Does this make any difference? oil change

[rbarrios]

So,
My oil change intevals have been 5,000 miles. Fairly consistent.
Ive posted my UOA- always showing low iron.
I have a 2010 Traverse.
Its the 3.6 Direct Injection engine.
I've used nothing but Valvoline Conventional 5W-30 exclusively.

The vehicle turned 118,000 this morning.
Running great.
On the GM forums- I see some folks with this same engine- get timing chain wear. With much lower mileage- and im sure the Iron is high- from the chain wear.


I was looking over my oil change intervals.
and thought---- heck I may as well do another low mileage oil change- and get new oil in there to help clean up a small amount of buildup... if any.
I dont know if VWB is known for having decent cleaning additives...

these are latest oil change intervals-- (miles on oil).
4,923
3,780 (vehicle hit 100,000)
5,000
4,969
1,507 (111,000- changed oil due to 4,000 miles road trip)
4,913 (the 4000 mile road trip oil).
1,367 (the oil change on Saturday).

I will now drive it another 1,000 to 1,200 miles and change the oil again--
as I have another 4,000 road trip in December..

Do you guys think- that the 2 quick changes-- had any slight cleaning advantages?



Curious.

 

[RooflessVW]

I don't think there's anything to clean in your engine.

 

[rbarrios]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I don't think there's anything to clean in your engine.


thats a good way to look at it................

 

[Lyman]

Can't figure out why you changed the oil so early the last time. I would have left it till your next road trip.
+1 on rooflessVW's comment.

 

[mazdamonky]

With less than 2000 miles on your oil I would have just left it in the sump. 6000 miles on today's oils is perfectly normal and acceptable. I believe the short oil changes did nothing but lighten your wallet. I am not saying to do 10k oil changes. But 6k is completely within the range of valvoline conventional especially if it is going to be the easy miles of a long road trip.

 

[rbarrios]

You are right- the UOA after the road trips have been the best-
Several concerns on those trips-
I was loaded (roof bag, hitch rack, lots of cargo inside, and 5 folks inside)

one of the trips- my concern was the hours and hours of driving thru dust storms.
(though the UOA showed the filters did their jobs)


the other trip- also cargo being carried- and temps of up to 113 through the desert, lots of AC use.
(UOA also showed good results).

Now I'm wondering....

this oil change-- If I dont rack up the miles... -- I may just leave it in and take the road trip with it.


heres the 1st trip

we ran into countless dust storms thru Chihuahua,Texas, New Mexico, Arizona,........






this should be the UOA for this road trip with all that dust.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
With less than 2000 miles on your oil I would have just left it in the sump. 6000 miles on today's oils is perfectly normal and acceptable. I believe the short oil changes did nothing but lighten your wallet. I am not saying to do 10k oil changes. But 6k is completely within the range of valvoline conventional especially if it is going to be the easy miles of a long road trip.

I agree also. If you were at 3500 miles and getting ready for the 4000 mile road trip then sure, change a little early, but with mostly highway miles you could easily go 6000 miles on occasion.
Sounds like what you have been doing for the past 6+ years has been working fine, keep doing what your doing.

 

[69GTX]

I see no problem with what you're doing. The cost of oil changes is greatly over-rated when you're looking at the cost of a new engine. And for many cars with high mileage, that could mean junking the car. I'd spend $200/yr in oil changes if I was guaranteed my engine would last as long as I owned the car...even 20 yrs. As it is I spend $40/yr on my 2X/yr synthetic oil changes.

VWB is nothing special. It's a sodium based oil so totally unlike most of the other major brands (Pennz, Mobil, Castrol, Quaker State, etc.). Sodium is used in Valvoline and Napa oils, and other boutique oils. If anything, it's quite different than 80-90% of the motor oils out there. Does it clean better? I doubt it. Does it clean better than PP or M1? I doubt it. It's total detergent package is sort of on the low end of the major brands (under 2,000 ppm total). Some of the others are up in the 2200-2800 ppm range. Valvolne costs me $14/$15 per jug at Walmart. I used it one time before I came to Bitog. I can now buy the PP/M1 on rebates for $10-$12/jug. Why would I use VWB?

If you're getting the results you desire, keep using the VWB at the frequencies you are currently using. I did 3K oil changes on my last car for 200K mostly highway miles...it got to 232K miles (mostly highway) on Quick Lube oil changes. The rest of the car died before the engine. But had that engine died in any of those last few years I drove it, the car would have gone right to the junk yard.

 

[69GTX]

Based on your TBN values it looks like 5K is the most you should do each OCI. One of those 5K samples was down to 1.3 TBN. When I used VWB I didn't feel comfortable going past 4000 miles. You can try to push another 20% out of the oil, but that potential savings of $3-$4 comes at the end of the oil cycle when it's closest to being spent.

 

[JC1]

What's the time frame between each oil change?

Your engine is probably fine. Is that engine known for oil consumption problems?

 

[BrocLuno]

I think I'd switch to Rotella T6 5W-40 for a few changes. It's a light "40", more like a 35. But the change in chemistry will likely do more to "clean" things that keeping the same chemistry all the time.

Of course you could go big $ and try Pennz UP, but at 118K, I'd be moving in the direction of HDEO anyway

 

[dwendt44]

the service writer and former line mechanic said that timing chain problems on the 3.6 were not that common. Most do to lack of maintenance, low oil levels, low grade oil, that type of problems.
the chains are mist/splash oiled like before but the multiple chains may need more or more positive oiling.

My 2¢

 

[05LGTLtd]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
I think I'd switch to Rotella T6 5W-40 for a few changes. It's a light "40", more like a 35. But the change in chemistry will likely do more to "clean" things that keeping the same chemistry all the time.

Of course you could go big $ and try Pennz UP, but at 118K, I'd be moving in the direction of HDEO anyway

Please provide any data you have to support T6 being a 'light "40"'. IIRC, it's slightly heavier than most of the name brand 0/5w40's such as M1, Edge, Valvoline etc... Not picking a fight here, just want to know how you reached this conclusion.

 

[Jimzz]

The timing chain issue was mostly due to low oil. So as long as you check the oil regularly and change every 5k with what you use now then you will be fine.

A high mileage oil has a stronger additive base if you want to go to that and most are semi-syn for about the same price.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I don't think there's anything to clean in your engine.
I'm not sure I understand this obsession with "flushing and cleaning". My 99 I4 Camry, in 350,000 miles, has never needed "flushing or cleaning". I do use synthetic, T6 since it first became available, Mobil prior to that.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I don't think there's anything to clean in your engine.
I'm not sure I understand this obsession with "flushing and cleaning". My 99 I4 Camry, in 350,000 miles, has never needed "flushing or cleaning". I do use synthetic, T6 since it first became available, Mobil prior to that.


It's just OCD nonsense perpetuated by some on here. Stains under the valve cover and some people do a kerosene flush and 5 oil changes in 1k miles....it's all ridiculous.

OP, for the sake of cost and intervals, i'd bump up to 7500 miles and switch to a semi synth like Maxlife 5w30.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: rbarrios
So,
My oil change intevals have been 5,000 miles. Fairly consistent.
Ive posted my UOA- always showing low iron.
I have a 2010 Traverse.
Its the 3.6 Direct Injection engine.
I've used nothing but Valvoline Conventional 5W-30 exclusively.

The vehicle turned 118,000 this morning.
Running great.
On the GM forums- I see some folks with this same engine- get timing chain wear. With much lower mileage- and im sure the Iron is high- from the chain wear.


I was looking over my oil change intervals.
and thought---- heck I may as well do another low mileage oil change- and get new oil in there to help clean up a small amount of buildup... if any.
I dont know if VWB is known for having decent cleaning additives...

these are latest oil change intervals-- (miles on oil).
4,923
3,780 (vehicle hit 100,000)
5,000
4,969
1,507 (111,000- changed oil due to 4,000 miles road trip)
4,913 (the 4000 mile road trip oil).
1,367 (the oil change on Saturday).

I will now drive it another 1,000 to 1,200 miles and change the oil again--
as I have another 4,000 road trip in December..

Do you guys think- that the 2 quick changes-- had any slight cleaning advantages?



Curious.


I would switch to a full syn that is Dexos compliant like Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Plat. and not worry about it and do a normal OCI...

 

[rbarrios]

Originally Posted By: JC1
What's the time frame between each oil change?

Your engine is probably fine. Is that engine known for oil consumption problems?


It was usually every 3-4 months/5000 miles.

This engine is known to use some oil.
On mine- the oil consumption depends on how its driven.
But at most- its 1 to 1.5 qt every 5000 miles.

 

[rbarrios]

Its my understanding- that in 09/10- 3.6's
certain passages were too small- and prone to clogging.
they were enlarged in the 2011 and up.

in my case- I was just thinking--- what if--- over time- some passages have slowly become clogged--- kind of like build up in your circulatory system......


But from what you guys have said-- ill just continue 5,000 mile intervals....
and with my mild OCD-- ill continue with VWB-- to see how long I can keep this engine going-
my other 3.6 gets PP.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted By: rbarrios
Its my understanding- that in 09/10- 3.6's
certain passages were too small- and prone to clogging.
they were enlarged in the 2011 and up.

in my case- I was just thinking--- what if--- over time- some passages have slowly become clogged--- kind of like build up in your circulatory system......


But from what you guys have said-- ill just continue 5,000 mile intervals....
and with my mild OCD-- ill continue with VWB-- to see how long I can keep this engine going-
my other 3.6 gets PP.


Yea you should be fine. Since you are using a little more oil than average for a 3.6 I would spray out the PCV lines, 1 on each side on the plenum, and switch to a high mileage oil.
I have a 2009 CTS with the 3.6. My BiLs last car was a STS and after he sold it they got about 200k out of the motor before the trans started to act up. I used HM oil in the STS and changed about every 5k.