PetitFrereMaxima

iTrader: (2)

Since I like doing extended drain intervals, I would like to see the longest OCI that some other members have done or are doing. Even if your longest OCI was 5000 miles, please do share. If you do not mind.

When posting, provide these infos if you can; Make and model of car, type of oil, type of filter, how many miles, for how long, mileage on car.

My info;

2008 Nissan Maxima SE. Amsoil 5w30 ASL with Amsoil EaO filter for 12500 miles for 6 months. Miles on odometer 37500 to 50000.

During this run, used one bottle of Amsoil Pi, 2 bottles of redline complete fuel system cleaner and 1 bottle of Chevron complete fuel system cleaner.

Car still runs like new.

Currently running Mobil 1 5w30 Extended Performance with Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter. I plan on doing 10k on this oil.

Love_00_Max

5K with Pennzoil dino, 7.5K with ST syn.

Goodspeed91

96 maxima, conventional penz, fram extended gaurd filter, 6k. Mechanic asked when was the last oil change lol

tigersharkdude

iTrader: (20)

99 GLE, ~5K with Mobil 1 5w-30 and Mobil 1 filter, about 6 months....................Delay was when Mobil 1 was having shortages

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

20,000+ with my 88 buick on mobil 1 lol
it leaked, so i would just add oil to change it slowly over 2 years....


on the Max, not much over 7500 with M1


this extended warranty is almost up. then i shall do once a year 10-12k on this M1 EP.
just need to decide if i should keep the stock filter on the whole year, or 1/2 way.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

i went to 5000ish Km on Mobil 1 once a year and a bit ago on my 3rd gen and had to get a engine flush because of it. im on Castrol Syntec every 3000km now and couldnt be happier.

i think the mileage this happened at was 403,000km-408,000kmish. now im at 420,500km. it feels good when i go for a oil change to get compliments on how well taken care of it is and how good of shape its in

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

you get oil changes?


i enjoy changing my own oil.

vball_max

iTrader: (5)

~6k on Pennzoil Platinum with Amsoil EAO filter. I normally do 5k with that setup, but I was a bit late on that one.

2 GO B4

5K with 2 quarts RP and 2.5 quarts Syntec...using RP extended life filter.....last Blackstone analysis.....was told the oil and engine look great and I could go longer if I want---but I think I will just stick with 5K.....

talkinghorse

iTrader: (121)

Personally went over 3 years/36,000 miles on AMSOIL 10w-40 in a Subaru 1.8 H-4. Ran a by-pass filter and AMSOIL full flow oil filter and air filter. Annual UOAs supported continued use...changed filters once a year. Made decision to drain the oil as I thought that I may have inadvertently contaminated it with carb cleaner. Car was 10 yrs old when I sold it...engine ran fine...no visible sludge and no leaks. Body was beginning to rust, car was small, and I wanted a new one.

My 4th gen maxima was converted to AMSOIL oil and transmission fluid when it had 100 miles on it. Past several years it has been running ~12K - 15K OCI's on AMSOIL Signature Series 0w-30. Zero oil consumption between changes. Car now has over 150K. Following the same practice on my Frontier (and I30) and accumulating ~12k between semi-annual changes...recent UOA (posted in another thread) showed equal or less wear than universal averages with half the mileage. Viscosity still spot-on.

Have a customer who ran a Sentra ~350,000 miles on AMSOIL oil and filters with 25K OCIs. Customer now drives a Toyota Corolla running AMSOIL Signature Series oil and AMSOIL filters between 25K and 35K OCIs. Customer also uses AMSOIL ATF in his transmission and power steering system. Car has about 140K on it and running strong.

RAZ76

iTrader: (8)

The bend over and take it up the a$$ rule that dealers tell you to change the oil every 3000 miles is a load of bull shet. I change my oil every 7000 miles. It also depends on how you drive too. If you drive it a lot, change it every 5000 miles and you'll be good. I ran good Mobil on one of my trucks for 10,000 miles with no issues. Bought the truck new and has over 100,000 miles now. The thing is to use quality fluids and oil filter and not go cheap.

ABlackSER

4k was my longest interval, now I use AMSOIL Synthetic 5W-30, and I use Synthetic Tranny fluid

stamar

this is a weird survey because anyone can change the oil as often as they want....

I had a vw van i didnt change the oil on for about 30k miles lol. It was years like about 5 years too and those were all start and stop terrible miles. it just leaked so much about a quart every 1000 miles it didnt matter.

And there are MANY cars out there that the owner just never changes the oil. I can remember talking to a woman with a lower iq range that hadnt changed the oil in her chevy astro since buying it new and it had about 100k miles on it.


no matter what though with my i30 I start to get nervous around 3k miles. Mine has 60k on the engine and I think it had full synthetic since it was replaced and i dont want to mess it up

I use full synthetic and a mobile one filter. I already have the next 3 bought for it. I will try to get to 6k.

stamar

wow your fleet is almost like mine. I have a i30, a b14 sentra and a d21 hardbody truck.

Is there some reason you like 0-30 oil for the i30? do you recomend i use 0-30 oil? I used 10-30 but then i bought two 5-30 sets.

my i30 has very little engine wear it seems to have been taken care of since new. my other two vehicles no way they have 180k miles and 210 k miles and they do consume oil and have sludge

JD05

I have a buddy who buys a car about every 3 to 4 years and barely ever does any maintenance he usually gets his oil changed about every 15000 miles when his inspection is due and uses regular oil. He never has any problems with any cars in the past he trades them when they get to about 60 to 70k. I feel bad for the next person buying it used though.

talkinghorse

iTrader: (121)

I started using AMSOIL 0w-30 shortly after it was introduced over 10 years ago...at the time it was marketed as AMSOIL's "most efficient" oil and the company was reporting customers achieving significant fuel economy gains with it. Shortly after installing it in our '93 Quest (which I later sold, and currently has over 250K on AMSOIL oil and ATF), we made a trip from San Antonio to the Grand Canyon and mileage on the vehicle climbed with each tank of fuel. I was amazed! Today, however, I'm not sure a user will see the same fuel economy improvement compared to AMSOIL's other oils (unless they live in a cold climate and can benefit from the 0w-rating) because of the overall continual improvement/advancement of AMSOIL's entire product line. I continue to use AMSOIL 0w-30 in several of the cars because the basestock/additive combination provides the longest service life; it provides the best wear protection under the most severe operating conditions; and it meets the industry's most stringent tests for cleanliness in turbo-charged/supercharged applications. It really doesn't cost me that much more to use this product given that I only change oil 2X/yr, so I've stuck with it on several of the cars. We also have a Subaru Tribeca with the 3.6 H-6 and I'm running AMSOIL 5w-30 (the "100%" variety) in it. We've made several cross-county trips in this vehicle and I'm extremely pleased with the oil...it made a noticeable improvement in engine quietness, and I'm getting about 10% better fuel economy than the EPA highway rating on just the engine oil...have not changed over the ATF or diff's yet since the vehicle has low miles. Overall combined fuel economy on my Frontier (4.0) over 30,000 miles is 23...that's 15% better than the EPA Hwy rating of 20 mpg and 27% better than an assumed combined rating of 18 mpg. City rating is 16. Have AMSOIL engine oil, filters, ATF, and gear oil in it. See my post in the Group Deals Section for additional information.

stamar

hes probably very smart. Especially if hes putting tough miles on them.

I used to deliver pizza and regardless of the miles my car started up 20 times a day, the engine wear would be off the hook as well as brake death etc etc.

As opposed to trying to deal with maintenance for that better to dump it off before it gets ugly.

stamar

ok thats excellent. Youre an oil guy but theres no data that shows oil viscosity can change gas consumption like that its just not possible.

you can put o-30 and 10-30 in your insight or prius which is what that viscosity is made for and it wont change anything like that. 20 50 for that matter.

you get some gas mileage increase from the oil pump encountering less resistance to pumping. more in the 1% range but i shouldnt use a percentage. If your oil is too thin though youre messing yourself up

just not possible theres nothing in the equation. 0 20 and o30 went to market for the cars that have the car shut off at a stop technology. the lower viscosity improves gas mileage because the car stops and starts so much. not 15% mind you lol.

it is marketed as fuel economy oil because it was designed for a hybrid cars starting system.

Nothing states that using thinner oil in your maxima will improve gas mileage. It would actually void the warranty if you had a new one. No data on any oil or gas mileage site on the internet and theres a LOT.

talkinghorse

iTrader: (121)

Not sure I fully understand what you're saying, but I'm not comparing my fuel economy to oils of other viscosity...I'm comparing it to the published EPA ratings which until recently were known to be overstated. I don't know what my economy would be using a different viscosity unless I were to switch to that viscosity and measure it for a while...and I don't intend to do that.

As I'm sure you know there's much more to a motor oil than the viscosity rating...and that's why users of synthetics typically see fuel economy gains over petroleum oils of the same viscosity rating. I would say fuel economy gains for oils of the same viscosity have a lot to do with the quality and composition of the base stocks and additives and the oil's ability to resist chemical breakdown. There's friction between moving parts of an engine, but there's also friction within a lubricant...and a quality synthetic will exhibit better properties on both fronts thereby contributing to generally better fuel economy. Also, AMSOIL 0w-30 was introduced in the late 90's as AMSOIL's most premium oil (not just for fuel economy, but for performance) and I don't believe hybrids were even conceived at that time...at the time, I seem to recall that some NASCAR teams were reported using this oil for qualifying. At this oil's introduction, AMSOIL offered both the 0w-30 and a 20w-50 in the "Series 2000" product line...it incorporated cutting edge/industry-leading technology in base stocks and additives.

Engines are designed a certain way and require an oil that provides a certain film thickness. I don't advocate using a lower viscosity oil (e.g. a 20-weight) in an engine that is designed for a 30-weight. Synthetic 0w-30's can be use where ever a 5w-30 oil is recommended by the OEM without voiding the warranty. It's the 30 part of it that specifies the film thickness at high operating temps (210 deg F). The lower part of the equation will provide better flow (and reduced friction, reduced wear, quicker warm-ups, etc) at lower temps and those traits will contribute to better fuel economy at start-up as you state.

Recent UOA of 0w-30 after 10K in my Frontier in TX heat showed that it was smack-dab in the middle of the viscosity range for a 30-weight. It also had equal or lower wear metals than the Universal Averages for roughly half the mileage!!! Another members UOA from the same lab for Nissan 5w-30 Ester oil showed that it had sheared out of range at just over 5K.

Like I said above, I'm not confident that a user of AMSOIL 0w-30 today will see the same fuel economy gains over the company's other premium lubricants, but it certainly offers outstanding performance in terms of wear protection, extended service intervals, etc...and that's why I continue to use it in several of our vehicles.

stamar

the prius came out in 97 and the insight in 99.

It is POSSIBLE that 0 30 oil came out before a car that used it came out but I doubt it. There must be another car that uses 0 30 made in the 90s i just never came across it. The purpose is for the hybrid starting system. Eventually though all cars will have one.

Oil companies have a pretty big warning time though to make something up thats going to be required i dont doubt amsoil knew that there are cars that need 0 30 oil coming out ten years in advance.
Or there are race cars that do?

oh wow so then why would someone want to ever use a 10-30 when 0-30 should theoretically cover all the same range?

or 5 30. why would anyone ever use a 5-20 then when theres about 5 oils for sale that cover the same range?

because a thinner oil is not going to offer you the protection its not going to film. the channels are too thick in the engine.
This last paragraph is not really covering the subject correctly to me im sorry with all due respect. It actually contradicts the api description on oil viscosity.

10-40 oil covers the largest range but almost anyone will tell you never to use it its too thick to reach through the oil channels. There were even law suits about it and it was taken off the market because so many people ruined their cars with it believing it works whereever 10-30 does.

Thats the truth


edit wow i just went ahead and did research on using non recomended oil viscosity and it voids all manufacturer warrantees that I came across.

http://www.synthetic-oil-tech.com/d....weight_oil.htm

this seems to say those three are similar but that 10 40 is different. so that seems to be the same, always make sure your second number is the same.

stamar

If you have data that shows that any type of oil in any car can increase fuel economy like that you should definitely turn that in to amsoil.

I guess it falls under your results may vary but they dont make claims like that.

I looked through what you said super carefully and do you have a reason even super oil could increase gas mileage?

are you saying that engine friction is whats reducing gas mileage? No.... that would have to be some major engine friction.

PetitFrereMaxima

iTrader: (2)

stamar, I just had to respond to you.

There is nothing weird about this thread. First, you say "anyone can change the oil as often as they want", (see post #13, first paragraph). I believe everyone that is on this thread would agree with that.

That is why here, I am very interested in hearing from other members the highest number of miles they did on an oil before changing it. I am really hoping to use info from people that care about their cars and hopefully their cars are not leaking too.

So, if you did 30k on an oil while the car was leaking and you kept on adding oil, that is good info. But the most interesting info would be if your car was not leaking, so you did not add any fuel and so did 30k on the same oil. I would be like, WOW!

So, I wish to hear from a regular person who is keen on his maintenance, likes extended oil change intervals like me, car does not leak and he does anything above 10k before oil changes. The higher, the more intriguing it would be to me. For I am looking at trying 15k or more on every oil change. And for this, I am thinking Amsoil 5W30 or 0W30.

As for the people who buy a new car and change oil after 100k and 5 years, all I can say is that they are ignorant. For nobody who cares about their car would keep the same oil for 100k before changing it. So, I would be glad to get the info I am looking for from the people that care about changing their oils.

PetitFrereMaxima

iTrader: (2)

stamar, another thing.

While you are trying to grill or put talkinghorse on the hot seat that no mileage gain for a 0w30 oil and that it should not be used where a 5w30 or 10w30 is used, let me share a little info with you.

Amsoil 0w30 ad says exclusive “extended drain” formulation which delivers superior engine protection and maximum fuel economy.

Mobil 1 0w30 (green cap) ad says, Mobil 1 0w30 Advanced Fuel Economy is engineered to deliver outstanding engine protection and to offer improved fuel economy in vehicles where SAE 0W-30, 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil is recommended.*

So, I shared this with you to show that while Mobil 1 says their 0w30 would improve gas mileage through fuel economy, I did not see them specify it is only for hybrid cars. So, you might be wrong to say 0w30 was made for hybrid cars. And realize that the company Mobil 1 says you will get increase in gas mileage if you use that oil. So, I don't think you can stand to argue with talkinghorse who has some statistics from his personal research. If you disagree soo much, why not call or write to Mobil 1 and tell them they are lying!

Both oils perpetuate that 0w30 can be used in any application where a 5w30 or a 10w30 is recommended. I was hoping you would mention the Mobil 1 0w30 green cap, but you did not. I say this because you seem to express a lot of knowledge about oil and you currently use mobil 1 products. As a user of their products, haven't you come across their 0w30 yet?

As for your post #21, if you seriously want data, why ask talkinghorse? He is not the company or manufacturer. You use mobil 1 products and he uses Amsoil. Why don't you contact Mobil 1 and Amsoil for proof of their claims? I think it would be more appropriate to ask those companies than asking talkinghorse.

Let us know what response they give you.

talkinghorse

iTrader: (121)

You had asked me a question as to why I was using 0w-30 and I provided you with an answer. My intent is not to enter into a debate. I keep very detailed records on my vehicles and as a matter of course, I don't blow smoke. If you don't accept what I'm offering, then I recommend you use your own best judgement and use what you think is best.

The AMSOIL Series 2000 product line was introduced in the latter part of the '90's ('96-'97 in that timeframe). When it came out, it was marketed as a technological advancement that provided uncompromised performance and wear protection with fuel economy improvements in both viscosities. The 0w-30 was formulated to maximize an engine's efficiency and power without sacrificing wear protection. In fact, in addition to carrying the longest drain recommendation on the market then and now (up to 35,000 miles or 1 year), the oil offers better wear protection than competing oils of higher viscosity. AMSOIL Series 2000 0w-30 was reformulated/improved a few years ago and is now sold as AMSOIL Signature Series 0w-30.

I have been involved with AMSOIL for a very long time and I do not recall that the Series 2000 0w-30 was specifically recommended/intended/marketed for hybrids...it was marketed as an oil being the ultimate in performance, wear protection and efficiency. You are correct that the Prius came out in '97, but it wasn't available here in the US until the summer of '00 and I believe the recommended oil viscosity was 5w-30. The Insight, I believe, was first available at the end of '99/beginning of '00, and again, I believe it required a 20 weight oil of sorts.

1. Because I don't believe there are any petroleum 0w-30's on the market and synthetics cost more than conventional lubes; 2. because in the case of AMSOIL, the difference in the product is more than just viscosity and the 0w-30 costs more than the other product lines; 3. because some people don't believe they need the added benefit of a 0w- oil; and 4. because a large number of people lack any knowledge of lubricants and they listen to anyone who has an opinion, whether its based on fact and knowledge or not...more often "not".

Like I said in an earlier post, engines are designed to operate on a specific viscosity of oil. Today's most modern engines are manufactured to very tight tolerances and they require a 20-weight oil. I would not advocate putting a 20-weight oil in an engine designed to run on a 30-weight; but, if the engine is designed to run on a 20-weight I would have no issues with it. Honda and Ford recommend 20 weight oils in most, if not all of their new vehicles and I sell a lot of 5w-20 and 0w-20 to owners of those vehicles. In fact, I owned a Honda Odyssey for over 6-yrs, made several trips across the country fully loaded in the middle of summer and I ran AMSOIL 5w-20 and ATF exclusively. Never used a drop of oil, engine was sparkling clean from what I could see inside the filler cap, and I never had any transmission issues even though those vehicles were notorious for transmission failures due to a faulty design related to inadequate lubrication and resulting overheating.

I agree with you that 10w-40 is not recommended for any modern gasoline engines I am aware of because, you are right, it is too thick and engine design is light years ahead of what it was in years past. Again, the oil has to match the design of the engine...you can't use it in an engine that is designed to run on a 20-weight. But you are incorrect that 10w-40 has been taken off the market...its very much available because there are still a lot of older cars out there that require it and there are lots of people whose engines are highly worn and they use the higher viscosity to try to slow oil burning.

The link you provided is to another AMSOIL Dealer's website, but it validates what i have been saying nonetheless. AMSOIL (and i believe Mobil) 0w-30 can be used wherever a 5w-30 or 10w-30 oil is recommended. Again, it's the 30 that describes the viscosity of the oil at high temperatures (212 deg F), and that's what's most important. The 0w-rating is icing on the cake for better flow at start-up. Furthermore, an OEM would have to prove that your choice of oil and your maintenance practice was the direct cause of a problem in order to deny warranty coverage. And in the case with AMSOIL, their products are backed with a written warranty which warrants their products will perform as advertised when used in accordance with their recommendation...so you're covered either way.

I hope this answers your questions...

talkinghorse

iTrader: (121)

AMSOIL and other mfgrs of synthetics typically claim users will get some fuel economy benefit because of the better lubricating qualities of the oils. AMSOIL states that users can typically expect a 3%-5% improvement with their engine oil, but as you state, results may vary. But remember, I use syn lubes in the engine, transmission and differential (where applicable).

I track every drop of gas that goes into my vehicles and my results are what they are. I have nothing to compare it to (no before or after) since I typically switch my vehicles to AMSOIL as soon as I get them. I drive pretty conservatively; keep the vehicles in good repair; and keep the tires rotated, balanced and properly inflated...so those factors, combined with the reduction in friction in the drivetrain help me achieve the results I do.

06maximabadwaddle

No more then 5k Mobil one syn and filter.I beat the car like a dirty ***** but I take care of it which is the important part!

Bobo

It strikes me that there are a lot of people who are only getting 5,000 miles out of say Mobil1 and and Mobil 1 filter. That seems to be a waste of money to me as they could likely get more miles than that. I believe SilverMax04 routinely goes 10,000 miles on Mobil 1.

I suggest some of the 5k owners send a sample into Blackstone Labs and get an opinion on the condition of their oil. I did that with my Esso XD3 0w30 PAO full synthetic after 5k miles and was told that I was good to go. And that oil had been in use for 12.5 months. The TBN came back at 3.8.

rnaymik

1999 GLE, currently 130K miles on it
I think the longest I've gone is 8K miles. I usually stick to 7500-8000 miles.
For the past year I've used nothing but Mobil 1 10W30 High Mileage, with a Fram extra guard filter and Shell V-Power fuel. Seems like a clean running combo. I recently tried Z Max engine oil treatment. It seems to have helped a little bit in performance, but It could just be placebo effect...

xiton

Isn't it recommended to change the oil filter if you're going for an extended run, due to the small size?

Bobo

It depends what extended is. I suspect you wouldn't have to change the filter if you went with an Amsoil, Mobil 1, Purolator One or Wix filter.

Bobo

Given the length of your OCI, perhaps you should do yourself a favour and stop using the Fram filter and go with a decent one.

mikey66

OCI Information:
- I have 2 99 Maximas (151k and 166k miles) and do my oil changes anywhere from 4k to 10k. I use conventional 5W30 and always change filter with the oil. I've had the 166k for 8 years and it's never burned/leaked a noticeable amount between changes.
- Also have a 2001 Civic with 102k miles. Change anywhere from 5k to 12k. Use conventional 5W20. Bought this one new, never burned/leaked noticeably.
- I usually change my oil once every 12-18 months if that comes before my change interval. Years degrade things more than mileage (in my opinion).

Disclaimers:
- This is to disclose my perspective, which is probably different from others on this site. I am not a performance guy. I drive on public roads and I don't go crazy with speed or acceleration. I am interested in squeezing every mile out of my cars, because I am cheap. But there's little value for me in squeezing a few extra miles if it costs me a lot (because I am cheap). Therefore, I don't bother with synthetic or name-brand oil.
- I use the $5 autozone FRAM single filters, and the cheapo autozone oil that comes in the 5+ qt continers, I've had about a dozen vehicles and driven probably over 750k+ miles total, and I've never ever had an oil-related problem.

My !OPINIONS! :
- Short 3k change intervals were important decades ago because (1) the oil sucked, and (2) the engine tolerances were greater. So, you'd get oil breakdown sooner, and it'd be consumed more quickly and be dirtier because of much greater blow-by and other crud sources.
- Short 3k change intervals were perpetuated by Jiffy Lube etc to increase their market and revenues. If you convince people to change every 3k versus the 6k (or more) recommended by most manufacturers, you've just doubled your market. Brilliant.
- These days you can go 10k or more without any problem whatsoever.
- Synthetic is nice if you're a purist or a performance fiend. I am neither. Add up all the money you dump into your car via synthetic oil and fancy filters, versus what you'd have paid over the years buying the cheap sh*t, and it's practically enough to buy another car.
- Another reason for my opinions is probably that I live in the NorthEast. I (nor anyone I have ever known) have never ever had a car that got junked because of engine failure. All my cars die slowly of road-salt-induced rust. So worrying excessively about my engine is like worrying about where my hairline will be when I'm 240 years old. Not an issue.
- Oil viscosity does affect mileage (lighter oil = less engine friction = increased economy), but I think it would be very hard for a single person tracking gas usage over everyday driving to notice or measure accurately. There are too many variables (temperature, humidity, traffic, driving habits, fuel quality, alcohol content, accuracy of gas station's pumps, etc.). You'd need a ton of data to do the statistical gymnastics necessary to eliminate these other variables.
- The EPA mileage estimates are only comparisons; beyond that the numbers are meaningless. It's all about driving habits. I am fairly tame behind the wheel, so I always get better than the highway estimate in everyday driving. Yes, always.
- The difference in economy between 67mph and 65mph probably dwarfs any mileage improvements a particular oil gives you.
- If you're still reading this novel then please accept my apologies.

stamar

Ya well I dont want to insult anyone.

But there has never been any data by anyone that shows that any engine oil can increase your gas mileage at all.

Its just not possible.

Someone can say, I got this mileage, and then i changed my oil and then after that i got 15% better gas mileage.

Theres like thousands of people who say that about the tornado....

Yet its impossible for it to improve your gas mileage. IMPOSSIBLE. You have to first have a blockage in your air intake that installing a tornado somehow removed for you.
But were rocking on snake oil right there. Even saying it changed 3%? How? Just cant go beyond that to the second thing.

theres no innate friction that better oil is emininating that will make it go 15% better....

perkman87

iTrader: (6)

3000 on the dot every time. Don't care gets done..

Bobo

You have it *** backwards. It is not years that degrade mileage, it is mileage that degrades. The TBN level in used oil is key and it is mileage that affects it first, rather than time. It strikes me that you are much too cheap to send in a UOA to Blackstone Labs to get a true read on your oil. I wouldn't be running cheap dino oil for up to 10k or 18 months if I was paid to do so.

[
QUOTE=mikey66;7612032]OCI Information:
- I have 2 99 Maximas (151k and 166k miles) and do my oil changes anywhere from 4k to 10k. I use conventional 5W30 and always change filter with the oil. I've had the 166k for 8 years and it's never burned/leaked a noticeable amount between changes.
- Also have a 2001 Civic with 102k miles. Change anywhere from 5k to 12k. Use conventional 5W20. Bought this one new, never burned/leaked noticeably.
- I usually change my oil once every 12-18 months if that comes before my change interval. Years degrade things more than mileage (in my opinion).

Disclaimers:
- This is to disclose my perspective, which is probably different from others on this site. I am not a performance guy. I drive on public roads and I don't go crazy with speed or acceleration. I am interested in squeezing every mile out of my cars, because I am cheap. But there's little value for me in squeezing a few extra miles if it costs me a lot (because I am cheap). Therefore, I don't bother with synthetic or name-brand oil.
- I use the $5 autozone FRAM single filters, and the cheapo autozone oil that comes in the 5+ qt continers, I've had about a dozen vehicles and driven probably over 750k+ miles total, and I've never ever had an oil-related problem.

My !OPINIONS! :
- Short 3k change intervals were important decades ago because (1) the oil sucked, and (2) the engine tolerances were greater. So, you'd get oil breakdown sooner, and it'd be consumed more quickly and be dirtier because of much greater blow-by and other crud sources.
- Short 3k change intervals were perpetuated by Jiffy Lube etc to increase their market and revenues. If you convince people to change every 3k versus the 6k (or more) recommended by most manufacturers, you've just doubled your market. Brilliant.
- These days you can go 10k or more without any problem whatsoever.
- Synthetic is nice if you're a purist or a performance fiend. I am neither. Add up all the money you dump into your car via synthetic oil and fancy filters, versus what you'd have paid over the years buying the cheap sh*t, and it's practically enough to buy another car.
- Another reason for my opinions is probably that I live in the NorthEast. I (nor anyone I have ever known) have never ever had a car that got junked because of engine failure. All my cars die slowly of road-salt-induced rust. So worrying excessively about my engine is like worrying about where my hairline will be when I'm 240 years old. Not an issue.
- Oil viscosity does affect mileage (lighter oil = less engine friction = increased economy), but I think it would be very hard for a single person tracking gas usage over everyday driving to notice or measure accurately. There are too many variables (temperature, humidity, traffic, driving habits, fuel quality, alcohol content, accuracy of gas station's pumps, etc.). You'd need a ton of data to do the statistical gymnastics necessary to eliminate these other variables.
- The EPA mileage estimates are only comparisons; beyond that the numbers are meaningless. It's all about driving habits. I am fairly tame behind the wheel, so I always get better than the highway estimate in everyday driving. Yes, always.
- The difference in economy between 67mph and 65mph probably dwarfs any mileage improvements a particular oil gives you.
- If you're still reading this novel then please accept my apologies.[/QUOTE]

hondakiller

that funny win i brought my max from a guy it had 90,000 miles he did not changed the oil in that thing for 10,000 miles and it set for 2 yrs still ran like its was new

mikey66

There is this stuff in the air called OXYGEN that contributes to this process called OXIDATION. Oxidation is a process that (1) is generally bad for stuff, oil included; and (2) proceeds over TIME (not miles driven).

Your oil can and does oxidize even when it's just sitting there doing nothing, because it's not really just doing nothing, it's continually interacting with the oxygen in the air.

Yes, this process is probably very slow, but do something very slowly over long periods of TIME and you eventually get results.

Oxidation speeds up with increased temperature. Even if you drive only 5 miles a day, your oil gets hot, then stays hot for hours after you drive, and it's being assaulted by atmospheric oxygen all that time.

More of a concern to me, there are lots of ADDITIVES in the oil you buy. I suspect that these are more vulnerable to oxidation than the oil itself. But when you buy these premium oils, you're paying a lot for these additives. I'll bet at least some of them are volatile enough to be affected appreciably by the simple passage of time.

Regarding the cheap oil / Blackstone Labs issue, give me a break. First, all the oil you can buy "meets or exceeds" manufacturers requirements. Second, I have NEVER had an issue that was caused by "cheap" oil. I drive cars into the ground, and know what? The engine has NEVER been the reason I finally put a bullet in them.

I'm not arguing that the more expensive oils aren't "better". I'm suggesting, and saying definitively in my personal experience, that this "better" is unnecessary and therefore a waste of money. If you're a racer, fine, go for it. I'm not. Why would I pay a premium for a feature I'm not using?

mikey66

False. Viscosity is by definition a fluid's resistance to deformation by shear or tensile stress. This resistance results in a force called friction that opposes motion of things like reciprocating pistons, rotating camshafts, etc. This force, acting over a distance, results in work, in this case a parasitic loss of energy. That energy comes from... wait for it... burning gasoline.

Higher viscosity, higher resistance, higher friction, higher parasitic loss, higher fuel consumption. Do the math.

Now, if you are arguing that the difference is NEGLIGIBLE, I agree completely. But, it's not zero. THAT is just not possible (unless there's a new oil out there I don't know about that behaves as a superfluid).

I thought what we're talking about is oil experiences and trivia, in this case the interesting aspects of this small nonzero parasitic loss. Now, whether this discussion has any practical merit is a whole other issue. I've already weighed in on that by admitting I buy the cheapo oil. But I feel it's interesting and that I can learn useful information even talking about an impractical issue.

stamar

I mean any brand over any other brand.


I will go ahead and find a consumer reports chapter on it so nobody has to take my word for anything.

oil that is bad does decrease gas mileage. so if you compare amsoil that is new to oil that is old you will increase gas mileage.

The oil itself is no more slippery...

Theres a truly definitive analysis using new york cabs.

To make a long story short they found that mobile one made a difference in wear but not a big one.

The difference is dirt though. They also didnt recomend going over 6k.

That said I use full synthetic on my engine of the car im going the distance with. Im going to swithc over to full synthetic atf even though i havent found even word of mouth that it makes ats last longer. Just way better safe than sorry with my real whip

my sentra gets the cheapest oil on sale.

I change the oil around 5k.

mikey66

All great points, Stamar (#39).

This is getting off-topic, but... What's the word about making the switch to synthetic ATF. With motor oil there's the issues of:
(1) Engine break-in. Synthetic is (I've heard) so slippery that a new engine parts won't properly wear to a nice smooth polish;
(2) Gaskets. They absorb a certain amount of oil and expand. Make a big switch like to synthetic after too long and the gaskets leak.

*** Are there similar issues with ATF?

Also, I drain and top off the ATF once in a GREAT while, but I do it because I'm more worried about replenishing any additives than I am about the oil having gone "bad". Synthetic would last longer, but...

*** Would you still have the concerns about the additives?