be meditative about it - long drain - etc). Present fill of Ultra is ~12.6k miles (10 1/2 months). Did an oil drop test two nights ago - results look about the same as at 9k - very good. I'm always claiming I want a 1 yr oil, but it's the last 1 to 2 months that spook me.

To drop it this wkend or to press on. (?)

Is there any one on BITOG that would push Ultra to 1 yr (~14k miles) with confidence ?

 

[bodeh6]

Change it and do a UOA.

 

[ericthepig]

Had pretty much made up my mind to go to the 1 yr mark. But chked the oil fill hole with a flash light and noticed the cam was beginning to show obvious streaks of varnish. It's been at least a year since I've chked, but things looked very clean the last time I looked. Also, the surface area of the engine near the cam looked pretty gross with a thin film of black oil (this surface area has a rough texture and the oil settles into the "pits") - the oil honestly looked like dried dirt in those pits - but it wiped off. But I was sufficiently spooked.

Thus, dropped the PU fill (w/ 12.8k miles and 10 1/2 months). Filled with a flush fill of Wally ST dino (3 qts 10w40, 1 qt 5w20 (left over) and almost a qt of Neutra 131) - will just leave this in till end of June. Took my new jug of PU 5w20 back to Wally's cause I want to see the UOA results and brood on this for my next long OCI fill - surely I can at least find an oil (PU may still be it) that can handle the full school year (August thru May), and then do flush runs thru the summer. My hope in a 1 yr OCI is probably dashed given this app (wife and kids just pushing it too hard).

We'll see what the UOA says.

 

[addyguy]

Really looking forward to this UOA!

Interesting plan - drop the oil, and put a 'flush run' in for the time it takes to get UOA results back, so you can plan your next move...I like it.

I think PU will do better than you give it credit for, and, on the off chance that it doesn't, I KNOW that Amsoil 0W-20 will - we've sen 25-30k runs of that, in Duratec-based engines, and it does well.

If you don't get the results you want with PU, go Amosil ASM.

 

[GhostFlame]

I go 12,500 in my bmw w synthetic oil. I do change the filter at 6000 miles though. I just don't like the look of the catridge filter with 12000 miles on it.

on the last 2 oil changes I have dropped back to 7500 miles oci, it helps me sleep at night.

 

[ericthepig]

Correction - flush is 3 qts 10w40 (ST), 1/2 qt 5w20 (ST) and 3/4 qt of Neutra. Sump is 4.2 qts.

Should get the Ultra sample mailed out tomorrow (Blackstone).

 

[SilverC6]

Change that oil man!!!!

That's the point of changing oil....to stop worrying.

 

[ericthepig]

Wasn't really worried till Saturday. And may find (from UOA) that there was still no reason to worry.

I've been a long OCI'r since circa 1994. Never disappointed yet. I've hit 25k miles on Amsoil 10w40 (1 yr) in a 3.8 qt sump (my '88 323 in 1995 - sold it a couple of years ago running great) - but I wouldn't exactly do that again knowing what I know now.

But now I'm trying to match an oil to this particularly brutal app. It'll be peaches if the UOA shows Ultra could've gone to the 1 yr mark here. But if it couldn't at least handle this 10 1/2 month run then I'm moving on to another supplier.

 

[buickman50401]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Change that oil man!!!!

That's the point of changing oil....to stop worrying.

Yeah, I'm really failing to see the point of this from an economics standpoint.

I mean an oil change with what the OP is using with a top notch filter is going to cost what at most $35? And an oil analysis is going for what a minimum of $20 without a TBN and $30+ with?

That's another oil change right there. All this extending the OCI as long as possible is saving nothing in terms of cash. And its not as if its a good idea to do an analysis this time and then just forget about it and run the next OCI out to 12k again without another analysis since something might crop up while you're blissfully thinking well 12k is just perfect.

 

[VRAY]

Since Ultra is I think the best Pennzoil has to offer,you can go another month but why?If it is time to change oil just do it.Every oil has its limits and you dont really know what that is and I would not want to be the one to find out. For peace of mind,change it and find something else to worry about.