3000 mile oci w/ synthetics

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I was just wondering if there is any advantage to using synthetic when doing 3000 mile OCI. I have a 2003 Dodge Neon with 28k that I just started using Royal Purple 10w30 and WIX filters. I also have a 2005 Dodge Ram Hemi with 1700 miles that I am going to be using Royal Purple 5w20 with WIX filters. Is this overkill or is there distinct advantages to using this high quality oil at short OCI? Yeah.... I'm a noob.
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Not in AL. The main advantage would be in arctic climates. Why are you insisting on 3000 miles, Jiffy Lube propaganda?
If you think your warranty requires it, there is no way the dealer is going to require use the "severe service" schedule in the owners manual. There is no way for them to know, unless the blown engine submitted for a warranty claim is full of sludge.
 
Wow, the new Dodge Ram hemi spec's 5W-20.
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All the advantages of synthetic still apply; better cold starts, better hi-temp characteristics etc., but you lose on the better TBN retention and ability to do extrended drains. Unless the manufacturer spec's. call for syn, I don't think it makes any sense to run a syn if you can't bring yourself to go beyond 3K.
 
3,000 mile OCI's with dino oil make sense and may be the cheapest and best way to go but it's definitely unnecessary with synthetics. You can use any dino out there and get 300,000 miles or more out of your engine if you stick to 3,000 mile OCI's which is what I do. An oil change costs me less than $7.
 
What would you say is a good OCI on dino without compromising engine wear? (I buy what's on sale, SuperTech, Exxon, Mobil) Also bear in mind that I want my engine to outlast the rest of the car which usually takes around 300,000 miles and 12-13 years to do.
 
I recently had a job delivering stuff all over the state. Most all the 3.0 Ford vans had near 400K and all have the oil changed every 5-6K with Penz 5W20. The motors looked like new down the oil fill cap and ran like new. I'd have to say the 3K OCI is over kill even with dino oil. One thing to keep in mind is that these vans ran 400 to 500 miles a day sometimes more so 6K would add up fast.
 
3000mile oil change interval is a myth period.

I can't believe you are on this forum questioning or not even knowing that.

Dino oil can easily go to 5-6k before changing.

I suggest Castrol GTX.
 
I've seen all the UOA's but none of these engines have gone 300,000+ miles using 5-6K OCI's with dino--that's what I'll need to see before I feel comfortable going that long between oil changes AND expecting to see 300,000 miles or more from my engine. I got 274,000 miles out of a 1992 Mazda 323 using 3,000 mile dino OCI's and the engine still ran great and passed emissions. I've yet to hear a similar story using 5-6k OCI's with dino. I'm not saying it can't happen, I just haven't heard anyone with that kind of experience.
 
quote:

Originally posted by MADMIKE:
I've seen all the UOA's but none of these engines have gone 300,000+ miles using 5-6K OCI's with dino--that's what I'll need to see before I feel comfortable going that long between oil changes AND expecting to see 300,000 miles or more from my engine. I got 274,000 miles out of a 1992 Mazda 323 using 3,000 mile dino OCI's and the engine still ran great and passed emissions. I've yet to hear a similar story using 5-6k OCI's with dino. I'm not saying it can't happen, I just haven't heard anyone with that kind of experience.

I just mentioned 12 cases that nearly 400K has been done with dino. One of the big 2002 vans with a 5.4 cam eater has 412K on dino. The only thing wrong with the van is the drivers side door sags and the seat pad is broke down.
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quote:

Originally posted by Gilitar:
I was just wondering if there is any advantage to using synthetic when doing 3000 mile OCI.

I realize that I am in the decidely distinct minority on this issue here, but I use synthetic and change every 3K miles.

IMHO, regardless of the robustness of the additive package or quality of the base stock, there is no solution like dilution.

I believe that one of the primary benefits to changing frequently is to eliminate the particulate matter which, regardless of the life of your oil, is busy grinding away the inside of your engine.

Yep, I know Blazer and Patman (and just about everybody else for that matter), completely disagree with me on this notion. And while I genuinely admire and respect their opinions, the 3K mile rule of thumb works for me.

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Bob W.

Furor: n. A general commotion; public disorder or uproar. [Middle English furour, wrath, fury, from Old French fureur, from Latin furor, from furere, to rage.]
 
I hate to admit it. But my company doesn't change the oil much. We tend to go 10 to 15 thousand miles between changes on our Ford E350's. We use standard oils like Supertech and Chevron and standard oil filters like Purolator and Carquest.
Even though we abuse them, we still get 300 to 400 thousand miles out of an engine before it dies. In fact the other things always die before the engine does.
So 3 thousand seems a bit early for me.
 
Bob,

I see you're an Attorney ....

Does the phrase: "Law Of Diminishing Returns" mean anything to you?
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In my situation, 3000 miles (5000km) is about right for the OCI on the family minivan.
It gets 2 OCI a year, one for the summer and one for the winter. After a winters harsh driving conditions - about 5 months or 3000 miles-, I WANT to drain and refill for the summer.
Just my 2c worth
Jean
 
The only difference with Fleet mileage is that it's put on very quickly with very little condensation contamination and very few heat cycles between changes because they heat up and cool down only once a day--they run almost continuously.
 
I've posted this previously. Our older Taurus had 3k oil changes and still ended up running poorly at about 100k miles, something that a homebrew synthetic blend has fixed. The Ford manual states 3k miles oil changes for severe duty.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=27&article_id=8794&page_number=1

Recently, Volkswagen sent a letter to owners of 1998-through-2004 Passats equipped with the 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine informing them that it was extending the warranty on the engine to cover problems caused by oil sludge. Owners of Audi A4 1.8Ts received the same letter. Chrysler 2.7-liter V-6 engines have had similar problems, as have some Toyota V-6 and four-cylinder engines. The number of engines affected is small in each case, but in this computer-controlled age, oil sludge sounds like a Neanderthal problem.

....Other diligent owners changed their oil, but as it turned out, not often enough. Like most owner manuals, Toyota's specified oil changes at 7500 miles. But its manuals also specified 3750-mile changes for cars in "severe" service. "Severe" service applies to vehicles used on short trips, especially in winter, situations where the engine never warms up. It also involves towing and stop-and-go driving in heavy traffic, especially in hot climates, which elevates oil temperature. These are exactly the conditions that promote sludge formation.

So how is an owner to determine the threshold between "normal" and "severe" service? Toyota concluded that an owner couldn't be expected to know and has since revised its oil-change schedules for all its vehicles to 5000 miles.
 
I have always done 3,000 mile OCI on everything I drive with syn or dino oil. It get -40F winter here, +105F summer. I use XD3 0-30 Esso Syn oil, POA group 1V for $3.71 litre or quart, Can. (a premium dino 5-30 oil is about $3.00 per litre on most shelves now, on 4 litres it costs me $3.00 more for a syn oil change)

My brother owns a 1982 Honda Civic, 420K miles, I once owned this Honda with my OCI schedule, he has done the same OCI schedule too, keep in mind this Honda also has been operated in the same harsh weather conditions. The body is nearly rusted off, the engine doesnot burn oil, he has never opened it up, he still takes it on long trips on work commutes up north. This Honda has seen harsh weather in -40, not 420K California miles.

My brother uses my 0-30 XD3 3K waste oil with new filter in this Honda, this syn oil doesn't get wasted, this oil does go 6K miles in two engines. In a new engine I run 3K with syn, once I get 340,000 miles it owes me nothing, I then will probably do the same then, I will use full syn in whatever I buy new then and put it's 3K waste oil in this 05 X-TRail then.

If you have someone with a junker with excessive miles and this beater owes them nothing, see if they will use your 3K waste oil on it, or use it on your junker if you have one.

Many will suggest I change my filter after 3K and keep the oil in it, I wont do that, changing a filter is 85% the work in an oil change, if I have to change the filter, then I will change the oil too. I dont do 80% work for nothing. For $3.00 more total on OCI for this XD3 syn oil over a premium dino, I am not going to run 6K OCI in my new engine.

The cost for syn oil to me is for piece of mind on -40 starts, long 105F highway trips, and my hard working engines like the QR25DE with a counter shaft. I cant risk or afford a new engine falling short of life span because I go against all that works for me in past 27 years, $70 per hour garage rates or premature new engines are not acceptable to me. "If it aint broke, dont fix it," I stay wit 3K oci.

Dont be a sheep and extend your OCI on syn oil if it does not seem right to you Gilitar, what ever you put into a vehicle in maintenance will pay 4 fold in saving garage and new engine costs if you have long term plans on the vehicle, this is IMO.

Please keep in mind my harsh weather guys and the fact this 3K syn oil gets reused, not wasted, and my total extra POA syn cost on 4 litre OCI is $3.00 over a premium shelved dino 5-30.

Cyprs
 
I firmly believe that in mild climate changing the oil every 3,000 miles *and* running a high end synthetic is a waste of money and natural resources.

If you feel better doing 3,000 mile drains in order to remove contamination and the like, use any of the better conventional motor oils and your engine will last a very long time.

John
 
I forgot to mention that my vehicles see alot of stop and go traffic, short trips, and very hot 95+ degree weather during the summer. Maybe i'm being a little obsessive, but I'm getting the RP for a great price.
 
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