i drive 8k+miles per month; 70% highway- deceptively easy on an engine combined with 30% driving that includes city driving, deliveries, and significant idling; dealer service advisor claims this is not severe driving.
what is severe service?
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Stop & go combined with many cold starts is the definition of severe driving-what vehicle, what kind of load do you haul?
I personally drive 3-4K/month on the company van, with loading approaching GVWR + trailer occasionally-but it gets driven far enough to be fully warmed up every time it's driven.
I would tend to agree with your service advisor but what does your owner's manual say? I've noticed various manufacturers define "severe" differently.
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Significant idling to you means..an hour? half hour? 5 mins? right off the highway or warmup?
Regardless, 8k a month is miles accumulated so fast it doesn't matter much.
No car, engine, year, mileage or current oil type specified, so "10k synthetic OCI is fine" is the best I can do.
Regardless, 8k a month is miles accumulated so fast it doesn't matter much.
No car, engine, year, mileage or current oil type specified, so "10k synthetic OCI is fine" is the best I can do.
While under warranty, whatever your owners manual says it is. Read it carefully, as some say if it meets only one or two of the conditions that makes it severe. Some say if it meets most of the conditions, then it's severe.
After warranty, your call for the oci. But, OM is still a nice reference.
After warranty, your call for the oci. But, OM is still a nice reference.
"Severe" is very subjective to both the driver and manufacturer.
Example, for my puny car, severe is classified as any of the following:
-Excessive idling (beyond 3 minutes)
-short driving trips (where engine oil is not brought up to temp)
-towing of any kind
-long trips at a constant speed
-excessive stop and go
Your car manufacturer's criteria may differ depending on the vehicle.
Many people technically fall within severe service and yet they follow non-severe service criteria for OCI (synthetic oil doesn't help either), Transmission/coolant fluid changes, etc. and then they wonder why they have sludge or a slipping transmission at 70k or 90k *finger on the nose.
Example, for my puny car, severe is classified as any of the following:
-Excessive idling (beyond 3 minutes)
-short driving trips (where engine oil is not brought up to temp)
-towing of any kind
-long trips at a constant speed
-excessive stop and go
Your car manufacturer's criteria may differ depending on the vehicle.
Many people technically fall within severe service and yet they follow non-severe service criteria for OCI (synthetic oil doesn't help either), Transmission/coolant fluid changes, etc. and then they wonder why they have sludge or a slipping transmission at 70k or 90k *finger on the nose.
Originally Posted By: accent2012
"Severe" is very subjective to both the driver and manufacturer.
Example, for my puny car, severe is classified as any of the following:
-Excessive idling (beyond 3 minutes)
-short driving trips (where engine oil is not brought up to temp)
-towing of any kind
-long trips at a constant speed
-excessive stop and go
Your car manufacturer's criteria may differ depending on the vehicle.
Many people technically fall within severe service and yet they follow non-severe service criteria for OCI (synthetic oil doesn't help either), Transmission/coolant fluid changes, etc. and then they wonder why they have sludge or a slipping transmission at 70k or 90k *finger on the nose.
While I don't disagree with your post I've also seen people think they are severe service and they are not, meaning changing oil too often.
Oil in general has improved to the point over the last 5 or 10 years that I don't think the owners manuals have caught up with current conditions, meaning that the manufacturers tend to err on the conservitive side of maintainence, rather then extend OCI's out.
There will always be owners that never look at the manual, and others who think that they are in severe service when normal service would suffice.
"Severe" is very subjective to both the driver and manufacturer.
Example, for my puny car, severe is classified as any of the following:
-Excessive idling (beyond 3 minutes)
-short driving trips (where engine oil is not brought up to temp)
-towing of any kind
-long trips at a constant speed
-excessive stop and go
Your car manufacturer's criteria may differ depending on the vehicle.
Many people technically fall within severe service and yet they follow non-severe service criteria for OCI (synthetic oil doesn't help either), Transmission/coolant fluid changes, etc. and then they wonder why they have sludge or a slipping transmission at 70k or 90k *finger on the nose.
While I don't disagree with your post I've also seen people think they are severe service and they are not, meaning changing oil too often.
Oil in general has improved to the point over the last 5 or 10 years that I don't think the owners manuals have caught up with current conditions, meaning that the manufacturers tend to err on the conservitive side of maintainence, rather then extend OCI's out.
There will always be owners that never look at the manual, and others who think that they are in severe service when normal service would suffice.
Personally, I think they need to change the definitions.
Severe is really just regular day to day driving.
I don't know anybody who would not fall under the severe for their daily driver. Why it is called severe I have no idea.
Severe is really just regular day to day driving.
I don't know anybody who would not fall under the severe for their daily driver. Why it is called severe I have no idea.
thank you for the feedback;2012 hyundai elantra touring at,, 5# to 300# loads, mostly light stuff; delivery driver-subcontractor; i drive my own vehicle; frequent stops sometimes; freeway usually; significant idling in both city driving and in commute traffic on freeways during deliveries; san francisco, california bay area- very mild weather; i'm concerned about fuel dilution, mpg, durability, emissions system...
Originally Posted By: tribocessive
i drive 8k+miles per month; 70% highway- deceptively easy on an engine combined with 30% driving that includes city driving, deliveries, and significant idling; dealer service advisor claims this is not severe driving.
Any kind of driving that doesn't lead oil to come up to full operating temperature. A GM study found that driving, even short trips, in summer time (greater than 77F) was sufficient to drive off oil contaminants (water/fuel). Higher than normal oil temps is also severe service (but not likely, unless racing/mechanical issues). Driving in dusty conditions or using "economy" oil/air filters will also call for severe service. And finally, winter temperatures are harsh. Another GM study showed that an oil can be as contaminated in 500 miles of winter short-trip driving as driving 8000 miles of long trip driving. It takes about 20 miles of highway driving to evaporate accumalated water/fuel in oil from short-trip winter driving.
Ford says 200 hours is the OCI for severe service, with severe being 25 MPH of average speed over the OCI.
Excessive idling is also bad because it does not allow the PCV system to draw enough vapors and engine oil to reach optimal temperature.
i drive 8k+miles per month; 70% highway- deceptively easy on an engine combined with 30% driving that includes city driving, deliveries, and significant idling; dealer service advisor claims this is not severe driving.
Any kind of driving that doesn't lead oil to come up to full operating temperature. A GM study found that driving, even short trips, in summer time (greater than 77F) was sufficient to drive off oil contaminants (water/fuel). Higher than normal oil temps is also severe service (but not likely, unless racing/mechanical issues). Driving in dusty conditions or using "economy" oil/air filters will also call for severe service. And finally, winter temperatures are harsh. Another GM study showed that an oil can be as contaminated in 500 miles of winter short-trip driving as driving 8000 miles of long trip driving. It takes about 20 miles of highway driving to evaporate accumalated water/fuel in oil from short-trip winter driving.
Ford says 200 hours is the OCI for severe service, with severe being 25 MPH of average speed over the OCI.
Excessive idling is also bad because it does not allow the PCV system to draw enough vapors and engine oil to reach optimal temperature.
I will admit that my last statement was a bit more opinionated than informative compared to the rest of my post, but like I said before, severe service is subjective and no driving habits are the same.
I do agree that oils have come a long way, especially conventional oil, where in some cases you can drive it above 5k miles between OCIs.
I do agree that oils have come a long way, especially conventional oil, where in some cases you can drive it above 5k miles between OCIs.
this is all very informative-to refine my op: i combine 70% easy highway driving on the one hand, with 30% hard city driving; what oil should i use and what should be my oci; trying to fine tune my maintenance plan, given my operating conditions.
Holy cow!
8k a month!
Your driving conditions are not severe, but the rate of accumulated miles is!
You are the #1 candidate for full synthetic oil and long oil changes.
You'll save $ in the long run, and save the time lost changing oil more often with dino.
8k a month!
Your driving conditions are not severe, but the rate of accumulated miles is!
You are the #1 candidate for full synthetic oil and long oil changes.
You'll save $ in the long run, and save the time lost changing oil more often with dino.
blackstone results would seem to indicate that my particular driving conditions are not too severe; tbn 1.8 after 10k miles gtx syn blend 5w30.
Less than 1k a month driving stop & go city, at least 3 or more times per week.
generally running your vehicle for under 5 minutes each time classifies as severe service.
generally running your vehicle for under 5 minutes each time classifies as severe service.
Originally Posted By: tribocessive
i drive 8k+miles per month; 70% highway- deceptively easy on an engine combined with 30% driving that includes city driving, deliveries, and significant idling; dealer service advisor claims this is not severe driving.
I agree with your service advisor.
The main problem with "significant idling" is that you're not acummulating any mileage on which we tend to judge the OCI.
Nonetheless 8K miles/mth is a lot and I'm sure you could maximize your OCI, fine tuning the mileage based on a UOA if your so inclined.
i drive 8k+miles per month; 70% highway- deceptively easy on an engine combined with 30% driving that includes city driving, deliveries, and significant idling; dealer service advisor claims this is not severe driving.
I agree with your service advisor.
The main problem with "significant idling" is that you're not acummulating any mileage on which we tend to judge the OCI.
Nonetheless 8K miles/mth is a lot and I'm sure you could maximize your OCI, fine tuning the mileage based on a UOA if your so inclined.
thank you caterham, will do; shooting for 15k+ oci with eneos sustina 0W20; the type of idling i frequently do is bumper to bumper traffic on the freeway; 250+ freeway miles per day 6 or 7 days a week seems to more than make up for whatever idling i do; also there was a typo in my last reply: it was actually castrol gtx syn blend 5w20 oil that i was using; i'm thinking that "severe service" is all about mostly city driving or towing rather than my operating conditions.
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